Poor Poor Python....

So, there has been this 3-4ft ball python at my local pet store for a very long time now.....and i'm getting a soft heart for him and am pretty sure i am buying him tomorrow if they let me....heres the story...

So about 4-5 weeks ago i went to my pet store (its a burtons total pet) and i see this snake...He/she is in a take filled with shed skin, the snake is shedding itself (badly), a HUGE half log hide, a water dish on the other side, and a uth in the tank. Now, being a pet store, theyre charging top price at $100 for him. I look...stare at him for a while...and go on my way. I go in a week later and hes still there. Still the same, shed skin everywhere and still old skin on the snake...I ask about him and they say the snake person isnt here to come back tomorrow. I didnt really have time to so i went back around the next week and held him...VERY VERY tame snake dispite his conditions and whatnot. I was contemplating buying him so i came back the next day and he wasnt for sale anymore, they said someone bought him. So i thought "YAY" the snake will finally have a home with a real tank.....SO, i just go in today and the snake is back....skin still on him...tank still the same...i ask why and they said he was returned the next day by the people cause they said they "couldnt afford it". I sat there and stared at this poor snake in his horrible husbandry and just felt my heart drop....so I made the decision that i'm buying him and giving him what he deserves, i cant stand to see him there anymore. So i told the guy if the snake is for sale ill buy him. He said as for now he isnt but the snake person will be in at 11am tomorrow and he will shed some light and if there is any "problems" with it. Then we can see it you can buy it....

I will get that snake tomorrow. I dont care if they think it has "problems".

good luck! some pets stores just don't care. my mom just recently bought a ferret from a mom and pop store by where i live, it was in the petshop for 3 days and it got sick. just three days. i went in to see how it was inside, and there snakes were in kritter keepers with a flourescent bulb above them and thats it. only thing in the cage was green astroturn and a deli cup full of water and a quarter sized hole in the lid so the snake could fit in and come out if he wants, all 6 snakes were in their own water bowls none were out.. and their BP had no hides and a giant water dish and it was just laying out there, i hate some pet stores... good luck! wish you the best

thank you, i just really hope i can get them to sell it to me tomorrow, i went to high school with the kid i need to talk to, so i dont think it'll be a problem

I had the same problem with a local Petco - there's an extremly stressed little BP there, and has a really bad stuck shed on it's head (retained eyecaps). Same thing with your store - they're selling them for either 79.99 or 89.99. The BP in question has been there for a while. They also have an adult Crestie that wasn't looking so hot when I went in :(

If you buy him, you'll just finiance ANOTHER snake to be kept in the same condiitions. I know it's hard to walk away from a animal in need, but you're SUPPORTING the pet store by buying the snake.

It's one thing to rescue one from bad conditions, it's another to finiance the store to continue the neglect. Please think about it carefully before you give them money and reward the neglect.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

If you buy him, you'll just finiance ANOTHER snake to be kept in the same condiitions. I know it's hard to walk away from a animal in need, but you're SUPPORTING the pet store by buying the snake.

It's one thing to rescue one from bad conditions, it's another to finiance the store to continue the neglect. Please think about it carefully before you give them money and reward the neglect.

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Ditto that. You may think you are paying them to save this poor snake, but you are paying them to give the same treatment to the next snake. Some stores do it on purpose to get those pity sales.

Support private breeders. :salute:

I agree with the above post, BUT!! This guys sounds like he needs your help, GET HIM!! Yes you are supporting them in a way, but how do you know there going to replace him anyway? Maybe they just got him and couldnt take care of him properly? I think your a good person for doing that. I can't tell you how often I wish I could save all those poor BP's in petco. But theres really no stopping it, because there always re-stocking them.

My favorite pet store story was asking a guy what sex it was and flipped the animal over took one look at the vent, and of course said, "It's a male cause it's got spurs." I sexed the animal the next day as a female and the guy asked me if I knew what I was doing......

You actually will be giving them enough money to get more than one snake at wholesale prices.. so you may be putting several snakes into the same conditions.
Save one now, but put more into the same place. Which is more fair?

If you are set on getting this snake, and I can completely understand the urge to "save" it, I'd suggest first you have a very long chat with this so called reptile person. Since you went to school with him perhaps you can get him to see the light about proper care (feel free to direct him to this website).

Normally pet stores don't get in larger snakes like that, they tend to get in hatchlings so I suspect they got this one dumped on them and are trying to make a big profit. I'd ask them VERY directly where this snake came from and how they expect to sell any animal in such poor condition for way more than current market value. You may well have to spend money on vet costs if this snake is not well (sometimes acting quietly like that can be a sign of illness, not easy nature when it comes to adults in pet stores with no known history).

