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Hi everyone,
I have to tell you how enraged I became yesterday when I went into a pet store and looked through their reptile section. I noticed that they had RTB's, all babies, all around 18 inches long, and approximately 12 of them. They were asking $170 per snake which I found to be a little unreasonable based on what little knowledge anyone that worked there had. I asked what appeared to be their "Reptile Specialist" how old they were and he replied "I think they are six or eight months old." I asked what they were being fed and he said he didn't know, he would have to ask his uncle. (This is a local pet store). I continued to look at them all and noticed one that was having a tough shed, it was coming off in more pieces than a jigsaw puzzle!! >
I asked if he planned on soaking the snake to help with it's shed and he gave me a quizical look that said "Huh?" without saying a word. I then noticed a snake that I could only see it's body and tail, it's head was behind a log. I really liked the color on this snake and the saddles were very good looking, very small and spread out. I asked to see it and he pulled it out for me. As soon as it came into view I wanted to smack this kid upside his head, and then find his family (who I gathered owned the store) and smack all of them upside their heads as well!!!! This snake was blowing bubbles, had a slimy mucous all over his mouth that started to dry and seal his mouth shut, his throat area was completely swelled up and you could hear him weazing, trying to breathe from a mile away!! cwm23.gif cwm23.gif cwm23.gif
I didn't even bother to ask him why it was still in the cage with the others because I would have got the answer in the form of "What?" followed by a big tilt of the head and a look of "Duh!" So rather than going off on this kid, I told him that the snake is showing many signs of R.I. and it needed to be isolated and treated immediately. He didn't know what to do first. I asked him if he would like my help because I have experience with these animals and have two of my own, he was happy I offered! We went into the back room and set up an enclosure to house him in. While I did this, the snake took a nice warm soak in some water to try and loosen the mucous around his mouth. Once his habitat was finished I pulled him out and took a cotton swab and gently wiped his mouth, the mucous immediately stuck to the swab and I got so much of that crap off it looked like an Ogre had sneezed everywhere!! cwm8.gif
His mouth was clean and he was able to flick his tongue with no trouble now, but his weazing was still very bad. I told the young idiot, I mean MAN, that he needed to get it to the vet ASAP. I called my herp vet and made the appointment for the next day. Apparently they have NEVER had a sick reptile and had no need to know of a qualified herp vet in case of such an incident. I informed the young idiot, I mean MAN, that the temps needed to be higher and the humidity down to help until it could be taken to the vet.
It is instances like this that give all pet stores, whether local or chain, a bad rap when it comes to the care of it's animals. I had a hard time biting my lip as to what I really wanted to say to this family about the way they cared for, not only their snakes, but all their animals. I saw a turtle in a wire cage!! What the he!! are they thinking!? I had to leave there after I helped with the snake or else I might have said or done something I would probably regret.
I hope that if anyone else in this forum works at a pet store, you at least utilize this forum, and many others like it, to learn as much as possible about the animals that are in the store being sold. They deserve, at the very least, the very best care and treatment!!
Sorry if I ranted and turned this into a book, this is just something that really bothers me!
Jeff
I have to tell you how enraged I became yesterday when I went into a pet store and looked through their reptile section. I noticed that they had RTB's, all babies, all around 18 inches long, and approximately 12 of them. They were asking $170 per snake which I found to be a little unreasonable based on what little knowledge anyone that worked there had. I asked what appeared to be their "Reptile Specialist" how old they were and he replied "I think they are six or eight months old." I asked what they were being fed and he said he didn't know, he would have to ask his uncle. (This is a local pet store). I continued to look at them all and noticed one that was having a tough shed, it was coming off in more pieces than a jigsaw puzzle!! >
I asked if he planned on soaking the snake to help with it's shed and he gave me a quizical look that said "Huh?" without saying a word. I then noticed a snake that I could only see it's body and tail, it's head was behind a log. I really liked the color on this snake and the saddles were very good looking, very small and spread out. I asked to see it and he pulled it out for me. As soon as it came into view I wanted to smack this kid upside his head, and then find his family (who I gathered owned the store) and smack all of them upside their heads as well!!!! This snake was blowing bubbles, had a slimy mucous all over his mouth that started to dry and seal his mouth shut, his throat area was completely swelled up and you could hear him weazing, trying to breathe from a mile away!! cwm23.gif cwm23.gif cwm23.gifI didn't even bother to ask him why it was still in the cage with the others because I would have got the answer in the form of "What?" followed by a big tilt of the head and a look of "Duh!" So rather than going off on this kid, I told him that the snake is showing many signs of R.I. and it needed to be isolated and treated immediately. He didn't know what to do first. I asked him if he would like my help because I have experience with these animals and have two of my own, he was happy I offered! We went into the back room and set up an enclosure to house him in. While I did this, the snake took a nice warm soak in some water to try and loosen the mucous around his mouth. Once his habitat was finished I pulled him out and took a cotton swab and gently wiped his mouth, the mucous immediately stuck to the swab and I got so much of that crap off it looked like an Ogre had sneezed everywhere!! cwm8.gif
His mouth was clean and he was able to flick his tongue with no trouble now, but his weazing was still very bad. I told the young idiot, I mean MAN, that he needed to get it to the vet ASAP. I called my herp vet and made the appointment for the next day. Apparently they have NEVER had a sick reptile and had no need to know of a qualified herp vet in case of such an incident. I informed the young idiot, I mean MAN, that the temps needed to be higher and the humidity down to help until it could be taken to the vet.
It is instances like this that give all pet stores, whether local or chain, a bad rap when it comes to the care of it's animals. I had a hard time biting my lip as to what I really wanted to say to this family about the way they cared for, not only their snakes, but all their animals. I saw a turtle in a wire cage!! What the he!! are they thinking!? I had to leave there after I helped with the snake or else I might have said or done something I would probably regret.
I hope that if anyone else in this forum works at a pet store, you at least utilize this forum, and many others like it, to learn as much as possible about the animals that are in the store being sold. They deserve, at the very least, the very best care and treatment!!
Sorry if I ranted and turned this into a book, this is just something that really bothers me!
Jeff
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