When to step in?

I have a friend, who's roommate has a BP. I've only met the roommate once or twice. He isn't important. The BP he has is important. It is in a very poor environment right now. It is in a 10gal aquarium, with no hides, a 24-hour incadescent bulb, a water dish, a fake plant/vine, NO substrate, and NO gauges. He looks too big to be in a 10 gal. :O

Somehow, even with all of this poor care he still has a very strong feeding response from what I'm told. I have talked to my friend, and he is also concerned about this snake. The owner of the snake is rarely home, and seems to be doing nothing about improving the situation.

So, do I help them get a proper setup, and trust my friend to take care of his roommates snake? :confused: Or do I kidnap the snake and take care of it myself? :) I'm sure I could make it look like the snake just happened to escape, and they wouldn't have a clue! :P

I would want to kidnap it! lol But thats stealing... Anyway, I think you should politely and as nonchalantly as possible ask the room-mate why his enclosure looks as it does. Something like, "Hey, I own a bp, where did you get him?" Then you know, slowly get into a convo about everything and ask " so what do you like to keep his temps at?" Which will be responded with "I don't measure them" and you can try and get into a little more.

If he completely does not care to talk about it, well that is animal neglect really. Not to be mean but here in Ontario, you could call Animal Control for neglect and have the snake taken away, then adopt it!:) But yea that is a sticky situation, I would like to hear what others have to say as well.

;)If i was in your spot i would yes kidnap the snake i cant stand to see animals in situations like that (might be illegal) but i would still do it, forget the tank and everything just snatch the snake and have his roommate tell him it escaped. :D

I'd feel a little bit like Danny Ocean, but it is definitely possible to take it without EITHER of them knowing about. They don't really have what I'd call a "quality lid" on the tank, so it is even LIKELY that this snake would have escaped. It even has a HISTORY of escape!

I feel like it is wrong to take it, but I feel like it is even more wrong for this snake to be so neglected. I'm hoping my friend will sort of step up and take over the care of the snake, but if he doesn't... then we never had this thread, and it will self destruct in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2...... :cool:

Haha, well if you wanna steal it, it doesn't sound like buddy will miss it, but of course I am not condoning any sort of illegal behavior here....*whistles and walks away*

Oh and if you do take it, bring a "sport bag" with a pillowcase in it for the snake....I mean...don't steal its bad! heh

Yea man do what you got to do Danny just make sure it doesnt came back to bite you like it did for Mr.Ocean in the second movie haha

Take The Snake!!!!

Talk to the roommate and show him how easy it is to set the snake up properly in a tub with proper heat.
Stealing it will only get you into trouble.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=40
That's how to set up a tub.

The snake is this person's property, whether you like it or not. Taking it without permission is stealing and it's not a good idea to be telling someone to steal something in the public forum. If this continues, the thread will be locked for promoting an illegal activity.

You can be responsible and simply talk to this person. Where did the ability to communicate go? You can suggest some changes, ask if they feel that they can't care for the snake if they would like you to adopt it, etc. It does not have to be confrontational, think educational. If you try and this person does not care, then you may want to consider other options - but stealing someone's snake is NOT one of them that I'd ever consider or advise anyone to consider.

Why dont you just ask him if he wants to sell him? Its win win, he gets cash and you dont get in trouble. He must not care too much!!
Good luck!

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

You can be responsible and simply talk to this person. Where did the ability to communicate go? You can suggest some changes, ask if they feel that they can't care for the snake if they would like you to adopt it, etc. It does not have to be confrontational, think educational. If you try and this person does not care, then you may want to consider other options - but stealing someone's snake is NOT one of them that I'd ever consider or advise anyone to consider.

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I agree stealing it is not a good idea, but I don't think talking to the guy would do much good. People who don't care enough to learn how to take care of pets on their own tend to dislike unsolicited advice. Unfortunately, they never go, "Oh boy! You mean I can actually put some work and money into this thing instead of continuing to do nothing?! Hot dog!" :)

However, because I agree that you SHOULD be able to communicate with people, you have to at least try. That might be enough to get him to come off the snake.... worked on my bro-in-law.

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Originally Posted by Waffles13ilj

Why dont you just ask him if he wants to sell him? Its win win, he gets cash and you dont get in trouble. He must not care too much!!
Good luck!

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^ This is probably the best idea.

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The snake is this person's property, whether you like it or not. Taking it without permission is stealing and it's not a good idea to be telling someone to steal something in the public forum. If this continues, the thread will be locked for promoting an illegal activity.

You can be responsible and simply talk to this person. Where did the ability to communicate go? You can suggest some changes, ask if they feel that they can't care for the snake if they would like you to adopt it, etc. It does not have to be confrontational, think educational. If you try and this person does not care, then you may want to consider other options - but stealing someone's snake is NOT one of them that I'd ever consider or advise anyone to consider.

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Thank you. I needed the maturity-check!

I guess I got a little caught up in the "save-the-day" mindset. I'll have a long informative conversation with my friend, and hopefully his roommate the snake owner as well. Hopefully I can get through to them, or pick up an addition to the family for a reasonable price! It's just very frustrating to see it when I'm there...:(

Does the guy drink? If so, try offering him a bottle of liquor or something for the snake. Back in my day of controlled substance abuse, I stumbled upon some SWEET deals along those lines.

I like where you're head's at ;)

However, there is a new developement in this case!

I just got off the phone with my friend, and he has informed that the snake is gone! The owner of the snake has taken it, most likely to stay with him at his girlfriend's apt. Now I have no control over the snake at all! I suppose I could put feelers out to see if he would still be interested in selling it, but I feel like my opportunity to help this snake may be slipping away. :(

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Originally Posted by sneakerpro

Thank you. I needed the maturity-check!

