I went to the store where I get my feeder mice and I took a look at their snakes, as usual. Inside a 10 gallon cage, with an overturned hide, a bp about 18 inches looked like a skeleton with pieces of skin clinging to his body. He moved quickly and jerkily around his cage, and I fear he is at death's door. I want to rescue him so dearly, but, alas, I live at home with my mother and she would not want a second bp. If anyone, anyone at all, rescues snakes often, this one is in need of it, and soon. The store is Exotic Pets, Asheville, NC. This is most likely a cry for help that will remain unanswered, so will probably be remembered as a hopeless rant. I say this: Never will I purchase anything from their store again. As soon as I am old enough for a work permit, I promise I will get a job there and nurture all of their snakes and other reptiles alike, back to health.

This is unrelated to the paragraph above, but another rant. They didn't have any appropriately sized feeder mice, but had a fancy mouse for sale at the same price that was of proper size. I pride myself on my lack of feelings for the mice on feeding day, but today, ladies and gentlemen, I cried for the first time. The mouse could have lived. Could have been a beloved pet. Instead, he was suffocated and eaten. I can't deny that this has scarred me. I want my snake's happiness, but that fancy mouse would have been a pet for several years, but was heartless killed and eaten instead. I need some consolation that any of you would have done the same. If you wouldn't have purchased that fancy mouse, do say so, for I will always have a tender spot in my heart for that little girl mouse that passed today.