Being fair about PetSmart (and buying your ball python from them)

[Craiga 01453]

Well, thats part of why im trying to get her back, the conditions i had her in were almost exact give or take a bit, and she got hurt there and i dont want to see her get hurt worse D= There are 2 exotic pet vets in my city taking new patients, ill call them in the morning. If they dont work theres others not too far away. I didnt go into this on an impulse, me and my bf have talked about it for a long time. Im also not new to long term commitments, iv'e been with my bf for almost 10 years (and hes definitely more work than any animal ever could be lol) we even own our place. I know it sounds like im kinda rushed but its a rush to get things settled, not set up. I know i had (and have) a lot of questions, but i spent a good week doing nothing but going through page after page of python care guides, possible problems, temperature and humidity variances, and all of that is enough to make your head spin without the girl at petsmart selling you into a kit that wasnt what you had planned. Kit i was originally going to get and set up had almost everything. water bowl, heat lamp, aspen, 20gal tank, heat mat, a plastic hide thingie, etc.

I'm not trying to be a [jerk] here, I hope you understand that, but I'm thinking of the animals first. You put in a weeks worth of cramming, yet still came home with the animal the same day you bought the equipment. That didn't work out well at all. I believe that is basically the definition of an impulse purchase. And rushing to get things settled is still rushing. Think of the animal and put yourself in their skin. Would you want to be moved against your will into a home that is not suitable for healthy living? I wouldn't want to be somebody's trial and error. I would hope that whoever bought me to love me and take care of me for the rest of my life had things ready for me, rather than throw me in there and then get everything right. If you were truly prepared, you would have known the girl who sold you all that crap was clueless. You would have bought the right equipment and had it dialed in FIRST, had the vet picked out FIRST, etc... You can read the entire internet worth of info, but how much was retained? You can ask a million questions on this forum, but the advice only helps if you listen to it. The experienced keepers all say the same thing....be prepared before you take the animal home, it's not fair to the animal otherwise. You already had Hecate when you started posting, so I was happy to help out. Now you have the knowledge and the tools to do things the right way, I hope you decide to do it the right way this time.

[m3gz]

I was not trying to imply that your advice was not appreciated, nor was i trying to be rude. I will admit to having not thought out what could go wrong. I also will admit that i should have had it set up first. The decision to buy a snake in itself was not impulse, the day i went i went to get the kit not the snake. I made the mistake of going to look, and the girl asked if i wanted to go ahead and take the snake since she had helped me make the kit. I should have waited, yes, and before i actually bring her home again you can bet that it will be right. Which is why i will call the vets in the morning and talk to them. I would never have called you rude or....anything else for that matter. The animals matter most, that is a mindset that is not only rare anymore, but i value it immensely. You guys have been the absolute best since i joined your forum. I really am sorry if you took my reply as anything other than trying to show that i am not impulsive, or unable to care for her. Again, all of your advice is appreciated, and taken to heart. You have way more experience than i do.

[Craiga 01453]

I was not trying to imply that your advice was not appreciated, nor was i trying to be rude. I will admit to having not thought out what could go wrong. I also will admit that i should have had it set up first. The decision to buy a snake in itself was not impulse, the day i went i went to get the kit not the snake. I made the mistake of going to look, and the girl asked if i wanted to go ahead and take the snake since she had helped me make the kit. I should have waited, yes, and before i actually bring her home again you can bet that it will be right. Which is why i will call the vets in the morning and talk to them. I would never have called you rude or....anything else for that matter. The animals matter most, that is a mindset that is not only rare anymore, but i value it immensely. You guys have been the absolute best since i joined your forum. I really am sorry if you took my reply as anything other than trying to show that i am not impulsive, or unable to care for her. Again, all of your advice is appreciated, and taken to heart. You have way more experience than i do.

