Sol is gone...

[cohazard]

No he's not dead haha

I feel bad, but I returned him to petsmart last sunday because I wanted to get a ball python instead, but also because I have a better idea of what type of corn snakes I want.

I want an orange snake, bright orange/yellow/red, and some amels tend to have white in them and so I decided that I would take Sol back to the petco I got him from, and get a striped amel or bloodred from the Anaheim show if I can find one.

I also plan to get a blizzard corn, and a mexican black king :cheers:

Once I have those three snakes, plus my new baby ball python, I will be happy with a humble collection of 4 snakes. I hope haha


Sorry I'm rambling... Here is a pic of my baby ball python, yet to be named, I'm guessing male. I'll get it sexed at the herp store this weekend when go get it's meal

 

[snakemom1961]

Hope you decide to keep your future snakes. I feel sorry for Sol But oh well that's just how I feel. I didn't realize snakes were a disposable commodity. So, I hope you really are sure of what you want in the future before you jump in and just buy the first thing you see. Good luck with your future purchases.

 

[snakemom1961]

Just another thought here. Have you thought about what your going to do when you get tired of your pets? What happens if any of them grow up and STILL aren't the right color? What are you going to do then? I'm sorry but what you did with Sol just put a very bad taste in my mouth. I just hope you realize that if you get a baby snake it won't show it's true colors until 2-3 years later.

I'll stop now but please THINK before making anymore purchases.

 

[diamondlil]

Just another thought here. Have you thought about what your going to do when you get tired of your pets? What happens if any of them grow up and STILL aren't the right color? What are you going to do then? I'm sorry but what you did with Sol just put a very bad taste in my mouth. I just hope you realize that if you get a baby snake it won't show it's true colors until 2-3 years later.

I'll stop now but please THINK before making anymore purchases.

I couldn't put it better.I don't believe that snakes become in any way become attached to their owners but with a 10-15 year lifespan the owner has IMO to commit to them. All the ads for 2-3 year old snakes for sale make me sad. I can understand breeders who sell/swap for genetics, unless they claim emotional attachment to the snakes, selling or swapping pets doesn't make sense to me.

 

[bondiblue]

Sorry to hear the amel wasn't what you were looking for. It wasn't my first choice either, in fact it was all they had at the time. Actually, when I went to get my bp's meal yesterday I saw the pet store had a few different morphs I'd much rather have. But as I see what seems to be a personality develop, I couldn't be happier in my choice of corn snake. I figure I could have a pretty snake that sits there and does nothing, or an average snake that plays peek-a-boo with me in her hide and driftwood. I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[Jezebel]

I've got to agree, that puts a bad taste in my mouth as well. When I bought my two little girls, I didn't know much about all the flashy morphs, and just got two that the herp store had regularly available. They may be 'ordinary' morphs, but they're babies. Pets aren't like clothes. You don't just take them back until something fits or looks good.

 

[cohazard]

Hmm, well I'm sorry if I offended anyone.

Some of these reactions are harsh compared to the deed, you make me feel as if I abused the animal. I only had it a week and didn't get a chance to bond with it much because I handled it about twice, and the rest of the time I was letting him settle in to make sure he was 100% comfortable before I bothered him.

I love my animals, and although yes I don't mind trading my fish or any future reptiles I may have, there is nothing wrong with that if I know the person I'm dealing with knows what they need to know.

I did not 'dispose' of him, nor do I feel my animals are disposable. That really offended me. True I don't know if he will get a good home, but neither does a professional breeder who sells many snakes every year.

I will be keeping my snakes with me until I'm an old man.

 

[snakemom1961]

I guess what hit me was the fact you returned him only because he wasn't the right color. You were the one who picked it out to begin with. I'm sure he was the same color on day 1 as he was a week later when you returned him for a different snake.

THAT to me is having a disposable pet. "Darn, I don't like his color, and now I really want a different kind of snake all together, so I'll just return him, and get something different". There is nothing that shouts impulsive purchase more then what you did to poor Sol.

