Someone please knock some sense into me!

[Starbuck]

So I have the opportunity to adopt a 4 year old Honduran milk snake with all the fixin's at a great cost... via craigslist ( :/ )

The snake is between 2 and 4 years old, handleable, eats F/T etc, and comes with a 50 gallon tank and hides/water dish/frozen feeders etc.
Apparently it got out of its enclosure back in the late fall 2012, and the owner just found it and can't keep it any longer (?)
She also said it hasnt eaten since she had found it again (it sounds like she just found it)

My question to you all: is this a suicide mission? I've never kept milk snakes, only kings, corns, pines, and a rosy... I am assuming the care is not that different. I also am a bit worried that she may be a problem feeder. Im not sure the condition she is in now, as the pictures posted on craigslist could have been from any time.
I am the kind of person who will take their snake to the vet, but i also have to pay for undergrad, and vet school coming up; so it may be foolish to buy a snake that admittedly has issues; if it turns out that the snake takes a heavy downward spiral and needs to cost a ton.

Then again, she could be perfectly fine.

So what is the verdict of the masters? buy, or not to buy?

(if i pass on this snake, i will likely get another juv corn in a few months instead)

[smy_749]

I have to say no. You can't save them all, save your money if you need it.

[erichillkeast]

If I were you I would let the person know that you are experienced with similarspecies and tthat you are wiling to take it and do the best you can at getting it back to health and that you will give it the best life that you can. However I would not pay anything for it. If the person cares they willgive it to ssomeonewho will help it. But if you pay for it you are just encouraging irresponsible pet ownership.

[bcr229]

I would find out when she last tried to feed it before making a decision, it may have fed just before she found it. My milk snake is voracious.

[SSSSnakes]

Go check it out and if it looks good take it. I would try to get it for free first and if that did not work and you still like it, buy it. I run a snake rescue and people try all the time to get me to buy their unwanted snakes. After I tell them I do not buy snakes, they will usually give them to me.

[smy_749]

Just to clarify, everyone here is saying take it but don't pay for it. I said no because even if you do that and hes sick, then you may be in deep with vet bills.

[Mark Taylor]

I would not take it in your position finish vet school.

[Starbuck]

Im going to check out the snake on wednesday...

If its in crappy condition and looks like hell, i will offer to take it in (with or without its tanks etc) for FREE, and see what i can manage (can't spend more than 500$ on vet bills for this animal at this time).
If it looks great and is friendly etc, i will pay the original owner the 50$ for all of its stuff etc.
If it looks ok but is a nasty nervous snake, i will probably pass. It is important to me that my animals are handleable as i do a lot of outreach with them. I am willing to work with a nippy baby/scared juvie, but this is an adult snake.

Will post again wed night with an update :)
Thank you all for the comments and help, my significant other probably wishes he could kick all of you who didn't say "NO!!!!!" ;)
(handshake to smy and Mark taylor lol)

[DragonsEye]

Honestly? If the tank and "all the fixin's" are in good shape, I'd take the deal either way. If the snake looks like it is in that bad of shape, I'd put it down -- likely be a more merciful end then leaving it in the current owner's care or possibly having someone who doesn't know what they are doing getting it.

[Mark Taylor]

It sounds like you had already made your mind up before you posted. To be honest if you bring home a snake in a bad way there is always a chance that you other snakes could get ill is it worth it?

I went to look at a burm I have wanted 1 for ages but it didn't seem in good health so I walked away even though it was cheep and I really wanted it.

Imop even if it's free I would leave it.

[Starbuck]

Ya'll can look for a new thread very shortly; I decided to get her.
She has some scrapes to her, but is enormously fat, so i am thinking that may be the reason she doesnt want to eat yet, that an the original owner had her a a tank with aspen, a dirty waterbowl, and thats it... in a room that couldnt have been more than 70 degrees, with no heat source :(
The girl was a 14 year old, and her parents apparently let her get/keep the snake with no supervision at all. Hopefully she comes along nicely.

[Jules1618]

Good luck, let us know how it goes