Taking in unwanted herps.

[Nafun]

What's your guys' opinions on it?

Today at the vet (My JCP has an infected scale) one of the employees asked me how many reptiles I had. When I answered "9 with more on the way" she asked if I would be interested in taking two adult ball pythons, an adolescent iguana (assumed adolescent, don't know it's history, just its size, and improper diet stunts their growth), and a water dragon with a stumped tail.

I'll be e-mailing them tonight about it. Hopefully they don't pull that "we really need a good home for our guys, they're free....... if you buy our enclosures."

[Aaron_S]

I look at it this way. Can I properly house these animals and give them to the time and care they need without jeopardizing my other pets health?

If you can't answer yes to that question then you need to simply refuse to help. It isn't really a 'rescue' if they don't get the proper care.

For the record, I'm not saying YOU wouldn't/couldn't properly do it. I just believe this needs to be answered whenever someone 'rescues' any animal.

[infernalis]

I look at it this way. Can I properly house these animals and give them to the time and care they need without jeopardizing my other pets health?

If you can't answer yes to that question then you need to simply refuse to help. It isn't really a 'rescue' if they don't get the proper care.

For the record, I'm not saying YOU wouldn't/couldn't properly do it. I just believe this needs to be answered whenever someone 'rescues' any animal.

This is true, sometimes even the nicest of people get in over their heads and become overwhelmed.

I turned down some great garter snakes this season because I feel I have plenty to keep me busy as it is now.

I like to leave room for 1 or 2 more, but not 10 or 20, my pinkie bills are already high enough.

[Kmef07]

I like to leave room for 1 or 2 more, but not 10 or 20, my pinkie bills are already high enough.

Have you ever though about breeding your own?

[infernalis]

Have you ever though about breeding your own?


you mean this.....

http://www.thamfriends.com/photos/momamouse.jpg

http://www.thamfriends.com/pic/meces.jpg

http://www.thamfriends.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=28&pictureid=424

http://www.thamfriends.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=28&pictureid=423

[Nafun]

Well, I've got nothing but time. Four more enclosures would just become part of the cleaning routine. The water dragon seems to me to be the highest maintenance thing on the list, by far. Not something I would choose as a pet, but I feel really bad for it, since it's on it's 3rd or so home, and all refuse responsibility for costing it its tail.

I figure, the iguana eats vegetables. My wife eats vegetables (she loves collard/dandelion/etc greens. No accounting for taste). Not much extra expense there. The water dragon eats bugs, the turtles eat bugs. Given the minimum order requirement for mail order crickets and worms, no real extra expense there. As for the adult balls, I'm swimming in rodents.

Aside from vitamin supplementation (they'll use the same calcium w/o d3 as I'll need for my tegu when he hatches),

Really the only sticker comes down to whether they're really looking to rehome, or simply want to "throw in the animals" when they attempt to sell their lights/cages/etc at a profit. I know I'll have to build enclosures for the iguana and water dragon, and the pythons can live in large tubs. But if they're willing to throw in the heating and lighting equipment and save me a couple of hundred bucks in set up, it would make me feel a lot better about their motives.

[Aaron_S]

You seem to have made up your mind before you asked your question.

Enjoy the "new" animals when you do pick them up!

[shaunyboy]

lizards aint my thing mate,but dont iguanna's hit the 6 ft mark and can be very agressive ???

ive always been told to steer clear of them as they take an awfull amount of work.what ever you decide i wish you all the best with it.you may also want to post pics to keep big rob happy mate.:yes:

cheers shaun

[dragunov.762]

my girlfriend had an Iguana when she was younger and she says that they take as much work or more than a dog. there nails and tails need cut, they need baths and tons of exercise, they also need alot of human interaction to stay tame and to keep them from getting bored and lazy. they also have tons of personality and make good pets as long as you have time for them

[Evra0914]

my girlfriend had an Iguana when she was younger and she says that they take as much work or more than a dog. there nails and tails need cut, they need baths and tons of exercise, they also need alot of human interaction to stay tame and to keep them from getting bored and lazy. they also have tons of personality and make good pets as long as you have time for them

I've heard the same thing about Iguanas, they are very hard to take care of.... But if you have the time and patience I think you'll like them!

