Rant: Impulse buying pets

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Pet stores allowing impulse buy pets, and consumers who make the impulse buys are the worst. It makes me so mad that both sides can be so greedy (stores) and irresponsible (consumers and stores). Unfortunately we live in a society that, in general, wants instant gratification while putting forth little to no thinking or effort.

I think I'll buy this cute itty bitty Burmese. Oh, it gets how big, and eats what? Meh, I can just ditch it in the woods after the first time it tries to choke me out.

What's that you say little whining offspring? You won't stop that incessant screeching until I buy you the cute little lizard. You promise you'll take care of it you say? Well thats good enough for me! While we're at it better buy all the wrong husbandry supplies and inadequate enclosure too at the advice of the salesperson! What's that now? It's only a week later and don't remember what a lizard even is? Don't worry, I'll do just enough to keep it alive until I finally get sick of that and flush it down the toilet. Problem solved

Uugghhh makes me sick, I've seen it at every reptile show I've ever been to. This young couple is picking out a little baby tortoise and when the breeder informed them the tortoise would be alive long after they were worm food they replied "Well we don't want him that long anyway, we'll give him to the zoo or let him go or something, we only want him while he's little and cute." and the breeder still made the sale. I know you gotta pay the bills, but have a little dignity. I can almost guarantee that tortoise is dead or close to it.

I decided I wanted a snake in November 07. I decided I wanted a BP in February 08. I bought my setup in June 08. I bought my BP in July 08. Not saying this is how long it takes to make a good decision. Just saying it really gave me time to think, learn, and make sure it was what I wanted.

So if you're reading this, and are all pumped up to go out and get a BP, or any pet, listen up. Take your time. Hang around the site. Learn as much as you can. Make sure you really want it. You will have a much better experience and a healthier, happier pet.

</RANT>

Well said :gj:.

The sad thing is that's usually what happens. When I decided I wanted a BP I did my research on what they need, the correct size enclosures and etc. I know that my BP will probally live till I'm over 50 years old (I'm 27 now). I have seen people buy puppies and kittens when they're cute and then just let them go out in the country when they are bigger or just chain them up in the back yard and give them minimal attention breaks my heart. Simplechamp you nailed it right on the head! Pet stores, the public and some breeders give people the wrong idea.

This is one reason I don't see why the true giants are out there for sale to the general public. Okay, yeah - money. Every time I see a small anaconda, retic, burm or afrock I wonder why there isn't some kind of special permit or SOMETHING you must have to prove you can handle the long term ownership BEFORE you purchase something that is going to weigh more than you and be twenty or thirty feet in length. Have the prospective owner prove prior exotic snake ownership, have them attend a class on what it involves to take care of such a large reptile, etc. Of course, this would open up a whole theory of "give them an inch, they'll take a mile" thinking towards federal/state regulation and our hobby. On the other hand I feel bad snakes like that since most will end up as mentioned above - in essence an eventual death sentence either way.

We live in a college town and I have seen frat boys go out the door with a baby anaconda in tow due to the "cool factor" and wonder how many years left on the snakes life until the "cool factor" gives way to the realities of size, money and commitment. We all here know what it takes to make a commitment to raising an animal that has double the lifespan of a dog or cat but most others out there have no idea what it involves. I have nothing against the giants, it's just that in my own opinion perhaps maybe 5 or 10 percent actually DO know what they are getting into and the other 90 percent haven't a clue. Just my opinion though.

Our 6 foot Columbian boa, Mr. Biggles, we adopted from the reptile trade show here just recently out of a plastic tub since the owner(s) dumped him off at the local pet shop for whatever reason. Their loss, our gain. He's so laid back and what a baby. That night we got him he drank water for about 10 minutes and the following day downed 3 large rats (he scented the one we were giving to our RTB and started going nutso in his cage like "...what about me?"). Needless to say I think he is content now. He's the best, though Gopher (RTB) and Humphrey (BP) might take challenge to that.

A little off subject but it never ceases to amaze me how nature created such a perfect eating machine - 200 razors in their head, pure muscle and camo to boot and yet whenever we reach our hand in to pick 'em up they are as gentle as a lamb. (I guess you can tell I've never been tagged - but I'll post pics if I am!)

