Such is the life of an animal lover.
Sometimes I wish I didn't have a heart, then it wouldn't hurt so badly when I saw something like this. Which is all too frequently.
When I got my beagle puppy, it was from a puppy mill I got suckered into driving 4 hours to reach. I won't tell you what I saw, you'd have nightmares. Suffice it to say the LAST thing I wanted to do was give this person any of my money. But if I had left that unspeakably sweet puppy there, I would never have forgiven myself. I contented myself with reporting her to the police when I got home with my new puppy. She was arrested within a month.
Back to your new snake. I know what you mean, your darned if you don't and danged if you do. I'd have done the same thing in your place. Console yourself with the fact that if you can't save them all, you did save this one, and that's all that matters to you.At least you made an effort to change things, which is more than some would do.
Gale