Pet Store and Pet Ownership Horrors -

[UntimelyDhelmise]

When I was younger I got a cockatiel from Craigslist. The poor thing was in a cage that probably hadn't been cleaned in years, one of her toes was either malformed or broken, one nostril was weirdly enlarged (also likely deformed), the owners apparently fed her saltine crackers and her feathers were horrendously soiled. Despite all odds though she survived and was an absolute sweetheart who never bit anyone. She also paired up with my male green-cheeked conure. If they could've had babies I'm certain they would have. Ate together, slept together, constantly groomed each other, a perfect mismatched couple if I ever saw one.

Sadly though she passed away a couple years ago. Took her to the vet and her body was full of fluids and iirc, a ruptured egg (an incident she had issues with in the past). Decided to put her down as treatment would only extend her life for a couple months and she was clearly suffering. The hardest part though was having to bring her back to her mate so he would know what happened. I had to sit there with her body in my hands with the conure perched on my finger and watch as he, with the greatest gentleness, preened her wing one last time. It went on for a few minutes until he suddenly stopped, stepped away from her and bowed his head low. I'm one who tries not to anthropomorphize animal behavior but if that wasn't him telling me "I understand, she's gone..." then I don't know what else it could've been. But at least I was able to give her remaining years those of peace and companionship after such a shitty start.

 

[Android raptor]

I volunteer with reptile rescue and have seen and heard so much awful shit. Neglected, underweight snakes with stuck shed and respiratory infections, beardies with MBD and other issues, even intentional abuse.

One of my snakes that I adopted from the rescue had her back broken by her first owner. Amazingly it healed though she has very noticeable kinks and I think has some arthritis.

My other snake was rescued from a storage unit in November a couple years back. He was put in a 40 gallon with I think 5 other ball pythons after the owner went to prison by the owners girlfriend. The mom of the owner tipped the rescue off and they had to get bolt cutters to get into the storage unit and get the snakes out. Amazingly none had any RIs but they surely would've died if they weren't rescued.

And of course there's all the persecution of wild snakes that happens. People refuse to listen when you tell them it's best to leave wild snakes alone and killing them just increases the risk of being bitten (and that animals like horses and dogs are statistically more dangerous than snakes anyway). It's like they get sick pleasure in killing small wild animals and know snakes are a socially acceptable target. I'm really worried about Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes especially, I've heard lots of herpers talking about how they aren't doing well and really should get legal protection.

I feel like with reptiles especially you really see how evil people can be to animals.

 

[Ad Lib Moaning]

snake stuff

I always wanted a snake. I did a ton of research for corn snakes since they're a good starter pet and very docile. Unfortunately, they never sell them around here. It's always ball pythons. I could had picked up a ball python -which I too done research on- but I really couldn't handle the huge size they could grow up on.

Back to the subject, there was a pet store with all the animals on horrible conditions. Birds screeching, dogs and cats crying, and the building was also small and cramped. I wished to desperately buy all the animals because of the sight alone. All I did was buy a spooked chihuahua out of it, and let him explore the house as I set my stuff up. On the early months, all he did was stay close to me to the point that I would trip over him. If anyone that isn't part of the family gets close to me, he would bark and charge at them. It took a bit of training and multiple visits to settle him down and say that no, they are no threat to me or him. He was very a very quiet and sweet Chihuahua over the years.
The pet store itself? Got shut down with enough complaints and the owner went to prison.
Unfortunately, my chihuahua got hit from a car as he chased a cat as I took him outside to play with toys in the middle of summer years ago. The driver never stopped. He was still alive but bleeding all over the place as I brought him to the vet, but somehow, by some miracle with surgery he lived. Except his neck was all crooked. His head is only all tilted, and he couldn't look straight. It was like seeing a giraffe but with an accordion for a neck. Vet told me he wasn't suffering like that, so with a painful decision I had to give him away. I didn't know how to care for a dog like that and didn't want to accidentally make him suffer, so all I had to hope that he was given to an owner or a shelter that knows how. I miss him so much.