I guess I got a little caught up in the "save-the-day" mindset. I'll have a long informative conversation with my friend, and hopefully his roommate the snake owner as well. Hopefully I can get through to them, or pick up an addition to the family for a reasonable price! It's just very frustrating to see it when I'm there...:(

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You're welcome. I know the frustration of having someone not caring for an animal and you want to just do something but getting yourself arrested or making yourself an enemy isn't helping anybody especially not this snake.

When we rescued the big boa a few years back we worked for literally weeks with the previous owner, going over to her house to feed it for her (she got a 5 foot boa...THEN decides she's afraid of rats...yes even frozen dead rats! arrrrgh!), trying to make suggestions for care, etc. Every time we were there we mentioned that we would take the snake and find it a home if she was overwhelmed (yes and it was very hard to not say...."look you stupid twit! do you need to kill this snake to realize how absolutely ignorant you are!"). Eventually she came to realize that she was just not that "into" snakes and handed the boa over to us. By that time the poor thing had the beginnings of a nasty belly and was so stressed it had gone pretty much an all over muddy black color, so bad you could not tell it's saddle markings anymore.

Rauri aka Sonja is now in her wonderful forever home. It was worth every minute of putting up with that very stupid woman because it meant that snake got out alive. Had I told her what I really thought of her, she'd have refused to listen to Mike and I and eventually let us take the snake. I don't know what would have been that boa's fate if we hadn't bite our tongues and dealt with the idiot owner.

Oh and to further reiterate how stupid and foolish that girl was, she would drive around town, all the windows of her vehicle open and that big snake loose in the car. Apparently "the snake loves to go cruising".....lordy! I do like my husband's idea that there should be a law that an owner must have at least 2 working brains cells MORE than the animal they buy. :)

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she would drive around town, all the windows of her vehicle open and that big snake loose in the car. Apparently "the snake loves to go cruising".....

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Gee, I had never even THOUGHT about that.. sounds like fun! :D;)

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

The snake is this person's property, whether you like it or not. Taking it without permission is stealing and it's not a good idea to be telling someone to steal something in the public forum. If this continues, the thread will be locked for promoting an illegal activity.

You can be responsible and simply talk to this person. Where did the ability to communicate go? You can suggest some changes, ask if they feel that they can't care for the snake if they would like you to adopt it, etc. It does not have to be confrontational, think educational. If you try and this person does not care, then you may want to consider other options - but stealing someone's snake is NOT one of them that I'd ever consider or advise anyone to consider.

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You are 100% right even if it is hard to wait out rescuing a bp the proper way rather than doing something illegal. Also, good for you sneakerpro to do the right thing.

Btw, little word to the wise in case this person does release the snake to you. Mike and I always try to get something in writing when we rescue/adopt a snake. We don't want the owner coming back on us at some point, after we've spent time and money sorting out the snake and trying to reclaim it.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Btw, little word to the wise in case this person does release the snake to you. Mike and I always try to get something in writing when we rescue/adopt a snake. We don't want the owner coming back on us at some point, after we've spent time and money sorting out the snake and trying to reclaim it.

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That is a great point, and one I would have never thought of! Thanks for the advice. :bow:

call the aspca!!! lol

then after they take them away from him, adopt it

Think of it this way, if you did steal it, what if he went out and got a new one? Its sorta like buying from a petstore that has three different kinds of snakes in one small tank. If You buy one, they might replace it sooner or later:rolleyes:

Why not offer to buy it from him?

I put the word out to his two roommates that I want to buy it, so hopefully they will let him know and I can still save this snake.

That is a real shame...people walk in to a pet store with a pocket full of cash & see something cool, you know for novelty, status..whatever... and buy it without even thinking it through!! Then they have it for a while the novelty wears off & they just forget about it, and let it rot!! Pet stores should have some sort of IQ testing or SOMETHING to see if these idiots do in fact have more than 1 brain cell. Its a wonder that these people can even take care of their own selves rather than a helpless animal!

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Originally Posted by sharilynn

That is a real shame...people walk in to a pet store with a pocket full of cash & see something cool, you know for novelty, status..whatever... and but it without even thinking it through!! Then they have it for a while the novelty wears off & they just forget about it, and let it rot!! Pet stores should have some sort of IQ testing or SOMETHING to see if these idiots do in fact have more than 1 brain cell. Its a wonder that these people can even take care of their own selves rather than a helpless animal!

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This is why I sort of agree with having licensing for owning exotic snakes. I honestly wouldn't mind if there was a reasonable way to license exotic snake owners here in Ontario, as well as pet stores (which should have specific guidelines for selling these animals) But the issue would be that licensing costs money; to introduce, operate and obtain. As well as those who own large collections would find this a huge inconvenience.

Right on....it takes a lot more than food & water to take care of these guys!!

Oh it happens way too often. Something very similar happened with my friend's old roommate. He had an overhead light on the tank, which only had one light and one hide. The light was always on, and temps were always in the upper 90s. The lil' guy was stressed as hell, and I don't think humidity was over 35%. I offered buying it, he wasn't interested, so I ended up leaving a 12 page printout of care sheets and tanks setups I got off this board. I don't think he ended up doing anything about it. I'm currently trying to get my friend's rtb adopted, but he's being of little help. I would take it, but my dad won't let me keep a snake that big right now (she's about 2 years old). Good luck man. It's funny though, I think I like snakes more than people, and I don't even own one yet. :P