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deleted
65 Posts |
 Posted - 03/06/2008 : 20:36:04
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Hi guys i thought i would bring to your attention the news i received regarding my new royal. I was very concerned with the new royal i purchased on friday, so i took it to a different shop from where i purchased it, reccommended to me by some friends, on asking the reptile shop owner for his advise, he asked me were i had purchased my snake, when i replied he looked at me in horror, and told me the following news. An illegal batch of Royals were brought into the country about 4 weeks ago and offered very cheaply to local pet shops in my surronding area at £12.00 each for 10!!!! these snakes had been taken as freshly laid eggs from the wild in Ghana put in incubators and shipped to the uk, on hatching they were removed and put into boxes and sent around the country, these poor baby snakes have had no food or water since the day they hatched, my snake is so badly dehydrated and under nourished that it has used up its natural fat reserved to keep it alive, the man at the shop was able to pinch loose skin and told me that he should not be able to do this at all. she has no striking defence and just wants to curl up and die, he also showed me that her unbilicol hole were they are attached inside the egg, the slit still had not healed hence making this juvenile under 6 weeks old, i was told at the other shop she was at least 6 months!!! as you can imagine my horror, to which i burst into tears. he has given me stritched instructions on how to help her over the next two days with regards to trying to get her to feed, if this does not work he has offered to take her and force feed her to try and get some nourishment into her, but the outcome is not good, so please be warned if you go to a reptile shop and are offered a royal cheaply bear in mind where it might have come from, always insist on birthing dates and to see the adults also make sure and this is a definate must that the snake you wish to purchase is eating, and if poss see it eat for your self... |
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 20:56:14
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| Im really sorry to hear that. I cant beleive people would do that to an animal. I really hope she will recover and be as healthy as possible soon. Keep us posted on the feeding and her behaviour. What made you concered about her in the first place? |
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 20:56:14
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| Im really sorry to hear that. I cant beleive people would do that to an animal. I really hope she will recover and be as healthy as possible soon. Keep us posted on the feeding and her behaviour. What made you concered about her in the first place? |
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deleted
65 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:06:42
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| no reaction to food, no reaction to my hands going into viv no recoil nothing, im no expect on royals just gut instint told me to get her looked at, so glad i did. |
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deleted
65 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:06:42
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| no reaction to food, no reaction to my hands going into viv no recoil nothing, im no expect on royals just gut instint told me to get her looked at, so glad i did. |
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n/a
deleted
236 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:19:29
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What an awful story.....those poor babies  Best of luck with her and hope she's on the mend and feeding soon. |
4.2.0 dogs
1.1.0 cats
25.8.34 bettas
2.2.0 corn
1.1.0 brb
1.0.0 teenager |
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deleted
236 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:19:29
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| What an awful story.....those poor babies Best of luck with her and hope she's on the mend and feeding soon. |
4.2.0 dogs
1.1.0 cats
25.8.34 bettas
2.2.0 corn
1.1.0 brb
1.0.0 teenager |
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:28:19
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Good job you reacted on your instinct. Hope she gets well.
At least you know how so can do something about it.
Your story doesn't surprise me though, because I've heard stories like this before, especially with boas and pythons. It's so easy for them to be subject to illegal trade. I worried about my Royal when I got her, because she's got a scar on her that would be hard to explain if she was captive bred. She's doing fine now though.
How much did you pay for your Royal? And which general area do you live in?
Thank god you've got a responsible reptile shop owner who's willing to help you out! |
 
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:28:19
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Good job you reacted on your instinct. Hope she gets well.
At least you know how so can do something about it.
Your story doesn't surprise me though, because I've heard stories like this before, especially with boas and pythons. It's so easy for them to be subject to illegal trade. I worried about my Royal when I got her, because she's got a scar on her that would be hard to explain if she was captive bred. She's doing fine now though.
How much did you pay for your Royal? And which general area do you live in?
