SHOP HORROR...

[palombo77]

I am posting this as I want to know what will happen...any ideas ??...



About a year ago, We visited this place as we wanted to buy our 1st snake. We saw a beautiful Royal Python who we instantly fell in love with.

To cut a long story short, we should never of been sold a Royal Python as our 1st snake. Being inexperienced, we listened & trusted everything the (very hairy) man informed us. He set up the vivarium with the heat mat & lamp required etc and we paid him the £180.00 & we set off with our little Polly.

Over the following few days we noticed she was very withdrawn. Not knowing if this was normal or not we took her & the set up to a very good shop with an outstanding reputation nearby.. He actually informed us that the Vivarium that we had been sold was far from perfect....

1) The heat mat was stapled to the floor on the inside of the viv (snake could have been burnt to death)
2) There was a live wire hanging out of the bulb they fitted, which could of caused a fire in our flat. (which was the wrong type of bulb anyway & killed the snake)
3) The snake was so distressed as we were sold a 4 ft Vivarium, Baby Royal Pythons need a more compact space to make them feel secure. Poor little Polly was distrought.
4) A Royal Python should never be sold as a good 1st time snake.
5) The glass on the vivarium is the wrong type of glass, as it could of easily smashed.

All in All this place should be banned from selling exotic pets as they do not have the first idea on how to keep them, let alone advise people on how to keep them.

Its shocking to think that this goes on. I have also reported this to RSPCA, & contacted The Sun, as I know they are doing write ups on cruelty to animals at the moment.whether they will do anything I don’t know but its worth a try.

I again visited the shop in question again yesterday & was once again shocked by what I saw...

. They had a baby corn snake that was so shrivelled up, it must have been dead. The poor little thing must have been there for a while. It looked lifeless, and as if it had been there a while.

They had 2 x boa's in 1 cage. ,and a hide that wouldn’t even of fitted 1 Boa in, let alone 2..so they were so squashed into they were hanging out. There was maggotts in the viv's where chrickets had been left to rot..I could go on forever.

It breaks my heart...

[jaygt]

Thats terrible and indeed shocking, not sure if this would work but how about contacting the trading standards officer for that area, maybe they could do something about it??

[palombo77]

Thats a good shout.. I will look it up now...I dont want them to be able to trade anymore, its just not fair on the poor little things..

[John Pilling]

That is absolutley dreadfull.
No shop, pets shop or newsagents should be run like that. Could you do me a favor? PM me the shop details? Don't make a public post as it could cause legal problems, but a pm won't.

I know someone from the rspca local to me, and he rescues and rehomes snakes from all over the countrey, i'll pass the details onto him if thats ok? He ONLY deals with exotics and has a lot of weight in that department.

Please keep us updated on this. This is animal cruelty.

[cornmorphs]

such a shame to hear of things like this

[palombo77]

Thanks John, I have sent a PM

Cheers

[will1989]

thats absolutely DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[palombo77]

I know, I have just contacted my local council too..

[John Pilling]

Good, the more support, people who know the better. You may also want to contact local environmentle health as ALL petshops need their clearing before then can opperate.

[palombo77]

cool, will do

[Amber]

Tell anyone that is likely to go there, not to buy anything from them too. There are way too many shops not looking after the reptiles well. I hate seeing reptiles in those kinda conditions, and not saving them from it makes me feel bad, but I know its for the best.

I think ball pythons make good first snakes, if you buy a well established snake from a good shop.

[sparkle**]

thats absolutley dreadfull!! they should be closed down!!

[Amber]

It might be a good start to ask the people in the shop about those things, suggest they change the conditions slightly. Was it a specialist reptile shop?

If you can inform them what is bad about their setups and how they can improve, it would save a lot of hassle.

When you say the man was very hairy, you mean he was kinda dodgy?

[palombo77]

Hi Amber,

I was going to talk to him yesterday but i was so angry of their ignorance..that poor baby corn...god knows how long it had been there..??

I would of got angry with him so i had to keep my distance..

When i said 'Hairy' i meant 'hairy' !!! he had lots of it..so much so you could hardly see his face !!!

I cant keep my cool with people that mistreat animals...never have done...dont think I ever will..!

[Amber]

I get that, it hurts to see animals suffer I hope for the reptiles sakes they are truly ignorant of proper care, and not just that they think they know how to care for them, as it seems the second type of person refuses advice from most people.

On a side note, I got quite annoyed when watching one of those animal police things on animal planet, the owner's dogs were emaciated when rescued, and they said he could get up to a $1000 fine. If you did that to humans you'd get YEARS in prison! I hate how that works.

[Glaedr]

That's really awful! Grrrr

[John Pilling]

Lisa, Mikes been in touch, and he hasmade a couple of phone calls to cantacts he has. Some paper work is going through in the morning.

Like i said in the pm, it's who you know , and Mikes a good guy.

[Shrimply]

That is very sad to hear the owners don't have a clue what they are doing.

I don't always agree with what the man does at my local reptile but all his animals are healthy and he usually has good reason for doing things that at first sight seem wrong.

[palombo77]

John you are a ledgend..

I wonder what will happen ?! And I wonder how many years he has carelessly kept & sold these poor things. It all saddens me so much Especially walking out & leaving them all there.

[John Pilling]

I'll keep you posted as and when i hear anything, and could you do the same?