We are truly a "throw away" society and unfortunately all the critters pay the price for impulse buys and inexperience. Sadly, I see no end in sight for any of it. It's the same reason I don't visit our local animal control website anymore and torture myself with all of the dogs that are on the "short-timers" list and will be put to sleep that night at 5pm if not adopted.

Ugh.

Jeff

There are similar threads like this one already in existence, so I'll try not to rehash what has been said before.

I agree it is sad. I've worked in petstores for almost a decade now. Of course, there are bad petstores and there are good ones, and we can't judge every single one on the ignorance of some.

That said, please keep in mind that petstores are a business. Their main objective is to make money; its how they stay in business. The one I currently work for is no different. Now try as we might to educate our customers about how difficult iguanas are to care for, or how aggressive oscars are, etc, we cannot refuse sales. Its simply not good business. Say I was to spend 30 mins talking to a customer, trying to convince them to get a leopard gecko instead of a nile monitor, and they still want the monitor instead, even though they are obviously ill-equipped to deal with such a beast. I cannot tell that customer that I refuse to sell them a monitor just because I think they're not ready. They'll get mad, leave and shop elsewhere.

I recently created a poll over on Rg that read: who is most responsible when a herp bought from a petstore dies from improper care?

- the customer who bought it for not doing enough research
- the employee who sold it for not giving enough information
- the petstore management for not training their employees better
- the corporation as a whole for worrying about makin a buck than caring for their livestock

...I forget the results, but the correct answer is: the customer. The potential pet-owner is ultimately responsible for researching and making sure they are equipped for the animal they are thinking of getting, regardless of where they get it from. True, there's some ignorant stores and vendors out there who just want to make a buck, but here in the Information Age where caresheets and info is only a click away, there's simply no excuse. Bottom Line: buyer beware.

I agree it is a sad situation all around and some people simply have more money than brains. We just gotta do our best to educate the masses and nip these little scenarios in the bud.

I hate the "we don't want to keep him forever" attitude some people have towards pets.. Any pet I have I WANT to keep for as long as I live!!

That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about getting a ball python, having a pet that if I take good care of can stay with me for 30 or more years!

How in the world could anyone want a pet to die or want to get rid of it at any point?? I just don't get it. They must not get very attached to pets I guess, and see them as just living decoration, on the same level as (or below) house plants.

I had wanted a snake, after a while I had decided on a BP. I was in my 20s. My husband at the time objected so I settled for birds and dogs and such that he did approve of. I raised different kinds of birds for 30 years. The kids are grown, I divorced and remarried during that time and now my husband, even with the normal aversion most people have to snakes he agreed to a BP when he realized how bad I still wanted one. He loves the first one and then next BP I got. He tolerates but isn't quite as fond of the 2 RTBs. He hates mice and rats (dead or alive) so I do the feeding but he will help observe. At the Reptiile Expo in Daytona we were looking at Bearded Dragons and Veiled Chameleons. We chose the Cham at that time and now he is even researching the care on the web. Usually I did it and instructed him in the past. He still wanted a Beardie tho, I could tell so for his birthday I picked up a baby at a local quarterly Pet Market. He is in love. It is a good trade. I do all the cage cleaning for all the animals and we share feeding chores except he does all the crickets cause those are my biggest dislike. Getting started in Reptiles in my late 40s seems like there may be a problem when they outlive me but my oldest grandson, now 14, shares my passion for reptiles but with 3 youger kids in the house cannot have them yet. He will be adopting all of mine when it becomes necessary. He has time to learn from me and olso be sure this is what he wants. Waiting for a household that I could have reptiles may have taken awhile but it was worth it. At times in the past it would have been rough finance wise and house wise but now I know I am able to properly care for and home the wonderful creatures! I hope someone reads this that is undecided and helps them think it through. It may not tyake you 30 years to be ready but waiting until you are is certainly worth it.