Thank god you've got a responsible reptile shop owner who's willing to help you out! |
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deleted
65 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:50:21
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| i paid £45.00 for her i live in torquay in devon |
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deleted
65 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2008 : 21:50:21
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| i paid £45.00 for her i live in torquay in devon |
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saddleninja
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1400 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 08:41:42
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| i got 3 like that from a pet shop for £20 each, i only got them cause i felt sorry for them and wanted to help them, they all had to be assisted fed, two are now healthy feeders and sadly one died, shops like that should not be allowed to sell frozen mice let alone livestock |
1 amel
1 okeette
2 normals
1 rosy rat x
3 royals
1 cali king
1 publean milk
1 yemen chameleon
2 orange spotted agamas
1 colombian rainbow boa |
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saddleninja
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1400 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 08:41:42
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| i got 3 like that from a pet shop for £20 each, i only got them cause i felt sorry for them and wanted to help them, they all had to be assisted fed, two are now healthy feeders and sadly one died, shops like that should not be allowed to sell frozen mice let alone livestock |
1 amel
1 okeette
2 normals
1 rosy rat x
3 royals
1 cali king
1 publean milk
1 yemen chameleon
2 orange spotted agamas
1 colombian rainbow boa |
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 09:49:27
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It's a very sad part of the reptile trade.
Truth is, a lot of boas and pythons are imported for sale here. It's one of the reasons Royals are becoming rare in the wild. They are either caught and shipped to be sold as pets or killed, skinned and made into handbags or keyrings for tourists to buy. Anyone who owns a royal knows how little defence they have against this. They just curl up into a ball so are an easy catch.
Like Ju Ju said earlier, might be better to get from a breeder that will show you the parents, so you know it's been captive bred in this country and not WC. |
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Kazerella
The Corn Snake Admin
United Kingdom
3093 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 09:49:27
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It's a very sad part of the reptile trade.
Truth is, a lot of boas and pythons are imported for sale here. It's one of the reasons Royals are becoming rare in the wild. They are either caught and shipped to be sold as pets or killed, skinned and made into handbags or keyrings for tourists to buy. Anyone who owns a royal knows how little defence they have against this. They just curl up into a ball so are an easy catch.
Like Ju Ju said earlier, might be better to get from a breeder that will show you the parents, so you know it's been captive bred in this country and not WC. |
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deleted
526 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 10:17:49
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| Dude.... |
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deleted
526 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 10:17:49
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| Dude.... |
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deleted
891 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 14:34:57
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| A healthy royal can go a year without food & some can be stubborn feeders. People then asume there's something wrong & unnecessarily force feed them. From the description that you gave about being able to pinch skin that would generally indicate dehydration. Have a look for some medications that are easily found online or in shops & you can administer them yourself. This may also help in the future too. Royals will naturally coil into a ball which is why Americans call them 'ball' pythons, they will tuck their heads in tight & it can be hard to uncoil them if you try to for what ever reason. Try feeding gerbils as this is their natural prey, you can get the from 'frozen direct' might cost a little more but worth it. Also if feeding mice try dark coloured ones, sometimes they wont take white. |
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deleted
891 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 14:34:57
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| A healthy royal can go a year without food & some can be stubborn feeders. People then asume there's something wrong & unnecessarily force feed them. From the description that you gave about being able to pinch skin that would generally indicate dehydration. Have a look for some medications that are easily found online or in shops & you can administer them yourself. This may also help in the future too. Royals will naturally coil into a ball which is why Americans call them 'ball' pythons, they will tuck their heads in tight & it can be hard to uncoil them if you try to for what ever reason. Try feeding gerbils as this is their natural prey, you can get the from 'frozen direct' might cost a little more but worth it. Also if feeding mice try dark coloured ones, sometimes they wont take white. |
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dazb
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1278 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 16:52:23
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| wow wot a horrible story. i have been looking at getting a royal in the next few weeks as one of my local shops just got 50 new ones in... now im unsure about it. is there anyway of being sure they are CB. |
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dazb
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1278 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2008 : 16:52:23
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| wow wot a horrible story. i have been looking at getting a royal in the next few weeks as one of my local shops just got 50 new ones in... now im unsure about it. is there anyway of being sure they are CB. |
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