I want a big snake!

[paulsreef]

While at a local pet shop, a guy walks in and is looking to buy a big snake. The shop worker asks what species are you interested? I don't know, just a big snake. Is it a python that you are looking for, maybe a burmese? I don't know what they're called, all I know is that it's big. Sorry we don't have any burmese.

If there are any pet shop workers out there, would you go for a sale or would you do what you could to prevent this sale. Lucky this shop had no burmese, because you could see what the final outcome of this story would be.

[gonesnakee]

Hate to say it but 9/10 people looking for a just a big snake are idiots. Big reason why I don't breed Boas, too many idiots too deal with. At least with Colubrids they are easier to relocate later if nessicary & it doesn't seem to come up very often. Most of the folks calling me looking to "dump" their snakes are Boa owners with 1-2 YO snakes & the odd person with an older "mean" Cal-King or Carpet Python. More often than not the "big ones" are bought just for "status" & to help fuel someones ego. They are the ones you see parading around with them in public at inappropriate places & seeking out live prey despite owning a specimen that would otherwise accept F/T. Snakes are not "fashion accessories" nor are they meant to have their health compromised for one's entertainment & ego boost. I'm in Alberta so all the real big ones are illegal here, but there is a big enough problem with unwanted Boas & Burms still keep showing up too despite the law. At least with the morph thing the bigger girls get sucked up by the breeders usually, but there are a lot of unwanted adult males out there & once they are no longer wanted because the novelty or "coolness" wore off, abuse/neglect sets in. I know of several instances were petstore employees have showed up for work to find a box containing a large boa on the steps outside. : ( Mark

[LdyPayne]

Though I don't own a petshop, I can see alot of petstore employees selling what ever large snake they have to any person asking for one, even one like your above example. Large snakes are now allowed in the city I am in either, in fact any boid larger than two meters (roughly 6 1/2 feet) is not allowed, according to city bylaws. Same with pythons larger than that size. Burmese pythons, reticulated pythons and anacondas are banned altogether. All large monitors are also banned, anything over a meter in lenth (little over three feet), include tegus. Yet many people in the city have large constrictors, black and white tegus or red tegus. The petstores sell savannah monitors which I know get over three feet, though so far none are selling large snakes that I have noticed yet. But I do believe one was selling baby boa constrictors (the regular kind anyway). One had a black tree monitor, not sure how big they get but he sure looks cramped in the all screen cage he is in. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that monitor escaped by chewing through the mesh.

large snakes shouldn't be sold to anybody except experiened snake keepers with the money and space to properly house them. They should know what to do in an emergency (ie if it constricts, bites etc). They should not live alone either or not work with the snake alone.

[Lrptls]

iv worked at 2 pet stores and still currently work at one of them where we do not sell snakes (petsmart) at the other pet store we always had a large variety of snakes and probably half the people wanting to look or handle them arnt truly interested in buying one. whenever some one did want one i would try to tell them as much about the snakes care as i could. i myself never sold any large snakes or types that got large but i did sell large lizards and fish and telling people the size of the animal was always the first thing. that would be the purpose of if they were only kind of interested they would say "ok, not the pet for me" or if they were still interested they would know a little more about it and that its not going to be very easy to care for. im hoping to one day have my own pet store and i will only sell large snakes to people with some snake experience. im sure i will get lied to but with every animal i sell there will be an extensive care sheet to go with its new owner.

hopefully the dumb butt wanting that big snake changed his mind before he gets one, gets on the snakes bad side and ends up in the hospital or worse.

[The Gawd]

I work for a pet store here in Sarnia. I am the supervisor here, i do not carry burnese, retics, andacondas, or african rocks. If and when someone wants one they have to prove to me that they understand what they are in for, know the husbandry and have cared for many snakes. I simply dont carry them so they cannot end up in the wrong hands, I also dont carry green iguanas, tegus, for this reason... I do carry some other larger animals like the monitors, bloods, boas, just not the massive animals.... if the employees at our store do not know anything about the animal they do not sell it. They tell the customer to come back when im there as im the only Hard Core Reptile guy here with the knoledge of all the animals i carry.... I guesss what im saying is the crazy animals arnt readily available in our store for "ignorant" peolple to walk in and walk out with, without knowing or even caring about the requirements... A customer would have to approach me. and if they meet my approval i could get them the animal... but not always...

