Petsmart

i'm not going to go on a complete rant because i'm not completely positive about this. But i went to pet smart today to pick up some frozen rats, anyways i wandered over to the section where they have there live animals and looked at the ball python cage. I noticed he seemed to be in very good shape and humidity was actually perfect. But then I noticed the analog thermometer in there said 115 degrees. Now I was really upset and i wanted to say something. Does this measure ambient temp in the cage? because it was right below the heat source I thought that might have thrown it off. Should I go back and say something about it?

Thanks in advance.

I would go back and ask about it. I'm sure they just have a bulb in there intended for a different reptile. Honest mistakes happen, so my advice is to remember the golden rule when you're talking to the employees. Having worked retail for quite some time, you're bound to get a more receptive response that way. :)

Eek! I would definitely say something. Just kindly point out the high temp, they may not realize it's like that.

Nothing new.

Search the topic you will see many of us have found issues there and stores of the like. I once had a GTP die in my hands at petco because they conditions were way off.

All that said if the thermometer was close to the overhead lights it is very likely that the numbers at the top of the cage are much higher than the surface temps on the cage floor. At 115 near the light I could believe the cage floor was in a good range.

If the snakes overall looked well I would say that better than most stores offer.



Why the NYPD patch avatar? You LEO, hopeful, or just a supporter?

Analog thermometers are known to be way off (up to 30 or more degrees!), on top of that it was close to the heat source which can raise temperatures significantly. If i use my temp gun about 3-4" away from the heat source it's 131*, but if i hit the bottom of the enclosure it's 96-97* so i wouldn't be too concerned given all the factors, but if it would ease your mind then i would go back and speak to a store employee or manager.

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LEO 6 years! 73 pct actually, keeps me busy!

It is an analog thermometer. These are highly known for being extremely inaccurate. It never hurts to ask though. With it being under the heat source "heating lamp" it would also cause inaccurate readings. This is why many prefer to use the probe digitals.

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Originally Posted by gladiator

LEO 6 years! 73 pct actually, keeps me busy!

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Very nice! Ive got 10 yrs as a LEO and 2 previous yrs in corrections. It is a tough time to be in law enforcement. I don't know why anybody would want to start now.

hold the line brother!

Petsmart husbandry is generally never very good. They don't use proper equipment or offer proper enclosures for their animals.

Analog thermometers are junk and are often WAY off.

Also, why are you buying rats from petsmart? My gosh, I'd be so broke if I did that. Lol


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Originally Posted by I-KandyReptiles

Petsmart husbandry is generally never very good. They don't use proper equipment or offer proper enclosures for their animals.

Analog thermometers are junk and are often WAY off.

Also, why are you buying rats from petsmart? My gosh, I'd be so broke if I did that. Lol


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My problem exactly haha the rats are 12 dollars! I have no clue where else to get them because where i live there is no normal pet store, only these chain "supermarkets"

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Try to find a local breeder maybe?


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Originally Posted by I-KandyReptiles

Try to find a local breeder maybe?


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I wouldn't know where to look for one

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I'd try craigslist I'm lucky enough to have a couple of mom&pop exotic pet shops near me but when I'm cruising craigslist i do see a few people selling feeder mice and rats on there

Craigslist or try local reptile groups on Facebook.


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Originally Posted by goshenherps

My problem exactly haha the rats are 12 dollars! I have no clue where else to get them because where i live there is no normal pet store, only these chain "supermarkets"

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If they ever figure out you're buying them as feeders, they'll cut you off (it's against company policy to sell live rodents as feeders) so it's good to find a backup. And cheaper.

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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

If they ever figure out you're buying them as feeders, they'll cut you off (it's against company policy to sell live rodents as feeders) so it's good to find a backup. And cheaper.

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I think they were referring to how much the frozen rats cost. I don't believe they were talking about live. But that is how I interpreted it since the OP was taking about going there for frozen rats.


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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

If they ever figure out you're buying them as feeders, they'll cut you off (it's against company policy to sell live rodents as feeders) so it's good to find a backup. And cheaper.

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Yeah i get only frozen rats and they are still so expenisive, there is no breeder around me i could buy live or pre killed from, let alone frozen. So I'm stuck with spending 100+ dollars a month on my snakes

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you can find companies online that sell frozen mice and rats that ship overnight. I buy mine from Layne labs and have always had excellent service. The price per rat is cheaper, and they have a full selection of sizes.

What off the Internet even with cost of shipping if you buy a months worth im sure it be less

I buy large amounts that last me many months at a time. I usually buy rats 2 to 3 times a year. I have a chest freezer for them. Much easier and cheaper.

I ordered online from RodentPro until I found a local breeder BulkMice where I save a ton by picking them up and avoid shipping all together.

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Originally Posted by goshenherps

Yeah i get only frozen rats and they are still so expenisive, there is no breeder around me i could buy live or pre killed from, let alone frozen. So I'm stuck with spending 100+ dollars a month on my snakes

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(lol, what I get for not reading the entire thread)
Holy crap! I thought maybe their live rats might cost that much but for frozen that's just plain ridiculous. I've used both MiceDirect and RodentPro (online) before, and been pretty satisfied with them.

I use Big Cheese. Their prices are comparable to Rodent Pro but the product is better quality imo. Everyone else seems to charge a lot more per unit.

I hate Petsmart. I got my first BP, Severus, from them and he was underfed, underweight, and had a prolapse! When I tried to use their free vet visit, they told me I had to return my snake, get a refund, let them keep him as long as they saw fit, and then I could buy him back. Luckily, I knew a girl who breeds snakes and she gave me instructions on how to get him fixed up. Now, we're gaining weight, eating weekly, and no prolapse. I would most definitely go back and say something. If I ever go into a Petsmart now, I always check the snakes. Poor babies.

I'm not a fan of Petsmart either. I bought my first snake there and named her Lily. 16 days later she died from IBD.

8 months later I made that mistake again. Bought another ball Python from a different Petsmart. Staff seemed mildly knowledgeable (didn't know what IBD was though). He had a horrible shed right before we bought him and still had a good amount stuck to him (we didn't notice in store) We then fed him for the first time after he became acclimated and he had a prolapse soon after. The feeding chart they kept showed that he had eaten 2 mice in the last 3 months. The manager told us he had a prolapse in the past, and said he wasn't supposed to be sold. He was one of two on display when we bought him.

The only plus side is both times they allowed us to return all items we bought (they threw everything away that could have been contaminated from the first snake) and gave us full refunds on both snakes.

I wizened up after that and bought a snake from a reptile store in town. I've now had Draco for a year :)

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Originally Posted by goshenherps

My problem exactly haha the rats are 12 dollars! I have no clue where else to get them because where i live there is no normal pet store, only these chain "supermarkets"

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Petco is about half the price. The Petco near me a few weeks back had an electrical issue and couldn't take customers. I buy them from there every time I feed. They're about $5.99 for a medium f/t rat. They also sell 3 packs. I went to Petsmart the day they were closed, and I noticed the "same size" rat was $13! And was really a small not a medium. Imagine my frustration when I came home and my snake didn't eat. $13 down the drain. Needless to say next feeding time, I got her a normal medium from Petco and she ate like a champ.

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I also bought my chameleon from there and actually got paid to take her. I called the corporate store and told them that their animal handler was a moron and was shaking charms all over the place. I got pissed and asked for a manager who told me I could take my chameleon and her items for free (a solid $250 value) if I didn't contact corporate. I did anyways after getting her home and they paid for her first vet visit and offered to pay for her food for a year.

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