I myself think the customer is to blame. Unless they were blatantly LIED to by the store employee(i.e. "That burm will never outgrow the 10g tank..") then they are responsible for the pet they buy.
If a grocery store sold a person a potato and the buyer shoved it down their own throat whole until they choked to death, why would anyone blame the grocery store?
A pet store is there to sell pets. If the pet store gives decent information, then it's up to the buyer to decide if they can care for a pet they want. I get a pet to keep for it's entire life.

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Originally Posted by Debbienflorida

even with the normal aversion most people have to snakes he agreed to a BP when he realized how bad I still wanted one

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I told my girlfriend about wanting to get a snake some time ago, and she made her aversion to "the big ones" known. I told her that I was getting a ball python and they around 4-5 feet fully grown, and she said "ONLY four feet???"

My corn snake was 6'2'' fully grown.. lol. It just makes me smile because when I think of "the big ones", I just remember my first time petting a big ol' 18 foot burmese at a reptile show when I was 8.

Also every time I've talked about getting a snake, she always asks "it won't bite me right?" She's probably asked me that 10 or 15 times now. I made sure to tell her that you can't control snakes completely, and young ones tend to bite a bit more, but if I thought the snake was going nippy I wouldn't suggest she hold it.

That is the exact reason I want to work at a pet store!!!! I want to make sure people do not buy on impulse and get the correct supplies and are not cutting corners. the people at the petstore where I got Kyros were very sketchy with their info on Ball pythons. ask any question about corns and they knew. They told me that Kyros would only get about 2 feet long!!:rage: Of course I am the biggest researcher in the world. I research until I know everything about the animal I want and after that wait till I have absolutely everything I need then buy it... average joes do not....I share your frustration.:taz:

Threads like these are great. Even if only person reads it & takes its contents to heart, that is one less animal that has to suffer.

I have to agree that I would blame the customer first. You should not go pick a pet like you would a pair of shoes. Research should be done beforehand so that everything is prepared. Next on the blame list are the stores that give wrong info. These people are supposed to be the experts! I don't rely on anything any reptile/pet store employee tells me. I may keep it in mind, and then go double check the info.

I'm still looking for trusted people to leave my BP collection to in my will. My dogs all have a place to go, but my snakes don't, and I feel guilty that I did not think about this beforehand. I may have a couple that will take care of them & are very trustworthy, but let's see how that goes...but everything else was in place weeks before I had my first BP.

I know most of what I have to say has been said already but I thought I would throw my .02 into the mix.

I just went to the reptile expo in Manchester this weekend and I just happened to overhear a couple of conversations which I know were going on all over. One this little girl (probably 10 or 11) talking to her parents at a table where the woman had some beautiful cresties. The girl says "oh mom I really like these can I have $65 to get one??" Her mom looks at her and says "Well if you want a lizard why don't we go to that table over there where they have geckos (I think they were just house geckos) for $5?" I know for a fact that there was no way that any animal they got would be properly taken care of and it would just wind up being another "throwaway pet" because they only paid 5 freakin dollars for it.

I don't think there is ever going to be a way to really do away with this mentality though. There is always going to be lower priced animals that will appeal to those people who don't really care about the animal but want to appease their little kid who is begging for a pet that they will forget about in a few weeks. I just hope that there are enough of us out there who are willing to put the actual work into keeping and maintaining HEALTHY animals and caring for them in the way they deserve to be cared for.

Sorry just had to add my little rant :taz:

If you know any of the breeders that you got snakes from, you can ask them about taking your collection when/if you die. That's what I did.
Yes, I have provisions in my will as to what happens to my pets. I've discussed with the various people what I do and do not find acceptable as to re-homing my pets. Mostly I trust the people I am leaving it up to, but there's always a "Make sure you NEVER give any of my dogs to XXX, because she's a wacko!" type thing.

I need to start a rant thread about impulse buying ball pythons. You all post so many unreal pics of snakes and my impulses are outta control!!!!

Personally, one of the things I find most disgusting are the tons of ads on Craigslist of people getting rid of their cats or dogs for various reasons, most of which make no sense to me. "Just had a baby and now we need to get rid of the dog". Why? Not enough love to spread around to the precious baby and your faithful companion? How about "moving and the new apartment doesn't take pets". Well find one that does. While it is sad when reptiles are passed around from person to person because people get bored of them, they don't have feelings of love towards an owner or the inevitable feelings of abandonment when they are kicked to the curb. Dogs and cats most definitely do. I couldn't EVER imagine giving up my dog. In my opinion, the people that do are selfish and uncaring. Pets are a commitment. If you can't commit to taking care of an animal for it's whole life, then don't get one.

