Several months ago, in the height of summer in fact, a person I sold a snake to years ago contacted me out of the blue asking if I could take the snake back on a limited time frame while they moved to a new home. I agreed to do so thinking it’d be a month, maybe two tops. It’s been closer to 4 months now and every time I contact the owner they give me an excuse why they can’t take the snake back…
I might also add that this adult corn, while with me, has turned absolutely wild and unmanageable. Nothing about his setup changed when I got him home. He’s been in the same tub she gave me, same decor, same everything. Yet now when I open the tub to water check and attempt to feed he strikes and goes for blood. He’s also only eaten for me once despite several techniques and 2 week gaps between attempts.
Basically I don’t feel I’m doing good by this snake and the owner seems completely unwilling to take him back… AITA here for considering rehoming him to someone else at no charge (not looking for money here) or even a reptile rescue? Or should I give the owner yet more time to take him back?
I will say, if this was me, I’d say that they either take it back now, or give them a week. Or you are finding him another home as you can no longer keep Him with you.
That way you’re giving them an option.
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I would personally tell the owner what you’re planning to do (rehome) and see what they say. If they really don’t care then you should do whatever you want. However if they say they want the snake back in ____ time then I would tell them that you can’t wait that long and can no longer keep the snake. If they want the snake back be sure they are able to care for it, you don’t want the snake going into a bad situation. If they are opposed to you getting rid of it (they might think you’re trying to profit off of it) you might be able to buy the snake from them and resell for the same amount.
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Kinda sounds like a similar-ish situation I’m in.
Fiancé bought a ball python from a local breeder at an expo, failed to mention to us that he is a problem feeder. We got him about 2 months ago now. Gave him time to settle in like we do all new arrivals.
I’ve tried everything, moved him to different sizes of tub, offered a hide, tried different prey item, tried offering at different times, even left a live rodent in with him for a couple hours without us in the room… but he won’t eat for us at all and only strikes defensively at any movement that comes towards him.
I even contacted the breeder to ask what setup they had him in prior to us purchasing him, in hopes that maybe I could replicate it and make him more comfortable.
They had me call them, then gave me the runaround and was basically asking questions pertaining to my husbandry rather than answering my initial question, and seemed to want to blame it on “potentially incorrect temperatures” because my thermostats “might not be accurate”… except every other one of my nearly 40 ball pythons kept in the same racks are eating just fine.
I’m gonna see if they are willing to take him back for an exchange or even credit towards a different purchase, because I honestly do not want a problem feeder with a super defensive attitude in my collection. Temperament seems to be genetic in a lot of animals from what I know, so I want the best temperaments and feeding responses I can get from my babies I produce.
But yeah, as for OP’s question — you’re not the ass at all here. I’d give them a final warning as mentioned before, give them a week, then list the animal up to be rehomed. You can’t be expected to take care of the snake forever especially if it’s becoming an issue for you, and they’re not doing anything but giving you excuses.
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I agree with what others have said - let them know you’re no longer willing to care for the snake and if they aren’t interested in taking him back, then you will rehome him for them.
As for his drastic change in behavior, have you double checked the temps in his enclosure? It sounds a lot like a snake that’s way too hot.
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@solarserpents
Have checked thermostat and heat pad. Same Temps as everyone else in the room is at. 75f to 80f is the hot side range. And again I haven’t changed anything about his setup that he’s had for the years before I got him. The literal only change is the fact he’s in my home rather than with original owners. Personally I’m thinking it’s the multitude of other snake scents in the room. He came from an only snake home and when I sold him he was less than a year old. So likely he might feel threatened somehow by the scents and such that’s in the snake room that everyone else in my collection is used to.
If I had planned on keeping him long term I would have done what I did with a defensive female I bought and thats put in a square tank with three sides covered and the main front facing open. That way he can get used to the room, be higher up (the tank is kept higher than most tubs), and be semi forced to deal with things. The female took to it quick and is a total doll. In the tub I had her in was acting much the same as this one. I just don’t have the resources available on a reptile I don’t plan on keeping.