Help! Dying Red Tail at Petco- Not Sure What I Should Do?

Hey guys,
So I have an interesting predicament. I walked into my local Petco the other day and was approached by one of the employees who knows me as a snake person. He told me that the baby red tail they have in stock isn't doing well. I went over to look at it with him and he's right- it looks terrible. Very thin with sagging skin. Apparently it hasn't eaten in two months (according to the reptile specialist in the store), which is how long the poor thing has been there. It has been to the vet but the vet didn't do much to give it a boost. I personally believe it needs live food which is against Petco's policy to feed.

I want to buy the red tail and nurse it back to health but Petco red tails are extremely expensive ($170 - I can get it for $85 because a friend who works there is going to mark him down 50% if I want him) and I'm not exactly swimming in money, I don't have currently room for an adult red tail so I would have to rehome it before it go bigger (or move before it got bigger which is a possibility), and I can't afford to take the poor thing to the vet if something else is wrong with it. I breed mice so I have the ability to feed it live- trying to feed it and returning it if it works or doesn't work is an option- but I really don't want this poor thing to die.

Petco's policies for reptiles are awful if they are going to just sit around and let an animal die because they won't give it live food. :(

What would you recommend doing?

We really need some kind of crowd fund for rescues.

Sent from my Gameboy using Tapatalk 2

This is a horrible situation.

Do not give them money for almost killing a snake - they will just see an empty cage and buy in another and start the cycle all over again.

If they are willing to surrender the animal to you for nothing then by all means take it and try and save the little fellah.

Any guilt in this belongs squarely on their shoulders - it sounds harsh and uncaring for the snake but, long term, it might save more lives making them learn. :(


dr del

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Originally Posted by dr del

This is a horrible situation.

Do not give them money for almost killing a snake - they will just see an empty cage and buy in another and start the cycle all over again.

If they are willing to surrender the animal to you for nothing then by all means take it and try and save the little fellah.

Any guilt in this belongs squarely on their shoulders - it sounds harsh and uncaring for the snake but, long term, it might save more lives making them learn. :(


dr del

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I know this is a factor :( It is an option to buy the animal, feed it live, then return it.

This is the first red tail boa they've had in almost a year. This particular store stopped carrying them for awhile because they were having trouble selling them. (I used to work there and know all the employees so I know what is happening behind the scenes).

I wonder what the result of complaining to corporate about the snake's situation would be. In my experience, Petco corporate at the highest level is very animal savvy. It's the lower downs that make it difficult for the stores to give animals the treatment they need.

Sadly Del is right. It is very hard to do I personally caved when in the same situation a while back. I would ask for them to surrender it, failing that report it to scpa in my area they are quite good with dealing with such things. Usually reptiles come my way from them anyway. DNR some times will get involved. A while back one of the chains in my area were told to stop selling cats and dogs because of neglect.

I don't like feeding live. It makes me feel terrible, but it's one of the things that I accepted when I decided to start keeping Balls. If the company has a policy against feeding live then they have no business selling animals that might require it at some point.

Sounds like we need a petition, too.

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Originally Posted by doganddisc

Hey guys,
I'm not exactly swimming in money, I don't have currently room for an adult red tail so I would have to rehome it before it go bigger (or move before it got bigger which is a possibility), and I can't afford to take the poor thing to the vet if something else is wrong with it.

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You think this poor animal isn't eating because it prefers live over f/t food, but if it's not eating because it's sick, what then? I'm sorry, but if funds are so tight that a vet visit isn't in the cards, your first priority is to your current animals.

If you think a letter to the corporate offices would help, by all means do it. I also think that if the company implements a "no live feeder" policy then it needs to purchase only animals that have a history of eating f/t, and the ones that won't either get returned to the distributor or breeder, or they get wholesaled to independent stores without such policies.

Dr Del is correct - an empty space at any big box store will be quickly filled with something else to sell. Empty shelf space doesn't make money, flipping product does.

I had a similar situation with a gtp and Petco. I walked in and noticed it looking terrible laying in a very strange way. I told them about it and believe if I didn't actually tell them to open the cage and check it they would have gone about their business. I offered to adopt it and give it care but they decided to take it to a vet, which was great. While they were dragging their feet deciding who and how it would get there it died in my hands. I doubt I or a vet could have saved that one but they should have noticed days before it was not right.

Do not pay money for it. Try to adopt it and if that doesn't work report them. Its a sad situation but you just can not save every animal in need.

As some one else already stated you are going off a hunch that the snake wants live food. It could be mouth rot, parasites, or a number of other things that could effect the rest of your collection.

Having a parasite could explain the sagging skin,and the lack of appetite.

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Originally Posted by doganddisc

I know this is a factor :( It is an option to buy the animal, feed it live, then return it.

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Ummm so buy it feed it (assuming that it just wants a live snack) an then return it back to the same situation you want to save if from at the moment? No don't do it either hope someone with the space, and money buys it. Or hope petco pulls it and realizes that store can't handle boas, if they can't handle stocking boas petco higher ups should know so they stop stocking boas at that store

While it is terrible buying this animal is not the answer, soon as you will buy it they will have another one to replace him and if it eats it eats and if it doesn't it will be the same story all over again and what are you gonna do next, buy all their non feeder.

