Just a general rant...

[Lira]

People never cease to amaze me. Why in the world would someone spend hundreds of dollars on an animal, more hundreds on a cage for it, and then not provide it with even the most basic requirements such as heat and water, and on top of that endanger the animal further by leaving live rats in its cage?

I just can’t figure this out. Seriously. This RTB I adopted is beautiful, I know the guy paid a lot of money for him, and as much if not more for the aquarium (with oak stand) he had him in… and yet, no heat provided at all not even an UTH much less a t-stat. No hides (though I know not strictly necessary for a boa, I still would offer them), water dish bone dry. Florescent light over the tank on 24/7. He came with a healing rat bite on his chin and I noticed an older scar on his back I’m sure is from another rat bite.

Then today a co-worker noticed the pic of my BP on my desk to and started a conversation. Come to find out his son had a python (though he couldn’t tell me what *kind* of python). As if that in it’s self wasn’t alarming enough he went on to ask if I fed my snakes live or frozen. I told him I fed P/K because I would be too worried about making sure a frozen rat was completely thawed (even though I know plenty of people that feed F/T without problems). He gives me this sort of blank look and says (I kid you not) “You have to thaw them? Why?” :eek:

I really don’t know how some of these animals survive the stupidity of their owners. Then, after I explained some possible problems he could run into feeding frozen rats to his snake, he says to me “I’ve been thinking about getting rid of the snake anyway. Kid doesn’t take care of him all that much.”

%@*#!! What the hell is wrong with people. You go buy a living creature that can live many years and then you get bored taking care of it after a while and kick it to the curb, or worse. I know this is a problem for pets of all kinds, it just ticks me off. I just know he’s going to go home this weekend and tell his kid he’s found a good home for the snake and he’ll come in Monday and ask if I want it. Watch it be a Burmese or something *sigh*. </ rant>

[frankykeno]

It's frustrating hon. For me it's even sadder as these poor creatures can't even whine to get a stupid human's attention long enough to get fed or a bit of clean water. They just simply lay there, suffering in their silence while some idiot walks by eating a cheeseburger, drinking a coke and forgetting that the poor snake hasn't got even the basics of a decent captive life. Unfortunately humans are sometimes the stupidest, most inhumane creatures around.

I hope if you have to take this snake in you can rehab it and get it a good forever home with someone who actually treasures these wonderful creatures.

[sidhe]

Wow, people do the strangest things huh? I hope his son was the one that was feeding the snake (and thawed the meal out) I just can't see any snake being interested in a frozen dinner. My guess is the snake hasn't eaten in a while. I could be wrong--stranger things have happened.

[joepythons]

Wow, people do the strangest things huh? I hope his son was the one that was feeding the snake (and thawed the meal out) I just can't see any snake being interested in a frozen dinner. My guess is the snake hasn't eaten in a while. I could be wrong--stranger things have happened.

Sadly if the parent has no clue then majority of the time the kids are just the same .I hope this snake does get with someone who will give him/her everything they really need.

[recycling goddess]

ah not necc. i can tell you some of the kids i know... they give great care to their exotic critters but their parents don't have a clue. their parents don't participate in the care... or in the hobby that their kids do. they don't sit down and talk to their kids about what they are interested in... thereby learning what the kids is actually doing.

[Thunder Kat]

WOW! i don't know wether to cry of scream. some people don't relize that when you take on a pet it's a living thing that requires at least basic care. i hope the poor thing finds a home.

[Ginevive]

Many people are self-centered, plain and simple. Add to that the ignorance that many people practice daily, and it is a recipe for disaster when you add a helpless animal into the equation. It becomes inconvenient, I geuss, for these low-lives to care for their snake properly.. maybe they see it as more of a trophy/status symbol than what it is; a breathing, living being.
I would bet though, that the biggest cause of this type of thing, is fear. People get a snake, then maybe get bitten a few times; they become too cowardly to admit that the snake is too much for them to handle, and neglec results. That, and many people are just too busy to own any sort of animal, though they think they still have a right to.. it is all so sad and I wish there were less of this type of thing.
I am not speaking against people who have a snake, maybe get bitten and fear the snake, or realize they have no time for it.. and decide to let it go to a person who can care for it properly; these people are truly intelligent.

[West Coast Jungle]

unfortunatly many people get the animal and not the education about the animal then dont understand the behavior and punish the animal or neglect it when they are not satisfied with animal. Just go to the nearest dog pound they are over run with it. Maybe a pet store should at least be required to send off every animal it sells with a proper care sheet. What can a piece of paper cost? At least you can't play ignorant.

[Ginevive]

The sad thing is, many stores don't know what they're selling, or how to care for it. You don't see this generally in other fields of retail; heck, you can't even buy a Thanksgiving tukey without getting instructions with it!