What’s everyone’s worst impulse buy

Snaake · 07-20-18, 10:04 PM

That moment you go to an expo for a ball python and come out with a reticulated python ps I don’t have one but what’s ur worst impulse buy mines my gopher snake but he is doing perfect know

ClockwerkBonnet · 07-21-18, 02:16 AM

Well, I've never bought a snake on impulse, but I do remember when we bought a 10-gallon cage for a gray-banded kingsnake. It wasn't until we brought a 10-inch female named Sasha home that we noticed a small hole near the back of the lid of the cage. Since it was so narrow, we assumed the snake wouldn't be able to crawl through, but the next morning, she succeeded in doing so. We found her on the floor that afternoon with a broken neck (we have three cats, so maybe one of them did it). In the end, we had no choice but to freeze her to death because she appeared too small to be examined by a vet.

Two months later, when Lincoln moved in, we blocked the hole in the lid so he wouldn't endure the same fate that Sasha did. Today, he's three years old and currently living in a 20-gallon cage.

Jim Smith · 07-21-18, 08:16 AM

I have limited myself to a total of five snakes, so I plan my snake purchases very carefully, often waiting for several months for a specific snake to become available from a known breeder. When I go to a reptile shows, I only go with plans to buy supplies like feeders. Lots of cool snakes out there that I'd like, but they often require very different care, housing etc., so I just look and admire. Now plants for the yard, that's another story. I am a sucker for a beautiful plant, especially if it is unusual and if it's on sale, well, I'm pretty much guaranteed to bring it home. I'm sort of running out of yard space now

kudzu · 07-21-18, 08:29 AM

My first snake sort of fit this, but not as dramatic as OP's scenario. Buying a snake wasn't an impulse but the species was. Went to an expo looking for one of several species of rat snake. Came home with a Brooks kingsnake. That species really isn't known for the type of temperament I was looking for but was still something good for beginners. My kingsnake though is rather shy for his species & seems to stress more easily than is normal. I'd not expected a snake who loved to hang out with me, but did expect to have a more curious snake that tolerated handling for maybe 10-15 minutes at a time. Nope. Not my guy.

Second snake was truly an impulse buy. One rat snake breed that supposedly had the temperament I want is the Russian rat snake. But their adult size and activity level meant an enclosure much, much, much larger than I felt I could accommodate. Yet... a baby Russian came available and I couldn't resist. That's how I ended up cleaning out the junk room upstairs to set it up as the reptile room. And, heck, since I decided to do that I quickly added a gargoyle gecko... and maybe two soon. Oh, and I think there's another rat snake in my future.

I think maybe if I'd just gotten the Russian first and had the snake that really suited me better than my kingsnake I might have been satisfied and kept things to just one snake. Maybe... but now we'll never know.

phenyx · 07-21-18, 12:16 PM

Jerkface. I love the little jerk like crazy - he's a very chill, awesome little dude - but I can't help thinking that maybe he wouldn't be having he problems he does if he were in more experienced hands. Or maybe he would. I'll probably never know. I do know that I certainly wasn't prepared to handle a "special needs" snake that may never reach full size.

bigsnakegirl785 · 07-22-18, 12:39 PM

Since this isn't in the reptile forums...my 2001 Ford Focus. I think it was called a Focus because I had to focus on its problems...I spent more fixing that car than I spent buying it. Just constant coolant system problems, one after another. I broke down in the middle of the city one day with sugary smoke floating over it, and spent the day out there and $260 or $280 just to have it fixed, plus the towing cost. The frame and body was so rusted that parts were coming off and the hatch didn't open. I guess that's what I get for not taking the time to look for a car, but I desperately needed something. I've pretty much decided on getting it crushed now, and have my old Blazer back. It needs some work, but it's been pretty reliable for me the past ~5 years. Not bad for having a leaking cylinder when I bought it. The blazer needs a bit of work again, but it's worth it since I'm not paying ridiculous repair costs every month or two....

