Petco rescue snake...

[dan803]

I know a lot of people are against supporting Petco but I believe in the quote "Saving just one animal won’t change the world but it will surely change the world for that one animal."

So anyway today I went to my local petco to buy mice and check out the snakes. I was planning on buying a corn because I already set up it's viv. So they had a grand total of 2 corns. A snow and a reverse okeetee. I definitely wanted an amel anyway so I asked to look at the snow. The idiot working there reached in and jumped because the baby hatchling apparently struck at him. After that he was all freaked out and spent 10 minutes trying find things like hooks to pick it up with. Then he was trying to lure it into a box. I just reached in and got it for him because he was taking forever, a decision long overdue. It seemed healthy at a glance. I asked when it last ate, how old it was, etc. and he didn't have any clue. I wanted to speak to the manager but this guy told me he was afraid of snakes so he wouldn't know anyway. I ended up stupidly buying the snake because it seemed fine to me. When I got home upon closer inspection it had several body kinks. I know it's mostly a cosmetic issue but if I wanted to possibly breed in the future, I can't use that specimen. So I took it in and exchanged for the reverse okeetee. I ended up talking to the manager, and he told me to put it back in the box when I took it out to show him the kinks.

So I looked at the reverse okeetee and I had never held such a tiny, skinny, weak, limp, mushy snake before. When I asked the last time he ate the manager told me last saturday, hesitantly. I said "you feed them mice, right?" He said "No, this guy is too small for that so we are feeding him large crickets." As soon as he said that I just had to get that poor thing out of there. If it dies with me then it dies with a caring owner who tried everything, not with a stupid bozo who doesn't even know what it eats. I believe the snow will get a home, but the chances seemed slim with this one.

After I took him home (found out it was male), I offered it a pinky head. I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't further starve him. Surprisingly, he accepted it without hesitation. So I offered the back end of the pinky and discarded the middle. He ate and swallowed! I am just praying he will digest and not regurge. Just wanted to share yet another petco horror story.

 

[Iguanagirl8662]

I am a sucker for taking in sickly animals but I would not have bought it because they will just replace it and do the same thing with that one. Of course I've done it once or twice before lol.

I'm not a fan of chain pet stores even though I work for Petsmart but apparently Petsmart is much better then Petco. The company's policy is to take any sick animal to the vet and treat it no matter the cost. Our snakes are not fed crickets and they get offered food every 5 days. We also keep food charts for each snake. Of course you can't help if the store just has bad employees.

It's a good sign that he ate he will probably do very well with you. I wish you luck with him.

 

[Allalaskan]

I would have called corporate and let them know how disgusted I was that they had employees let alone a manager there who did not know how to properly care for there animals. I would even consider calling Animal control and make them aware that the store in question is not taking proper care of there animals.

At minimum I would at least call the closest corporate office and tell them how disgusted you are with there lack of knowledge and care of the animals they have. They should know that they have some yahoo who doesnt know any thing about his animals running one of their stores.

 

[Iguanagirl8662]

I would have called corporate and let them know how disgusted I was that they had employees let alone a manager there who did not know how to properly care for there animals. I would even consider calling Animal control and make them aware that the store in question is not taking proper care of there animals.

At minimum I would at least call the closest corporate office and tell them how disgusted you are with there lack of knowledge and care of the animals they have. They should know that they have some yahoo who doesnt know any thing about his animals running one of their stores.

I would also tell them the shouldn't have employees working with the animals if they are afraid to touch them.

 

[Allalaskan]

Yes that too I meant to say something about that and forgot too lol. But ya if your afraid to touch them then you shouldnt be working with them.

 

[whippet]

I'm not a fan of chain pet stores even though I work for Petsmart but apparently Petsmart is much better then Petco. The company's policy is to take any sick animal to the vet and treat it no matter the cost.

The petsmart I worked at for about 3 weeks had the same policy offically. But they didn't follow it. If the animal was sick it was thrown in a cage in the back and left to die. Oh they fed it...and recorded everything...but nothing ever left the store to see a vet.

