Can I rant???????

[rabernet]

OK, I really want to know this, so those of you who have far more experience than I, please respond!

So, I go into this same pet store that I buy Kash's feeder mice from today to get two more mice to fatten up for Kash's next feeding (now that I don't need hoppers, they have them, go figure! LOL).

So, they have 4 sub-adult/adult BP's (not sure how to tell if they are sub/adult or adult) in one tank together. Well, I wanted to hold one, just to have hands on how Kash is going to feel when he gets bigger. Nice looking snake, nice blushing, good weight on it, no mites, etc (I'd never buy a reptile from them though, you'll see why in a minute). Clearly from the housing (no hides by the way either and no source of heating that I could see) they don't know proper husbandry.

I love to challenge their knowledge of BP's (it's the Taurus in me) every time I go in there. So, just for grins and giggles, I ask them to weigh him/her (they swear they're all males, because breeders won't sell females, because they don't want the competition - we ALL know that, right??? *drips with sarcasm*). So then I ask, so, I'm looking for a breedable female (this ball was 2.75 lbs, I haven't figured what that was in grams yet), and if I bought it, and took it to the vet to get it probed, and it's male, can I return it? Answer - No....with the elaboration that probing incorrectly will permanently sterilize the snake. "you may find out you have a female, but she won't be breedable anymore because most people do it incorrectly" (exact quote). And besides, we ALL know that breeders intentionally raise the temps of their incubators to produce all males to sell on the market, right????? (more sarcasm from me)

At which point one guy tells me that these are all wild caught and that no wild caughts are females, because the females stay in burrows and they can only catch wild caught males (after the OTHER guy told me that all of these were surrendered snakes that people decided they didn't want any more and yet ANOTHER employee told me they purchased these snakes from a breeder).

I had told Kash's vet that they had told me that probing would sterilize before (yeah, they told me this before) and he said they were full of it. The shop keeper told me that ANYONE who tells me that it won't sterilize them is full of crap, including vets.

GRRRRRRRR, why do I try to get into it with them all the time? I should just learn to walk in, buy the mice, and get out!

So, those of you who have been in this business, does what they say about sterilization have even an ounce of truth?

[HelicopterPilot]

I really dunno ,but they have some guts to admit that they snakes are all wild caught. one thing though does raising temp determine sex? I know some other reptiles do it ,but do snake eggs do it?

[frankykeno]

Sooooooooo Robin, these snakes were in turn WC, captive born from a breeder and also turned over by previous owners....my my those were busy lil ole snakes now weren't they! (do I even have to mentiont the sarcasm in my tone here LOL)

I don't know about probing Robin having never done it nor observed it but I can't imagine done by a person that knows what they are doing and has done it successfully for some time that it's doing damage to the snake's future ability to breed. How could any snake breeder stay in business selling snakes he or she had probed/popped so badly they damaged the snake permanently. As far as vets go, no I wouldn't let just any vet probe my snakes but a vet experienced in doing so and recommended to me I'm likely to trust.

Certainly more than I'd ever trust the very dubious guidance of your average pet store employee who got what 10 minutes orientation and now believes he/she is the local expert on every sort of creature in the store.

I have given up saying much to anyone at any pet store, I just smile, buy what I came there for, check out the critters and go home. Easier on my nerves!

Oh just my own lil rant....recently told by a pet store employee that ball pythons NEVER eat more than one mouse per feeding...EVER...I soooo wanted to give him Adam's phone number and ask him to tell Mr. Wysocki that he's doing it all wrong with his multiple mouse eaters. *smirk, evil grin, smirk more* Oh same employee, different visit..."ball pythons NEVER get big enough to eat a rat, that's way overfeeding!!!!" noooooooooooo comment! take my mice and get out before either Mike or I tell the guy just how full of it he really is.

I wonder if this was the same line of crapola fed to Punkin's previous owners that resulted in an 18 month old ball python that was bare inches bigger and about the same weight as our 6 month old!


~~Jo~~

[HelicopterPilot]

I guess I am lucky to have smart people in my shop. Everyone who works in the reptile section knows correct facts about ball pythons maybe not all of them ,but they have on BP specialist who owns one and hasn't said anything untrue. (I check all his statements on the 'net)

[rabernet]

"ball pythons NEVER get big enough to eat a rat, that's way overfeeding!!!!" noooooooooooo comment! take my mice and get out before either Mike or I tell the guy just how full of it he really is.

I wonder if this was the same line of crapola fed to Punkin's previous owners that resulted in an 18 month old ball python that was bare inches bigger and about the same weight as our 6 month old!


~~Jo~~

Hmmmm, well MY all knowing pet store said that my snake should be fed prey that's 3 X his width. Oh, and they know what they're talking about, because the owner (the one who told me anyone who told me probing wouldn't sterilize a snake was full of crap) has owned snakes for 37 years. Yeah.....that's why you keep 4 adult BP's together with no hides and no heat source.

[tigerlily]

Some people are just morons. I commend your restraint from not bonking them on the head with the nearest blunt object. I know the urge was there. On second thought, maybe a good whack to the head may jar some sense into them. (worth a try!!) My local pet store was very good about adjusting their husbandry when I pointed out their errors. I like them a little better now, but not much.

[frankykeno]

psssst Robin....he owned snakes for 37 years...ummmm wonder how many actually survived his "ownership"....(oh I'm truely evil!)

Well dang and here I am keeping my ball pythons in seperate enclosures, with their 2 hides a piece and nice cozy belly heat and prey that's not the size of an overfed ground hog......my lord I've been sooooooooooo misguided...my poor snakes! LMAO
I have to commend you for your restraint Robin


~~Jo~~

[frankykeno]

At which point one guy tells me that these are all wild caught and that no wild caughts are females, because the females stay in burrows and they can only catch wild caught males

Too funny, I have two females that were both pet store purchases and both confirmed as females. A third arrives here Wednesday that was both WC and a pet store purchase, another confirmed female. My goodness how odd is that *sarcasm fully intended LOL*

I had told Kash's vet that they had told me that probing would sterilize before (yeah, they told me this before) and he said they were full of it. The shop keeper told me that ANYONE who tells me that it won't sterilize them is full of crap, including vets.

Told this one to our vet Robin. I believe her response was a wry smile and a distinct rolling of the eyes. She actually said probing is quite easy if you are shown it by an experienced person. It certainly seemed that she did it quite efficiently and neither snakes acted stressed or like it bothered them much at all. They certainly went back in their carry containers easily enough and didn't even ball up or act up at all.

Silly silly pet store man


~~Jo~~

[kavmon]

probing done correctly will not harm a snake!!! you can find wc females all over. my advice don't support that store in any fashion, they are ignorant.


vaughn

[lars5277]

I will feed the rant. I hope I don't offend anyone in the process.

Pet stores are like day care, the people Make $6-$10 and hour and could tell you nothing about the animals or kids. When I bought my snake they told me there was virtually no difference between a BP, a RTB, and a Burm. A few days later they told me my snake was caught in South America! I almost went through the phone. You don't even want to get me going on "puppy mill" puppies. Pet stores are manned for the most part with people at thier first job or trying to supplement thier income. They do thier 9-5 then go home. Most of them should shut thiers mouth and read a book or two. The nearest town to me is where I bought my snake, and it has outlawed snakes in the city limits. The nearest herp vet is 250 miles away. If it weren't for this forum and being graced with a mother who knows a lot about animals of all sorts, my snake and I would be in big trouble!