Quote Originally Posted by Dianna View Post
My BP is my first exotic pet, and I've just experienced my first vet bill. Here is what it looks like:

Physical Exam: $68.00
Gender ID (probe): $49.60
Fecal testing: $41.85
Biohazard Waste Mgmt: $4.99
---------------------------
Grand Total: $164.44

I'm concerned I was slightly hosed by my vet's bill... Especially since the three major questions which lead me to their office were left unanswered. For my 165$ I learned my snake is male (I feel stupid now for believing the previous owner when they told me he was female). I also learned that he does not have any parasites, and his overall health "seems okay".

I was surprised to see them passing along the waste management fee to me, and was also surprised a probing cost almost 50$. Plus, I can have my cat's poop tested for less than 15$ and it's far more foul than my snake's poop!

So am I just a big crybaby, or am I justified in feeling a little raw about the bill considering the service I received? Any feedback would be appreciated
Diana,

Please don’t feel too bad. I paid about $85 for Muffin’s first vet visit. Her gender was determined in the exam (as she was sold to me as male) and I checked her later to confirm, but I was not charged extra for that. However, her fecal tests were $50, and the salmonella test was $141. That’s right, nearly twice the cost of the exam.

I licked my wounds by telling myself that because this was a high-end vet with a laser surgery center, these costs were in alignment. What I got was an extremely informative vet, who gave Muffin a thorough exam, using everything from stethoscopes to other more technical devices to measure the health of my snake. My vet is a herp vet and only deals with reptiles, and the Laser Center has a very large practice. I also liked how the assistants loved-up on Little Muffin, and washed their hands prior to and after handling. I don’t know, I felt really good about my exam, but thought I got hosed on the Salmonella test.