Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just came from a pet store in Tusculoosa Alabama. They cannot take care of there animals properly at all. The ball python cage had about 20 individuals in only about a 4 foot inclosure, there was a baby burmes e python and 2 boas in the same cage. The aby balls were very scrawny and thin. Looked like they had nothing to eat for quite some time. none of the tanks were ever cleaned as I went to the same store a few months back and it looke bad but this is just terrible. There were snake feces all in the tank. No water in the water bowls. and there was a king snake of some sort. I could not tell exact species because the glass was so dirty and there was sand in it and no water for it either. There was an emperor scoprion in a little critter keep aboout 8" long with no water and no moist substrate just dry sand. Their iguanas were all in terrible health. Some with mouth rot and in just terrible shape, I did no look at them much because it was too awfull of a sigfht. They also had some uromastyx, that were over cowded but seemed in ok health. Thier water dish had something in it that looked green. It looked like grass. I don't think it was just algae because it looked soupy. 2 5-6 inch red eared sliders, in 1 ten gallon aquarium with white water about 1 inch deep. So if anyone could tell me who to contact I will sure call them and try to get an arrangement set up, to go and put that guy away. Those animals are i need of very critical care and rescue. If I can gte someone in the law to shut him down, I will take some maybe all into my home and get them back into tip top health, and then find some homes for them. Please respond!!
Justin

Justin,

From what you describe I would try contacting your local animal shelter or SPCA and lodge a complaint about this store. Idealy they would then launch a formal investigation and issue an arrest warrent and confiscate the animals.

It probably wouldn't hurt to offer them your help to provide foster care for these animals or help them to set up proper enclosures for these animals at their shelter. If you have a local Herp Society they may also be helpful in assisting the animal shelter as well. I know our local SPCA in the Buffalo, NY area works with the our Herpetological Society for help with setups and care for some of the herps that they take in. Most animal shelters are better equipped for dogs, cats, and rabbits then reptiles.

If there is not a local animal shelter I would look up the statutes for animal cruelty in your state and then with those in hand contact the local police and file a complaint.

I hope that everything works out for you and the animals at this pet shop.

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A.J. Sokolik
asokolik@wnyherp.org
Western New York Herpetological Society

Thanks for the advice. I will try my best to get this guy put out. there is no herp society anywhere near my area, I'm the only oddball for iles and miles.
Justin

Would the local health department do any good? Because of the poor conditions in the tanks I am sure there are a ton of germs they would be interested.

Justin,

This is the pet store that is at the mall isn't it? I just went there the other day and I couldn't believe it!!! The smell was sooooooooo bad and the animals were in such poor condition it was pitiful. (even the fish were mostly floating upside down).

I live about 90 minutes away, but if there is anything at all I can do to help just let me know. I could go take pics, video, or by a ball and take it to a vet for a "sample" of the conditions of the place... (I am sure all the Balls are on their last leg so to speak) I could also help take a few of whatever snakes if that is what the SPCA or whoever needs. But that place is the worst I have ever seen in my life... In fact, my 12 year old son went there with some freinds and told me how bad it was so the next time I was in Tuscaloosa (on my way to Hooters )I checked it out myself to see if he was full of it or not. He sure was right...

If you need to contact me... Just email me @ ScoGdw@AOL.com

Scott W. Goodwin

We have one like that here. But there is nothing the health dept. will do. The only thing they care about are the mice and stuf like that. They do not care about the snakes there. Whech they would love to see everyone around here have to get rids of their exotics. They are trying now to pass the law now. It is bad to see animals like that no matter what they are. I know about the smell too believe my 5 year old hates going down there he gets sick everytime we go in the door. So I know where you are coming from on the pet store being bad.
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Here today and gone tomorrow.
MsRhinoviper@aol.com

on the point ( at least I THINK if I understand your view ). So...who do you cal on a pet store problem ? If you call the animal control, many cities agencies don;t deal with this and if they do ...a reprocussion effect on the private keepers. So do you call animal health ? How about the AHS ? Same thing. We had a reprocussion effect happen in my old city but it was really totally un-enforcible with the shear numbers of reptiles in captivity. BUt...they tried with a grandfather permit system. Then it was registration with permit. Then it was a size problem on lizards and large snakes. Then it was adopted to ban all salmonella carrying critters that happened to be all reptiles. The very first that they tried to enforce was the petstores ...all... whether bad or good. BuT having a state line issue of our 2 states being side by side, if one state didn't have the law, how could the other state enforce ? If one state had it where the pet stores couldn't sell herps and the other state could......see my point. It may not be of the utmost seriousness of flagging a BAD PET STORE with calling agencies without losing some of the private sectore rights of having herps. If this is a chain store or mass merchandise store , call the main office. They all got them. If it is of a private business, try talking to the " person in charge " ( owner ). My tactic was ...are you here (store/business ) to make money ? Are you here to drive away perspective customers with the telling of 10 other people ( statistics say this ) what you ( I )saw ? SO many agencies are waiting for the chance to restrict what we do and the worst is the American Humane Society it seems.

Chambo