Well as long as people breed the animals and put them up for sale, there is going to be impulse buyers, how many of us actualy ask potential buyers there experiance with an animal. Just look at kingsnake ads ads and more ads. We all contribute to it. How many people got into bps just to make a buck, im sure there are quite a bit.:spid0r:

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Originally Posted by anendeloflorien

I know most of what I have to say has been said already but I thought I would throw my .02 into the mix.

I just went to the reptile expo in Manchester this weekend and I just happened to overhear a couple of conversations which I know were going on all over. One this little girl (probably 10 or 11) talking to her parents at a table where the woman had some beautiful cresties. The girl says "oh mom I really like these can I have $65 to get one??" Her mom looks at her and says "Well if you want a lizard why don't we go to that table over there where they have geckos (I think they were just house geckos) for $5?" I know for a fact that there was no way that any animal they got would be properly taken care of and it would just wind up being another "throwaway pet" because they only paid 5 freakin dollars for it.

I don't think there is ever going to be a way to really do away with this mentality though. There is always going to be lower priced animals that will appeal to those people who don't really care about the animal but want to appease their little kid who is begging for a pet that they will forget about in a few weeks. I just hope that there are enough of us out there who are willing to put the actual work into keeping and maintaining HEALTHY animals and caring for them in the way they deserve to be cared for.

Sorry just had to add my little rant :taz:

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I went to that show as well and it was my first reptile show. I saw what you were describing and it upset me. I have to say...it's even worse than a pet store if you're talking about impulse buying because some of the animals are being sold cheaper than the pet stores, making it that much easier for them to be "disposed of", especially if there's a kid involved. On the other hand, some vendors edcuated buyers regardless and they know more than the stores, so it might prevent some impulse buying, but it might not do much once an impulse buyer has made up their mind.
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I too believe it is the customer's responsiblity to ask questions and do research as well, but my experience with one vendor there sort of changed my mind. I was just glancing at a table of snakes and this vendor said to me "please buy these we just want to get rid of them, we'll even give you one for free and discounts" when talking about some snakes I was looking at, some of which were only eating live pinkies. They sounded so desperate. I even asked them about the pattern on the snake, knowing exactly what it was called, and they had no idea what they were talking about :(
That upset me because that will most likely be very appealing to the adults with the whiny kids or to other people who only look at price and will lead to an impulse buy. I just expected better at a show, but I have never been so I guess even there you have those types of sellers.

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Originally Posted by hondo1967

Well as long as people breed the animals and put them up for sale, there is going to be impulse buyers, how many of us actualy ask potential buyers there experiance with an animal. Just look at kingsnake ads ads and more ads. We all contribute to it. How many people got into bps just to make a buck, im sure there are quite a bit.:spid0r:

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Just speaking for myself, I ask anyone who buys from me about their experience with the animal, make recommendations and if I am not comfortable with it, I won't make the sale to them. I've spent more money on animals and supplies than I will probably ever recoup. I do this because I love the animals and working with them.

forgot to mention, the snakes were like $15 or 20 and the discount was like $10

There are still some reputable petstores out there. Unfortunately, they usually go under quickly, or just barely survive. The one store here (it's actually purely an aquatics store) is VERY reputable. One-man-show, he owns and operates, and he does it purely because it's what he enjoys doing. He does not refuse a sale, however, he does refuse to sell the big-time fish that are generally impulse buys that usually end up with horror stories. He will order those fish in (piranhas, oscars, red devils, etc) if you special order them and he knows you, but, otherwise, you have to get them somewhere else. I had at one point started the planning of a petstore (would still love to do it) and flunked out of it because petstores are based on impulse buys, and the ones that stick around are the ones with puppies from puppy mills and exotic reptiles and such that are all sold based on idiotic customers and impulse buys.

