Posted by Fred A(AZTEC REPTILES) on August 21, 2000 at 15:07:46:
Hi folks!
I have a hypothetical question to ask all of you, especially those who breed and sell indigos. About 3 weeks ago I sold an Eastern Indigo hatchling to a customer. This particular hatchling was bigger than its siblings and ate one time one pinky mice(1) that had been goldfish scented. It was born on a Tuesday, Shed on the Friday directly after that and ate its first meal on a Thursday. The customer picked it up on Saturday. A small rubbermaid container was given to him with the snake , the same emclosure that the snake had been living in.
The customer called on a Monday to report that the snake was not eating and he was "worried" about it. He again called several days later to tell me the snake wasnt eating. After a breif conversation, he informed me that he had moved the snake to a 30-40 gallon aquarium with a hidebox, had brought it out in the direct sun for u.v. exposure and had handled it, but it still wasnt eating. I told him that the larger cage was not good for feeding response, that direct u.v. is not good and not to handle it. A week later he called to tell me that the snake would not eat and that it had blue eyes(It was going into shed cycle)
I offered to take the snake back, keep it at my house and feed it until it was eating readily, and i also said that snakes often take time to readjust to their enviorment and " settle" in before they will eat. This was not acceptable to him and he wanted a full refund, because he did not wish to deal with the "hassle" that this snake represented to him. That he was going back to work soon and didnt have time for this snake.
I am perplexed, because this was the largest and strongest neonate that I produced this year, it ate, and it shed twice. My question is this ;What would you do as a breeder at this juncture? After you have informed and educted the customer as best youi can, and they go against your advuce and want their money back. This has never happened to me before with any snake. Responses please??
Fred
(AZTEC REPTILES)