As far as the OP...I would call the stores general manager and tell them the employees were feeding a cornsnake crickets..and even new tiny tiny hatchlings need a pinkie. (believe me they have extra small pinkies anyway)
Then ask for the district managers number and name so you can also tell him/her. That might stop one stupid manager and get the employees trained properly.
Policy does say a pinkie mouse F/T. So they are not following Petsmart policy.

 

[dan803]

I could tell that they both hated snakes and frankly didn't care if they died or not. They had a lovely ball python. God knows what they are jamming down the poor thing's throat. If I could afford it, I would buy it. I hope it get's a good home.

On a lighter note, he has kept down the pinky pieces so far. I am crossing my fingers that he won't regurge because I really don't think he can handle it at this size. I will complain because this is neglect. If they are feeding them crickets that is neglect because they didn't even take the time to learn what the animal actually eats. It's sickening!

 

[Outcast]

I work for the local Petco store... Unfortunately they do not allow me to feed our snakes, one of our managers is the "expert" on the reptiles, and she feeds them all. I have not seen her feed them once, but I am also not at work all the time so I am not sure what she feeds them. I will make it a point to as her next time I am working with her.

I try my best to answer everyone's questions when it comes to all of the animals since I am at least a little bit knowledgeable on everything we carry. But, when they are asking me snake questions and I am not 100% sure, I send them here, and hope that they come to ask their questions.

 

[dan803]

Has anybody had experience with nursing "mushy" feeling hatchlings back to normal health? He is like a wet noodle but it seems that there could be a chance of survival since he voluntarily ate. Is it possible for him to survive? I've been at school all day and I'm fearing the worst. I just want to get out of here and find out how he's doing... if he regurged he will surely not make it in this weakened condition.

 

[Outcast]

I would say that you should just do your best on keeping him healthy. If I am not mistaken, you have a 30 day or 15 day return policy on him, If you feel he is sick you can talk to the store and see if they know of a reptile vet, and get the vet to check up on him.

I know when people buy small animals from the store I work at, they have to sign a piece of paper stating that they will not release the animal into the wild, and depending on the animal, they get a certification of health for it... I am not sure what animals get them though... I would definitely contact the store, they should have given you a piece of paper with the animal that had the name and # to a vet, at least that is why my store does.

 

[evergreencorns]

I worked at Petsmart for two years, and frankly, we made sure that every snake we sold was sold with a feeding/shedding chart, and such, that was accurately filled out. Only the people who were comfortable handling snakes were allowed to work with them, and everyone was on the same page about when they were last fed, and when they last shed.

The particular store I worked for takes ANY sick animal to the same vet that I use now, Dr. Maas in Bothell, no matter the cost. We had a batch of Ball Pythons that came in with massive parasite infestations, and we had to give them oral meds for three weeks.

I have been VERY disappointed with Petco. I had the same problem the other day, I went to purchase a corn that I found there that I really liked (my Sunglow sub-adult, Piglet), and no one could tell me when he last ate. I immediately took him home, and fed him, and he ate THREE hoppers. THREE. The second was supposed to go to my other sub-adult in the tub next to him, but he displayed such an interest in it, I was like, well, if you'll eat it, you can have it. He didn't re-gurge, which I was glad for.

It just makes me angry that Petco doesn't seem to care about their snakes. They shouldn't carry them if they aren't going to even make an EFFORT toward caring for them while they're at the store.

At least most Petsmarts usually use feeding charts.

 

[Jenber]

I'll just put in my .02, although I have 2 boas from Petco, I'm really not a fan of either store, as the Petco I went to, they had only one knowledgable (sp?) reptile employee who did everything for all snakes and lizards. Everyone else was afraid to touch them. They had at least been fed, but all of them had old sheds and poo sitting in the cage with them, along with multiples in each enclosure (not multiple species, but like 8 bp's in one, 12 geckos in the next, 4 CA boas in one, 7 Common redtails in the next)

Petsmart only had one animal per enclosure with the exception of some of the frogs/turtles, but none of the reptiles looked like they had been fed in a very long time, they all looked way to small for how long they had been there, and not a single employee could tell me anything about them (last shed, when they ate, WHAT they eat, etc) including the manager.

