I am so angry that I could spit. My wife and I were going to get a pair or adult ball pythons from a friend that she works with (she works at Petsmart). Due to circumstances he could not keep them and the 55g tank they were in. It was to be a free gift, the snakes and everything needed for them.
We just went to get them and met the guy at the apartment he was moving out of (the reason he had to give them up). When we get to the apartment the door is wide open and there are no lights on. This makes sense because he is moving the power is now turned off. We go over to the tank and using our cell phones as flashlights I get my first view of them. 2 Balls, one male and one female, are cuddled together and both are gorgeous and nice and plump. I ask to hold one and he says to go ahead.
I reach in and go for the larger of the pair, I gently pick it up...............and my heart stops. The BP is cold to the touch, and doesn't respond at all, neither does the other one. They had frozen to death (it's in the 20's at night here in CO and in the 50's during the day). Apparently we weren't told that the apartment had the power shut off 2 days ago.
My wife immediately turns pale and I have to fight the urge to beat the hell out of this guy. Not only has he had these snakes for a year or so, he is the reptile manager at the store they work at. He knew better, he knew the apartment was without power for 2 days, and the worst is.....he didn't care. When he learned they had died he just said "That sucks" with the same emotion as if he had broken his cell phone.
We quickly went to leave and he then had the gall to ask if we still wanted the tank they were in! I have never wanted to hit someone as much as I wanted to deck him. My wife was so upset that I had to drive us home, she was crying the entire way. I don't understand how someone can have pets and just not care when they die, and when it's the fault of the owner no less. If I somehow ever cause the death of any of my pets I will be devastated, they aren't just animals that we care for, they are part of the family. They are friends for us and they love us no matter what.
I only wish that I had known sooner the situation they were in, I would have picked them up immediately.
RIP Bonnie and Clyde, you deserved a hell of a lot better than what you got.
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