Got a job at Petsmart. Really worried about one of their BP's

[Riv]

Today was my second day at petsmart. They apparently had just lost a ball python a day or two beforehand and they were concerned for their last one. The guy I was training with had worked for them for like 3 years, and had never so much as seen a ball python STRIKE at the food they had offered them. I took a look at their last ball python and he was horribly thin. His belly was actually going inward, and he couldnt even support his own weight with his tail. He was mid shed as well and completely incapable of removing the skin. After two tries, I was able to get him to eat a fuzzy, and I gave him a bath to help moisturize his skin but im still very worried about him. I plan on giving him another fuzzy when I work on monday but even though he has food now im still concerned he might not make it. Is there anything else I can do to help him? I really want to just buy him, but im not allowed any more snakes in my current living situation so whatever I can do for him at work is really all I can do..

[Daybreaker]

I would just keep feeding him (at least a 5 day schedule if you can) and monitor him, without buying him I don't think there's much you can do. I would talk to your manager also and how him your concern, he (or she) may be able to let you do more for it (like bringing in a tub for it, buying better hides, etc).

I looked at the baby BPs at my local Petsmart that they had in the back and one sounded exactly like the one you're talking about: very thin, it wouldn't eat for anyone, stuck shed, etc but they were keeping it in bad conditions - ie, wide open tank, huge hide, heat lamp only, and it was in a room with noisy birds and rodents. I think a good setup would do wonders for it, at least make it feel more secure.

[Riv]

I told my manager I wanted to bring in my temp gun to confirm temps, but everything looks right. Im not allowed to spray, only bathe them like I did today for humidity. The temp guages seem right and its a good size tank for how small he is. The hide is appropriate as well. What I noticed was that they just didnt know how to feed them properly. They put them in a super tight container, and using tongs dangle a mouse a good bit above the snakes head which just freaks them out. It really doesnt help that they dont thoroughly thaw the mouse. the one they tried to feed it before I tried was still cold to the touch. and if he didnt take it right away they just stuck him back till the next week. Im definitely going to teach peple how to properly feed them for the future. I just want this little guy to make it through so badly @_@

[crazy ball]

if there was only more people like you working at places like that well done chap hope he becomes a nice pet for you at work

[Riv]

Hahaha. I wish that as well. This guy came in a few minutes after I fed him and asked if he could buy the little guy. I asked him if he had his enclosure set up and what the specs were and he hadnt bought a single thing yet and didnt want to spent more than 50 dollars on it.(snake not included) After I explained the costs of an enclosure and that he would eventually need a bigger tanks than a 15 gallon he said he wanted it but he wouldnt get a bigger tank and I refused to sell it to him.(perfectly within my rights if I dont feel that whatever animal i question will be properly cared for) Its gonna really suck if I manage to get this little guy healthy again and he gets sold to somebody who's going to give him a bad life..

I mean he could have at least done some research before attempting to make the purchase. He didnt even know what they ate..

[MidSouthMorphs]

Typical Petco/PetSmart. Glad they now have someone who knows how to properly care for them, so good on you for that. Sometimes I go in and ask questions like I have no idea what a Ball Python is. The answers I get scare me due to the lack of knowledge. Our local ones always have thin animals.

[cmack91]

IMO, i wouldnt feed it on a 5day, maybe 7-8 for now, if you feed a seriously underweight animal, or human for that matter, the amount of food a healthy animal can eat, it can kill them just as easy as no food, so i would start on like a 7day for a month or so, then six for a few feedings, then to 5, that way you gradually introduce the idea of food being in the body, if you go from no food, to a bunch, it can become terribly sick, and just make it worse

[crazy ball]

yeah go dude i wuda done same as you lol not right to treat them diffrent from us there still living creatures

[jjmitchell]

ya know he wouldnt be buying it from petsmart but steralite tubs work better than glass aquariums for bps anyway.....and I can buy alot of tubs for the price of glass

[Riv]

ya know he wouldnt be buying it from petsmart but steralite tubs work better than glass aquariums for bps anyway.....and I can buy alot of tubs for the price of glass

Valid point. If he had said he was using tubs I would have been fine with it. but when I asked him about his enclosure this is what he said. "Naw man, I havent worked that stuff out yet. I jus came to git the snake."

Not remotely and answer that inspired confidence. and he couldnt have wanted it that badly because he just said okay and left when I refused him the sale. I imagine it was just a passing fancy he had entertained without really thinking about it in depth.