Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi

I am now keeping a Cal. king snake for a guy because his Dad will not let him bring the snake home. This guy has 6 already, he ask me if I would keep it here, ( my husband and I went 85 miles and picked it up from a friend's house for him)
So I agreed to keep it here and care for it. He has given us $20 for gas and feed 3 months ago. the snake is around 4 feet and eats a F/T mouse a week sometimes a smaller one as well.
I have the snake in a big plastic container it got out and I told the guy he needs to get a cage for it A.S.A.P. I have no extras here.
So in the end I went and got a 10 gallon tank with a good lid. came to $35.oo He said he will pay it back but he never comes over.
All this time I been buying the mice for it and caring for it. he said he will come over and give me some money for the food.
He still has not come by with the food money.
It's been 3 months since he last gave me some money for it?
And now a friend told me he was over at the guys apartment (he lives with his dad, this guy is 38) and the guy has brought 2 more baby snakes 1 a corn and the other a Mexican king snake both for $160.00.
I called the guy and ask him and he said yes he did buy them and he'll be over to give me some money for caring and the food for his king here.
It's been 3 months since he last gave me some money for it?
And now a friend told me he was over at the guys apartment (he lives with his dad, this guy is 38) and the guy has brought 2 more baby snakes 1 a corn and the other a Mexican king snake both for $135.00.
I called the guy and ask him and he said yes he did buy them and he'll be over to give me some money for caring and the food for his king here.
My husband is p*ssed about this and said to heck with the guy Keep the snake at least we know he will be cared for right.
This guy does not have big tanks for the ones he has at home, they are in small containers.
We like to know does anyone know how much I should charge him for looking after the snake and feeding ect ect?
I like some advice on this please all.
Thanks

Sounds like you might want to end your story there, if you get my drift.

Wrong! We still have it dude!
I want to know how much to charge the guy for keeping it and caring for it.I had it for 3 months. he pays nothing for the food. That's all Ok.
Get a life dude, sorry if you read it wrong, all my message came out wrong so long

I think you should charge for any expenses--food, cage, whatever, but it's not like taking care of a snake requires a lot of work, so I'd only charge nominal 'board'. It sounds like this guy might not ever pay you though, so if he doesn't respond to your giving him a bill, tell him he has a certain number of days (14, 21, 30, whatever) to pay you or else you are giving the snake/selling it to someone. If he still doesn't pay, do it!
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Sue
currently living with me:
0.1 Western hognose (Sola)
1.0 Crested gecko (Gator)
0.1 Saharan Uromastyx (Brit)
0.1 beautiful kitty (Terra)

It was YOU that misread my post.

I was saying you should tell the guy the snake escaped (which you said it did) and stop there. No need to say you recovered it.
Get it? No? Sorry I couldn't help.

Ok Sorry! Mike,
Thanks for the help.
Yes it did got out once and we found it safe. The guy still wants us to buy a cage and he'll pay us back so we did get a cage, he still won't pay so when the time comes he calls to come and get it, we are thinking of saying sorry it's gone.
By the way I LOVE Beavis!
Hugs all

Penney
What else can you feed a wild caught redracer baby? This has hatch out around 2 maybe 3 weeks if that. it is small, doing great.

My only comment on this is that I feel real sorry for that 4 ft. long snake being crammed in a little 10 gallon aquarium. I'd be looking at upgrading his housing.

We did, he/she is now in a 30 gallon size tank. Got it Friday evening at petco. Got some hideys and a big half log and the snake has been all over in it, looks like it loves it's new home.
Thanks everyone.

One option for dealing with that flakey guy, is to total up every single expense, call him, and tell him what the care came to. Then you could explain that you've become fond of the snake and that you'd be more than happy to keep the snake in lieu of payment.

Given the fact that a Cal king costs notably less than a 30 gal, a 10 gal, food for a few months, hours put in and accesories, it's possible he'd be happy to drop the whole matter, and give you official custody of the snake.

But it's up to you, of course.
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0.1 chickens (Condor)
0.2 dog mutts (half ownership, only mine when they misbehave, Lucy & Amy)
0.1 Halflinger horse (Crissy)
0.1 Normal phase California Kingsnake (Sophia)
1.1 parents
Still searching for 1.0 WC human