Hi Michael,
I think that if you take this snake you are taking a really big chance that you will either wind up with a healthy snake after you care for it properly thereby showing your mom you are pretty responsible
OR you wil wind up with a snake that will be lots of problems, hard to care for, and which may die resulting in your mom saying to you that she had been right the first time when she said :
First of all, let me ask, how old are you? I will not ask other personal things like your address or anything, I just want to figure out if you are likely mature enough to care for this on your own. In fact don't even tell me your age, I'll just say if you are under 16 or maybe 15 forget about it - since this would be a challenge that might prove too much for even an experienced mature snake keeper. That is unless you can get your mom or better yet, an experienced adult, to help!
I know you want a snake badly, but getting a bad snake may just make things harder for you if you ever want another one. If on the other hand, you find out the snake is healthy, and it eats, and YOU SEE IT EAT, and it does not look skinny (no loose skin, no boes showing through the skin and so on) and it does not have mites (tiny little pesty bug like things), and its cage looks clean, and it had water and heat - then go for it.
But if it is a bad one, like in sick, or underfed, or dehydrated, or otherwise not in great health, well then you would probably be better off saying to your mom:
Quote:
Hey mom this snake looks and acts sick. If I take it, chances are it ill only get worse and die if it doesn't go to a veterinarian - and that could be more expensive than buying a new snake and a whole set up for it. Don't you think that if you are going to let me have a snake I should start off with a healthy one? Wouldn't that be easier for me to take care of and then better for the snake since it would be my first one?
|
It is always a noble thing to want to save a snake or other pet from someone who does not care for it as well as they should, but this is usually a big mistake for a person who is new to herp keeping.
Whatever happens, I wish you luck. It sounds as if the herp bug has bitten you.
Best regards,
Glenn Bartley
ps: feel free to have your mom email me for info about good first snakes and how to care for them, or have her join in the forum