Rescue, horrid retained shed? Mites?

[Kb-]

He is from Petsmart, yes. Unfortunately that is how the system works.. I'll check into that, but for now it's just a waiting game. Calling back first thing tomorrow, fingers crossed they've made a decision by then.

[JoshSloane]

You can also think about reaching out to local animal shelters for help. In Denver our major animal shelter has a volunteer task force of animal welfare officers that can get the ball rolling. See if you can find an organization like that to aid you. Often a phone call from a regulatory body will put a boot in the ass of management and help the animal.

[bcr229]

Is it wrong of me to feel ill because some breeder wholesaled a pied (or more likely a group of pieds) at around $100 each to PetSmart knowing full well that they'd end up in awful conditions, when there are a ton of private buyers or even mom-and-pop shops who would happily pay double that for a healthy baby, and who would keep it correctly?

And yes I understand the whole retail/wholesale business model, heck I participate in it as a gun dealer, and I've sold some of my babies to a local exotic store, BUT I see how their snakes are kept with correct heat and humidity in proper reptile enclosures, and every single one is healthy, mite-free, etc. Their prices aren't any higher than PetSmart's either.

[Kb-]

Is it wrong of me to feel ill because some breeder wholesaled a pied (or more likely a group of pieds) at around $100 each to PetSmart knowing full well that they'd end up in awful conditions, when there are a ton of private buyers or even mom-and-pop shops who would happily pay double that for a healthy baby, and who would keep it correctly?

And yes I understand the whole retail/wholesale business model, heck I participate in it as a gun dealer, and I've sold some of my babies to a local exotic store, BUT I see how their snakes are kept with correct heat and humidity in proper reptile enclosures, and every single one is healthy, mite-free, etc. Their prices aren't any higher than PetSmart's either.

Not at all, I feel the same way. Seeing a magnificent animal like that in such miserable conditions absolutely struck a nerve. How could they say that nothing is wrong? And furthermore, it almost doesn't even matter because of his pricetag. I can guarantee you that if this were a normal ball that I had asked to adopt, they would have granted without much fuss. But because it's a 500$ pied, the whole game changes.

[JoshSloane]

So im assuming the whole point of this is to allow you to adopt the snake to care for it? My cousin is an attorney, and has worked on some animal abuse cases. Im sure he would be more than willing to call PetsMart and convince management to let you adopt him.

[Kb-]

So im assuming the whole point of this is to allow you to adopt the snake to care for it? My cousin is an attorney, and has worked on some animal abuse cases. Im sure he would be more than willing to call PetsMart and convince management to let you adopt him.

Yeah, I am trying to get them to adopt the snake out to me. The issue is company policy on adoption, along with his pricetag is making it difficult. When I spoke to the store manager yesterday, he sounded as if he himself was more than willing to adopt it-- but he had to get higher approval on account of the price, as well as a vet recommendation. Hoops to go through.

[EasiGregory]

Yeah, I am trying to get them to adopt the snake out to me. The issue is company policy on adoption, along with his pricetag is making it difficult. When I spoke to the store manager yesterday, he sounded as if he himself was more than willing to adopt it-- but he had to get higher approval on account of the price, as well as a vet recommendation. Hoops to go through.

Why not, as the manager of the damn store, just take better care of the animal? Im sure he went online and saw the price tags associated with this gene and instantly thought to himself that he could turn it for a profit. This entire story makes me very sad for the nature of people and how money drives almost every action a person takes.

Wish you the best OP, keep us updated.

Greg

[Kb-]

Why not, as the manager of the damn store, just take better care of the animal? Im sure he went online and saw the price tags associated with this gene and instantly thought to himself that he could turn it for a profit. This entire story makes me very sad for the nature of people and how money drives almost every action a person takes.

Wish you the best OP, keep us updated.

Greg

Unfortunately, the store mangers really have very little contact with the animals. It's the petcare manger that's really to blame, but they have no power to grant an adoption of this price. What I'm afraid of now, is that they're going to try and treat it themselves. I explained that at this point it really is out of their capability, which the manger admitted; 'since we only have our hands on an animal maybe twice a day' he said, or something like that. I know that he is going to require intense care for a while if he's going to pull through, that I am more than willing to give if only they'd let me.

Another thing is, they take their animals to a Banfeild vet located in every store. It's convenient, but most of their staff aren't trained in reptiles. Obviously since this vet said that nothing was wrong the first time, I also fear they might prescribe some guessed treatment before admitting it as adoptable..

[Kb-]

A few months back I encountered a similar situation at Petco, but this snake was much worse. When I first walked by the enclosure, I thought it was dead. But then I saw it writhe and twist, trying to correct the position of its head and I nearly blew a gasket. After an angry talk between the employee who took it out for me to hold, the manager was called. He was fully aware of the condition, saying that it just wouldn't eat. But why the *** was it still on the sales floor, being squashed by four other pythons?! I pretty much knew it would die at this point, but he agreed to adopt it anyway-- then he sprung a 25$ nonrefundable pricetag at the register when she was already boxed! I could hardly say no at that point, so I spat up the money and left.. She died later that night, but at least she was warm and as comfortable as I could make her.

I refuse to let this pied die like that if there's anything I can do to get it out of there.

Photos of the pastel at Petco, who passed shortly after. (Sorry the pictures are large)

[bcr229]

This is exactly why my reptile keeping and breeding will always be a hobby and not a business. A business, especially a big box store, won't write off that pied until it becomes a liability - meaning, the cost to keep it, treat it, and sell it is greater than its sale price. As a hobbyist if I choose to spend $500 at the vet to treat a $50 snake that's my business and no one else's, I'll eat the loss. If this were a normal ball python the OP would have it in hand already, and the store would just pay five bucks for a replacement.

Having the bean counters drive policies to maximize profit is fine if you're talking about inanimate objects, not so much for critters. Sadly until the big box stores take enough losses on animals that they're forced to either keep them correctly or stop carrying them, or animal control actually gets a clue and starts seizing reptiles and nailing the stores for neglect, which will not only cost them money but customers due to the bad PR, nothing will change.