asking for refund

[5potted]

Hey Guys,

Last week I paid $900 for a pair of blonde spotted pythons.When I had purchased them I had been told they were in good health so when i received them I have them a quick look over- checked their righting reflex and for mites but stupidly did not check for wheezing. I let them be for a few days to settle in then when I fed them on the weekend I noticed the girl was wheezing when she was eating. I immediately seperated them (they've lived together for over a year with the previous owner) and had a closer look at the girl and noticed that every now and then a lump would appear on her throat. I took them to the vet this morning and he confirmed that the girl has a respiratory infection. So now $115 later and confirmation from the vet that this could not have just occured over the past week I'm stuck as to whether I should ask the previous owner if she would at least go halfs in the vet bill?

What should I do and how should I go about it?

 

[adz83]

hmmm id contact the seller and explain wats happened,ell em wat the vet said n see wat they say

 

[abbott75]

There is no harm in asking.

I've had the same problem, but the person involved wouldn't reply to my messages. I later found out a lot of people had problems with him too.

 

[Mrs I]

I would ask, and tell them they are welcome to speak to the vet or get a letter from the vet to go along with a copy of the bill to show them.

Most people would do the right thing and at least pay half, wouldnt they ??

 

[funcouple]

my understanding of RI is that it can occur from a change in the temperature that the snakes have been kept at. maybe the old owner kept them at a higher temp than you were. you can contact the old owner and put it to them about paying or sharing the vet costs. either way its good that you sort a vets help and your snake(s) should be well soon

 

[5potted]

Thanks. I've sent an email to the previous owner- that was our main form of communication. The vet said that the stress from the flight probably flared up the infection so she may not have had obvious signs previously that's why I'm only asking for half as she may not have realised. Just glad to be getting the girl better anyways- it breaks my heart seeing her puffing at the throat

 

[CodeRed]

An RI can easily develop over a week, especially after a change in environment. I wouldnt be so quick to jump and say it was sick before you got it.

 

[funcouple]

now you say the snakes were freighted by plane. cargo holds on planes can be at 0C or a minus temperature. this alone is enough to cause RI. and as CodeRed has said about a change in environment. i really dont think you can hold the previous owner resposible.

 

[5potted]

Trust me I'm not one to point fingers until i've pointed them at myself first. I asked the vet if from the signs it could have developed while I had them but he said it seem really doubtful considering her signs and how she looked on when he opened her mouth plus he said the environment I keep them wouldn't be one to promote a RI. Unless the previous owners didn't have heating and the snakes are not used to coming to an enclosure with 30degrees down one end, 26-7 down the other although I dont think going up in heat would cause a RI.

 

[CodeRed]

30 deg aint really hot. If the snake was kept with a hot end of 32 before hand then going down to 30 could be enough to trigger it.

 

[seumas12345]

Mmm i agree with FC, although it's unfortunate that the girl has developed an RI there are all sorts of factors that could have caused it to occur. I think that unless the RI had been diagnosed the same day you got them or within a couple of days it's too difficult to determine when she developed the infection... I would still contact the seller, you never know your luck... But don't be surprised if you hit a dead end.
Cheers

 

[5potted]

I'm not trying to cause an arguement but if RI's can develop by just freighting in a plane why isn't there so many more cases of RI's?

 

[seumas12345]

You'd be surprised how easily RI's can develop. I changed my NT carpet into her new cage 3 months ago. It was in the same room, same heating(maybe 1 or 2 degrees difference), same humidity, and she developed RI.... She went on mouthwash treatment for 3 weeks, but it got worse... She's now on injections every two days for 2 1/2 weeks and is coming good. It's just one of those things that happens...

 

[CodeRed]

I'm not trying to cause an arguement but if RI's can develop by just freighting in a plane why isn't there so many more cases of RI's?

Freighting alone isnt normally enough to cause RI. The combination of stress from freighting, stress from a new home and a lower temp could easily be enough to cause it though.

Bump those temps up anyway. At least 32 for the hot end if you want your snake to have a quick recovery.

 

[5potted]

Trust me as soon as I saw the lump it's been bumped up to 32 since. Thanks for everyone's perspective. If the previous owner does reply I will discuss temperatures with her to see what she used to have but if they are not higher temps than what I have now then could that show that maybe the girl may have had it before I received them? Getting my money back is not a big deal i'm just glad the girl is on the recovery anyways.

 

[funcouple]

a drop in temperature not an increase as well as the stress of being relocated is enough to cause RI. it may well of been the drop in temperature for a few hours of freighting. no one is trying to argue, we are all just trying to point out what could of caused this RI. had the snakes been vet checked before leaving the previous owner would of proved the health of the snakes, now its very hard to say when the snakes became sick and whom is responsible for the vet costs.

 

[Dragon1]

At least the snakes going to be ok.

 

[5potted]

Thanks. I just wish I had caught it sooner. Most people say not to handle new snakes for the first few days to let them settle in and because she had been in her hide most of the time I never realised... Lesson learnt for next time

 

[5potted]

Just a bit of an update- the previous owner replied today saying that she would help contribute to the vet bill and that she was sorry as she didn't pick it up.

I replied saying that the stress from the flight plus a change in temps may have been the cause for the RI so there is no way to prove that she had the RI before she flew up so I can't blame her for something that may not have been her fault. I've asked for the temps that she used to keep the snakes at so I can recreate that environment when she's recovered from her RI.

There really are some good honest people out there

 

[funcouple]

what a great out come. hope the seller was a member of APS and you have left them the best positive feedback that you can.