 

[Autumnal Equinox]

Nothing too horrific, but a few years back, I had to make the decision to put my cat to sleep after I found out he was suffering from feline leukemia. Devestated me since I'd had him from the time I was in high school, loved that little guy so much, and so did my other cat (still with me) who considered him his best friend. Tore my heart out seeing the other cat roaming around the house calling out for his friend and not being answered back.

 

[Android raptor]

I always wanted a snake. I did a ton of research for corn snakes since they're a good starter pet and very docile. Unfortunately, they never sell them around here. It's always ball pythons. I could had picked up a ball python -which I too done research on- but I really couldn't handle the huge size they could grow up on.

You might be confusing balls with Burmese pythons. Ball pythons don't get very big, with females typically maxing out at around 4 1/2 feet and males around 2 1/2 to 3 feet. That's part of why they're so popular, they're both docile and stay small.

Unfortunately the popularity has lead to ball pythons becoming overbred and there are so many that need homes. The rescue I help has so many normal balls especially. People buy them on impulse then loose interest. It's sad.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Saw hermit crabs in an open enclosure right by the rats. So close to the rats, that they could hop on in and mess with some hermies. Held one and it was pretty lethargic.

Don't even get me started on the pellets stores often carry. Those have preservatives that are awful for hermit crabs.

 

[UntimelyDhelmise]

I always wanted a snake. I did a ton of research for corn snakes since they're a good starter pet and very docile. Unfortunately, they never sell them around here. It's always ball pythons. I could had picked up a ball python -which I too done research on- but I really couldn't handle the huge size they could grow up on.

As @Android raptor said, balls don't get that big. In fact corn snakes can potentially get longer than balls (up to a maximum of 5-6 feet). That said though, if you really want one and just can't find a local place, there's always online. It sounds daunting but as long as you research the breeder and choose a good time of year where it's not too hot or cold, it'll make the trip just fine. That's what I did to get my ball about a month ago.

Which, in hindsight I feel a little bad about. I thought about looking at rescues but I wanted to start with a baby that was some kind of unusual morph (mine's a banana). I knew to avoid the bad eggs like spiders and such due to the "built-in" defects they're notorious for and my boy looks perfectly healthy, but it's one of those things where I think back and go, was I selfish?

 

[Android raptor]

As @Android raptor said, balls don't get that big. In fact corn snakes can potentially get longer than balls (up to a maximum of 5-6 feet). That said though, if you really want one and just can't find a local place, there's always online. It sounds daunting but as long as you research the breeder and choose a good time of year where it's not too hot or cold, it'll make the trip just fine. That's what I did to get my ball about a month ago.

Which, in hindsight I feel a little bad about. I thought about looking at rescues but I wanted to start with a baby that was some kind of unusual morph (mine's a banana). I knew to avoid the bad eggs like spiders and such due to the "built-in" defects they're notorious for and my boy looks perfectly healthy, but it's one of those things where I think back and go, was I selfish?

I don't think it's super selfish to buy a morph from a breeder as long as you make sure the breeder is good. I guess it's like dogs or any other pets. Some of my friends have both morphs they bought from breeders and rescues they adopted.

 

[MysticMisty]

I'm really worried about Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes especially, I've heard lots of herpers talking about how they aren't doing well and really should get legal protection.

That's not happening. Wolves have a hell of time getting/keeping protection, and some people actually like wolves. No way there's going to be protection for venomous rattlesnakes very few people care about.

 

[Android raptor]

That's not happening. Wolves have a hell of time getting/keeping protection, and some people actually like wolves. No way there's going to be protection for venomous rattlesnakes very few people care about.

I know. That's a huge part of the problem. My state considers venomous snakes pests people can hurt however they want. I wish I could do something to change it but I don't have that power.

On the flipside the law means people can keep native venomous snakes without a permit. Not that that's a good idea unless you have lots of experience with them, but I know experienced herpers who keep them (especially ones that couldn't be relocated). At least those snakes will be safe and protected from harm.