Buy it if you want, knowing you are supporting a bad place with your money, but I wouldn't give them that price and I would give them a piece of my mind.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

You actually will be giving them enough money to get more than one snake at wholesale prices.. so you may be putting several snakes into the same conditions.
Save one now, but put more into the same place. Which is more fair?

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how do you know that thats what there going to do though?

Because, they want to make money. If something sells, you get another one to sell. It's business. If they can do no upkeep on the animal, and still sell it at a high price, why would they NOT do it again?
How do you know they won't? Why should they make ANY money on the suffering of a neglected animal? Would you pay someone that kicked a puppy?

Don't you have an animal rights place you can turn them in to? I don't think it should be supported either, but i still think doing nothing is also wrong. There should be a way to shut them down. Put on a strike, or just stand by the cage and tell everybody that walks by how poor condition that snake is. Maybe you can fill out a job application.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

If you buy him, you'll just finiance ANOTHER snake to be kept in the same condiitions. I know it's hard to walk away from a animal in need, but you're SUPPORTING the pet store by buying the snake.

It's one thing to rescue one from bad conditions, it's another to finiance the store to continue the neglect. Please think about it carefully before you give them money and reward the neglect.

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The snake will get sold eventually, and they will profit from it. I would rather it go to a loving home than it go to a home that "can't afford it" and has to return it, or just keeps it and treats it terribly.

These stores will not stop carrying poorly cared for snakes if we stop purchasing from them. SOMEONE will end up buying them. Thats just how things work. I personally don't buy from pet stores because of the outrageous prices.

OP: is there any chance you could talk down the pet store and negotiate on a lower price based on the condition of the snake?

Sounds like you have a tough choice to make. Save a BP and allow a poor pet store to profit, or take a pass and let the next person pay full price for the same BP, probally in worse condition, later down the road.

If you can talk the pet store down to the $30 dollar range, you might be able to strike a ballance.

Sadly buying him is not the answer, once you will buy him they will get another one in that will live in the same conditions, what will you do than, buy that one too and the next one?

I know it sounds harsh and I understand how you feel sadly you cannot save them all, and supporting this store by buying an animal because you feel sorry for him will only send the message that it works and all they have to do is bring a new one in and someone will buy it too.

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Don't you have an animal rights place you can turn them in to? I don't think it should be supported either, but i still think doing nothing is also wrong. There should be a way to shut them down. Put on a strike, or just stand by the cage and tell everybody that walks by how poor condition that snake is. Maybe you can fill out a job application.

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I tried that with a store around here. Every place called said "not our jurisdiction" So we have this horrible pet store that wont clean up their act, is housing multiple species of snake together, that they get from random people, as well as dead animals in cages etc. I called animal control, dept of agriculture, and whoever they gave me the number for. No one cared since they weren't cats or dogs.

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Originally Posted by Slim

Sounds like you have a tough choice to make. Save a BP and allow a poor pet store to profit, or take a pass and let the next person pay full price for the same BP, probally in worse condition, later down the road.

If you can talk the pet store down to the $30 dollar range, you might be able to strike a ballance.

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like slim said its a tough choice. hearts can really melt when you see someone or something being miss treated or untaken care of and/or are in a bad place where no one seems to care. your story really brings tears to my eyes cause i love my BP's and even thanks to slim!!!!! tell the owners that they shouldn't hold so many BP's in one cage. Today i was at Pet City Houston, and they had about 10 BP's on one 1'x1 1/2'x1 1/2' cage. Not just one cage but two cages like that! there was NO hides, a very small water dish, and they didn't have the temp set at a good temp.

it really bugged me. but PCH is way over priced. i just buy rodents from them cause its the cleanest and cheapest place near my house. its either that or take a drive out to http://www.sandsexoticanimals.com/ . That place is the :cens0r: for reptiles, manuals, and BP Morphs and there price's are pretty good too. except they have a Pie Bald for $3500. is that a deal or a rip off? i wouldn't really know. Man im a jabber jaw :D. they told me when i breed my pastel's and if i get a super then would give me 5bills cash for a male and 7bills if its a female. Im not sure what you can get super pastels for but 5 to 7 bills likes my pocket book

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

If you are set on getting this snake, and I can completely understand the urge to "save" it, I'd suggest first you have a very long chat with this so called reptile person. Since you went to school with him perhaps you can get him to see the light about proper care (feel free to direct him to this website).

