Crazy BP owner

[trott]

First off , I apologize for a downer of a story but i had to share.

Went to the supermarket(live in NJ) a couple of days ago and hanging out in front of the store, drawing a crowd, was a guy (about 35) with 2 sub-adult bps, one was wrapped around his neck and the other around his arm and he was wearing a ski coat. Started asking him questions and realized the guy was not an "adult" mentally.

Now it was 45 deg outside and he was completely clusless about their needs.
I told him it's way to cold for them out here. He said he was heading home, where he lives in a basement and it's 60 deg down there. He told me he keeps them in one tank with absolutely no heat source, no hide, a water bowl and he said he catches field mice outside to feed them.(i know, crazy)

I knew flooding him with info would do no good since he wasn't all there, so i tried to keep it simple and told him they need some kind of heat source to get to 90 deg and tried to preach a simple 80 and 90 deg. philosophy to him. And a hide, at least a cardboard box or something.
One bp,i thought at first had retained eye caps but with a closer look it looked like they were shattered like glass because the cracks were so deep i believe from constantly being in the cold but not sure.

The guy seemed to be suprised about the temp needs so hopefully it sunk in.
Believe it or not he also said he has a beardie living in the same conditions.
I know bps are hardy but this was crazy.

Again sorry for the bummed out story.Our bps on this site are fortunate.

[ChristinaP]

Poor snakes, and poor guy. Crazy tho, how in the world do you catch field mice? Geese.............

[DutchHerp]

Man, I feel bad for those snakes.

If this guys isn't all there 100%, they shouldn't let him have any animals.

[Ponthieux]

"They" who? The BP police? I wish there was a "they" that could take snakes away from people incapable of caring for them...

[DutchHerp]

"They" who? The BP police? I wish there was a "they" that could take snakes away from people incapable of caring for them...

"They" as in, the people that care/have taken care of him...?

[Ponthieux]

i would hope that any respectable breeder worth his/her salt would not let someone who was unable to care for a snake have a snake. as for scumbag breeders and pet stores... do you think "they" care?

[JeffJ]

In a situation like this your obligated to call the ASPCA.

there is a founded concern for the well being of these animals and even the owner.

[trott]

You guys are all right !! Believe me, somehow confiscating this guys snakes crossed my mind. Your right, the cops won't care either. If anything they could take them if he didn't have a liscense(need an exotic pet liscense in nj) and having them out in public.
As far as feeding the field mice, it sounded like he lived in a basement of a farm house .
I just tried to get in his head the basic importance of heat and maybe make the lives of these snakes a little bit easier.