Ugh....anacondas should NOT be sold in pet stores....

[4theSNAKElady]

So, i got word that a pet store in my area was selling a GREEN anaconda. So, me n hubby went to check it out. We did not see at first, so i was about to call shenanigans on this "informant". Well, we asked someone that works there, and they said it was sold. Then, a guy that works with the reptiles talked to us. He said they still had it, but it was in the back being treated for mites. I asked if i could just get a peek....
The reptile guy was actually very nice, and we chatted about snakes for quite some time. Asking price for the anaconda? $300.
IMPO, anacondas should NOT be offered for sale in a pet store. This a specialist's snake. Specialists and advanced keepers dont shop in pet stores for their animals. They know where to go to get them. The average person who goes to the pet store is looking for an average small sized snake, a pet snake for their kid, or "just a snake". It bothers me that the person who buys this animal either has no clue, is prob going to cause the animals demise too soon, or both. And on top of that, that person will probably make responsible keepers like us look bad by doing something irresponsible with it..

sent from my incubator

[Trackstrong83]

I agree 100%, because most people who walk into pet stores see something they like and but it without doing much research on it. And keeping an anaconda when you don't know a lot about it is extremely dangerous.

[hypnotixdmp]

This is why I like pet amnesty day

Not saying I like people buying snakes they end up not being able to care for, but Florida started doing this every year starting this year to encourage people to NOT let their snakes go in the wild.

But I am an approved Adopter and am going to see what I can find tomorrow!!!!

[Expensive hobby]

I gotta say I agree to a point...

Big box stores no, but breeding facilities with a retail storefront yes.

I am actually buying a 1.1 pair from one in about an hour. I'm pretty excited. But then again I'm not Joe Schmo. I'm not a Brian Barczyk either, but I know my way around large constrictors well enough to be responsible and safe.


Sent From an Enclosure

[Raven01]

I almost bought a 4-5 foot Green Anaconda 15 years ago.
As much as I like them I am glad I didn't, the current gf will not touch snakes so no 10+ footers for me. Besides at adult size I would need half a dozen or more friends willing to help just with habitat cleaning day, the poor thing would have ended up in a zoo due to my inability to keep such an animal in my situation.
I don't care if stores continue selling these I just wish they were much clearer with interested people thinking of getting such animals. If you can properly care for it through out its' entire life more power to you. I cannot and I knew I could not but, that was not due to the store staff indicating potential issues.

[wilomn]

You know, back before the internet and people 'knew where to get them', back when you couldn't get an anaconda two days after you decide you wanted one, pet stores were the only place to see one. A lot of people bought them, and burms and retics and rocks and all sorts of snakes that are just not good pets for the average person. I can't see any difference in the snakes between then and now, other than quality and selection has improved, so either people are more stupid than ever before, or more willing to try to make others adhere to standards they may not be in agreement with.

We don't carry giant constrictors at Ratamatic, I also think they just aren't for the average person. But I'd sure order one for someone if that's what they wanted. I've gone further than I'm really comfortable with, but I realize there is a greater responsibility to the reptile keeping public, in not carrying these animals. Really, who am I to decide what legal thing you should or should not do? Who are any of us, really, to make this decision for others? I, we, certainly do not like it when decisions in other matters are made for us, even if I, or perhaps we, agree.

At any rate, in this instance, I don't think the evil pet shop rant is warranted so much is the missing- how did you live so long- thread about prospective owners of giant constrictors. I suppose it is like so many other things, alcohol, fast cars, fast women, any thing we want badly enough to do without knowing, really, anything about it. Of course, were it not for just such pioneers, or luckless snake purchasers who were lucky enough to be successful in their attempts at exotic animal keeping, doing just such chance taking, I don't know that most of us would have any reptiles at all.

[got_ballz]

Thats kinda funny my first snake was an Albino Burm I bought at a local pet store at the age of 16. Now I do admit larger snakes are not for beginners but when a person has the FEVER its just hard to resist. Since then I was hooked any snake it didnt matter I loved and wanted them all LOL. But like all things people should do research before they make that commitment.

Ignorance is Bliss