Herpin' Man · 07-23-18, 09:25 AM

Not really an impulse buy, but I bought some Bimini boas for a girlfriend, then split up shortly thereafter. She left me with the snakes. I didn't really want them, but was unable to find a buyer, so was stuck with them for many years.
Also, not really an impulse buy, but I used to have the bad habit of buying entire collections from people getting out of the hobby. The animals that were "desirable" were sold, and I was stuck with what was left. Think nasty golden tegus.
I used to have a hard time turning down free or cheap herps, even if i didn't really want them.
And, as a kid, I guess, I would buy stuff on impulse at the pet store, without having a clue as to how to care for them. This was before captive bred animals were available, so think sickly imports and other wild caught.

**EL Ziggy** · 07-23-18, 10:52 AM

All of my impulse buys worked out pretty well

. The one that made the biggest impact though was my first Cal King. He really got me started in the hobby. Even though I kept a few BPs decades ago I didn't really know what I was doing back then. Buying that first Cal King led to a renewed passion for snakes. Now I've got (8) snakes with (2) more coming tomorrow. I'll admit I'm a little consumed with slithery critters but I still think it's a healthy obsession.

Albert Clark · 07-26-18, 05:46 PM

Well, I try to stick to a small list of things when attending expos. I also make attempts to limit my time at tables and looking bc I always feel that extended times will expose me to more of a chance at bringing home mites. It's hard but I limit my handling of animals at expos also.

Jim Smith · 07-26-18, 09:16 PM

At the risk of "Double-Dipping" on this thread, I'm with Albert Clark on this one as far as the risk of bringing home snake mites from shows. I very rarely attend shows because of that risk, especially from the people who feel that it is necessary for them to parade around the show with their "pet" boa around the shoulders as if we've never seen one before. I will be attending the Repticon show this weekend just so that I can bring a couple of boxes of supplies to the Georgia Reptile Society which I'm a member of, otherwise, I'd skip this as well.

craigafrechette · 07-27-18, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClockwerkBonnet

In the end, we had no choice but to freeze her to death because she appeared too small to be examined by a vet.

This just haunts me. I've tried to ignore it for days, but felt like I should comment in hopes that maybe it prevents another animal from suffering this way.

Please, do NOT freeze an animal to death. There are MUCH more humane ways to euthanize an animal. Keeping pets is a responsibility, and with that responsibility comes difficult choices. Most of us have had to choose when to put an animal down. We owe it to these animals to do it humanely. Please don't freeze an animal to death. If you think this isn't cruel, stand in a walk-in freezer for a half hour, or an hour.... you'll learn pretty quickly how cruel that is.

ClockwerkBonnet · 07-27-18, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

This just haunts me. I've tried to ignore it for days, but felt like I should comment in hopes that maybe it prevents another animal from suffering this way.

Please, do NOT freeze an animal to death. There are MUCH more humane ways to euthanize an animal. Keeping pets is a responsibility, and with that responsibility comes difficult choices. Most of us have had to choose when to put an animal down. We owe it to these animals to do it humanely. Please don't freeze an animal to death. If you think this isn't cruel, stand in a walk-in freezer for a half hour, or an hour.... you'll learn pretty quickly how cruel that is.

Well, we didn't know any better at the time, so I'm not too upset with your response.

Neon Aurora · 07-27-18, 09:02 AM

I'm sure I have one of the worst impulse buys on this forum; yellow anaconda as a teen.

I made some pretty crappy decisions about animals as a teen, but I can happily say I have busted my *** to take responsibility for those choices. The yellow anaconda is doing great and I fully intend on keeping him for his whole life. =) I actually think he is quite cool, and I'm glad that I learned the skills needed to handle a fairly large, aggressive snake. I enjoy him now. He's a rather small individual, so that helps the situation.

Scubadiver59 · 07-27-18, 01:28 PM

The one that sent me to a zero checking account balance!!

scales.jp · 07-31-18, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

I have limited myself to a total of five snakes, so I plan my snake purchases very carefully.

Glad I'm not the only one in this situation! I barely have enough space for my two stacked vivs, of which only one is occupied at the moment. Thinking very carefully about what's going to end up in the other!