petsmart

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Originally Posted by Severum11

The company doesn't want an individuals opinion to be mistaken for the companys position on any given subject. Last year we had to sign off on a policy that dealt with posting comments relating to PetSmart on public forums, inernet sites, and the like. I am violating that policy. On a side note, I can tell you what I believe to be the reason we do not sell live feeders, it is rather simple.... P.E.T.A.. Heck, we are not supposed to refer to our feeder fish as feeders.

Severum11

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That is kind of a lame policy. Can't you just state in the post that this is your opinion and not the company's?

I understand where they are coming from but this is like banning cars because sometimes there are car accidents.

I buy feeder fish for my turtle all the time there. They have no problem calling them feeders in Omaha. And in a pinch i've had to buy live mice there. Its time consuming buying mice because you have paperwork to fill out. But i just stand there quietly and hope they dont remember me from the week before buying the exact same amount of mice lol.

alright i didn't decide to read everyone's comments but i'm actually an employee at a PetSmart and Pet Care is my department.

Yes, it is store policy. That's also why the prices are a little higher for those rodents. They're "fancy" mice and "fancy" rats (they have pretty color patterns. unlike plain white or whatever color your common feeder rodents are). But I don't care about the whole animal cruelty part behind live rodents as long as it isn't the snake being abused with ignorant snake keepers (too many bad pictures of injured snakes who were left unattended with their food running through my mind).
Lucky for me though, the Petco across the street does sell live feeder rodents (although everything else is pretty much crap). So when someone throws a fit about it we just tell them they can cross the street and take care of everything there.

Yes, we feed them frozen/thawed. No, the PetSmart I'm at hasn't force fed.

And this is why I'm a member of so many forums about so many animals.
Ball pythons, cichlids, loaches, goldfish, rodents of sorts, and so on.
I choose to be informed so I can inform customers.

Blame the individual for their own stupidity.
No need to generalize.

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Originally Posted by Laterr

alright i didn't decide to read everyone's comments but i'm actually an employee at a PetSmart and Pet Care is my department.

Yes, it is store policy. That's also why the prices are a little higher for those rodents. They're "fancy" mice and "fancy" rats (they have pretty color patterns. unlike plain white or whatever color your common feeder rodents are). But I don't care about the whole animal cruelty part behind live rodents as long as it isn't the snake being abused with ignorant snake keepers (too many bad pictures of injured snakes who were left unattended with their food running through my mind).
Lucky for me though, the Petco across the street does sell live feeder rodents (although everything else is pretty much crap). So when someone throws a fit about it we just tell them they can cross the street and take care of everything there.

Yes, we feed them frozen/thawed. No, the PetSmart I'm at hasn't force fed.

And this is why I'm a member of so many forums about so many animals.
Ball pythons, cichlids, loaches, goldfish, rodents of sorts, and so on.
I choose to be informed so I can inform customers.

Blame the individual for their own stupidity.
No need to generalize.

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So then why do I hear all this rif-raf about people possibly getting fired for "informing customers".

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

So then why do I hear all this rif-raf about people possibly getting fired for "informing customers".

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i had to go and find the post. he said Petco ;)

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Originally Posted by Laterr

i had to go and find the post. he said Petco ;)

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I DO work for PetSmart and petcare IS my job. We do not sell mice our rats as feeders, and it dosn't matter one lick that I think it is a foolish policy. I CAN be fired if I sell a rodent for food. Also, I can tell you we DO NOT force feed our animals, that is 100% NOT policy in any way,shape ,or form. We feed frozen thaw and as of yet I have not had any animal refuse to eat while in my care. All of our stores should also be stocking frozen rats ( they are smalls and come in a two pack ). I do not think petsmart gets everything right, but I know that our policies have the health of the animals in mind. I have spent almost three hundred dollars of company funds on vet bills for a single 35 dollar G. Pig, then had to find someone to adopt the animal( no charge)because I could not sell it with known issues. I realize our reputation isn't the best, but I can tell you there are many good people working for the company, and more than a few idiots. Btw, I CAN also be fired for posting on this forum and letting it be known I am an employee of Petsmart.

Severum11

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Petsmart :/

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Petsmart :/

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sorry. thought you were talking about

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Originally Posted by shadi11

a little over a year ago I didnt have a job for about six months.. One day at petco I think it was I saw a sign saying now hiring reptile specialist. I actually said that may not be so bad to get me thru. Then I had to think. Doesnt matter how much you know or that youve owned reptiles for 20 years, like I have. What matters is what they want you to teach. And if you vary from that. your not keeping that job. I talked to the assistant manager who knew me from another forum I frequent. And he even said he couldnt hire me. He knows I wouldnt follow policy about what is supposed to be said. I would follow what I get caught now walking thru the store telling customers. After the "specialist" gave them not so great information.

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my mistake. but I'm encouraged to inform.
it isn't helpful when people think you actually can keep 5 goldfish in a bowl and leave them there without cleaning and expect them to live a long and healthy life.

but maybe it just depends on the manager?
I'm sure if i had a stubborn manager he or she would be telling me to never stray from what little (but helpful) information is presented in a printed out care guide.
maybe they don't want to hear "well i spoke with someone and they told me it would be ok to do _______ and now my _______ is dead."

i don't know but as i said before...
i don't want to be stupid because i hope to own so many of these animals for myself so i try to be informed.
my opinion on my own experiences.
:)

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Originally Posted by Severum11

The company doesn't want an individuals opinion to be mistaken for the companys position on any given subject. Last year we had to sign off on a policy that dealt with posting comments relating to PetSmart on public forums, inernet sites, and the like. I am violating that policy. On a side note, I can tell you what I believe to be the reason we do not sell live feeders, it is rather simple.... P.E.T.A.. Heck, we are not supposed to refer to our feeder fish as feeders.

Severum11

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so you can feed ugly animals to other animals but cute little fuzzy rodents that pose population issues in 90% of there natural habitat are not ok to use as food? now that's just hypocritical

my local petsmart bairly carries any Herp stuff, they sell them tho but provide you with NOTHING to purchase to properly care for them when they arrive home. no UTH, no CHE, to regulators or dimmers no digital metering devices of any kind. i saw no Reptile substrate, sand, eco earth or Aspen. i should really go take a photo of there lowly herp section. AND last time i was in there there was a long tailed lizard laying dead half in there water dish with a bunch of decaying crickets in the cage and the girl behind the counter was oblivious untill i pointed it pout. then she said she would get some one els to clean it up as she wasnt fond of lisards.

its simple dont shop there period for anything!
its also their store policy to abuse reptiles, and give false husbandry information about all of their reptiles.
since when do cornsnakes eat lettuce?
should turtles be housed with chinese water dragons?
then their supposed vets are nothing but jokes.

their dog training is an even bigger joke. they wanted me to let me "train" my dog when my dog was the only one in the store not trying to jump on customers or trying to run and bark. the only time mine misbehaves is when one of the other dogs is showing aggression to her in which case her hair will stand up and she takes a defensive posture, but she will still listen to me