STORM2K

You can tell he is obviously upset by this, but the pet just happens to be a snake, so I didn't know what to say. Jake the snake. I HATE SNAKES. I'm standing there wanting to say something to make Dale feel better, when I'm really thinking, well....

Apparently Jake is having trouble, *ahem*, keeping his food down. I almost blurted out "well, maybe he is a vegetarian". I stopped myself before the words came out.

How would you handle this?

Avoid friend until snake dies.

Aww sunny, this is your neighbor's snake right? The one that was giving you nightmares, knowing a pet snake was kept in your building? Yikes!!!!

That is just one animal I know so little about and can't imagine keeping one for a pet. I firmly believe they belong in the wild. In their natural habitat. I don't really want to watch it eat small animals whole but also realize that is nature. The way it was intended.

So, I guess my next question is this - is his "food" coming back up whole and alive?

Mary

whats wrong with snakes?

Yep Mary, that's the one! I hurt Dale's feelings so bad when he told me he had Jake, so I'm trying to be "sensitive" to him. I just hope he didn't see my, what's the word I'm looking for? Hope? I could see he was really upset though.

He didn't into a lot of detail about what was happening. I assume the food was not "alive".

He needs to get it to a vet...It may have stomach rot and it might be to late...

feederband wrote:He needs to get it to a vet...It may have stomach rot and it might be to late...

He was just coming back from the vet when I saw him (he was kind enough to put Jake up first). The vet recommended a "reptile specialist"? I'd never heard of those before.

fact789 wrote:whats wrong with snakes?

Nothing...People don't understand them and don't learn the difference between the venomous and non-venomous thus they usually end up at the point of a shovel...Pretty sad really...Hey I can't stand cats but I don't go cutting there heads off with a shovel...Even if I did it would be for fun not out of fear.....

sunny wrote:

feederband wrote:He needs to get it to a vet...It may have stomach rot and it might be to late...

He was just coming back from the vet when I saw him (he was kind enough to put Jake up first). The vet recommended a "reptile specialist"? I'd never heard of those before.

Yes but hard to find..Does the snake regurgitate right after it eats or later on...What kind of snake is it? How old is snake?

feederband wrote:

sunny wrote:

feederband wrote:He needs to get it to a vet...It may have stomach rot and it might be to late...

He was just coming back from the vet when I saw him (he was kind enough to put Jake up first). The vet recommended a "reptile specialist"? I'd never heard of those before.

Yes but hard to find..Does the snake regurgitate right after it eats or later on...What kind of snake is it? How old is snake?

It's a boa, he got it around Christmas, so I guess Jake is 8 months old or something. The way it sounded, he regurgitates later.

I have nothing against snakes either. I just prefer them in the wild, again in their natural habitat. I've come across them while hiking and I give them plenty of space, never a rock thrown at them or anything. They've gone on their way and I've gone on my way.

It is sad that people torment them.

That said, I would not feel 100% comfortable living in an apt. building, knowing a neighbor has a pet snake. Wouldn't dream of harming it but I wouldn't pet it!

I think I know where sunny is coming from. She doesn't strike me as someone who would harass anyone's pet. But since this is a snake and if it was Jake's time to go, she wouldn't shed a tear either. I hope that I'm right anyway (about the way you feel sunny).

I would feel the same way. And I'm an animal lover! Thru and thru......
Mary

You are right Mary. I mean, Dale is my friend. He has been a very good friend to me. And I can see he is upset about this. But snakes terrify me. I can't help it.

speaking of snakes i had one on my shoulder about a week ago, off camera but here is a pic of the snake, me, and the owner...

lol - okay, wasn't expecting that Yes, I screamed

fact789 wrote:speaking of snakes i had one on my shoulder about a week ago, off camera but here is a pic of the snake, me, and the owner...

Burmese Python..One of the best..I had one over 16 feet when I was 17..

sunny wrote:

feederband wrote:

sunny wrote:

feederband wrote:He needs to get it to a vet...It may have stomach rot and it might be to late...

He was just coming back from the vet when I saw him (he was kind enough to put Jake up first). The vet recommended a "reptile specialist"? I'd never heard of those before.

Yes but hard to find..Does the snake regurgitate right after it eats or later on...What kind of snake is it? How old is snake?

It's a boa, he got it around Christmas, so I guess Jake is 8 months old or something. The way it sounded, he regurgitates later.

Tell him not to feed him for about 3 weeks ..But make sure gets plenty of fluid...This is of corse he does not see a serpentologist...He might of ate a diseased animal which could cause belly rott ot other digestive issues...The snake needs to get everything out of its system...Then have it start out eating something that is half size of what its been eating..

snakes dont bother me at all. people should think twice before killing any predatory animal. if they knew what the far reaching impact is on the cycle, they would think twice.

in fact i saw two corn snakes and a rat snake in my back yard this afternoon while playing frisbee with the dog.

I don't particularly mind snakes... but I wouldn't want one for a pet...like I mean I don't think they can feel love or affection, can they?

-justin-

I hope that Jake will get better soon.

Some may remember my run-in with a Black Rat snake in my garden last year. Scared the crap out of me, but my biggest concern was that I had never seen one like that before and I didn't know if it was venomous. It, in fact, is a constrictor.

It's like everything else, education is the key.