Taking home a neglected banana, any special tips?

[ferrislongdog]

So, I have decided I need to take this poor creature home with me as no one in this store I work at is showing any real concern and I am honestly enraged by what I am seeing. This banana has been in the store for months now. It never was a healthy weight, and the fact it literally refuses to eat, as the vet said it was possible it's so inbred it's stupid and cannot take food on its own, makes me cringe when I think of random person coming and buying it for their first snake.It has been assist-fed it's every tiny pinkie meal. It was in the private isolation room, getting daily betadine soaks, stressed 24/7, for probably a month until I pressed that we stop the soaks asap. Then they decided it looked like it was retaining weight and returned it to the sales floor where it was at least left alone.
However. I decided to check on it today when I was closing.
Holy hell.


It is a horror show. Skin drooping off every part of the body, ribs outlined, a spine so visible it could give you a papercut. Could not curl up, was unsteady. So mushy and squishy it made me uncomfortable because there was zero muscle.

Now I already own one thriving ball, and have always been on top of researching more. So basics I get. However, for this case, I was wondering if there was anything special I should do? Considering setup (do NOT tell me to put it in a 6qt tub with a bowl of water. I will not be using anything shoebox related.) or mainly anything I should do for the first time I try to feed?

[Tigerhawk]

First pinkie's are to small for it. Get him a small live hopper mouse to start off. Next get him a nice dark hide for his cage. You were correct the daily soakings were doing nothing but stressing him out. Keep his cage humidity correct and don't handle him until he starts eating regularly. I think I have seen this poor guy in a pet shop. Or one just like him. You aren't in the Columbia South Carolina area are you? These big box pet stores are stupid with the way they have their reptiles. I want call it keeping them as it's far from it. By the way thanks for trying to help it. I would rescue it myself, however they would just get another one to abuse.

[tttaylorrr]

holy heck. that baby is lucky you found him and are knowledgeable to understand. get that poor thing to a proper home, get nice secluded hides and proper temps, and let it relax.

+1 live hopper, and watch carefully as i'm sure it's p weak.

keep us updated, please! that's a beautiful baby, and it's happy you stepped in.

[ferrislongdog]

Yeah, I've been wrestling a lot with taking him home just because the last time a banana starved to death on the sales floor, they just got this one pictured in in his place. Not only is it on MACK reptiles for not waiting until the pythons are established on feeding, but it's on the us at the store to be CARING for them which always fall through. All the pythons get pinkies, which is idiotic.

But im afraid to buy him and encourage the sales. But I also don't want to just let him waste away. It's rough.

At this point I'm thinking I'd do a fuzzy to start, leave him alone more, and then maybe a hopper. I would love to see him improve and grow.

[BBotteron]

Can't you feed him a "pinkie" on paper but actually feed him a hopper? I'm sure they have to just freeze or throw away any extras every couple days


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[CALM Pythons]

Obviously under weight but also looks like skin is about ready for a shed.... I could never work around that, id flip my lid. Petsmart/petco is known for this. They are also known for discounting reptiles that look that bad and dont eat ect... I know of them selling Albinos & bananas for $30 when they are that bad. See what deal you can work out... And your right they will just get another... Maybe you need to emotionally detach yourself now or youll always be in this situation unfortunately.
If you get him, buy real pvc hides instead of decoration. Balls seem to do better in plain hides that do what there ment for instead of chain store decorative junk. A medium is perfect for him. $4.99. Get 2 and good luck with whatever you decide.
http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

[ferrislongdog]

At this point I'll take it IF they agree to adopt him out. I don't want them to make a penny off of this poor creature. My store has never marked down reptiles regardless of their awful condition. It took over a year for them to mark the older, large ~3 foot ball, down 50% while it lived in a ten gallon sized tank. A coworker snatched her that very day.

[bcr229]

See if you can get it free because it's in such poor shape.

If you have to assist feed again try a f/t large-ish fuzzy or small-ish hopper, and I would make it damp to help the feeder go down easier and to help rehydrate the snake.

Good luck.

[CALM Pythons]

At this point I'll take it IF they agree to adopt him out. I don't want them to make a penny off of this poor creature. My store has never marked down reptiles regardless of their awful condition. It took over a year for them to mark the older, large ~3 foot ball, down 50% while it lived in a ten gallon sized tank. A coworker snatched her that very day.

freaking shame.. Over and over they do this too and think about how many stores there are.. Disgusting thing to do to living things. They have a Albino and a Pie down to $99 at our local store and a normal for $25.. I feel terrible but i wont have anything to do with them. These stores treat living things like shelves full of decorations to sell. Like Barbarians.

[zina10]

Yup, and they usually will not give away an animal, not even in terrible shape.

They make more money if it dies. Write off.