 

[Clockwork_PurBle]

I had lots of hermits as a kid. In hindsight my enclosure wasn't as nice as you're supposed to have but my hermits were always healthy and active. Lots of chirping! I had one specific crab for 6 years - Moe (like the Stooge not anime girl). When I bought him I just thought "he is Moe" for some reason. He was a large crab, large when I got him. Blue shell with a penguin painted on. I found him 3 shells bigger than the one he had for if/when he needed to change. Came home from school one day to find he had died while changing shells. Don't know why, there was nothing wrong with the environment.

Nothing too horrific, but a few years back, I had to make the decision to put my cat to sleep after I found out he was suffering from feline leukemia. Devestated me since I'd had him from the time I was in high school, loved that little guy so much, and so did my other cat (still with me) who considered him his best friend. Tore my heart out seeing the other cat roaming around the house calling out for his friend and not being answered back.

I lost a cat to toxic shock a few years ago. We took her to the animal hospital, went home, and woke the next day to a call she passed during the night. We had another cat, a much older male cat. He walked around the house for several days making confused "mow?" sounds and moping.

 

[Coffee Druid]

I hate the culture in reptile owning circles (especially with snakes) that you must always have MOAR. I feel like animal hoarding is just accepted. People like that, instead of calling them pets, call them their "collection". I suppose as long as all their animals are properly taken care of I can't complain too much but it's weird. Unless you're a breeder, educator or pet rescue or something like that why do you need a dozen snakes? With several acquaintances I know I completely lost track of how many they have and what their names are. It's a common joke about how people impulse buy a snake or reptile at an expo.

Another snake community problem: obese snakes. They have the same issue as fat cats/dogs. People think it's "cute" and rage when you point it out. "The owner knows what's best/every snake is different!" I have a pet snake. a blood python. Those are heavy-bodied (AKA thicc) ground snakes but still follow the "healthy body weight" markers most snakes have like their spine should be visible, etc. People often think they are normally supposed to be obese but they are not and that's animal abuse.

 

[UntimelyDhelmise]

I hate the culture in reptile owning circles (especially with snakes) that you must always have MOAR. I feel like animal hoarding is just accepted. People like that, instead of calling them pets, call them their "collection". I suppose as long as all their animals are properly taken care of I can't complain too much but it's weird. Unless you're a breeder, educator or pet rescue or something like that why do you need a dozen snakes? With several acquaintances I know I completely lost track of how many they have and what their names are. It's a common joke about how people impulse buy a snake or reptile at an expo.

Another snake community problem: obese snakes. They have the same issue as fat cats/dogs. People think it's "cute" and rage when you point it out. "The owner knows what's best/every snake is different!" I have a pet snake. a blood python. Those are heavy-bodied (AKA thicc) ground snakes but still follow the "healthy body weight" markers most snakes have like their spine should be visible, etc. People often think they are normally supposed to be obese but they are not and that's animal abuse.

I believe it's because, unlike other pets like most mammals and birds, reptiles and especially snakes are far easier to keep in larger numbers since you can have entire rack systems full of them with minimal mess, space and little if any noise. One could have 30 snakes in their house and visitors would never know since they'd all potentially be sequestered to a quiet corner room. That and they don't technically require constant interaction to be happy (still recommended obviously if for no other reason than making having to move them around easier). Not saying I agree with such practice, but that's how I imagine it's justified in their minds.

That and as someone who's dived into the world of morphs for a bit until I acquired my banana boy, I can very easily see how addictive it can get. Just with ball pythons alone the amount of variety is staggering and it can be all too tempting to go ham and amass a huge collection of your favorite colors and patterns. And it undoubtedly becomes all the more alluring if you're at a live show (well, if those even exist anymore) and become spoiled for choice among the hundreds of thousands of reptiles you can simply pick up and bring home on the spot.

