Rescuing reptiles or funding the problem?

[bsd13]

I was browsing through the forums and came across this thread about purchasing a BP in order to rescue it. On the one hand the concern is that by purchasing the snake you are encouraging the pet store to treat more the same. That is too say, poorly. The other side of the coin is that if you have the ability (time, money, knowledge, etc) to rescue one you should do what you can do for it.

I just wanted to get everyone's thought on the matter. Is buying a snake to rescue it -

a) Going to accomplish anything for the good of captive reptiles in general?

b) More damaging than it is good?

c) The easy way out? In otherwords instead of throwing a wad of cash at them should we spend our time educating them instead?

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Nice topic!

JonV

[tideguyinva]

great topic but a hard one to put down what im thinking

[dalvers63]

I won't purchase an animal from a pet store if it is not taken care of properly because it does encourage them to just get more. I have no problems reporting a store that does not practice proper husbandry to the local animal control agency. I'll also keep on them until someone checks it out.

Education can help, too. If you're dealing with a small, locally owned store a lot can be accomplished. When you're dealing with big corporate stores the only thing that will work is not purchasing from them. Money talks in this instance.

Though it is hard to watch any animal suffer, one suffering for the well being of all is an acceptable loss in my book.

[ViciousBliss]

i say sometimes.. only because no one really knows what kind of extreme situation you could find yourself looking at in life, but on an every day basis i'd say definately not. i'd rather not encourage whoever is doing the bad pet keeping to continue it. they'd figure, hey if you'll buy one, won't you buy another? whoever is trying to do the unhealthy pet selling, i'd just tell them "if you took beter care of your animals, maybe i would purchase one."

can't you call animal control or something? i found a dead gecko in a tank one time at a pet store i frequented and it was there for 2 days... i didn't say anything to the guy who worked there because i thought he shoudl be checking them every day and making sure everything was kosher. i ended up making a phone call. needless to say they were checked out, and are doing things by the book now.

[ViciousBliss]

great topic but a hard one to put down what im thinking

i kinda felt the same way but i gave it a shot hehe

[Patrick Long]

I won't purchase an animal from a pet store if it is not taken care of properly because it does encourage them to just get more. I have no problems reporting a store that does not practice proper husbandry to the local animal control agency. I'll also keep on them until someone checks it out.

Education can help, too. If you're dealing with a small, locally owned store a lot can be accomplished. When you're dealing with big corporate stores the only thing that will work is not purchasing from them. Money talks in this instance.

Though it is hard to watch any animal suffer, one suffering for the well being of all is an acceptable loss in my book.

X2

[MasonC2K]

I think it really depends on the situation.

If it's a store that has lots of snakes then a rescue just isn't feasible.

I bought a rescue because it was a special case. It was the only BP is the whole store. They generally don't carry them. It was sold to them by someone who couldn't take care of it anymore.

They also didn't know what they really had and sold it much less than it would be on anyone's web site. It's a big beautiful pastel male. So I had multiple motivations to buy this animal. Being a rescue was just the big kicker.

[clipclopclip]

This is a a really good topic, and one that I have pondered for a while.

This last winter I rescued a Mojave female ball. The (private, not store) owner did ask a rehoming fee. She had multiple issues. She was skinny and had something black in her mouth that ended up being splinters from being fed on coconut husk.

I probably ended up spending more on vet bills for her than I would have just buying a mojo.

I didn't like the idea of paying the rehoming fee either, but I really liked her and couldn't let her go back with him. He obviously didn't care and had her under a blisteringly hot heat lamp in a tank with no hides.

I do not regret the work I put into her though. She is doing great now! I supposed I paid for her, allowing this young man to abuse more animals, but in this case I really felt like I needed to do something.

That said, I wouldn't support a store, especially a chain store. It is regrettable, but I am not going to pay money into a bad system.
Maybe I have already done that with my Mojo???? I don't know...I just did what i felt was right.

[littleindiangirl]

I absolutely will not buy a rescue, from store or private owner.

Private owners are trying to recoup money, I won't honor that.

Store owners are trying to make money. I will not honor that either.

I'd rather report the pet store for neglect. I would rather the person learn a life lesson through the experience if they think they can just sell any animal they dont want anymore.