What do you think? (Corn and rat snake related)

So I was thinking, boas, tegus, monitors, BPs, and even hedgehogs are selling like crazy at Pet Supermarket, the best pet store here, and also the place I got both my corns. However, during the past few months, they've had a somewhat skinny normal (who was shipped in the same shipment as my okeetee, and she's on the skinnier side as well despite frequent feedings) and a snow with some yellow that's about 1.5 times the size of it, and a lucy rat snake without bug eyes, for that time. Both corns are 80 bucks each, but they're at least three feet long, so I think that's a good price for sub-adult size corns, especially considering I can examine them in person. The lucy rat is $110.

I've examined all three a number of times. The normal corn is very similar to my okeetee, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were siblings, as they came in the same shipment and were similar in size. The snow was in a later shipment, and is a bit bigger, perhaps big enough for weanling or small adult mice. It's a complete sweet heart. The lucy rat is too; the one I have is a pain to handle, musks, closed mouth strikes, tail rattling, a bit picky with food.

If I were to buy all three for full price, that'd be almost 300 dollars. However, I am close with all the staff members and frequent the store, and I think that if I offered to take them all for a reasonable offer, I think I would win the bargain. Here's the problem:

All three snakes are eating to my knowledge (not sure about the normal, but I'll ask tomorrow) are eating weekly. All are very calm, and all have been there a long time and seem to be getting no interest. The normal has been there almost 5 months, I want to say; the snow at least two, and the lucy rat is at least 5 months. Like I said, they're all calm, and I'd to snap them up, especially since I have taken a liking to the snow, I like normal corns, and the lucy rat is very calm and very active (and I hear they usually aren't calm, and can attest to that with Daemon).

So, I want some opinions on this. I think that an offer of $150 would be reasonable, as they're probably not going to sell these snakes unless they offer a discount, and they're fitting my requirements.


Random tidbit: I advise many people to shop at pet stores if the store is well kept, animals are well kept, and the animal matches your requirements. Being close to the seller and the ability to examine an animal in in person is completely in valuable.

I think if you like the snakes that much and you think you have a shot with that offer, go for it!

I'd be a little concerned about the health of the "skinny" classic, but if you are pretty sure it's OK, then I'd say go for it! I like the non-bugeyed LTRs so that would be a bonus to me

I'd ask to see the feeding records of the skinny one. Either it's not eating or eating only occasionally in which case I'd be asking for a further discount (if I was really really desperate to have it). If it's eating normally and still skinny then you might be taking a risk on bringing parasites into your collection.

Personally I'd never buy a snake I considered to be sickly or undersized unless I was absolutely confident that a) I knew the reason and b) it had been resolved before I bought it. Even if I knew the staff in the shop.

I say, "give it a shot". Your friend can always counter your offer and then you could possibly "haggle" some more. It can't hurt!

If you get your Leucy - PICS!!!

bitsy said:

I'd ask to see the feeding records of the skinny one. Either it's not eating or eating only occasionally in which case I'd be asking for a further discount (if I was really really desperate to have it). If it's eating normally and still skinny then you might be taking a risk on bringing parasites into your collection.

Personally I'd never buy a snake I considered to be sickly or undersized unless I was absolutely confident that a) I knew the reason and b) it had been resolved before I bought it. Even if I knew the staff in the shop.

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Yeah, I'm definitely going to be checking him out. By skinny-ish, I mean the on the thinner side of healthy when.. urge, I'm not sure. When you can see a line along the back and the upper middle of the sides. Not under weight, but on the thinner side. Lotem is like and that and a few people told me she was at a healthy weight. I'm definitely going to be taking a few pictures of her to compare with this guy though. His really dark coloring could also be a problem.

I definitely understand your reasoning, though.

The_Thunderer said:

I say, "give it a shot". Your friend can always counter your offer and then you could possibly "haggle" some more. It can't hurt!

If you get your Leucy - PICS!!!

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To hold you off, the other Lucy, Daemon! Grouchiest snake in the world. :laugh:


It's funny how the lucy in the store looks exactly like a corn - but leucistic - without those giant eyes. :rofl:

Haven't gone to Pet Supermarket yet since that's a bit out of the way and we don't need to go anywhere near there, but I fell in love with an anery at Petsmart. I would have bought the little guy then and there if he'd eaten for them. Amazingly docile despite his young age. He's definitely out of the egg size. I'll be keeping check on him and try making an offer with them too if he doesn't eat for them.

Shenzi, you're going to be 15 or 16 soon, right? I would think very, very carefully about adding more animals to your collection right now. First, you're about to either enter or reach the two most busy years of highschool, and second, you're probably going to want to look for a (real, "receive a paycheck in the mail every two weeks") job to support your hobby. These two things can be a real timesink, take it from me, and you might find you either don't have time to be as hands-on with your animals as normal or you might just be so tired that the fire of passion for the hobby you have gets briefly extinguished. When I started my senior year AND a new job at the same time, for a couple of weeks I felt like a zombie, and I'd put off doing more than refill Boo's water dish until up to three days past his regular feeding day. It wasn't until I settled into this routine that I was able to rekindle that passion. Finally, despite their modest needs, adding more animals to your collection means adding more work to feeding day, cleaning day, weighing day etc... You need to be completely sure you're ready for an extra level of responsibility to take away from your "free time" or the time you have to handle your animals.