 

[cohazard]

I'm not fortunate like some to have the space to keep 20+ snakes, and we all have our favorites as far as color and pattern. Looking at it that way, I hope you can understand why I would want to pick my favorite color/pattern if I have the chance to get it.

I didn't dump him at an animal rescue, or just give it away to someone who doesn't know what they're doing, so I didn't dispose of him.

 

[bmcbrayer]

Hope you decide to keep your future snakes. I feel sorry for Sol But oh well that's just how I feel. I didn't realize snakes were a disposable commodity.

Just another thought here. Have you thought about what your going to do when you get tired of your pets? What happens if any of them grow up and STILL aren't the right color? What are you going to do then? I'm sorry but what you did with Sol just put a very bad taste in my mouth.

I couldn't put it better.I don't believe that snakes become in any way become attached to their owners but with a 10-15 year lifespan the owner has IMO to commit to them. All the ads for 2-3 year old snakes for sale make me sad. I can understand breeders who sell/swap for genetics, unless they claim emotional attachment to the snakes, selling or swapping pets doesn't make sense to me.

I've got to agree, that puts a bad taste in my mouth as well. They may be 'ordinary' morphs, but they're babies. Pets aren't like clothes. You don't just take them back until something fits or looks good.

I guess what hit me was the fact you returned him only because he wasn't the right color. You were the one who picked it out to begin with. I'm sure he was the same color on day 1 as he was a week later when you returned him for a different snake.

THAT to me is having a disposable pet. "Darn, I don't like his color, and now I really want a different kind of snake all together, so I'll just return him, and get something different". There is nothing that shouts impulsive purchase more then what you did to poor Sol.

Snakemom, Jezebel, and Diamondlil have said exactly what I wanted to say. I don't think I will waste my time trying to keep updated with your 'future purchases' because all you're going to do is return them because you don't like how they 'look'. Yes, snakes are a commitment just like any other animal and kids (some are animals!) so stop buying them on impulse!!! You have to tell yourself that this is a living breathing animal and not just a pair of shoes that get scuffed up so you have to take them back and get a pair that you decided you like better... think next time please!

Oh and yes, Hale changes color every time he sheds... I look back at his first pictures and I'm like 'eew why did I pick him' but I love him and he has changed SO much (even though I haven't had him very long). He has a personality that is great and his color is becoming something so unexpected and is beautiful now! He's still a little baby too so he's going to change colors every time he sheds for the next couple of years and I can't wait to see how he will end up!!! Like Snakemom said, they don't show their true colors for a few years and even then they may not be exactly like what you want but sometimes they are better than you ever expected them to be!!!

 

[cohazard]

well thanks for wasting your time belittling me, and apparently not reading my follow up posts where I mention I understand the commitment, and I will not repeat this mistake again.

I made a small mistake starting out as a noob, I'm sorry. I have put in more thought to what I'm looking for in pattern, and I have a solid idea of what I like.

To chastize me and banish me to being an outcast is sort of extreme considering the snake is in good health.

Had I bought a snake without doing any research regarding husbandry or basic info and it became sick or died, I think the responses I've been getting would be well deserved.

 

[starsevol]

I have mixed feelings about this whole thing myself. On one hand, the op did research about snake care before getting one. It's not like he is co-habbing or anything like that. Plus snakes don't form emotional attachments with their keepers, as long as they are warm, fed, clean and watered they pretty much don't care who's doing it!

I personally would NEVER EVER buy from a pet shop, especially if a certain color or pattern is desired. The whole buying an animal and "trading it in" a week later because you don't like the color, just sounds a bit shallow and irresponsible to me. The color had not changed alot unless you were blind and suddenly regained your sight within the past week.

But then again, in April I bought a beautiful adult bloodred girl from Dean named BRenda. He has taken wonderful care of her, and has run out of space. She is gorgeous and healthy and eats like a pig, I'm pretty sure she doesn't miss Dean a bit! However, I bought this girl for one reason and one reason only. To test breed my possible bloodred stripe male. After next season, I plan on selling her. I will make sure she goes to a great home, and will hang onto her til the right home comes along. But she is not a perminant resident at my house.

