The petco in my area is actually pretty good. They give good advice and are honest. If they do not know something they will tell you. If they have a sick animal they take it to the vet and put a sign that says they are being observed etc. I was actually told not to buy their bp's because they are not very tame and have hissed quiet a bit. They knew I had never owned a snake and even though I have many animals, and take very good care of them, I would not have time for a problem python. I have taken and will continue to take sick animals in, however I am not willing to do it till I have more experience, so they let me know that.
05-06-2004, 07:25 AM
Ginevive
Quote:
I was actually told not to buy their bp's because they are not very tame and have hissed quiet a bit.
That's actually what contributed to me getting into BPs, actually. I was in a petco where this cool girl works, and she was showing my boyfriend and I her tattoos, cuz my BF is a tattoo artist. She found out that we were into keeping herps, and she said "you guys want a really nasty snake?" Turned out to be a BP, our first one. We researched for about a week and then returned for the freebie BP.
Turns out that this BP in question had been returned to the store twice because it bit the kids who bought her. She had been written off as a loss by the store and was being kept in the back room.
I would still have her today if one of my idiot friends hadn't left her cage opened and let her escape to freeze in my basement. But I had NEVER thought of getting a bp until this one was given to me, and now I have four of them. I probably would have none if that never happened! Thanks petco, lol.
The petco's around here are not that bad; a few things could be changed, but their BPs have hide spots, water dishes and upkept humidity levels. And they are priced $85 for wild caught (farm hatched) hatchlings! I bought my new CBB for $65!
05-06-2004, 08:29 AM
tuffy110
oh I paid quite a bit for my little baby. There are stores around here that have lower prices but I didn't like the way they were looking or they were wild caught. I paid $110 for my BP
05-06-2004, 12:46 PM
elevatethis
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizill
lol, great post ginevive. very funny. i know exactly the people youre talking about. like this woman at a store in richmond, who had just returned from the "breeder" with some bp's... that somehow became covered in ticks and were dehydrated on the way over to the store. needless to say they didn't get a penny from me.
Will, what pet store was this in richmond?
I live downtown and the only reputable shop in the whole area that specializes in reptiles is about 20 mins south of the city.
05-06-2004, 12:51 PM
Theres a store around here that sells farmed baby BPs for $90+tax.....I bought my CBB male at the Ky show for $25 LOL.
05-06-2004, 01:26 PM
elevatethis
yeah i paid 70 for mine from a pet shop (they specialize in reptiles and always ask me 20 questions on how i'm taking care of it when i go in to buy food). I know that you can get babies for cheaper than that at shows, but its nice to have a place of business to go that supports you because you bought the animal from them. Makes it worth it to me IMO...
05-06-2004, 01:57 PM
I agree Amber. The good stores deserve our business. :)
05-06-2004, 02:20 PM
gozetec02
I got Jojo a little over a year ago as a farm baby for $20.
And I got Coco Just this past sunday for $20 and has already ate.
Not all franchise pet stores are bad. It all depends on the experience of the employees. If you have a fish expert working in the reptile area maybe they should fess up that reptiles are not their specialty. And besides most of our knowlege of herps has either come from other people or from books or various care sheets. I think that these big franchise stores should try to educate their employees on the herps that they sell. If that employee at that Petco would have read the burmese care sheet that they have on display in the herp area he would have realized that a burmese is not a good snake for a beginner.
I dont go to pet stores to give hell to the inexperience sales people. If i see something that would potentialy kill or injure a snake i would readily bring it to someones attention.