Normally pet stores don't get in larger snakes like that, they tend to get in hatchlings so I suspect they got this one dumped on them and are trying to make a big profit. I'd ask them VERY directly where this snake came from and how they expect to sell any animal in such poor condition for way more than current market value. You may well have to spend money on vet costs if this snake is not well (sometimes acting quietly like that can be a sign of illness, not easy nature when it comes to adults in pet stores with no known history).

Buy it if you want, knowing you are supporting a bad place with your money, but I wouldn't give them that price and I would give them a piece of my mind.

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I already gave the first guy i talked to today a peace of my mind. About his shed, temps, habitat. He just said "ok" and listened to me rant. I'm making a list of questions to ask now to make sure i get the full story, i have a nice long chat ahead of me. I understand its not good to support them by buying it, but i can atleast express my unhappiness and let them know how horribly they're treating it. And about them getting more, they already did, 3 babys in a pretty little tank (i know they like small spaces but this was overkill) with just a log and waterdish. I didnt even see a uth (but it might have actually been under the tank), so regardless of me buying this, they're getting more. MAYBE (since i know the kid) i can get them to treat them a little better and cater to the BPs needs a little more, tell them it could help sales or whatnot....or i'll offer to go in and take care of it. sadly i'm not sure if he'd care enough to visit this site, worth a try tho.

[QUOTE=zombie&lemons;1010253]
it really bugged me. but PCH is way over priced. i just buy rodents from them cause its the cleanest and cheapest place near my house.[QUOTE]

You shouldn't be buying rodents from them if you don't want to support the people treating the snakes poorly. Every dollar you give them supports them neglecting the snakes.
The pied price is much higher than the price from a breeder or from a show, but the store has to charge a markup to make a profit, so that's not a bad price, for a store. I have no problem with any store charging tons more for any animal, as long as it's what they advertise it as.

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Originally Posted by dsmalex97

how do you know that thats what there going to do though?

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Because we've been around awhile and that's pretty much what sleazy, only in it for the money pet stores do. Any business has an expectation of profit but not at the expense of a living creature's right to some basic and correct husbandry.

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Originally Posted by sum182

I already gave the first guy i talked to today a peace of my mind. About his shed, temps, habitat. He just said "ok" and listened to me rant. I'm making a list of questions to ask now to make sure i get the full story, i have a nice long chat ahead of me. I understand its not good to support them by buying it, but i can atleast express my unhappiness and let them know how horribly they're treating it. And about them getting more, they already did, 3 babys in a pretty little tank (i know they like small spaces but this was overkill) with just a log and waterdish. I didnt even see a uth (but it might have actually been under the tank), so regardless of me buying this, they're getting more. MAYBE (since i know the kid) i can get them to treat them a little better and cater to the BPs needs a little more, tell them it could help sales or whatnot....or i'll offer to go in and take care of it. sadly i'm not sure if he'd care enough to visit this site, worth a try tho.

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Good for you! Keep trying to spread the word. Sometimes pet stores do listen. We had one here in Toledo (a chain one) that last year was just disgusting. A number of people, my husband and I included, raised some hell with the manager more than once. They did finally get the message that healthy snakes sold from clean and properly maintained tanks mean happy and hopefully repeat customers. Today it's one of the nicest stores in this city.

Just remember to mention to these folks that the snake world is a really small world and a lot of snake owners are on big sites like this. Any business that doesn't do right eventually earns a poor reputation online and that can reflect on the bottomline of their store. Remind them that snake owners like to talk with our wallets and there's a lot of choices out there for our purchasing dollar in a very depressed economy. For some of them that's the only way to get them to listen.

thanks for the advice. i'll make sure to put in words for everyone here! I'll let you guys know what happens tomorrow, i'll be going in at 11am (EST) when my friend gets there. And thats awsome about your pet store. way to make a difference!...i just hope mine is that open minded....

[QUOTE=wolfy-hound;1010384][QUOTE=zombie&lemons;1010253]
it really bugged me. but PCH is way over priced. i just buy rodents from them cause its the cleanest and cheapest place near my house.

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You shouldn't be buying rodents from them if you don't want to support the people treating the snakes poorly. Every dollar you give them supports them neglecting the snakes.
The pied price is much higher than the price from a breeder or from a show, but the store has to charge a markup to make a profit, so that's not a bad price, for a store. I have no problem with any store charging tons more for any animal, as long as it's what they advertise it as.