Problem with petco and petsmart is that they are rarely allowed (per their corporate policy) to feed live and if the animal does not take f/t they either watch the animal die or force feed or assist feed it (granted someone knows how to do it)

This animal should be surrender and rescued not sold for a profit, ultimately paying to rescue an animal is only encouraging this type of things to continue.

Sometimes you can't save them all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

This is a horrible situation.

Do not give them money for almost killing a snake - they will just see an empty cage and buy in another and start the cycle all over again.

If they are willing to surrender the animal to you for nothing then by all means take it and try and save the little fellah.

Any guilt in this belongs squarely on their shoulders - it sounds harsh and uncaring for the snake but, long term, it might save more lives making them learn. :(


dr del

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i completely agree, i actually snapped a picture the other day of the ones at my local petco, correct me if im wrong but they need +/- 70% humidity?
(i keep balls not boas)
they were keeping them at 20% and ALL of them were curled up in the water tub.. it disgusted me. i went and asked an employee why they werent being cared for, and he replied with and i quote
"oh those have been here for a while, we have to sell them soon, thats why they are all 25% off"
now they had another "tank" with 6 or 7 on the other side also, that were newer, and full price also with a 15-20% humidity.

I didn't know they had a no live feeding policy.

I saw a little girl adopting two rats that I can only guess were to big for the store to continue to carry. She went to the counter and only paid for a little carrier. My first thought was I would love to adopt their rats that need a new home. I already have a carrier and my snake cages have more than enough room for a rat for a couple of minutes.

I guess I'm not a good candidate for a rat adoption and would be rejected. So much for a freebie.:D

Vet visit will probably be more thabn $85.

A boa that won't eat? Most are extremely good at it. I start most of my baby boas off with f/t as a first meal.

They feed live crickets and meal worms.

They won't live feed a cute animal to anything.

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Originally Posted by Jason Bowden

Vet visit will probably be more thabn $85.

A boa that won't eat? Most are extremely good at it. I start most of my baby boas off with f/t as a first meal.

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I agree all my boas eat f/t and I've never had one turn their nose up. Even a baby I has gotten before his first meal and shed started no problem on a f/t mouse hopper.

I called corporate and made a complaint. They called the manager right away and the snake is going to see a vet this week. When the manager finds out exactly what is wrong with it she's going to let me know. She was willing to give it to me for a discounted price but we didn't talk specifics and I really don't want to put any money in Petco's pocket for this animal. I guess we'll see what the vet says and go from there!

Thank you all for your replies :) I only have good intentions here.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I'm sorry, but if funds are so tight that a vet visit isn't in the cards, your first priority is to your current animals.

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My current animals are healthy, happy, and receive all the vet care they need. Aren't funds tight for everyone? I get that my priority is to my current animals- which is why I have already stated I do not want to keep this snake.

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Originally Posted by doganddisc

My current animals are healthy, happy, and receive all the vet care they need. Aren't funds tight for everyone? I get that my priority is to my current animals- which is why I have already stated I do not want to keep this snake.

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Cool, I've just seen too many people get in over their heads saving neglected animals, and then their whole collection suffers. I know it's tough to walk away from an animal in need and not reward a business owner with $$$ when the owner won't step up and give the animal proper care. There's a shop in my state notorious for this, the pictures are sickening, and if pulling out my checkbook would help I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Fortunately it looks like Petco is doing the responsible thing, and I'm looking forward to your update.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by doganddisc

I called corporate and made a complaint. They called the manager right away and the snake is going to see a vet this week. When the manager finds out exactly what is wrong with it she's going to let me know. She was willing to give it to me for a discounted price but we didn't talk specifics and I really don't want to put any money in Petco's pocket for this animal. I guess we'll see what the vet says and go from there!

Thank you all for your replies :) I only have good intentions here.



My current animals are healthy, happy, and receive all the vet care they need. Aren't funds tight for everyone? I get that my priority is to my current animals- which is why I have already stated I do not want to keep this snake.

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They aren't GIVING it to you for a discounted price, they are selling it to you for a discounted price.

I'm glad you cared about this animal to try to make some change for it. Even at a discounted price, I wouldn't risk my current collection bringing in a sick animal, even with QT.

Why is it ok for stores like Petco and Petsmart to sell under-nurished, sick, overpriced, and (often times) dying animals?
I have numerous horror stories about those stores......
One personally offends me.. but that's a long story.

I know when I worked at petco if a snake would not take frozen I would give it a live one. I know every store is different and some will not do it but it should be for the best if the animal. Also if we had problem animals that where to aggressive and would bite we always seem to adopt the animal out for a donation. You may want to see if you can go that route if you decide to get it.

As hard as it is to do, you just have to walk away from situations like this and not purchase the animals. I personally also do not deal with folks that I know wholesale to petco/petsmart or pet stores in general. Wholesalers are the reason why these places are able to treat their animals as expendable because their mark ups are so high with very little invested to start. They can afford to let 9/10 of their animals die if they can sell just one because wholesalers throw animals at them for so cheap.

That does not mean that you walk out of these places silently though and I am glad you contacted higher ups. I personally have NEVER been satisfied with ANY pet store i have ever visited. All of the petsmarts/petcos and mom and pop places are terrible in the DC/MD/VA area. I only use pet stores for feeders. I was so pissed off with how these folks operate that I just became self sufficient with my feeders. I do not step into a petstore unless it is an absolute emergency to purchase a item which more or less never happens. I will still leave my mind open to the idea that a mom and pop store could operate correctly but personally I have never seen it.