Needless to say, I will not buy from either anymore for any reason.

 

[Iguanagirl8662]

I'll just put in my .02, although I have 2 boas from Petco, I'm really not a fan of either store, as the Petco I went to, they had only one knowledgable (sp?) reptile employee who did everything for all snakes and lizards. Everyone else was afraid to touch them. They had at least been fed, but all of them had old sheds and poo sitting in the cage with them, along with multiples in each enclosure (not multiple species, but like 8 bp's in one, 12 geckos in the next, 4 CA boas in one, 7 Common redtails in the next)

Petsmart only had one animal per enclosure with the exception of some of the frogs/turtles, but none of the reptiles looked like they had been fed in a very long time, they all looked way to small for how long they had been there, and not a single employee could tell me anything about them (last shed, when they ate, WHAT they eat, etc) including the manager.

Needless to say, I will not buy from either anymore for any reason.

Even though Petsmart has rules that are supposed to be followed if you get a bunch of stupid employees that don't care then they aren't going to be followed. Then you end up with stores like you descibed.

 

[Christen]

Ok I have to tell my petco story now. I avoid telling people cause I feel like a thief but about 3 years ago I was at petco getting supplies for my fish when I heard the cashier call out to another employee. "Did you guys ever find that snake" the others employee's response was "No he is long gone now" I looked at a friend that was with me and asked her "Did they really say snake?" She said they did and I went to the front and checked out. As I was walking out the door this tiny corn snake, smaller than anything I have hatched, slithered out the door ahead of me. Thinking well he is out the door now. I picked him up and walked away.

 

[Outcast]

Christen, I work for Petco, and probably would have done the same thing.

The other day, one of the guys who cleans the cages, let some of the Anole's and Crested Gecko's out, I found them in the wellness room and put them back in their homes. I am always going behind some of the people I work with to make sure that the lizards have hides and crickets.
I work again on friday, I hope that the animal manager is in, I will ask her how we are documenting feedings/sheds of our snakes, and if we aren't I will request that we start doing so in order to better answer customer's questions...

I am always walking up on my store manager telling someone some bad advice. In fact, I rarely go into any pet store that tells anyone anything that is 100% helpful. Which is why I always talk to people about feeding F/T and give them this website, in case I have not told them everything I needed. I really hope that some of them end up on this site with questions about their snakes, because I am still learning about them too and I tell them that I am no expert, but there are many here.

The main reason I wanted to start working at this Petco is because I knew how bad off the snakes and lizards are, in the hopes that I can at least influence a little better husbandry on the store's part.

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Damn, am I the only one here who has decent employees in chain stores around here? It's the Mom and Pop shop that sucks.


Anyway, in response to what the OP has done, all you've done is support what they did buy buying the snake/s, however you like to put it. Calling Animal Control or something would have been a far better choice.

 

[dan803]

Here are pictures of Albus! He seems to be gathering some strength. He has kept the pinky down so far. Also, he went to the bathroom (on me, the little bugger!). He is 10 inches, which is actually a normal size for a new hatchling I believe. I got him to drink as well. His skin seems loose as if he lost weight, but it may be dehydration so I also gave him a lukewarm bath.

 

[dan803]

By the way, I am complaining to the corporate about this neglect. They won't get away with any more of this. Some more pics:

 

[Iguanagirl8662]

Damn, am I the only one here who has decent employees in chain stores around here? It's the Mom and Pop shop that sucks.


Anyway, in response to what the OP has done, all you've done is support what they did buy buying the snake/s, however you like to put it. Calling Animal Control or something would have been a far better choice.

Calling animal control probably wouldn't have done a thing. Any time I've heard of animal control or the SPCA called on a pet store they never do anything they either don't go to check or say everything is fine.

 

[Christen]

OMGosh that poor little baby. He was just about wasted away