Emery Wainscott
News Editor
ewainscott@murraystate.edu
A graduate student and an undergraduate student reported Aquatic Life, a store that sells reptiles and fish, to Animal Control after witnessing on Feb. 1 underweight animals and unclean habitats. Animal Control responded, saying they will try to press charges, and if all else fails, they will try to educate the owner on proper care.
The two students wish to remain anonymous and will be referred to as John Smith and Jane Doe.
Smith is a senior wildlife biology major. Smith has different leadership roles in the biology department working specifically with reptiles.
Doe is a graduate student studying general biology.
Both students said they have zoo keeping experience.
Aquatic Life originally opened on Nov. 11, 2020, as an aquarium store but started housing reptiles before fall 2021. The owners, in response to a Facebook post accusing the store of animal abuse and improper care of their reptiles, said they do not personally have experience with reptiles but hire employees who know the proper husbandry and who care deeply about the animals.
However, Doe said whenever they ask the employees questions about the animals, the employees lack answers and refer to other employees. Smith said it seems like they do not have employees that know the proper procedures to take care of reptiles.
“The starvation was one of the immediate things [I noticed],” Doe said. “I have a gecko and immediately could tell their dishes hadn’t been changed out in way longer than it should have.”
In a picture posted on the aforementioned Facebook post, the store’s ball python is depicted with its head in the water, presumably because of exhaustion from illness. Doe said this animal reportedly has mites, which is not directly confirmed on Facebook, but Aquatic Life said in the comment section that the snake is sick and has been receiving care.
As a result of the sickness, the snake’s nutrition has been depleting to the point where its spine and skull are visible. Doe said the store has claimed the snake has been fed regularly, even attempting to force feed the animal.
“[This is] the opposite of what you should do,” Smith said. “It’s really stressful for the animal. They can’t digest food that quickly. Nor do they have the heating to digest if they are feeding them that often.”
Smith said one of the animals seemed to have an injury to its ribs, and overall, the animals were very lethargic.
Another one of the animals, a reticulated python, grows to about 17 feet during its lifespan. The reticulated python at Aquatic Life is in a tank too small for its growth, Doe said.
Doe said its tank does not seem to be heated, and the only decoration is a water bowl.
“They say they handle it every day [as if] that excuses the need for a proper enclosure,” Smith said. “Like, ‘It doesn’t need the basic care to survive because we play with it all the time.’ It’s like if you had a dog and you never fed it or watered it or gave it a bed or toys … ”
On Facebook, the owners respond with hostility to comments that criticize the store.
“This is not a review to harass the owners,” a comment from a community member said. “I am literally begging you to feed your snakes and geckos … This is animal abuse, and I will be happy to leave my full length review on BBB and call Animal Control.”
In the pictures attached, she shows the ball python with its skull visible from being underweight, as well as lying in the water, a behavior unusual for the way snakes usually drink water. She also attached a picture of a food bowl in a gecko enclosure, which shows what the poster said is rotten fruit and crickets drowned in the water bowl.
The owners responded by claiming that the commenters were all connected and trying to hurt the store.
“I have already explained that the snake refused to eat, whether it be live or frozen,” the owners of Aquatic Life said. “If you’re so disgusted with the store, don’t come back … I actually prefer [the comments] to show that not every animal comes in healthy and some need more care to thrive … I have weekly visits from people with more power than a mouthy review that would shut us down if the best possible care wasn’t given to the animals that we have.”
Smith and Doe said they saw two almost eight-month-old ball pythons, at least one adult reticulated python, five red-eared sliders, several turtles, a tegu lizard, two crested geckos and at least one gargoyle gecko.
One of the geckos was missing a tail, which Smith said is a sign of stress. Another one was partially blind. Smith said this is most likely because of a genetic defect.
Doe said all of the sick animals were for sale.
Ultimately, Doe said they want the store to be shut down and for the animals to be rehomed.
Smith said the store should return solely to selling fish.
“Bottom line, they need to stop selling reptiles and amphibians,” Smith said. “I mean, the owner admits she doesn’t know how to take care of them, and she’s not willing to learn, it seems like.”
The two students have contacted both Animal Control and the Murray Police Department for welfare checks, as well as a worker at Animal Health and Wellness.
The News reached out to Aquatic Life but no response was received.
No updates from Animal Control were available at publication.