Large-scale wildlife wholesalers have been documented to be in possession of huge quantities of exotic animals including snakes that saw many of the animals sick, injured, or dead. Animals were being discarded on a weekly basis with large mortality rates for both amphibians and reptiles. Some reasons for death and sickness were caused by cannibalism, crushing, dehydration, starvation, overcrowding, parasite infestation, emaciation, and parasite infestation (Ashley S et al., 2013). Unsurprisingly, conditions that caused these symptoms were linked to inadequate offering of food, water, and heating, as well as overcrowded spaces, and minimal to no enrichment (Ashley S et al., 2013).
