Today i was trading at a boot sale selling all my familys rubbish. We had a poster on the side of the car telling people we had dragons available and to contact us on tel number etc.

After a while i see someone i know a customer from where i use to work. They told me that a couple of 13-16yo sat accross from us had a snake under their clothes for sale.

Me being me was angry they were selling in a middle of a field so went over. Asked them about it and they pull out a small tub (too small) with a young royal in no hide and no water. It had a blunt tail and prominant back bone. I told them straight that it was illegal to sale animals at boot sales, that it was underweight and i will buy it from them for a significantly reduced cost because it needed help. (I know i was doing something illegal there but hey it needed help.)

After about an hour another person i knew told me they had a snake there and i looked over to see them with a smaller tub with a shoe string of a carpet python in. I again had a go at them told them it was very very underweight. I would have taken that one on too but i honestly dont think it would last much longer and i cant bare another death of a rescue.

I reported it to the boot sale officials who give them their due told the girls to go immeadiatly.

If that was not bad enough someone else tells me that the girls dad was further down the field selling tortoises etc from the back of their van. I reported this and all i had from the officials is.

"We have spoken to them. They are only showing people and given numbers out for people to contact" GRRRRRRRRRRR they were not even interested in me informing them that they were attempting to sale, they were related to the girls and that the boot sale could be prosecuted if a RSPCA agent found out.

Do these people not realise that it is acts like this that give herpers a bad name.

if that had been me, i would have attacked him. even when i was tiny i cared very strongly about animals - when i ws around 4 some 5 year old boys were drowning a baby fish - the fish got thrown back and they got punched in the face.
THEY should be stuck in a box with no water or shelter - and left there to die.

oh Tony thats awful. Good thing you took the royal but i would not have given them any money id have taken it. Did you manage to get a number for their dad who was selling torts, if so then id contact the rspca. IF not go back next sunday and see if he is there again -. The girls probably went back to their dad and had a moan. As if the dad in the van is going to tell the officials he is selling them- of course he is going to lie to the officials - who are stupid enough to believe him!!
As you say its people like that that give us a bad reputation.

i would not have given them any money but they knew me and if their dad is who i think he is then i could have a lot of trouble from the local yob families.

I would have taken his number but i could not find him.

ouch! sounds like you could have got your self in poop!
You managed to save one snake which is good! and did what you felt you had to do without getting your self into any bother.

how is the little royal doing?

When I saw the title I had an awful feeling it would be a tale of woe. Well done you, and as for the idiots well....

As you said - this is what gives a bad name.

How is the snakey now?

if you know who it is he needs reporting if this is how they sell their reptiles then goodness knows how they must be keeping them, perhaps a word to the local council ?

sorry about the lack of reply been having some family issues.

Royal struck fed a nutrobol'd rat fluff and is doing well. Its an angry s**t though i was handling it and without warning (No strike position or anything) turned around opened its mouth and latched onto my thumb then coiled and started crushing my hand. LOL

I would report him if i could i have no idea of his name or address. Its one of those people you know about and don't know much about them

aww poor snakey, if hes doing that to you its probably coz hes unwell not eaten so thinks everything is either there to attack him or for food. Shows hes alert! fantastic that he ate something. It probably never been handled right either.
never been tagged by a royal -but lol your a big boy Tony and im sure youll survive!!
Once it realises that your gonna feed it regularly and its got a nice warm clean home it should calm down!
keep up the good work!
hope you sort out your family issues xx