Possible Neurological Danger at Pets Inc. Tempe, Az.

[DesertRat73]

**Please note, it was brought to my attention on another forum that the symptoms I witnessed may be due to a spinal injury due to the caging situation. Hopefully that is the case, I simply urge caution due to the damage the hobby is taking from neurologicals. I will follow up with them in a day or two to see what the vet told them.**

I've been a loyal customer of Pets Incorporated for nine-ish years, and it kills me to report this news, but the word needs to be spread quickly.

The short Version: While removing an 18 month-ish BCI from it's enclosure it's head flopped over limp and it could nor wright itself unassisted. When he helped it wright itself it's neck contracted to an l shape and it was grimacing, then it flipped it's head back over and dangled it limply again. He rushed it to the back exclaiming "that's bad". The boa had been in the bottom of a dog pile with four other boas with a fifth one in the rear or the cage. These were the one he took out was the smallest and obviously least dominant. The largest appeared to be about four feet. When he came back, I told him we wouldn't be handling any after what we just saw. He said he understood and rushed off to the back again. I think most folks on here can recognize what this looked like, but without the proper info to back it up I dare not say it, but merely caution any in the area to steer clear if you have snakes at home. For those unfamiliar, they have an open floorplan with the cages being the only source of separation or quarentine.
So beware Phoenicians and for those who are on other boards if you would copy this to those forums to get the word out I would appreciate it. I can't tell you how sick I felt after seeing that and looking around at all the other snakes they had.

As I said, use caution. I will not be returning to them or any pet store now, I am simply too paranoid about my own snakes. I have lost one in the past to a neurological disease and have no desire to repeat that experience.

Hopefully it was something less serious, I certainly wouldn't wish a neurological disease on our friends at Pets Inc., they have always done well by us, and we have learned much from them through the years.

Thanks for the read, and best of luck to them,

Brad Beloat

[Amelanistic Orca]

Pet's Inc. is a sad operation. I couldn't take myself home if I visited there. This is not a surprise to me.

[MRC31]

I have had poor luck with Pets Inc in the past. I won't go into detail, but I do not go there anymore and haven't been in a couple years. I wouldn't hesitate to go across the street to Arizona Reptile Center, they have always treated me right. I have never seen a dirty cage or unhealthy animal. I just don't like to pay retail, so I try to deal directly with breeders. I'm sorry to hear about Pets Inc. Hopefully the boas don't have what it sounds like it could possibly be. About 5 years ago, i sold them a few pythons and they went directly into a cage out on the floor without any seperation for quarantine, granted they were healhty as I raised them as hatchlings but I would have thought they would have protected their investments just in case.

[Lucille]

** I will follow up with them in a day or two to see what the vet told them.**


Did you follow up?

Have you notified them of this thread? With the title of the thread, they really should be afforded the opportunity to respond, or alternatively, to be judged by the community if they learn of the thread and do not bother to respond.

There have been some negative posts, but I'm hoping things are OK for this particular critter.

There are parts missing of the conversation. If you knew there was going to be a vet report, what did the store management say about the animal when you confronted them with your thoughts?

[DesertRat73]

Did you follow up?

Have you notified them of this thread? With the title of the thread, they really should be afforded the opportunity to respond, or alternatively, to be judged by the community if they learn of the thread and do not bother to respond.

There have been some negative posts, but I'm hoping things are OK for this particular critter.

There are parts missing of the conversation. If you knew there was going to be a vet report, what did the store management say about the animal when you confronted them with your thoughts?

I haven't followed up as I said day or two. There was nothing missing from the conversation, I do not know that there will be a vet report. I am assuming they will handle it that way based on my prior experiences with them. I did not speak with management in part for the same reason, and in part to being paranoid and wanting to get away asap. I'm new to boas, and as such there is a good deal I don't understand about these diseases. I know they will not jump to us, but their carriers will and I wasn't going to hang around and tempt fate. I understand the concern for fairness to this business, but this was in no way a bash or flame of them, nor did I make the friends comment lightly. My wife grew up with the owners daughter, and I have known them for nearly 10 years. None of that changes the fact that a word of caution needs to be spread to locals with collections that may be thinking of going by there. It's the responsible thing to do given the potential danger to the hobby. I hope I will not have to make a post like this again in the future, however should it be necessary I would appreciate the opportunity to live up to my word in the timeline I establish. Thanks.

[reticguy76]

pets inc. is a poor animal store. when i have gone in there, they have animals in pretty poor conditions. they have had numerous mite outbreaks, and do not practice proper quarantine procedure. as far as making them aware of this thread, it most likely will not matter, as they pretty much dabble in reptiles, but mostly focus on fish (fresh and saltwater). i would be highly inclined to think they dont even know that the boi (or fauna probably for that matter) even exists. the arachnids and amphibians are kept pretty well, but repitles, overall, not well at all. its really ashame too, because most of the time when i go in there (mostly to pass the time when im out and about), they have some really nice reptiles (really nice monitors and snakes).
i would not be surprised at all, and i mean, at all, if ibd or other neuro issues were running rampant throughout that store

[SynPlus]

Ryan, they have a somewhat large section of their store dedicated to reptiles. They have started using quarantine (but I am not sure how).. recently their reptile "manager" has been out sick. Things have been getting cleaned up in the past year or so, but at the same time they just don't have the best luck with staff.

They are better than Petsmart/Petco, at least...

[reticguy76]

i hope they are, but i was very very recently in there when they got a ball python (pinstripe or spider, maybe ?) and they put it right into a cage on the floor. that is not proper quarantine.
and, although i do agree, it looks somewhat better than it used to, unless you take out all the cages and thoroughly and properly disinfect that whole reptile room/section, as well as the cages PROPERLY, the cleaning they are doing to make it presentable to the public, means nothing.

[reticguy76]

and i agree, about the petsmart/petco point, as i am rescuing/treating a baby ball python that came into my emergency clinic on new years eve for "escaping its cage and getting caught in a glue trap" and it wasnt eating and is pretty emaciated. of course, when i put it in a proper microenvironment, for a few days, it took a fuzzy within about 10 seconds. shocking, i know.

[reticguy76]

last post got off topic, my apologies

[DesertRat73]

Well, I just got off the phone with them, and they have euthanized all the boas that were in that cage. A good measure, but sad to hear. All of their displayed snakes are in vision cages one against another, so I don't know if that would be adequate or not. From the little I've learned recently, I wouldn't think so, but I'll leave that for more qualified persons to clarify. They were professional and forthcoming on the phone, but I would still urge caution before going there if you have a collection. I will be in contact with them more in the next few days as I had to cut short the conversation before asking about necropsies. So as I learn more I will update.

[Abish]

Did you ask if it saw a vet, or did they just euthanize the whole lot? Did you ask if they planned to sent the original animal for necropsy?

[DesertRat73]

Did you ask if it saw a vet, or did they just euthanize the whole lot? Did you ask if they planned to sent the original animal for necropsy?

I asked about what the vet had said or what had happened, and she said they had euthanized all that were in that age. She didn't say anything about a vet, and I didn't get the chance to ask about the necropsy, something came up on my end and I had to cut the call short. I will be back in touch with them in a few days. If they are getting a necropsy (and I assume they are), they likely will not have the results back for a couple of weeks.