I'm not trying to lecture or discourage, but I know the feeling when every single animal you see is a shiny new pet to-be, and it's just not reasonable to jump at every one. Think long and hard before making any decision on a new animal. Don't worry, I doubt that if the corns and LTRS haven't sold yet, they will while you think.

pardon the lack of knowledge that i have concerning lucys but, what makes some lucys bug eyed and others not?

I would be very careful of the skinny snake. Some problems can only be found with a PM.
Checking them over isn't enough, sometimes. JMO.

snakewispera snr said:

I would be very careful of the skinny snake. Some problems can only be found with a PM.
Checking them over isn't enough, sometimes. JMO.

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Good point.

Teddy Roosevelt said:

Shenzi, you're going to be 15 or 16 soon, right? I would think very, very carefully about adding more animals to your collection right now. First, you're about to either enter or reach the two most busy years of highschool, and second, you're probably going to want to look for a (real, "receive a paycheck in the mail every two weeks") job to support your hobby. These two things can be a real timesink, take it from me, and you might find you either don't have time to be as hands-on with your animals as normal or you might just be so tired that the fire of passion for the hobby you have gets briefly extinguished. When I started my senior year AND a new job at the same time, for a couple of weeks I felt like a zombie, and I'd put off doing more than refill Boo's water dish until up to three days past his regular feeding day. It wasn't until I settled into this routine that I was able to rekindle that passion. Finally, despite their modest needs, adding more animals to your collection means adding more work to feeding day, cleaning day, weighing day etc... You need to be completely sure you're ready for an extra level of responsibility to take away from your "free time" or the time you have to handle your animals.

I'm not trying to lecture or discourage, but I know the feeling when every single animal you see is a shiny new pet to-be, and it's just not reasonable to jump at every one. Think long and hard before making any decision on a new animal. Don't worry, I doubt that if the corns and LTRS haven't sold yet, they will while you think.

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I definitely know where you're coming from, but I'm in a pretty different boat than most people, I think. Reptiles are something I feed I can and want to do. I always welcome the advice though.
I'd be happy to PM you info on that 'different boat' if you'd like peace of mind.

snakewispera snr said:

I would be very careful of the skinny snake. Some problems can only be found with a PM.
Checking them over isn't enough, sometimes. JMO.

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I know; been thinking about that. I'll be checking the snake over real good next time I see it and go from there. If it's not in a condition I'd take it in, I'm definitely going to advise for them to ship it back where it came from.

gelshark said:

pardon the lack of knowledge that i have concerning lucys but, what makes some lucys bug eyed and others not?

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...now I'm curious. :laugh: I think it might have to do with random genetics.

You are missing the point.
Some things cannot be spotted by eye and can wipe out entire collections.

Hopefully the pet shop has a vet who stops by now and then. If you can agree upon a price for the snakes, then ask if you can get a stool sample (must be fresh) AT LEAST of the thinner snake, if not all of them. If they have a regular vet, the charge should be very little. If it shows up anything bad, the shop should pay for sure. If nothing bad shows up, you can negotiate ahead of time as to whom will pay, or if it will be split. Be sure you know the price of anything you are agreeing to before the work is done. And be sure you get a copy of the report, and be sure the sample is fresh.

First off, if you get any new snake, it should be quarantined. That keeps the rest of your collection safe and this is ANY new snake regardless of who or where you got it. I rountinely quarantine all new snakes in another part of the house for 3-6 months depending upon where I got it from. Second: skinny...what does that mean? I think people are so used to seeing fat snakes that if they see one that is lean and muscular (which includes a line of muscle down the back-not to be confused with spine) they think it's skinny. Most of my snakes are quite lean. They are fed every 2 weeks or so and have no fat on them. They have a ridge of muscle along the spine and they are not large snakes. This doesn't mean they are skinny. They are out and about every day and most of the night as well. They rarely stay hidden in their hides. Catch a wild cornsnake or other species and you won't find the rounded bodies of most domestic snakes. If the snake has been eating, is healthy in appearance-meaning it is active, shiny scales etc-then it probably is healthy.

Okay, they sold the two and now have two babies; an anery and one I think is a miami. I freaked. Both have eaten and are calm... but it looks like I may have an uncertain future anyway. Something pretty bad came up.

On the other hand, all advice is welcome. ...just don't expect me to reply to it. Not feeling much for talking...

ShenziSixaxis said:

Okay, they sold the two and now have two babies; an anery and one I think is a miami. I freaked. Both have eaten and are calm... but it looks like I may have an uncertain future anyway. Something pretty bad came up.

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Are you OK? Can I help?

Everything's fine for the most part, but I'm borderline lupus according to my ANA panel from blood work about a month ago. We got more blood pulled and we're waiting for those results, but until we know what's happening and what we're doing, I'm not even sure what I'll be doing in 5 years, if I'm still alive. We don't know anything at this point really. Once we do I'll definitely be bringing this to the community's attention. What's weird is my mom and I and even the rhuemtologist were convinced I have rheumatoid arthritis, nothing like this. RA you can at least treat itsself.

Ah, and I also have a highly inflamed rotator cuff that started a few days ago, and am getting a CAT scan of my sinuses in a few weeks. Boy am I having fuuuun!