Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was at the pet stor yeterday and a guy brings in a blood python that is under weight and has mites it also has like no muscle tone to it at all nor is it eager to strike. I want to recue it from the store the owner said i could get it for $45 but i dont have the money for the vet right now if need be i dont get paid till next week. Also do you guys think that the lack of food and mites sucking him dry is the lack of muscle? please help ill keep every1 updated

im probably going to upset a few people here but here's my take on that. if you cant afford to rescue the animals from somewhere, stop going there. out of sight out of mind. notify the proper authorities and let them deal with it. as much as we would like we cant save everything.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
1.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)
1.1 Short Tailed Python (Black Blood) (awaiting delivery)
0.1 Roommate (sigh...okay, she has a corn snake)

I agree with pythonis. Don't waste your time and money trying to rescue sick animals. You'd be much better off spending $145 or $245 for a healthy animal than $45 for a sick one. Never do business with people that sell sick animals!
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Dennis

the pet store isnt selling it some guy who brought it in is and if i dont get it its gonne probly be left to die with no food at all. i will have funds for vet just once i get my check. there is also a ball python with it. and i am sorry but i am not gonna just let them die. i would wrather spend the 40 now and wait till i get check to take it to vet than have it sit and die a slow death with no1 trying to help

well its your money. do with it what you will. however i am wondering why this topic was posted if you were just going to go rescue the thing anyway.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
1.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)
1.1 Short Tailed Python (Black Blood) (awaiting delivery)
0.1 Roommate (sigh...okay, she has a corn snake)

Wow, I really thought that this thread would have gotten a positive response... or at least more positive than public mockery. How on earth can you beat someone up for having his heart set on rescuing a sick snake??? That's just unreal to me. Sweetblood, if you do wind up taking this snake in feel free to contact me through this site. I've nursed a couple of very sick bloods back to heath and would be more than willing to help you any way I can.

wasnt beating him or her up about it. was just trying to get the person into the real world. you cant save everything no matter how badly you want to. and to say "i want to save this but not that" is no worse than saying "i dont want to save anything". because youre ignoring all the other animals. i believe this would put someone into the category of being (dare i say it?) a hypocrite.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
1.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)
1.1 Short Tailed Python (Black Blood) (awaiting delivery)
0.1 Roommate (sigh...okay, she has a corn snake)

if you have the chance to save/help something why not? if your parents or some one you loved was in bad condition and devoped alstimers would you just let them be and say well cant save everything? i know i cant save everyting and i do take in what i can no matter what species get them to health and find them a good home. exspecialy when the animals are eight in front of you and the guy goes i dont want them and they are in that bad of shape

Hey All-
I don't think there is a clear right and wrong thing to do here. Its tough and tragic. Once someone asked me how I could justify helping sick and injured animals but ignore human suffering at the same time? It was and is a good question for which I had and have no good answer. One does what one can do. Do what you can to relive suffering wherever you can. There's plenty of it to go around.
Bill

Hey, best wishes to everyone involved, pythons and humans alike.

Sweetblood, in answer to your original question (which was never really addressed in this thread), naturally a lack of food will result in a lack of muscle tone, starvation and muscle are mutually exclusive. The mites certainly don't help, if left untreated long enough they can cause/accelerate death to a small or weak snake. Both underfeeding and mites are easily correctable, assuming the snake is not already at death’s door. Should you chose to go ahead purchase the snake, please keep it quarantined from the rest of your collection until it is healthy and parasite free.
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Dennis

they actualy will be going to my friends house when i get them on monday he loves snakes but does not have any. i figure a soak a little bit of no pest strip let him sit for a day or so try to feed and scedual a vet appointment. and go from there and hope for best.