Do I personally make impulse buys? Yes, I'll admit, I can be impulsive. I see an exotic animal, I go home and sit on the computer for a little while and figure out why I can't have it. If I find no reason, I think about if I can actually care for it for the duration of its life, if we have the space for it, etc. If I simply cannot find a flaw, and hubby says it's ok, then I usually end up with a new pet. Yes, we've got a zoo running here, we've got BP's, a corn, rats, mice, a bunch of fish, a cat and two dogs, but, if I bought pets without researching and using my head, I'm sure we would have a bunch of pouched rats, sugar gliders, chinchillas, ferrets, more dogs, fish that got entirely too big for our place, tortoises, turtles, iguanas, parrots, etc, etc.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Personally, one of the things I find most disgusting are the tons of ads on Craigslist of people getting rid of their cats or dogs for various reasons, most of which make no sense to me. "Just had a baby and now we need to get rid of the dog". Why? Not enough love to spread around to the precious baby and your faithful companion? How about "moving and the new apartment doesn't take pets". Well find one that does. While it is sad when reptiles are passed around from person to person because people get bored of them, they don't have feelings of love towards an owner or the inevitable feelings of abandonment when they are kicked to the curb. Dogs and cats most definitely do. I couldn't EVER imagine giving up my dog. In my opinion, the people that do are selfish and uncaring. Pets are a commitment. If you can't commit to taking care of an animal for it's whole life, then don't get one.

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The stupid excuse of "having a baby" drives me INSANE. Hubby and I are both young, but, when we got pregnant with our son, our pets stayed here. It was a given that the cat was NOT going anywhere, she was here first, and we consider her our son's furry older "sister". When our son was 5 months, we ended up with two puppies. Yes, sometimes it can be a hassle, but, it's not really all that bad. I think that media is partially to blame. They make it sound like once you have a baby, your life is over, you don't have 5 seconds to spare to do anything. Some will make it sound like you can't even shower or brush your teeth or you're a bad parent because you weren't up your baby's ass for that few minutes. Yes, the first three days after our son was born was like this, granted, I went 52 1/2 hours without any food or sleep because I was having contractions every 3 minutes, but, after I finally caught my sleep, it wasn't much of a hassle. Anyways, I think the media scares a lot of new parents into abandoning their pets. Most will probably feel guilty afterwards, because they abandoned their best friend because they might have a week of craziness. Anyways, as far as moving goes, this one I'm slightly on the fence about. I've been homeless before because nowhere would allow my pets. It obviously wasn't for long, a few days, but, still, it CAN be difficult to find a place that even allows pets, let alone one in price-range for some people.

I bought my ball python before i even knew what ball pythons were...and we r doing fine

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Originally Posted by ballpy1234

I bought my ball python before i even knew what ball pythons were...and we r doing fine

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It is possible for an impulse buy pet outcome to be a positive one, but you have to realize you are the exception here.

Why did you think it was OK to buy a pet you knew nothing about? What did you plan to do if your BP turned out to be a pet you didn't want after all? Were you thinking about your wants and needs or the BPs wants and needs when you made the purchase?

The simple fact is that nothing you do can change people. People have to change themselves, and all you can do is make the information they need available.

I try very hard not to let myself get so frustrated and angry because ultimately that doesn't help anyone. I am more than happy to help in any way that I can, but bashing someone over the head when they already know they made a mistake accomplishes nothing. Do what is in your power to do, and make the best of the rest. :oops:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

I am more than happy to help in any way that I can, but bashing someone over the head when they already know they made a mistake accomplishes nothing.

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IMO the problem is that most people who impulse buy pets do not know or admit that they made a mistake. That's the whole point of this thread, to help people realize the mistake and prevent it from happening again. I think "Bashing someone over the head" is a little bit of a hyperbole for what has been said in this thread. It might sound harsh to call people out like this, but if it's what needs to be done to bring the problem to their attention, then so be it. Sometimes people need a kick in the rear end to realize they need to change, because sugar coating it won't get results. People aren't going to change until they have a reason too, and they won't have a reason too until someone points out the error in their ways. I'm not going to be apathetic and believe there's nothing I can do. Like someone already mentioned, if one person reads this thread and doesn't go out and impulse buy a pet then it's worth it