I didn't take it that way, no worries at all. I'm just trying to put the animals first. The animals rely on us to keep them alive and healthy, they have no say in the matter. I'm here to learn and to help people who are learning. I am miles from an expert, but I do feel comfortable helping out where I can and sharing what I have learned and experienced.
I don't doubt you'll be a great snake mom, I just want to see the animal taken care of the best way possible. You've had a hard go of things from the get-go. I would definitely think taking some time to hammer out the issues you've had and ensure they don't happen again would be best for you as well as the animal.

[m3gz]

I will ALWAYS have the animals best interests in mind, its the whole point of caring for a companion...And yea, i am smashing out the issues i ran into last time. The tank is still set up, i cleaned it out and reset everything but the aspen. Nothings on yet, because i have no idea when we will be able to get her back, but a few days before we do, or before my bf finds another snake, ill have the tank going and stable. I will also have the vets checked out by tomorrow, if neither of the 2 directly in my city seem to know half of what you guys do then i will look into the ones just outside it. I will not go into this unprepared again, it was one of the worst things, to feel like i put her in danger by moving too fast. I also do not like the idea of her sitting in that store where they starved her, and how she got burned id love to know.

[predatorkeeper87]

I will ALWAYS have the animals best interests in mind, its the whole point of caring for a companion...And yea, i am smashing out the issues i ran into last time. The tank is still set up, i cleaned it out and reset everything but the aspen. Nothings on yet, because i have no idea when we will be able to get her back, but a few days before we do, or before my bf finds another snake, ill have the tank going and stable. I will also have the vets checked out by tomorrow, if neither of the 2 directly in my city seem to know half of what you guys do then i will look into the ones just outside it. I will not go into this unprepared again, it was one of the worst things, to feel like i put her in danger by moving too fast. I also do not like the idea of her sitting in that store where they starved her, and how she got burned id love to know.

We were all new once, don't be too hard on yourself. Its a learning experience that you take away from.

Just talk to the vets, make sure they aren't recommending goofy stuff for BP's like a UVB light. Ask them what they recommend for a proper setup for a ball python and see what they say. If it feels off, find a new vet and don't chance it.

[m3gz]

And dont get talked in circles again thats on my list too haha yea, if anything feels off ill look at another one. Theres a few within distance. One of them has to be good @~@


Seriously though, i would love to know how Hecate got burned at petsmart... It didnt look like the lamps were close enough for that.

[Craiga 01453]

We were all new once, don't be too hard on yourself. Its a learning experience that you take away from.

Just talk to the vets, make sure they aren't recommending goofy stuff for BP's like a UVB light. Ask them what they recommend for a proper setup for a ball python and see what they say. If it feels off, find a new vet and don't chance it.

^^^agreed^^^

[m3gz]

Will do and thank you guys again <3

[Eric Alan]

There are two things that need to be said here:

1. You did not "surrender" your animal to PetSmart - you brought it into the store, you gave it to the store to keep while under the care of their veterinarian, and you were likely given a refund. The last part (or the entire part) of that interaction would have happened at the cash register. It would have been nearly impossible for you to not know what was going on during the return process.
2. PetSmart has always reserved the right to refuse the sale of any pet (except those they specifically carry as feeder animals). They are well within their right, and the law, to do so.

Now, if you were blatantly lied to during the process, that is another matter entirely. That is something anyone would be upset about, and rightfully so. I know it's difficult to do so, but if you take emotion out of it, what really happened at the store that day?

Best of luck to you! You have really been through a LOT so far, and I genuinely hope things get better soon.

[m3gz]

When i went to the register i thought i was paying for a vet visit, i did not realize they were refunding me.



Taking emotion out of it, they told me to bring her in so they could look her over when i called. I brought her in, they proceeded to look at the spot and say "We can have our vet take a look at her." And apparently they said that they would refund me, i did not hear them say this, but they claim to have. I will not say that they didnt, i am half deaf it is quite possible i just did not hear it. so i left the animal with the person at the reptile area, and proceeded to go pay for what i thought was a vet bill. it wasnt until i got home that i realized they hadnt taken anything off of my card, and i called and they said they had refunded me for the returned animal.