Productmur
Shameless Addict
Oh, where to begin...
So, my friend got a ball python at a pet store two years ago, and since then not only has she acquired about twenty or so more animals (slight exaggeration, but just barely), but has also not much taken care of them. She's cleaned the tank maybe...3 times? I myself have cleaned it twice while I was over there because I couldn't stand the squalor conditions in which it was living. I've bought her mice because she's been on maintenance feed; I got her a 29 gallon tank as an upgrade from her 20 long, which isn't bad, but I wanted her to have more room--and they left it in their car for 6 months instead of carrying it upstairs for use; last time I was over, I noticed she had dented eye caps and a little stuck shed, so I soaked her, sprayed down her tank, and bought them sphagnum moss to use in a moist hide--which they didn't bother doing, either.
So, finally I got them to bring the poor gal over to me, saying I could clean her tank and feed her. And dear god, what a task! The aspen she was on was a solid, molding mat of poo and stuck shed pieces, and it smelled like rotting fish! x.x She was covered in stuck sheds,stillhas dented eyes, and was jumpy I assume from not being held, but it could've just been she can't tell what's coming at her. I spent an hour cleaning her tank, scrubbing it, and finally using a razorblade to get the crud from the stuck sheds, hard water, and poo off the sides. Then I spent an hour plus trying to clean her too-small water bowl with a razorblade as well, because it wasSOcaked with buildup that I thought the thing wasBROWN--lo and behold, it's actually gray and black! Ended up giving her a different, bigger water bowl that I borrowed from one of my corns that may be gravid and doesn't need a large water bowl right now, anyway. I soaked her for a while during this cleaning process to help her get the stuck shed she still has off, and I think I got it all off, but I'll try again in a few days.
She is currently in the 29 gallon that I re-took from them and cleaned-up. She has that bigger water dish, which last time I peeked at her, she was soaking in. She is currently on the same paper bedding I keep my corns on (Eco Bedding--it's essentially shredded paper). She has a half-log hide, and I made her up a moist hide with the sphagnum moss and a couple of moist paper towels she can crawl through. Her tank is pretty bare at the moment, but I plan on fixing it up a bit with a climbing stick at least, maybe a few other things (any ideas?). I covered half of the tank to try to give her some privacy, since I'm sure she's been through a lot today. They last fed her two weeks ago, and while tomorrow is feeding day for my snakes, I'm going to let her settle in for a few days before I try to feed her, weigh her, and take pictures of her (not in that order). Ireallywish I had taken a picture of her stuff before I had cleaned it!! It was so ridiculous! But all I could think was "dear god, I need to clean this". How can someone let their pet's home get that bad?? :/
I use "her" loosely, by the way. She has some pretty evident spurs, but from what I understand, this doesn't dictate that she HAS to be a he. Thinking about asking a friend to sex her.
Anyway, needed to vent. I promise to get pics of the little gem for you guys when I can. :]
So, my friend got a ball python at a pet store two years ago, and since then not only has she acquired about twenty or so more animals (slight exaggeration, but just barely), but has also not much taken care of them. She's cleaned the tank maybe...3 times? I myself have cleaned it twice while I was over there because I couldn't stand the squalor conditions in which it was living. I've bought her mice because she's been on maintenance feed; I got her a 29 gallon tank as an upgrade from her 20 long, which isn't bad, but I wanted her to have more room--and they left it in their car for 6 months instead of carrying it upstairs for use; last time I was over, I noticed she had dented eye caps and a little stuck shed, so I soaked her, sprayed down her tank, and bought them sphagnum moss to use in a moist hide--which they didn't bother doing, either.
So, finally I got them to bring the poor gal over to me, saying I could clean her tank and feed her. And dear god, what a task! The aspen she was on was a solid, molding mat of poo and stuck shed pieces, and it smelled like rotting fish! x.x She was covered in stuck sheds,stillhas dented eyes, and was jumpy I assume from not being held, but it could've just been she can't tell what's coming at her. I spent an hour cleaning her tank, scrubbing it, and finally using a razorblade to get the crud from the stuck sheds, hard water, and poo off the sides. Then I spent an hour plus trying to clean her too-small water bowl with a razorblade as well, because it wasSOcaked with buildup that I thought the thing wasBROWN--lo and behold, it's actually gray and black! Ended up giving her a different, bigger water bowl that I borrowed from one of my corns that may be gravid and doesn't need a large water bowl right now, anyway. I soaked her for a while during this cleaning process to help her get the stuck shed she still has off, and I think I got it all off, but I'll try again in a few days.
She is currently in the 29 gallon that I re-took from them and cleaned-up. She has that bigger water dish, which last time I peeked at her, she was soaking in. She is currently on the same paper bedding I keep my corns on (Eco Bedding--it's essentially shredded paper). She has a half-log hide, and I made her up a moist hide with the sphagnum moss and a couple of moist paper towels she can crawl through. Her tank is pretty bare at the moment, but I plan on fixing it up a bit with a climbing stick at least, maybe a few other things (any ideas?). I covered half of the tank to try to give her some privacy, since I'm sure she's been through a lot today. They last fed her two weeks ago, and while tomorrow is feeding day for my snakes, I'm going to let her settle in for a few days before I try to feed her, weigh her, and take pictures of her (not in that order). Ireallywish I had taken a picture of her stuff before I had cleaned it!! It was so ridiculous! But all I could think was "dear god, I need to clean this". How can someone let their pet's home get that bad?? :/
I use "her" loosely, by the way. She has some pretty evident spurs, but from what I understand, this doesn't dictate that she HAS to be a he. Thinking about asking a friend to sex her.
Anyway, needed to vent. I promise to get pics of the little gem for you guys when I can. :]
