must read:pet store refuses to feed so it can make snakes smaller

[batman361]

I went into a local pet store today just to see what they had since i heard lots of bad stuff about it. When i got there i was furious. The rodent room had gerbils, hamsters, mice, rats, etc. all with dirty cages and they were all wet and soggy either from all the piss or because the room was so hot. The birds were like twenty to a cage and overcrowded. When it came to the reptiles i was debating if i should see them. well i did and i was pissed. the chameleons were all with their mouths open and water bowls for the water source instead of misting them. The snakes were really really overpriced if not i would have bought a few just to get them out of there.(ex. normal corn snake $115)so you can imagine the morphs. Well anyways i saw a sign that said micro corn snake.i thought it was a baby or something. when i asked to see it the owner was all proud saying it was one of his projects that he is doing. he said if he feeds it less and smaller meals then it will stay tiny and therfore produce dwarf corns. I was mad so i let him have it and told him about all the health issues and that he was just killing all his animals since they were there and he did not deserve a pet shop. well i felt bad but the guy had to hear it. I am really mad the store is still open. Was I in the wrong?well the snake was two years old and was about 15 inches and as a little thicker than a pencil.

[medusacoils]

So, if I feed my kids less, which will effect their growth, that way I can have "little people" (<~or whatever politically correct term, this week) grand children! :dancer:

If it's that bad, contact your local animal control and have them investigated. If the claims are founded, they will pull their permit to sell animals.

Good Luck

Wayne

[dionythicus]

Take pictures next time and bring a witness (or a few people). You need proof when you report them to the local animal control. Write a letter to the paper, call the TV station if they have someone who does "whistle blower" type stories. I've reported a bad pet store to their local police and it was investigated. But it would really help to have proof or witness statements.

[wilomn]

Ya know guys, while I agree that the guy was a turd for his keeping, there are avenues that do not involve mass bad publicity.

Report him to your animal control agency. Join your local Herp. Society and get members to boycott the store.

As a last resort, you could try educating the guy. This one rarely works but is better than bad publicity.

[Kaminoke]

So... starve them, stunt their growth, then breed them to try to produce a tiny morph...

Does he also think that if he cuts off his toe he'll have 9-toed children?

[kshannon]

Ya know guys, while I agree that the guy was a turd for his keeping, there are avenues that do not involve mass bad publicity.

Report him to your animal control agency. Join your local Herp. Society and get members to boycott the store.

As a last resort, you could try educating the guy. This one rarely works but is better than bad publicity.

Don't yell at me for posting this but report them here to get members to ban it along w/ going to your local law enforcement http://www.southtexasreptiles.com/strforum/index.php

[Outcast]

i would definatly report him... im trying to figure out if i should report a local pet store that we have here. last week i went in and saw that they had around 50 or so, snakes in their little snake room... last night i went back in to see exactly what kind of kingsnakes they have or if they have any gopher snakes... well when i went back they only had 20 snakes and was told by the lady that was working there at the time that "we have lost alot of snakes this year" it really ticks me off because i know they dont really feed their snakes very often and they only open the store when they feel like it.... the owner works as a civilian for the military and he owns a company that makes fishtank displays for offices and stuff. so he doesnt have time to care for his pet store... oh, and he is hardly willing to sell anything right now... i think he is trying to make a self sufficient pet store where he breeds the animals and sells the babies.... right now all he is doing is killing everything.... im suprised that my two corns that i got from there are still alive... though they are much better taken care of.... as soon as Vera gets in one of the traps and gets placed back in her tank....lol