Drizzt80
Dakota Corns
To reply to one of your first questions about buying from a pet store, that's a call you will have to make based on your judgement of the pet store itself. I personally am a teacher, but also work part time for a mom and pop shop (10 years now!).
Personally, I think PetCo's and PetSmarts staff aren't as knowledgeable about the animals they are 'caring' for, but . . . like all pet stores, they have to get their snakes from somewhere! Depending on what you're paying for your snake, the pet store is really just the middle man. Some stores are outrageously priced, and others are reasonable to cheap.
It's really your call in the end. Do you trust the store you're dealing with?
D80
Personally, I think PetCo's and PetSmarts staff aren't as knowledgeable about the animals they are 'caring' for, but . . . like all pet stores, they have to get their snakes from somewhere! Depending on what you're paying for your snake, the pet store is really just the middle man. Some stores are outrageously priced, and others are reasonable to cheap.
It's really your call in the end. Do you trust the store you're dealing with?
D80