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Originally Posted by simplechamp

IMO the problem is that most people who impulse buy pets do not know or admit that they made a mistake. That's the whole point of this thread, to help people realize the mistake and prevent it from happening again. I think "Bashing someone over the head" is a little bit of a hyperbole for what has been said in this thread. It might sound harsh to call people out like this, but if it's what needs to be done to bring the problem to their attention, then so be it. Sometimes people need a kick in the rear end to realize they need to change, because sugar coating it won't get results. People aren't going to change until they have a reason too, and they won't have a reason too until someone points out the error in their ways. I'm not going to be apathetic and believe there's nothing I can do. Like someone already mentioned, if one person reads this thread and doesn't go out and impulse buy a pet then it's worth it

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Well then I'll just have to disagree with you. :oops:

I don't think an aggressive approach does anything but make the object defensive. Once that wall is thrown up, they never 'hear' anything. Not to mention some people just don't care, and no amount information or bashing will make them warm fuzzy people.

There are many ways to be successful, this is just my preference on how to deal with this type of situation.

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Originally Posted by Bettacreek

I've been homeless before because nowhere would allow my pets. It obviously wasn't for long, a few days, but, still, it CAN be difficult to find a place that even allows pets, let alone one in price-range for some people.

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This is too true. The "find an apartment that DOES allow dogs!" remark just can be impossible at times. I was apartment hunting over the summer, and in the entire city of minneapolis(a city with hundreds of thousands of people, and a large university here so it's got tons of apartments) I only found one apartment that allowed dogs over 20 lbs.

It was "co-op" style apartment living, where you buy a "share" of a building on top of paying monthly rent, the room cost the same as the one I'm in now(howeverthe one I'm in now pays heating) but was only 2/3 the square footage, and on top of that because it was a "co-op", the tenants were required to do chores around the building.. That means everything like shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, vacuuming the hallways. There was a weekly chore list with rotations for who was responsible for what, and you got fined like $50 if you didn't do whatever you were supposed to for the week. In essence, a completely lame living space. If I owned a house, yeah keeping my home clean is my job, but if I'm paying monthly rent somewhere no thanks.

This apartment wasn't cheap either. There are absolutely no "affordable" 1 bedroom apartments in minneapolis that allow dogs over 20 lbs, and the ones that allow dogs up to 20 lbs are few and far between, AND most charge "pet rent"

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

Well then I'll just have to disagree with you. :oops:

I don't think an aggressive approach does anything but make the object defensive. Once that wall is thrown up, they never 'hear' anything. Not to mention some people just don't care, and no amount information or bashing will make them warm fuzzy people.

There are many ways to be successful, this is just my preference on how to deal with this type of situation.

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We each have our own preference and viewpoint on the situation, and that is to be expected. I do see some of the merits of your opinion. Maybe you see some merits of mine, maybe not. We respectfully disagree with eachother. How often do you see that on "teh internets" these days!?!?

What's important is that no matter what approach either of us may believe in, the message is the same: a pet is not something to buy on a whim or impulse.

I want to get a puppy Daschund right now more than anything in the world. I have ever since the Daschund of my childhood passed away a few years ago. But I know that I don't have the time and means to give it the life it deserves, so I will have to wait, most likely many years, before I can get one. But when that day comes it will be well worth it.

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Originally Posted by simplechamp

<RANT>

Pet stores allowing impulse buy pets, and consumers who make the impulse buys are the worst. It makes me so mad that both sides can be so greedy (stores) and irresponsible (consumers and stores). Unfortunately we live in a society that, in general, wants instant gratification while putting forth little to no thinking or effort.

I think I'll buy this cute itty bitty Burmese. Oh, it gets how big, and eats what? Meh, I can just ditch it in the woods after the first time it tries to choke me out.

