Bad move form store clerk

[Zombies Cry 2]

I was in Petsmart yesterday getting supplies and I always like to see the animals they keep. During my stay a customer had asked to hold the BP they had for sale. I stuck around to watch and the BP was scared and on the defensive (should have not been handled in my opinion). The store employee did not have the proper confidence to be showing this animal and the customer probably never held a snake at all. Now I am fairly new to owning a BP I've had mine about 2 months, just wanted to get that out there before I finish the story, since everyday I learn something new. While the clerk who was very nervous passing the little guy to the customer the BP had started striking at the customer and the clerk did not know what to do. Honestly thought she was going to throw the snake down. I had stepped in a taken the snake from the clerk and gently covered the him with both hands putting him into a ball position. This seemed to calm him down enough that he was no longer in striking mode but rather in hide mode. I then put the little fellow back in his enclosure and told the clerk she really shouldn't handle an animal that she is scared of. I do believe the customer was turned off to ever holding a snake again or considering owning one due to the clerks reaction. What I had done was out of instinct I didn't really think about what I was doing I just did it. Was this the correct way to handle this situation or should other steps have been taken. I didn't want the snake more stressed than he needed to be and I was not forceful at all.

The first issue was snake did not want to be handled at that time.

The second issue is the clerk should have known to leave it be and was very fidgety trying to pick him up and was scared.

Third issue and under trained employee had potentially stressed out an animal, and turned someone away who might had been interested in getting into this hobby.

I by all means am not bashing the store or the clerk but if she wasn't comfortable handling a snake she should have got help.

I would like to know if handling the snake the way I did was correct, it seemed to have worked but if there was a better way to handle a snippy snake I would like to know. Besides not trying to handle one who is grumpy.

[Creepy Alien]

I think what you did was great and the perfect way to handle the situation. You're probably right about the customer, but maybe because you were able to take control of the situation so easily, they'll see that it wasn't the snake's fault and try again sometime.

[bcr229]

I also think you did fine.

I probably also would have mentioned to the customer that big box pet store babies are often stressed and nippy, but I have well-started non-nippy ball pythons available and my email address is ... And in the meantime let's go check out the supplies and I'll show you the correct stuff to buy for a ball python...

BTW I wouldn't normally get between a vendor and a customer, especially on the store's property, but in this case the vendor already lost the sale.

[Galaxygirl]

I would have tried explaining more to the customer that the Ball Python was afraid and why, instead of just scolding the employee and putting the python away. It could have been turned more into a learning experience, and I think even getting the employee comfortable with the python would have been ideal. What I'm concerned about is someone walking away (customer and employee) now thinking ball pythons are mean/nippy creatures if they didn't already before.

[C2tcardin]

Not to hijack your thread but my personal pet peeve is when I go to Petco to get mice on Sundays for a few picky eaters who refuse f/t rats. What peeves me is watching them daintily chase a mouse around the tank with the hid box lid trying to catch it, half the time they're afraid of it. Then after the 10 minutes it took to get the 3 mice I need, the store clerk then apologizes to the mice that they are going to be eaten.

[Zombies Cry 2]

Galaxygirl I was far from scolding the employee of the store. Futhermore I would never embarass a perfect stranger. She thanked me for taking the snake because she was frightened. I did mention to the customer that BPS are generally very docile. But I believe after her reaction and her admitting she was scared he was a lost cause. I tried my best to make this a positive experience but there really wasn't much I could do. I really just wanted the Lil guy to be safe. I am a very laid back patient guy. I would very much dislike anyone thinking I was nasty to this young girl. I was merely trying to make a bad situation from getting worse.

[DVirginiana]

I think you handled the situation well. It's always kind of been my philosophy that if someone is really afraid of being bitten by something they should consider a pet rock... If it has a mouth, it will try to bite you at some point.

[skatefastdieyoung]

I believe you handled the situation perfectly, although i agree with some other replies that you could have explained to the customer as to why the typically friendly snake was defensive. Either way you did a great job

[stickyalvinroll]

Of course you handled it right, perfectly In my opinion. I don't see any other option

[Zombies Cry 2]

Thanks for the feed back.