Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just at a reptile/exotic pets store in Austin TX and they had an aquarium of what looked to be about 4 Honduran milk snakes listed as Mexican milk snakes living together. I told the woman working there that milk snakes are cannibalistic and that they should be kept in separate living areas. She responded “kingsnakes are but these are milk snakes and milk snakes are not.” Then as if I were an uninformed idiot she added “If milk snakes ever ate each other we would not have them in the same enclosure.” As if merely keeping them together is proof she is correct. She made her statements with such confidence that I did not bother to argue with her, for I knew she would not even consider what I had to say. She somehow “knew” that I know nothing about snakes. I then stayed to listen to her give incorrect husbandry information to other customers. Some poor guy spent a lot of money on full spectrum UV lighting for his snake. This post will obviously do nothing to help the matter, but I needed to vent.

Now, I would like to preface my post here by being clear that I am (I do believe) a very decent human being.

That being said, in reference to your recent experience at the pet store - I would have been a complete @$$hole to that woman. If there is one thing I can't stand its arrogant ignorance. I would have in the very least informed that unsuspecting customer - and I would have done it in a very obvious way, so as to educate anyone within earshot, to serve the greater good.

But then, I do understand that some people are just beyond hope. So, perhaps I too, in frustration, would have let it slide.

Who knows.

- Mark
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I can guess what store you were in easily. I have had it out with the owner before as many other locals have in the past. Our herp club bashes them whenever possible and even my vet said they got a lot of experience treating herps because of that store. Matter of fact I won't sell any of my offspring to them even at a time when I truly need cash. I was talking to the owner one day, and right behined him a baby burm rolled over and died, he said "they do that after they eat to move the mouse down", I told him I'd never buy anything form his lousy stores and won't even step in the door as they're also well known for mites. Austin closed down one of his stores, we're hoping the other 2 follow. If you didn't find it yet, there's a MUCH better store on 183 and Burnett. I am not sure if I am allowed to post the name but email me if you'd like to know. Tom Stevens nokturneleclipse@aol.com