Certainly agree on the "collection" thing though. I'm sure (or at least hope) that most people who use the term give their animals the required care and attention as much as any good pet owner, but it just doesn't sit well with me. It just sounds too, impersonal. Reptiles have it hard enough with how little sympathy and respect they get from the average Joe, the least avid herp enthusiasts could do is give their group of animals a more affectionate denotation beyond making them sound like a pile of action figures. I for one like to refer to my pets as "the crew." It's endearing but still sounds cool in a way.

 

[Dysnomia]

I hate the culture in reptile owning circles (especially with snakes) that you must always have MOAR. I feel like animal hoarding is just accepted. People like that, instead of calling them pets, call them their "collection". I suppose as long as all their animals are properly taken care of I can't complain too much but it's weird. Unless you're a breeder, educator or pet rescue or something like that why do you need a dozen snakes? With several acquaintances I know I completely lost track of how many they have and what their names are. It's a common joke about how people impulse buy a snake or reptile at an expo.

Another snake community problem: obese snakes. They have the same issue as fat cats/dogs. People think it's "cute" and rage when you point it out. "The owner knows what's best/every snake is different!" I have a pet snake. a blood python. Those are heavy-bodied (AKA thicc) ground snakes but still follow the "healthy body weight" markers most snakes have like their spine should be visible, etc. People often think they are normally supposed to be obese but they are not and that's animal abuse.

Blame pet tube. There are so many reptile hoarder channels out there that make kids think it's ok and fun to overload yourself with animals. Those people have to keep getting new animals to keep viewers interested.

My dog disappeared in June. I am fairly certain he was stolen.I thought he was in the house but he must have snuck out back. it was only a few minutes. He was a jack russell chihuahua mix and 15 years old. Very fast but he would not run away on his own. He's too timid. I had a hunch it was the guy who fixed the fence. Possibly someone visiting next door. No one really believed me though. I should have reported it to the police.

If my dog is still around the only way I will get him back is if he gets loose or is dumped somewhere and he is taken to animal control. a lot of dogs were found in that time period who looked like mine. None of them were him.

I think given his age it is unlikely I will ever see him again. I blame myself for not watching him like a hawk. I had to move back to a bad neighborhood last year and had I been able to stay where I was this would not have happened.

 

[Android raptor]

I was looking at the orangutans people can sponsor at a rescue/rehab the other day and some of the stories make me immensely MOTI.

"When Dr. Karmele, Director of IAR's operations in Indonesia, first came across JoJo, his condition brought her to tears. He was sitting in an open sewer surrounded by feces and garbage. His 'owners' had chained him up on a wooden pallet and his body was hunched over and weak from a lifetime spent in a tiny cage with a diet in no way suitable for an orangutan. He was severely emaciated and the tight chain around his ankle had caused a deep, open wound. He must have been in agony."

"She was chained to a tree for 13 years-- so long that the chain was embedded into her neck and had to be surgically removed."

"Neng was on a short chain, huddled in a small ball at the end of a wooden platform consisting of two small wooden planks 30 feet above the water. Her face was sunburned and we could see she was scared and severely malnourished. We learned later that her diet for the past six years had consisted of nothing but white rice and an occasional banana"

Why the fuck would anyone think it's ok to do that kind of shit to any animal, let alone something closely related to humans and critically endangered? People that do shit like that to orangutans and other great apes should face similar punishment to if they'd done those things to a human tbh.

 

[Ido]

I hate the culture in reptile owning circles (especially with snakes) that you must always have MOAR. I feel like animal hoarding is just accepted. People like that, instead of calling them pets, call them their "collection". I suppose as long as all their animals are properly taken care of I can't complain too much but it's weird. Unless you're a breeder, educator or pet rescue or something like that why do you need a dozen snakes? With several acquaintances I know I completely lost track of how many they have and what their names are. It's a common joke about how people impulse buy a snake or reptile at an expo.

Another snake community problem: obese snakes. They have the same issue as fat cats/dogs. People think it's "cute" and rage when you point it out. "The owner knows what's best/every snake is different!" I have a pet snake. a blood python. Those are heavy-bodied (AKA thicc) ground snakes but still follow the "healthy body weight" markers most snakes have like their spine should be visible, etc. People often think they are normally supposed to be obese but they are not and that's animal abuse.

