What the H%$# was this????

[wendy]

Hope I posted in the right spot? Any way I was in a pet shop about a month and a 1/2 ago. I found a pretty nice BP. I asked to hold it, so I could determine the sex. And OMG it had like, yellow puss balls or something on it's underbelly and sides. The cage was soaking wet, dung in it. Just nasty! So I asked the lady what is wrong with it, she had no clue. I suggested to take it to a vet. I had also suggested Neosporin on the yellow bumps AND better husbandtry. Man, I was afraid to handle my snakes after that even though I use hand-sanitizer. I have kept many snakes in my time but NEVER saw anything like that!
So today I ended up there again, for crickets for my knobies. The snake was still there. So I checked it out. The lady said she was treating it with Triple Anti-biotic Ointment. The cage was better than it was, and cleaner.She also said the snake had shed since and some of the spots are gone. But there were plenty left. She also says it eats no problem. The snake had good wieght and was pretty big for a male, so I believe it ate good. I didn't need a male or any problems so I left it there. WHAT WAS THIS I SAW? FREAKED ME OUT, BIGTIME!!

[normballpython2]

belly rot baby........belly rot it happens to bp's when the substrate is too wet. and they are left on ti for long periods of time and also next time ya go u should check to see if he was whisping or gasping of something like that because he probabaly has a respritory infection.

[wendy]

I have pulled tic's off wc ones,treated mouse bites, cured ri's but never,never saw anything like that. It didn't seem to have an ri @ the time, but it was behind glass today and didn't want to hold it....don't know why!?

[normballpython2]

yeah belly rot is not the best thing to look at. it is disgusting but it is what happens when ya havebad husbandry. blisters and spots describe it pretty do on well. if she is treating it i would think it will take a while for the snake to fully recover. as long as it is hart and getting better i would buy it too badi am not in ur shoes.

[Marla]

That snake shouldn't be on display. That's appalling. I doubt it will ever get better.

[UberAlice]

i would buy it too badi am not in your shoes.

I wouldn't. Alert reptile rescue, maybe, but definitely not buy it. That teaches the store owners that they can sell even sickly, dying animals for full price.
If you're gonna buy it, invite the media so they know just how terrible this place is. Either that, or call the ASPCA.

[kontron]

at least she seems like she is trying to treat it, not that it excuses bad care in the first place. how long does it take belly rot to develop? my snakes cage seems to always be moist in some spots, if i stir the substrate around mousture comes from underneath. the top layer could be totaly dry, and i turn the substrate and it is moist again, cause the bottom layer of subsrtate is still holding moisture.

[zennygirl]

sounds like you should buy your crickets elsewhere and not support that store.

[Brandon.O]

thats what im doin now,i used to go to the pet store down the street to buy mice but now i dont.I get them from the breeder .That store is where i bought roxy, im lucky she is as healthy as she is.

[wendy]

i was @ the petstore today. better news. i spoke w/ the store owner today, which i know well. (she even sold me my 1st bp 19 years ago.) she was telling me how the snake came in, someone dropped it off there like that,they couldn't take care of it anymore. the cage still looked clean. they have been treating it, but it is not for sale till it gets better. i believe her. they have a clean shop and are very knowlegable, over the years i 've known them they have been good people. . they even feed thier crickets vegetables there.the girl that i spoke to was a worker while they were vacationing. the snake still looked awful. but she thinks it should recover. man i hope so. she too, said it was a bad case of belly rot. the worst she ever saw.