A future DEAD snake- my first rant

[JeffT]

Well today I had to undergo the brutal reign of a kid who is the son of my moms friend. Well he was telling me about how he just got back from the Shuswap BC and brought home a foot and a quarter lon garter snake in a margarine container and how hes going to keep it as a pet. Basicly the second i heard that I felt bad for the little guy, 8 hours in a margarine container...He went on to tell me what he plans on keeping it in and my jaw dropped.

Well last year he had a leopard gecko that lived for maby a month and died because it was impacted, he was laughing his butt off when he told me this because in his words it died from constapation. Well then he told me after it died he never cleaned out his 10 gallon tank and it is filled with gravel..yes, gravel and poop that is completely hardenend and he is not even going to bother cleaning it because he says it will take too long. So therefore he will just put the snake in it. Then he started to tell me that he hears they eat pinkey mice and thinks they cost too much, so he will have his snake consist on a diet of daddy long leg spiders and worms. I was like, a daddy long leg spider? their entire body is like a quarter of a centimetre long that has no nutrition, and he was like yeah but I will give the snake a few. So i basicly said if you dont feed it mice its gonna die, worms and spiders have no nutrition and he need more then that. So I guess this little snake is gonna have a delicious treat of about 3 spiders a day.

Well after all that he had to go so im pretty upset that he blew off all my advice like that. Well my mom is makin me hang out with him again tomorrow ( I think its coz he has no friends, im 15..hes 13) so what should I say to him?

Thanks, Jeff Terborg

[enso]

Try and explain to him and his mom that he's not prepared to keep or feed this snake. If that doesn't work take the snake and let it go. =P

[NewLineReptile]

Say nothing just take the snake and let it go it sound's like it would be better for it

Brandon

[Zoe]

Take the snake away. Tell him not to be a ****** and get a clue or you'll take the snake because thats cruel/neglectful treatment.

[JeffT]

Yeah id totally take it and let it go, only thing is that he lives somewhere down in the South East, im in the Northwest, and ive never even been to his house.

[marisa]

Yeah why not "conviently" set it free. LOL That would be effective and funny.

But in reality his dumb parents will just keep buying him more animals to abuse. So keep trying. Keep giving advice, and maybe even print some off to give to his mom. Maybe with printed caresheets they will start reading and caring.

That's too bad though

Marisa

[Jeff_Favelle]

Call the Wildlife authorities. Its ILLEGAL to keep native wildlife.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
Call the Wildlife authorities. Its ILLEGAL to keep native wildlife.

It may be illegal in BC, but other provinces have different rules (ie here in ontario we can keep certain garters). I don't know what the laws are for alberta.

you might consider pointing him at a proper caresheet such as the one at this url. http://mcwetboy.com/gartercare/gartercare.pdf It's probably the most exhaustive caresheet i've found on garters. If he doesn't smarten up another tactic you could try is letting his mom know that the snake was illegaly collected from the wild and there could be charges/fines involved.

[Colonel SB]

I'd beat some sence into the little looser! If that doesn't work talk to his mom hopefully she has some sence and doesn't wanna see the snake die.

[BWSmith]

Send the caresheet to his mom

[BoidKeeper]

No I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to keep any native species in captivity. Tell his mom that she is breaking the law and setting a bad example for her kid.
Trevor

[drewlowe]

Boid keeper and Jeff, It all depends on where you live and what the laws are for that particullar place. Here in the states it all depends on which state you live in. For ex... I live in missouri and i can keep up to 5 (total) native reptiles and amphibians if i go over that amount then i have to get a permit ($50) and have my house inspected each year. But i have heard other states only allow 2 each of different speices.

As far as that kid try to educate him if he still doesnt' want to listen try his mother.

[SCReptiles]

I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to release a reptile that has been housed in captivity for any length of time. This thing could pick up a pathogen from that dirty cage and greatly affect the native populations. I would suggest kicking his ***. That is how I would have handled it when I was 15. =)

[Ed_r]

As Brian said Give a caresheet to the mom. And also possibly SHOW him proper care for it. Many people learn from example. For garters, nightcrawlers are not really a bad thing, the spiders is pretty much a joke. Goldfish are good for them too. Mice are on the diet too. If the intent is to just keep the snake to see how long it will live without proper care. If thats the case I would tell him the snake likes to be outside sometimes, and have it escape.

[drewlowe]

Kicking his a$$ seems like a good idea at the time. But it isn't going to help him. How is he going to learn if he's not educated. Violance is not always the answer think with your head instead of your fist.