Horrible looking BP

I just went into a Pet Extreme to kill time. I bee lined straight to the reptiles and saw a sad sight. Their normal hatchling looked so poor and ill. Bad shed and emaciated. I wanted to get her out, but I don't have the spare funds.... I wish pet stores took better care of their animals. *sigh*:mad:

http://tapatalk.com/mu/aefdf66d-f1e6-ad85.jpg

http://tapatalk.com/mu/aefdf66d-f201-40c0.jpg

http://tapatalk.com/mu/aefdf66d-f216-1a09.jpg

Poor thing =(

Did you talk to the manager at the store to inform them about the health of this one?

As much as it sucks, buying a sad looking reptile from the pet store only allows the pet store to get a new reptile to mistreat. You are better off talking to the manager of the store. If it's a corporate store then make sure you ask the store manager for the number to the corporate line and also make it really obvious that you are writing down his/her name.

I would also report store to SPCA. Pics are really helpful in convincing the SPCA to investigate.

:tears: Poor thing. I would have had a few words for the manager......

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

Poor thing =(

Did you talk to the manager at the store to inform them about the health of this one?

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The manager wasn't present, but I did tell an employee. Hopefully they'll address the problem......hopefully. They had another baby BP in a similar condition, but I couldn't get a good look at it. It was behind the water pan...

poor thing
seeing these kind of things is never fun :'(

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Originally Posted by JChristine23

As much as it sucks, buying a sad looking reptile from the pet store only allows the pet store to get a new reptile to mistreat. You are better off talking to the manager of the store. If it's a corporate store then make sure you ask the store manager for the number to the corporate line and also make it really obvious that you are writing down his/her name.

I would also report store to SPCA. Pics are really helpful in convincing the SPCA to investigate.

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Yeah. I agree with you totally. I'll contact the SPCA or local herp rescue. A bearded dragon was missing a tail as well.....I'm not very knowledgeable about dragons, but I'm pretty sure that's not a common occurrence ......

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Originally Posted by satomi325

The manager wasn't present, but I did tell an employee. Hopefully they'll address the problem......hopefully. They had another baby BP in a similar condition, but I couldn't get a good look at it. It was behind the water pan...

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Perhaps it's me being cynical, but I can almost guarentee that the employee won't make much of a deal of this to the manager. I would personally visit back when I know the manager is present and talk to them in person: they may be more inclined to do something about it right then and there especially if you're persistant to get some help for the little one. Any manager worth their salt will try to make the situation right to satisfy the customer, even if the customer isn't interested in purchasing the item/snake.

I wonder if local police or animal control can do anything. They can come and take our stuff, what's protecting these people??

Ugh! How do they stay in business trying to sale animals in that sad of shape. They wouldn't get my money.

i have never seen a BP this bad... Hell, I've seen Dead BPs that look healthier than this

Aye that is a pretty sad looking animal I would definately see the amanger and if a change want made on the spot next call would be a HERP rescue or ASPCA even though I am not fond of them. But if we jsut sit on our hands nothing will ever change. I recently called corperate on a Petsmart in the area and it seems to have made a difference Temps and humidities were correct the next time I stopped in and the animals looked a lot better.

I hate a lot of pet shops

I know there are alot of rescues and great people out there but sometimes I really wish there was more the herp community could do to stop the poor treatment of reptiles. I've never been to a pet store that tries to sell puppies in a comparable degree of health... Thankfully for puppies, but not so much for our reptile friends.

If it were me I would demand to speak with the manager and to have the # for the corporate office. Upon securing this information I would then call any local rescue organizations if not the police and or ASPCA.

It is appalling to have an animal in such condition up for sale and to be doing nothing to rectify the situation. I would also be curious to know if the snake was in that condition when it came to them or if it became that way whilst they had it. Seeing as how snakes can go so long with out eating and not come close to looking how this snake does I can only assume that a) it has been there for a very long time to become this way or b) the snake came to them in that condition and they did nothing about it...

Either way I'd be demanding that something be done about the situation.

I rescue exotics so this just peeves me off big time....

Instead of rushing to the cops or ASPCA, or demanding anything... I would talk directly to the manager of the store. Explain CALMLY all the signs that the snake is in very poor shape(mention how to tell it's so thin, the retained shed, etc). Explain the snake will possibly DIE without the issues being rectified, and if it died after someone bought it, it would be a black eye on the store's reputation, plus money out of pocket.

Then explain the minor changed needed to make the snake healthy. Feeding schedule, a way to keep humiidty in a tank(even if it's a damp towel on top, that's easy and CHEAP to do). Don't go all out with the "two hides, thermostat, one snake per cage" stuff. Stores have to DISPLAY the animals for sale, so stick with proper heat, humiidty and feeding.

If you do all this calmly and rationally, you have a good chance of informing the manager of how to ensure his reptiles have better care, leading to animals having a better life.

If he says "I don't care if it dies" you can always fall back on being demanding, going to the cops or ASPCA. Trying first to educate and get the store to change it's practices is always preferable. Many of the people haven't ever seen a python in good condition and could think a python being thin is normal and that "all" snakes have bits of shed stuck on them, etc. Teaching them how to soak a snake in a secure tupperware with a warm wet towel is super cheap, makes the stuck shed leave, resulting in a healthier, easier to sell python.

Oh my gosh that is terrible. In that condition they should be giving the snake away to someone that can take care of it.