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well they get them as juvs so its not like there bigger they do have one adult but hes by him self. i know the people of there quiet well but there snakes are way over priced. they want 80 bucks of a norm BP i got mine for 45 at S and S exotic animals. they have a retic. and they want 1000 for him/her they had a spiderball that i almost bought good thing i didn't cause they want 5bills. so yeah all in all i go to pet city houston just bulbs and rodents and plus they guys is putting my cage in his add and they get any calls there gonna have me build it. they supply the materials i supply the labor so it all good. if i can get 150 to 200 labor for at 4x2x2 cage thatll make my day cause thats just glue and clamps and nail with a finishing nailer take me about 3 hours make to build then 30mins to paint and....... then 6plus hours to cure ooch

Maybe you can talk to the kid you went to highschool with, as he is the snake person there, and hopefully cajole him into putting forth more effort. Or maybe instructing him on the proper husbandry of ball pythons. The better the snakes look, the higher chance of selling it.. maybe throw that out..

Hopefully he'll do something about it.

Pet stores make me cringe. The "care" they give ANY of the animals they sell is less than par, and obviously in this situation is just completely unacceptable. I agree with previous posts, perhaps the best thing you can do is talk to the snake guy and if that doesn't help, turn them in. Best of luck!

So, i got her...and its a her, they said they got it probed...idk how much i can believe them tho. So i talked to my friend Zack and he said that they got it from some guy who, 4 months ago, dropped off 3 adult BPs, the other 2 already sold and this one was the last one left. Its about 2 apparently. Theyre reasoning behing the snakes cage being a mess was "We are remodling the store and the manager told me this wasnt a priority right now"....your a freaking pet store, take care of your pets....He's apparently eating fine except for his last week which he said they were out of live mice (they were, i couldnt get any from here and its where i usually buy them) and tried to give it f/t but it wouldnt take it. The last time they tried to feed it was 2 weeks ago....So i asked to speak to the manager and....its the same person i talked to yesterday...Not much i havnt already told him...But anyways, i got the snake, his water dish, and hide for $80.....yep...I'm getting her old skin off now, missed a little spot on her neck that i'll get later (shes a little jumpy, but really nice). Pics soon also.

Just a side note... The only time I have ever been bitten was by a rescue snake from a similar situation as yours. And it wasn't until after I got her healthy again. I couldn't understand why she never bit the people who abused her, but then turned around and bit me after I had done so much for her. I was sad until the kind folks here on BP.net explained how proud I should be that this animal was acting like a snake again. :) Watch you fingers!

SOOOOOOOO.....after getting her clean and in her cage for maybe half an hour...i knew it was early but i decided to see if she'd eat anything for me...so i took my live hopper i had (i know, the mouse was way to small for her, but the only other 2 i have are breeding) and dangled it in front of her face...She came STRAIGHT to it so i sat it in her cage, 30sec. later he had it in a perfect wrap, no problems. YAY!!! she ate!!!

Sounds like she do fine for you. Make absolutely sure you have her fully QT'd from the other snakes for at least 90 days. I'd recommend a fecal float during that time just to be sure. She's got a basically unknown background plus the crud experience at that pet store so I think it's well worth the $20 or $30 for the fecal to be done on her. You could spend months and tons of money on feeders just to find out that you are running a losing race against a belly full of worms.

You know we want pictures! What did you name her? Any weight or length on her yet?

Yeah, i have her on a separate floor than my other snakes. And ill get a fecal float done just to be sure, thanks for the suggestion. I almost fully have her skin off now, just a very tiny bit, i dont wanna stress her out to much currently so i'll get it later, or she'll get it. My gf has a better camera than i do (i just have my phone lol) so when she comes i'll take a bunch of pics. Her name is Alura, its in my sig =) and no weight or length yet, but soon!

Awww what a lovely name. Does it have a certain meaning attached to it?

I'm glad you are doing a good QT. A lot of folks skip that step and you may get away with it for awhile but eventually it seems to always come back to bit you in the butt.

Thats cool that you ended up getting her finally and shes out of that crud hole.I've been folliwing your thread to see what turned out. I never never even go into pet stores because it really irritates me the conditions in which the animals are housed or "cared for", and I have a very bad habit of being straight forward. I hope all goes well with her!

I was just at PetCo today. They had one juvie normal captive-bred bp there. The house seems nice although it uses that half-log hide, but it is shoved close to the wall so that at least it is not too exposed on that end. Dial gauges... so I look at the temp - 80 under the lamp - 0% humidity. Sigh. I hope it's just the gauges that are mis-reading everything.

Yeah, petco usually doesnt have to bad of setups, but if the snakes dont eat in 2 weeks, they'll force feed them. Learned that from the one guy there who told me! lol. He was like, yeah we try to feed them every week and if they go twice without eating we force feed them, they've all been doing pretty good tho....lol. And they like to house 5 or 6 of them together

And Alura means "God-like advisor" and has an english origin. It was either that or Aurora, which is a disney princess lol.