Al

[The Gawd]

i also dont carry gators or crocs

Al

[zero&stich]

I work in a family owned pet store, not a chain. I've actually refused sales to minors looking for the giants, back when they were legal in VT. Since 2003, I believe, there is a length ban, no possession of a snake over 12 feet. So my problems are solved! LOL! Well except for boas. :( Even though its my job to make a profit for the company, a much larger part is for me to teach customers, so they can determine whether this is the reptile for them. I've made it a habit, I would rather teach from experience from what I know, then profit. Profit to me, is the farthest from my mind. If the person wants to get into herps, awesome, but they don't like the info given(and trust me I'm VERY truthful)well then its good they will think it over and decide later on if its the pet for them.

:D

[The Gawd]

oh yeah, we dont sell to anyone under 18, not even a fish!!! A parent has to be there.

Al

[Lrptls]

Jess i totaly agree with you. i tell people as much info as i can about herps, especialy stuff they may not want to know just to make sure this animal is for them. i do this for all animals we sell. luckily i have a little to alot of experience with many of the reptiles we sell so i can give people very acurate info. i also do try to help them with costs. i'll tell them other places they can go to buy products that are cheaper than ours, im sure the managers would LOVE that if they found out. i'm just trying to make sure the animal is going to a good home, we also have alot of care sheets that i give out all day long, even if people are just thinking of buying something.

Al i think more people should run pet stores like you do. not selling the animals at all is probably for the best rather than possibly puting them into the wrong hands. youv given me some good ideas for when i have my own pet store.

[SerpentLust]

I work at petsmart too, and we have the right to refuse ANY animal sale if we have a feeling it would not be a proper environment for the animal. I just refused two pot heads some Water Dragons because they wanted to throw them in 5 Gal tanks for now. I also refused a guy who wanted to put three Parakeets (budgies) in a small Finch cage. I even refused the sale of a $9 Anole because the guy didn't want to feed it.

When I worked at pet stores that sold snakes, I would probe the customer ALOT before allowing them to purchase the larger ones. Actually anything from Ball Python and Up.

I will never EVER make a sale if I think the pet won't be taken care of.

Jenn

[The Gawd]

Lrptls: thanks man, im really just trying to do my best... well for the animals you know...

Mark: OMG i just got one of your jungle corns in at work fu*$ing Amazing animal man!!!! absolutly stunning....

Al

[zero&stich]

I have the full support of the managers and the owners of the store, Lrptls, to refuse any sales. LOL, they know I've done it countless times. The owners have even listened to me say, "Sorry, I cannot sell this animal to..." Blah blah pending on the situation, many times.

[Chicago5050]

[B]i'm a manager at a pet store, while i'm not going to say which one i will say that i teach my associates to not encourage people with little or no knowledge of purchasing a snake or and animal for that matter. too many people don't know what they are getting themselves into. i would not sell anyone who can't even tell me the name of what they are looking for. too many want these animals for show. not for the love for the specific animal.

chicago 5050

[testdrivehemi]

Did you say you would"PROBE' the costomers,they must find it very annoying,I know my snakes do...HE HE ! just kidding you :medtoothy Your right in refusing sales but to most pet shop "OWNERS" and not the employees,its a buisness ,they are there to make the buck so a sale is a sale even if down the road that poor animal will most likely suffer................I work at petsmart too, and we have the right to refuse ANY animal sale if we have a feeling it would not be a proper environment for the animal. I just refused two pot heads some Water Dragons because they wanted to throw them in 5 Gal tanks for now. I also refused a guy who wanted to put three Parakeets (budgies) in a small Finch cage. I even refused the sale of a $9 Anole because the guy didn't want to feed it.

When I worked at pet stores that sold snakes, I would probe the customer ALOT before allowing them to purchase the larger ones. Actually anything from Ball Python and Up.

I will never EVER make a sale if I think the pet won't be taken care of.

Jenn

[caecilian]

in the end..wether it be a child or a complete idiot that buys it, that huge snake will end up in the hands of an experianced keeper or dead.

its just sad that the majority could go to the experianced ryte away