I believe it's because, unlike other pets like most mammals and birds, reptiles and especially snakes are far easier to keep in larger numbers since you can have entire rack systems full of them with minimal mess, space and little if any noise. One could have 30 snakes in their house and visitors would never know since they'd all potentially be sequestered to a quiet corner room. That and they don't technically require constant interaction to be happy (still recommended obviously if for no other reason than making having to move them around easier). Not saying I agree with such practice, but that's how I imagine it's justified in their minds.

That and as someone who's dived into the world of morphs for a bit until I acquired my banana boy, I can very easily see how addictive it can get. Just with ball pythons alone the amount of variety is staggering and it can be all too tempting to go ham and amass a huge collection of your favorite colors and patterns. And it undoubtedly becomes all the more alluring if you're at a live show (well, if those even exist anymore) and become spoiled for choice among the hundreds of thousands of reptiles you can simply pick up and bring home on the spot.

Certainly agree on the "collection" thing though. I'm sure (or at least hope) that most people who use the term give their animals the required care and attention as much as any good pet owner, but it just doesn't sit well with me. It just sounds too, impersonal. Reptiles have it hard enough with how little sympathy and respect they get from the average Joe, the least avid herp enthusiasts could do is give their group of animals a more affectionate denotation beyond making them sound like a pile of action figures. I for one like to refer to my pets as "the crew." It's endearing but still sounds cool in a way.

Honestly, my reptile limit is two and I have three of them. It's a constant struggle to get my ass up and do what I need to do, thank god the beardies don't shit in their tank or do anything other than sit and bask and the other one is a crestie who lives in a plastic container.

Edited because I accidentally clicked post but I just can't understand why people get so many, I love my lizards I really do but i feel like my attention is split so unevenly between my three because Beardo acts like a frail old man who goes out of his way to worry me, LittleBeard wants so much loving and cuddling but I'm worried about the old man, and the gecko is just... there, waiting to bite me. Even with three I feel like it's a gigantic time sink, one that if I want to take a little vacation from becomes a huge hassle to make sure they're taken care of while I'm away. I get snakes don't need to be messed with that often but I really can't comprehend owning so many animals that the idea of one on one time becomes a nightmare.

 

[Coffee Druid]

Honestly, my reptile limit is two and I have three of them. It's a constant struggle to get my ass up and do what I need to do, thank god the beardies don't shit in their tank or do anything other than sit and bask and the other one is a crestie who lives in a plastic container.

Edited because I accidentally clicked post but I just can't understand why people get so many, I love my lizards I really do but i feel like my attention is split so unevenly between my three because Beardo acts like a frail old man who goes out of his way to worry me, LittleBeard wants so much loving and cuddling but I'm worried about the old man, and the gecko is just... there, waiting to bite me. Even with three I feel like it's a gigantic time sink, one that if I want to take a little vacation from becomes a huge hassle to make sure they're taken care of while I'm away. I get snakes don't need to be messed with that often but I really can't comprehend owning so many animals that the idea of one on one time becomes a nightmare.

I only have one snake and that’s good with me. I have a dream lizard (black or white throat monitor) but besides that and a dog that’s all the pets I want.

Sure, snakes can be easy to keep if your tank is properly set up. But it feels so impersonal to have too many snakes to handle on a personal level. Granted, some snakes or reps aren’t as handlable. But when they begin to feel like a display and not animals that’s a line for me. The upkeep is also a thing. I’m lucky to own a snake species that literally poops every 6 months (blood python) but reptiles like beardies do it a lot. And if you have tons of them....

 

[UntimelyDhelmise]

Honestly, my reptile limit is two and I have three of them. It's a constant struggle to get my ass up and do what I need to do, thank god the beardies don't shit in their tank or do anything other than sit and bask and the other one is a crestie who lives in a plastic container.