[shaunyboy]

i know a guy who works with iguannas.he told me that with males you have to let them know your the alpha male.if you dont they can give you some serious welts by whipping you with their tails.he used to put on his motorbike leathers and his crash helmet.then he would go into their enclosure and wrestle with his big 6 ft male.he would then pick him up and roar at the iguanna.this established his domanance and the iguanna acted fine.he had to go through this proccess everytime the iguanna reverted back to thinking it was the boss.his male looked like a living dinasour and it could hit you hard and fast with his big thick tail.his enclosure was huge it had an inside and outside part so the iguannas could come out if the weather was nice.a lot of reptile shops wont sell iguannas around my way.there are too many cases of the customer buying this cute 6 inch lizard only to panic when it started growing into a 6 footer.your even hard pushed to find a reptile rescue to take them because of their hard to manage nature and size.good luck with it if you take it mate.
cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

We have taken on a few rescues - in my opinion - its only a proper rescue if you are taking the whole thing - animal, enclosure, food, heating the whole lot. If not you are taking one animal so that they can use the enclosure for a replacement (tho i have never rescued animals form a vet only privately).

I have made a "donation" for the enclosure but never more than £50 and when you think of the cost of vivarium/heating/substrates/hides etc etc that is nothing in comparison.

[Nafun]

Well, they backed out on the enclosures since I'm building custom enclosures for both lizards, and they'll keep the animals until I get the enclosures done, but they're still including everything else. Three of the four enclosures weren't nearly big enough for their inhabitants, and three of them were made with cedar (I'll keep cedar away from all my pets, thanks). The balls will be going into big 4' tubs, the lizards into custom enclosures. (The iguana enclosure is going to be a converted closet. I've always wanted to turn that closet into an enclosure, now I get my chance)

[Lankyrob]

Fair play mate - they can only have better lives with you.

Dont forget the piccies once you are up and running and they are all settled in tho!!!

[infernalis]

Take the enclosures anyways... if you leave the enclosures behind, it will tempt them to get more animals some day.

the key to a successful rescue is to also prevent the prev. owners from getting more pets after you leave.

[Nafun]

Well, this saturday is the big day, they come and live with me.

I made the mistake of starting to browse craigslist, and I seriously need to stop. The sheer number of reptiles that need rehoming saddens me, and I came very very close to adopting another animal, and even went so far as asking my wife if she'd let me start a reptile sanctuary (she said no. such a party pooper).

Now if only I could find a diamond carpet python or super dwarf retic that needed adopting!

[marvelfreak]

Can't wait to see pics. :)

[Lankyrob]

IS craigslist just for the US?

[Nafun]

nope
craigslist: london classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events (http://london.craigslist.co.uk/)

[Lankyrob]

Oh bugger - now i have ANOTHER place to look for snakes that need homes!!!

[Nafun]

I just got them home, no pics yet.

Both balls had wet substrates. They hadn't offered food since I agreed to take them 3 weeks ago..... way to save money on rats!

The water dragon has a stumped tail... they'd been feeding it nightcrawlers and feeder goldfish because "crickets are too expensive".

The Iguana is 2 years old, and is about the size of a 6 month old. Completely feral. It was getting a diet of nothing but mustard greens and kiwi.

[marvelfreak]

At least they're in good hands now. Know doubt you'll get them health again. Sounds like you might have your work cut out for you. Hope to see pic soon.

[Nafun]

I knew the balls hadn't been fed for at least three weeks, so I decided to forgo the 2 week cooling off period I normally give new arrivals and offer them a live rat (they've had live their whole lives, I'll work on getting them on F/T or F/K when they're eating good and regular). The female, we're calling her "Bocce", struck the rat from inside her hide, and pulled it back inside her hide so fast we never saw her move, and never even saw the rat hit the ground. The male's first response was "cage open? I go explore now!", but with a little coaxing, he hungrily snapped up his rat too. I was completely amazed, but gratified that they let their hunger overpower the wariness inherent to their species.

