Petsmart carries snakes now....

I just got an email from Petsmart announcing they now carry kings and corns. I don't know the prices, and couldn't find it online anywhere on their site. Not interested in buying a snake from them, but my curiousity might just take me to that store for a visit, just to "check it out". I know that the company never carried snakes before, due to the fact that the CEO advocated against feeding live mammals to snakes. However, last year at a Pet trade show I talked to a guy who worked for Ocean Nutrition who told me they were working with Pet Smart to try some new kind of frozen "sausage" type food for snakes, composed of ground rodent meat. It would bring more sales to the stores, opening new doors previously closed on the snake industry. I don't know how well this is gonna work, but I'm really glad they're advocating the feeding f/t. As long as the animals are well cared for (the Petsmart in my area takes EXCELLENT care of their animals..I was very impressed with their store) I would think It's a win-win situation for both the company and the consumer.

A few years back they had a few trial stores carry corns. Must have worked out well for them if they are going to be spreading their marketing.
Rusty

Hm. Both our Petco and Petsmart carry snakes- bps, kings, corns, and red tails.. either one i dont remember had a few bullsnakes also.

I've heard of the snake sausage before- saw it in a snake book about a year and a half ago.. it was crazy looking. just like miny linked sausages.
However, I feel they shouldnt advertise f/t or live over the other but present both equally and with full explination.

We know how far that'd go with a majority.

Wasn't snake sausage some thing they tried to do in the 70s or 80s and never work out?

I'll still to whole rodents, yes..........

The petsmart I work at doesn't sell snakes yet (we were going to but they didn't want to send the new habitat yet for some reason) but we do sell frozen mice.

What's the difference between killing a rodent and sticking it in a blender or feeding it directly to a snake?

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

What's the difference between killing a rodent and sticking it in a blender or feeding it directly to a snake?

-adam

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For some people, that might be the equivelant of asking "What's the difference between slaughtering your own hog or buying pork-chops at the grocery store."

Personally, I shudder at the thought of what would go into making genuine whole-rodent "sausages" and would much prefer to just feed the real thing!

T-Rex makes them. Here's the link....

http://www.t-rexproducts.com/Dynamic/default.htm (click on the left on Reptile Products then follow the 2nd link "T-Rex Frozen Reptile Nutrition Series", linke for "Snake Steak Sausage" is there...sorry I couldn't get it to link directly)

Pretty interesting the bit about how handy they are to powerfeed (blech). When I clicked in the ingredient list it said...

"Ingredients:
Meat & Meat Derivatives"

Oh well there's a complete list for you. Sorry I think they are a bad idea and personally wouldn't ever consider using something processed like that for our snakes. They happily get the rats I raise for them to eat. I know what went into those thanks.

Meat Derivatives



It doesnt get much more "Soilent Green" than that lol.

the petsmart down the street from me sells kings and corns from like 60- 80 bucks depending on age and size. baby bp's go for 34.99, 1 yr bp 60.00, 2 yr bp, 109.99

those "sausages" dont even have any mouse/rat meat in them. if you cant feed a mouse/rat to a snake then dont get one.

//sigh//

I really hope that ones by me don't start carrying snakes. So far the Petco by me doesn't sell snakes *yet*

I don't know much about those snake sausages except that Kathy Love talks about them in her Corn Snakes manual...

Personally, I'd rather feed rats.

Wonder if our local Petsmart is gonna sell snakies...

I don't agree with the whole "snake sausages" either, I think Ocean Nutrition was just trying to get a company to push it's product. The fact that Petsmart is now carrying snakes and selling frozen mice as opposed to live ones to feed the snakes is what I think they were really aiming at.Me personally, I don't mind feeding live, but prefer when my snakes will take f/t cause it's much easier and convenient for me. I would however, NEVER use the sausage thingys.I want to be sure what I'm feeding my snake is in fact, a mouse or rat....with no preservatives..:P

I asked someone who worked at Petsmart the other day and they said the reason they don't sell snakes is because they did a study and found out "...most women won't go into a store that carry snakes" :O

How 'bout them apples?

psssshtt. Most of the time, when I go into a pet store, I usually am drawn to the reptile section first, to see what kind of snakes they have!!!!

same here!..but i'm a big burly man! haha

Petsmart is a corporation of hypocrites. For the longest time they wouldn't sell snakes because they eat rodents. They wouldn't sell feeder rodents. However, they happily will sell you crickets or feeder fish (which apparently aren't as precious as a cute little mousey). So now they decide to start selling snakes, but instead of rodents, they are going to feed them "snake sausages" and no doubt push that on their customers. When a customer comes back in weeks later and tells them their snake died (most likely from starvation because it won't eat snake sausages) they will be told given a refund or a new snake. Yay! Can anyone say idiots?

I agree, complete hypocrites. They'll sell frozen mice but not live ones. I heard a rumor it was because the owner's wife was a rodent lover and made a big stink about it. Not sure how true it is, and maybe it's just an image they're trying to portray while they try to expand their market. Who knows, maybe the frozen ones died of natural causes? :rolleyes:

Hehe the petco closest to me is a joke. I dont think I have a petsmart. I was in the petco yesterday because it is next to the best buy. I look at the reptile baby BP's 89.99, RTB 169.99, they had other corns and stuff too, baby normal leos most of them w/ only half a tail 44.99, and the worst of all baby I mean like 3 in veiled chams 189.99 that is about 6 times retail. And all of the snakes and animals not looking very good.