Indonesian Garters and Petco

[ssssnakeluvr]

problem with a lot of them is they buy cheap wild caught snakes for real low prices, then jack up the price, all they care about is profit....not selling people quality animals. sometimes it's better to go to small privately owned pet stores....may pay a little more, but could get much better animals in the long run!!!

[MasSalvaje]

I apologize for pulling this thread up again. I am new on the site so please let me know if I am missing anything. Why did you have to return him in the first place? I realize it was misrepresented but the care is very much similar to a N.A. Garter. Somebody gave me this guy as a "Canadian Garter" and he has turned out to be one of my favorites in my, all be it small, collection. Some of you may have made suggestions to my thread on another forum about him, but I have now had him 3 months and he is eating pinkies as well as any of my Garters. I am really looking forward to getting another one when one becomes available.

*Photobucket was down at posting so I will get pics ASAP!

-Thomas Wilder

[misskris]

I know our Petco has a common name, and the scientific name for most species they carry. For example, the label on Simones enclosure said Common Garter and under that is listed Thamnophis Sirtalis. If they have the wrong scientific name it IS false advertising.

Keelbacks aren't Thamnophis are they?

[MasSalvaje]

Striped Keelbacks are not Thamnophis, ironicly they are not really Keelbacks either (Rhabdophis), they are Xenochrophis vittatus.

I am new on the forum so maybe somebody could help me out, why did you return it in the first place. I realize it was a misrepresentation but these guys are amazing! Care is very similar to that of Thamnophis. I was given one a few months ago as a "Canadian Garter," at the time I had no idea what it really was just that it wasn't Thamnophis. Since that time it is slamming down pinkies and has become one of my favorites in my colection.

As far as the false advertising law goes, the only thing they have to do in the case of an item or animal being misrepresented is return it. There is no legal issue on the matter, they will not be charged with fraud or even get a visit from the local authorities. The only way that would possibly happen is if they were selling an illegal species under a legal species name.



Like I said these guys are awesome and I am looking forward to picking up a few more!
-Thomas

[Snake lover 3-25]

I am new on the forum so maybe somebody could help me out, why did you return it in the first place.

wow you have one that's still alive??!! that's surprizing! almost every member on the forum that has gotten one of these has had them die of parisites..... and some have had the parasites spread to others in their collection.... that is why she returned it.... no need to get attached to something that has a 99% chance of dying.... or risk killing their entire collection... i'd get yours checked for parasites asap.... they still may be present. Good luck!

ps welcome to the forum!

[MasSalvaje]

wow you have one that's still alive??!! that's surprizing! almost every member on the forum that has gotten one of these has had them die of parisites..... and some have had the parasites spread to others in their collection.... that is why she returned it.... no need to get attached to something that has a 99% chance of dying.... or risk killing their entire collection... i'd get yours checked for parasites asap.... they still may be present. Good luck!

ps welcome to the forum!

Mine is alive and well! I did take in some fecal samples and they all came back negative, it is free of mites and ticks, and I quarantined him for about a month with no signs of trouble, I guess I lucked out (knock on wood). It is a shame that so few live they are really are amazing little guys! I had zero problems switching him to pinkies, loves to be held, and is a lot less nervous then most of my Garters.

Thank you all for the welcome!

-Thomas

[And_Lyn]

I returned it because I wanted a captive bred garter...not a wild caught keelback

[Stefan-A]

Mine is alive and well! I did take in some fecal samples and they all came back negative, it is free of mites and ticks, and I quarantined him for about a month with no signs of trouble, I guess I lucked out (knock on wood). It is a shame that so few live they are really are amazing little guys! I had zero problems switching him to pinkies, loves to be held, and is a lot less nervous then most of my Garters.

Thank you all for the welcome!

-Thomas

I'm glad to hear that. But like you said, it does seem like you've been lucky. So far it's been the rule rather than the exception that these snakes die soon after being bought.

[prattypus]

ah, I get it now. Sorry for raising a stink. I've seen them in there as Ribbons. I don't remember seeing the scientific name or not.

[cthulhu77]

Yep, it seems like a lot of work to make a mountain out of this particular molehill...

I've been to dedicated reptile stores that have mislabeled animals.