Still no pics. Balls are getting solitude in the quarantine room, and the lizards are still going crazy (though they are at least eating, even if, in the case of the iguana, it's grudgingly.)

[Nafun]

Yoshi the Chinese Water Dragon is now a free range chinese water dragon. We've given him free reign of the reptile room for today.

We ordered crickets and mealworms online. 1000 of each. The meal worms were no problem, but it turns out that if you put 1000 crickets in a box for 24 hours, by the time that box gets opened, they want out REALLY badly. About 95% of them made it into the tub, unfortunately, that means there are 50 now merrily chirping in the corners of my reptile room. Now Yoshi is merrily skittering around the reptile room chasing down crickets.

[marvelfreak]

Yoshi the Chinese Water Dragon is now a free range chinese water dragon. We've given him free reign of the reptile room for today.

We ordered crickets and mealworms online. 1000 of each. The meal worms were no problem, but it turns out that if you put 1000 crickets in a box for 24 hours, by the time that box gets opened, they want out REALLY badly. About 95% of them made it into the tub, unfortunately, that means there are 50 now merrily chirping in the corners of my reptile room. Now Yoshi is merrily skittering around the reptile room chasing down crickets.
What no video? :eek: lol I bet that be a site to see. Bet yoshi having the time of his life.:)

[presspirate]

What's your guys' opinions on it?"

If I had the time, space, and money I'd do it in a heartbeat. I have gotten 3 of my 5 snakes off of craigslist, and all were being underfed for their size when I got them. My adult bp was being offered live rats, though it was obvious he was afraid of them, so he did not eat for months. I finally got him back to eating f/t and as long as I do not offer them to frequently he is a great eater.

My smaller bp was being fed 1 small mouse once a week. I could see the ridge on her spine when I got her. she did not have any heat on her cage, and the lady let her kids play with it as if it were a dog, or a slinky. (take your pick.) the poor thing was petrified. A couple of months, and 3 sheds later, she is eating a med f/t rat every two weeks and looking fine.

My boa was being fed to fuzzy mice a week. he could easily have taken a hopper at the time I go him. The lady did not want to feed him anything bigger because she thought that was power feeding and he would grow to enormous size. My concern there is that she kept the female from his clutch.....

So, to the point. My thoughts on taking in unwanted herps are if you have the time and the resources, and are sure you can make the commitment then do it. I have seen many postings of people who claim to do just that, only to turn around and try to get rid of them because their collection has grown too big, or they are moving and the place they are moving to will not allow pets, or, now they have a full time job and cannot spend the time with them that they would like to. Give me a break. The snake does not want to spend time with you. It wants to be left alone, and fed once in a while.

Anyways, I ramble.... please continue your discussion. I loved the story about yoshi. That does indeed need a video. :crazy2:

[marvelfreak]

I got a ball python given to me about a year ago. Really didn't want a ball but didn't want to see the poor thing get sold back to a pet store. So i took it. The other day my bosses son and nephew stop by to see my snakes. The nephew (chase) had always wanted a ball python. Well after talking with him for over a hour i found out he had done his home work on them and knew just about everything there is to know about BP. Also found out he had a cage , heat pad, light, and everything you need. After seeing pics of his set up i asked him how come he didn't have a snake yet? Said his mom wouldn't let him get one after promising him he could. Well now he lives with his dad.(moms long gone) I told if his dad said it was ok he could have my ball python. Dad said yes. So now bulleye(BP) has a new home With a 16 year old boy who parents are getting the big D. My boss and his dad both told me thanks. It the first time he smile or been happy about anything since his mom left 6 month ago. P.S. My hat off to anyone who takes in unwant reptiles or help rehouse them with people who want them.