Doing setup help, sexing, and rescue

I recently made fliers for helping with snake setup (enclosures, heats, humidity, and general care) I'm also offering sexing (small fee) and whatever else I can do to help people locally with their snakes. I've done a few rescues and didn't like what I saw so I figure if I can help people understand how to care for the animal properly I can give the snakes a better life and there will be less rescues.

I went on my 1st call last night. The guy wanted to sex the snake and had some questions about markings on his body. He thought that the snakes skin had torn away on the tail during the last shed, I found an recently open wound on the tail tip. I investegated further to find pinking belly for about a foot. Then I noticed he had a heat lamp and had doubled the UTH"s on the tank bottom with no t-stat or controls. I had him shut down the UTH's and told him that these are burns. There aren't very bad and I can treat them. So today I'm going over to help him clean out the tank and reset it up properly. I'm going to use newspaper until the burns look better. Oh yah it also sexed as male. He's about 800-900g, very thick and has a great disposition.

The charge for this service? Nothing because this guy really cares about this animal and you can tell he is really concerned about him and is willing to do what it takes to make him better.

So I will help with the tank setup give him a caresheet and info on treating the burns and hopefully we will have happy snake!

well i myself thinks it a great service because most pet shop don't tell people the truth they only want the sell. i have been in the and heard them tell people that are buying iggys that they only need a heat lamp and a heat rock. which is a joke there is a lot more they need like full spectrum lights and vitamins(sp) just to name a few. i also heard one shop tell this lady looking to buy her son a snake(retic) that they don't get that big and are easy to handle. i did get kicked out of that shop by the way.

Wow thats an awesome idea! Kudos to you for tkaing the time and helping people!! It would be even sweeter if you could get a petshop to sponser you or somthing and work with all the people that buy there first snakes!

Yea i read a post cant remember if it was on here or another place the pet store told the guy to put his juvie snake in with a older snake because they need to learn from an older snake how to eat!! lol Pet shops come up with some wild stuff!

Very awesome man! It's cool to see someone helping people out like that. Major props to you. :gj:

:rockon:

-adam

Went and helped setup a proper enclosure yesterday, got everything cleaned out and setup, He had no way to control the heats and had doubled up the UTH's on one side. I put a UTH on each side and gave him two of my old dimmer setups until he can get paid and get a t-stat. Gave him a caresheet and he went right out and got a temp/hygrometer (accurite). Used newspaper as subsrate until his burn is looking better. I am going to check through the week and see how he's doing.


This guy truly cares about this animal and I was happy to see that. He didn't buy it because it was cool, he just wasn't aware of some things and I'm glad I could help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

:rockon:

-adam

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My sentiments exactly! Good job!! I hope you get to help many, many others! :gj:

Pythons Rock - where exactly are you located? I'd be interested in using your services or maybe just talking to you about my husbandry.

Located in WA State and I will PM you with contact info.

I called my 1st house call today to follow up on the snakes progress, I'm happy to report the snake is doing very well and the burns are healing nicely. I told the owner I will call again next week and check again.

PR....be careful what you wish for ......your phone may be ringing off the hook in a few short weeks!!!! Kudos and :gj:!!!!!!

Yup you are right. I just got a call tonight for a 5ft BCI that is in great condition, recent clean bill of health from the vet I go to, he comes with a 55gal tank on a iron stand with all the trimmings. The people that own him just don't have the time for him anymore and wanted him to go someone who will take care of him, that will be me!!!

Ohhhhhhh Maaaaaaan!!! *slobber, droooooooool* :tongue2:


Way to go, Bryan. That's cool, what you're doing to help and rescue. It's such a great feeling to get and care for a snake like that!

But I sure do envy you the newest BCI you'll be getting. :)

Congrats!

RuLyn

Got BCI home and happy, took a few pics and now he's going to acclimate for a week or so, he even had a medium rat to tide him over during the acclimation process, if you would like to see pics there is a thread in the RedTail Boa column that says "New Addition"

Brian that's a wonderful service you are providing to your local herp community. You should mention it to your herp vet as ours back in Michigan gave us a quite substantial discount on all snake related vet bills because we took in snakes in need of help and agreed to be on call to the vet if she had any brought in that needed placement. Always worth a try and also it lets the vet know you are there as a resource for the clinic as well. If you have a local herp society that might also be a good recourse for you as you can't take in every snake that needs rehomed (though we all want to) or as a place to help get the message out that you are available to help. I'd stick to your fees though bud or you'll maybe get taken advantage of by some folks. Do you know if your local humane society handles herps? I know some places the humane societies keep phone numbers for herp societies/rescuers as they aren't set up to properly care for most "exotics".

What a wonderful thing you are doing Brian. You deserve so much respect and credit for reaching out like this to help both people and snakes. :clap:

Actually I have already talked with my herp vet about these services and he has agreed to charge only for meds/surgery needed at 10% above his cost. My local Humane society does not handle herps so I left my card with them, now I have taken it a step further, I contacted the Pacific Northwest Herpetological Society and found out that they do not have a rep in my area, I have applied for the position (which covers three counties) and can also act as a halfway house for them during adoption, here is what they do http://www.pnhs.net/index.html . I think it would be great to do, once I am with them I am going to see about doing some lectures at local schools and be able to show off my babies at the same time. The way I figure the more educated people are about the needs of snakes the less rescues I have to go on.