You live close to me. I would have definitely said something to the manager. And I also would have said "this snake is skinny, needs to eat properly, needs proper temps and humidity. It also is going to need a vet because these animals you carry are most likely ill and need some sort of treatment. I will give you X amount of dollars for it, seeing as it needs all this."
Then again, thats how I am. I understand that these employees at these chain petstores do not have the proper knowledge of care for these animals, and the same goes for the managers. I will give them such and such reason ( depending on the specific animal ) what exactly it needs and why it would be best to go with me. Yea sometimes I over pay for an animal, and that's the reason Chad tries his hardest to keep me out of those places.
I do the same with Craigslist. I'm a sucker for animals in need.