Are PetSmart sankes really that bad? (UPDATE)

[chapskis1]

Hey everyone...

About a month ago I posted a thread on here asking everyone if PetSmart snakes are really as bad as everyone thinks they are. I had thought about buying one from PetSmart, instead of going through a breeder, just because it would be easier, would get to handle the snake before buying, get the snake that day, etc.

Well, I made the right choice (thanks to everyone helping me with the pros and cons of the situation), and purchased a BP from a breeder about two weeks ago. I haven't received the snake yet, just putting the finishing touches on my custom enclosure (just ordered a Herpstat II on Friday, and then I should be good to go). As soon as I have everything set, I just need to let the breeder know, and then he will ship the snake.

Anyway, I was out with the kids yesterday, and we went to PetSmart (we were close by, and my daughter really wanted to hold a BP). The very friendly employee gladly got one out of the tank for my daughter to hold. She took the one out that was in the hide, as the other one "is always sitting in the water bowl". Of course this made me suspicious right away -- actually even before she said anything, as I noticed the one soaking right when we got in the store.

So, I took a really close look at the one my daughter was holding -- sure enough, mites everywhere! That is the first time I had seen them, but they weren't too hard to find when I knew what I was looking for. I pointed this out to the employee, and she seemed genuinley concerned, had never heard of snakes having mites, and said she was going to bring it to her manager's attention immediatley. I explained to her that this is probably the reason the other snake spends all of its time in the water bowl.

We left the store and washed our hands.

Thanks everyone, and I can't wait to get my new snake!!

Later,

Chapskis1

[jkeithh1969]

I think you made the right choice. Every time I would go into my local Petsmart to look at ball pythons they would always have them with old retained shed or they would be thin so I went the route you did and get one elsewhere.

[unrezt]

Gross!

I have never seen them with mites at a pet store, but the tanks they are in are never set up right.

[Wh00h0069]

Glad to hear that you did your homework before purchasing a ball. It sounds like your new pet will be very happy in his new home. Be sure to post a few pics once you get him / her in.

[stratus_020202]

At least she listened to you. At my pet store, I went in to get a new top. I was thinking about a plastic top, and I would just put some holes in there, thinking it would hold humidity better. The lady told me I had to have a screen top for a basking lamp.

I was very polite, and said, "Well, actually bps need more belly heat, and as long as my ambient temps are good I don't need the basking light. Also, it creates too much of a drop in humidity for me." She huffed at me and walked away.

The humidity in their bps cage was 35%, and the little ones had stuck shed everywhere. We do have to keep in mind, not all pet stores are bad.

[chapskis1]

[QUOTE=Wh00h0069;1055020]Glad to hear that you did your homework before purchasing a ball. QUOTE]


Yeah...I definitely have, and do a lot of researching. Sometimes I think I might research too much, if that is possible. This is will actually be my second BP -- I had my first one for eight years, and then decided to part with him (had things going on at the time...). I really regret selling him -- he was great.

I am really looking forward to getting my new one -- I will definitely post pics of him when I get him.

BTW -- the avatar pic is of my old snake (he was probably 7 or 8 in that pic).

[Oroborous]

When I worked at one of my local pet stores I had to deal with mites all the time, especially with new arrival ball pythons. It was incredibly frustrating. You definantly made the right choice. Although if you had found a healthy snake at the store they make just as good pets. My first ball pythons both came from local pet shops years ago, but I would never buy from them now. I was lucky that mine were so healthy. Anywho, congrats on the new addition!

[k2l3d4]

I think that it depends with the store... I have purchased all three of my snakes from Petco and have had not issues as of yet (knock on wood).. the only thing that has arrisen was that the breeder (and i know it was the breeder because I got my albino garter the very day it arrived at Petco) did not realize that part of the shed was stuck on the tip of his tail.... I helped him with the rest of the shed and he lost the tip of his tail.... now he has scarring there, and we have special time every time that he goes into a shed (he is not able to do a complete shed on his own. From the cloaka to the tip has to be helped with).... As of yet, the baby ball python that I just got last week has been doing wonderful.