Aside from the fact that the op used Sol as a "trade-in" after only a week, based on the animal's color, he is probably as shallow and irresponsible as I am!

 

[tricksterpup]

After next season, I plan on selling her. I will make sure she goes to a great home, and will hand onto her til the right home comes along. But she is not a perminant resident at my house.

Unless you create some new and different morph with her that is.

 

[Taxidermy]

I feel that it was wrong to purchase an animal; only to trade it in because of its coloring. But, I do understand where you are coming from and don't necessarily look down on you for what you have done to Sol. I started off with four corn snakes in my collection before getting any of my other reptiles. In order to expand my collection, and make it more diverse, I was told that I had to get rid of three of my corns if I wanted that monitor, or tegu. So, what did I do? I parted with them in hopes that they would all get great, new homes. I'm sure you feel horrible about what you did, but, like you said, you don't have the room for 20+ snakes; had you had the room for those sort of numbers, I have no doubt in my mind that you would have kept Sol, no matter his colors. Good luck to you and your new python + your future purchases!

 

[cohazard]

Thank you for understanding starsevol and not dismissing me as an animal abuser who doesn't care about the animals I keep.

I guess I worded my posts wrong, but I didn't not change my mind because of his color, yes I know they change color and get better with age/size/sheds, so there was no difference from day one to seven.

I didn't return him because I 'didn't like him', he was a gorgeous corn, with great color! I just simply changed my mind on the type of pattern I wanted, and since I knew I would have it for many years, I decided to get that type.

I guess it's shallow, but then so is developing new morphs and colors, we're looking for aesthetics, otherwise we would only keep normal corns or locality morphs.

When you buy new snakes at a show, I'm sure none of you say eh just give me whatever corn you have, no, you look at pattern and color and pick what suits your taste.

I took the best of care for Sol, and I can only hope his next keeper truly wants a normal pattern amel and doesn't change their mind like I did, but I still wouldn't fault them if they did as long as they take care of him and don't neglect him or anything.

I would like to stay part of this community since I will be getting at least two corn snakes, but if I can't be forgiven for such a minor error in judgement, then maybe I don't want to stick around.

I really like it here and there is a lot of info, and the people seem to be really cool too.

 

[Caryl]

Come on, there's no way a reasonable person could defend a change of heart over color that could not have changed in a week as anything but an impulse purchase. Does anybody else smell TROLL?

 

[Jenstar]

I agree with everyone else... I am sorry you feel belittled... But I have a ton of pets and once they come home with me whether it's a bird, dog, cat, lizard, snake or anything else I plan on keeping them for life... Yes there are some circumstances where giving your pet a new home might be the best option, but not just based on appearance, because you care about them and can not give them everything they need to live a happy healthy life... Just my opinion...

 

[starsevol]

Come on, there's no way a reasonable person could defend a change of heart over color that could not have changed in a week as anything but an impulse purchase. Does anybody else smell TROLL?

Actually, not to disagree, but I have smelled many-a-troll in my day.
I might be wrong, but my nose is pointing towards "flakey kid".

 

[cohazard]

I feel that it was wrong to purchase an animal; only to trade it in because of its coloring. But, I do understand where you are coming from and don't necessarily look down on you for what you have done to Sol. I started off with four corn snakes in my collection before getting any of my other reptiles. In order to expand my collection, and make it more diverse, I was told that I had to get rid of three of my corns if I wanted that monitor, or tegu. So, what did I do? I parted with them in hopes that they would all get great, new homes. I'm sure you feel horrible about what you did, but, like you said, you don't have the room for 20+ snakes; had you had the room for those sort of numbers, I have no doubt in my mind that you would have kept Sol, no matter his colors. Good luck to you and your new python + your future purchases!

You are 100% correct Taxidermy!!

When I realized i wanted a stripe amel, I felt terrible. I kept reassuring myself that at least petco has information packets, they gave me some basics when I got the snake, and I was told they have a 'herp guy' who feeds them on their staff.

 

[starsevol]

co-hazard, may I pm you?