Edited because I accidentally clicked post but I just can't understand why people get so many, I love my lizards I really do but i feel like my attention is split so unevenly between my three because Beardo acts like a frail old man who goes out of his way to worry me, LittleBeard wants so much loving and cuddling but I'm worried about the old man, and the gecko is just... there, waiting to bite me. Even with three I feel like it's a gigantic time sink, one that if I want to take a little vacation from becomes a huge hassle to make sure they're taken care of while I'm away. I get snakes don't need to be messed with that often but I really can't comprehend owning so many animals that the idea of one on one time becomes a nightmare.

I think the most I would ever get would be 1-2 more snakes down the road (I'd like to have another species specifically to be a "refusal taker" since ball pythons are notorious for going off feed every so often and it'd be nice to not have a rodent go to waste every time that happens). Beyond my ball I also have a 55 gal aquarium of 11 fish, a conure and 6 chickens so I'm pretty well set for now. Though the chickens are in their twilight years (several have already passed on) and I won't be getting more after they're gone as whenever I'm able to strike out on my own, they wouldn't be able to come with me.

 

[Clockwork_PurBle]

Blame pet tube. There are so many reptile hoarder channels out there that make kids think it's ok and fun to overload yourself with animals. Those people have to keep getting new animals to keep viewers interested.

My dog disappeared in June. I am fairly certain he was stolen.I thought he was in the house but he must have snuck out back. it was only a few minutes. He was a jack russell chihuahua mix and 15 years old. Very fast but he would not run away on his own. He's too timid. I had a hunch it was the guy who fixed the fence. Possibly someone visiting next door. No one really believed me though. I should have reported it to the police.

If my dog is still around the only way I will get him back is if he gets loose or is dumped somewhere and he is taken to animal control. a lot of dogs were found in that time period who looked like mine. None of them were him.

I think given his age it is unlikely I will ever see him again. I blame myself for not watching him like a hawk. I had to move back to a bad neighborhood last year and had I been able to stay where I was this would not have happened.

Don't beat yourself up too bad buddy. There is only so much you can do at any given time.

My mom had a tiny chihuahua a few years ago. When she was bringing in groceries the dog ran out without her knowing and immediately shot off towards the road like a rocket (as dogs tend to do) and was flatted by a truck. My aunt has a 6-7 foot tall fence in her backyard, and her dog who isn't small but not as big as a lab is able to jump it. He does so constantly. Sometimes we'll let him out to pee and he immediately scales the fence. We can't catch him, especially if there's a truck that he chases. If he immediately jumps the fence one day and runs into a car, we couldn't have done anything.

If your dog slipped out without you noticing, which happens since they're fast and can be sneaky, you can't help it.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

I hate the culture in reptile owning circles (especially with snakes) that you must always have MOAR. I feel like animal hoarding is just accepted. People like that, instead of calling them pets, call them their "collection". I suppose as long as all their animals are properly taken care of I can't complain too much but it's weird. Unless you're a breeder, educator or pet rescue or something like that why do you need a dozen snakes? With several acquaintances I know I completely lost track of how many they have and what their names are. It's a common joke about how people impulse buy a snake or reptile at an expo.

Another snake community problem: obese snakes. They have the same issue as fat cats/dogs. People think it's "cute" and rage when you point it out. "The owner knows what's best/every snake is different!" I have a pet snake. a blood python. Those are heavy-bodied (AKA thicc) ground snakes but still follow the "healthy body weight" markers most snakes have like their spine should be visible, etc. People often think they are normally supposed to be obese but they are not and that's animal abuse.

Problem with crabbers, too. There's two major groups in these communities. Kids and adults who take in people's unwanted crabs. The kids just see someone with a beautiful crabby family, which they want. This leads to more unwanted crabs. The claims of them having a short life are untrue. A well cared for crab can live well into its 30's. Heard about a guy who had a 40 year old one. Like parrots, these are multi-decade long commitments.

There's also people who will buy crabs to save them from the pet store's conditions. Good intention, bad idea. You're telling the store it's okay to house them in conditions even the spiders don't have to endure. Even snakes get a place to hide. Poor hermit crabs just have their shell.