Please accept my condolences on your loss. Let's hope the other one does better. Please keep us updated.
To be on the safe side, I'd quarantine any other animals you may have purchased from this individual.
You know, it's often too easy for us to let our emotions get in the way of making practical, sensible decisions. I certainly can understand why you or anyone else would buy an animal which obviously is in less-than-optimal health. The sympathy factor kicks in, (especially if the price is reduced!).
But in a more practical sense, all the advice out there tells us to make sure the animal we're about to invest in is healthy in all respects. Don't waste your money on a sick animal, they tell us. Very good advice, but not always easy to follow.
What I'm getting at here is that the problem with unscrupulous sellers of sick or poorly-maintained animals can correct itself if we stick with the advice above. Because if fewer people bought sick animals, fewer people would sell them. I know it's a bit "pie-in-the-sky" to think there ever would be NO unscrupulous sellers and NO sick animals for sale, but the more we stick to practical reasoning and avoid making decisions based on our emotions, the less likely that things like this will happen.
Tom, please understand that I'm not being critical of you here. In fact, I applaud you for caring so much for the well-being of these mistreated snakes, and I commend your filing the seller with the BOI. I think everyone here can relate to your situation, and can understand how it easily could happen to any of us. It doesn't have to, tho. Your case serves as a lesson for all of us; I regret that you learned it the hard way.
I wish there were a better solution to help these poor animals. If it were a dog, or a cat, or a cute little bunny, the public would be up in arms and the Humane Society, ASPCA, and/or local animal sanctuaries would jump all over it. But if it's a herp, who ya gonna call? Those organizations couldn't care less about herps.
michaelb