What's that you say little whining offspring? You won't stop that incessant screeching until I buy you the cute little lizard. You promise you'll take care of it you say? Well thats good enough for me! While we're at it better buy all the wrong husbandry supplies and inadequate enclosure too at the advice of the salesperson! What's that now? It's only a week later and don't remember what a lizard even is? Don't worry, I'll do just enough to keep it alive until I finally get sick of that and flush it down the toilet. Problem solved

Uugghhh makes me sick, I've seen it at every reptile show I've ever been to. This young couple is picking out a little baby tortoise and when the breeder informed them the tortoise would be alive long after they were worm food they replied "Well we don't want him that long anyway, we'll give him to the zoo or let him go or something, we only want him while he's little and cute." and the breeder still made the sale. I know you gotta pay the bills, but have a little dignity. I can almost guarantee that tortoise is dead or close to it.

I decided I wanted a snake in November 07. I decided I wanted a BP in February 08. I bought my setup in June 08. I bought my BP in July 08. Not saying this is how long it takes to make a good decision. Just saying it really gave me time to think, learn, and make sure it was what I wanted.

So if you're reading this, and are all pumped up to go out and get a BP, or any pet, listen up. Take your time. Hang around the site. Learn as much as you can. Make sure you really want it. You will have a much better experience and a healthier, happier pet.

</RANT>

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This really works both ways. Impulsive shopping can be a good or a bad thing. I agree that with animals you have to be very careful and responsible. However, in some ways I take offense to this thread because I bought my Australian Shepherd very literally on impulse. I've loved animals my entire life but never thought I would own a dog. In fact, I prefer big masculine dogs to smaller ones. I saw Roxy in the window and asked to play with her for a few minutes. I was hooked and decided that she was the dog I wanted. I did my research on the breed and got everything I needed for her ahead of time, came in everyday to see her and within a week, she was in her new home. I have a big enough house and backyard, knew I could afford her medical expenses and even though she was purebred and WAY overpriced from the pet store, I got her anyway. I've given her the perfect home and she couldn't be happier with anybody else. I just recently got into Ball Pythons and snakes but I knew I wanted to get a snake eventually. I did my research for weeks before I purchased mine and I know that I'm making a 30 year commitment to this thing; otherwise, I wouldn't have put nearly as much money as I already have into owning her. So this impulsive shopping for pets thing really depends on the situation. That is all.

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

If you know any of the breeders that you got snakes from, you can ask them about taking your collection when/if you die. That's what I did.
Yes, I have provisions in my will as to what happens to my pets. I've discussed with the various people what I do and do not find acceptable as to re-homing my pets. Mostly I trust the people I am leaving it up to, but there's always a "Make sure you NEVER give any of my dogs to XXX, because she's a wacko!" type thing.

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That's what I was considering. They would have the resources, experience, etc. so they probably would be the best people to leave them to. I'm just not sure how to approach the subject...Thanks for the input!

Pet stores make money on supplies. Not animals.

That's the driving force behind moving those animals as quickly as possible to whoever has the cash. The longer they have them, the more money they are "losing" towards housing, feeding, caring and potentially the death of the animal while in their care.

The quicker they can sell it, the higher profit margin they earn.

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Originally Posted by simplechamp

We each have our own preference and viewpoint on the situation, and that is to be expected. I do see some of the merits of your opinion. Maybe you see some merits of mine, maybe not. We respectfully disagree with eachother. How often do you see that on "teh internets" these days!?!?

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Not too often. :D

I completely understand the urge to want to educate and give information to these type of people. My husband has walked me out of stores before because I was laying into the staff because of dead animals in cages, or emaciated/dehydrated animals. All I can positively say that came out of that situation is that an animal was taken to the backroom to recieve individual care, although I doubt it survived. (well that and my increased blood pressure) I try now to not get as worked up, as it just makes me crazy.

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What's important is that no matter what approach either of us may believe in, the message is the same: a pet is not something to buy on a whim or impulse.

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Impulse buying is definitely not a good thing, but there are still many animals that find good homes this way. So not all impulse buying is bad, which is usally how this world works. Absolutes are very rare in my opinion.

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I want to get a puppy Daschund right now more than anything in the world. I have ever since the Daschund of my childhood passed away a few years ago. But I know that I don't have the time and means to give it the life it deserves, so I will have to wait, most likely many years, before I can get one. But when that day comes it will be well worth it.

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I'm really wanting another dog as well. I'm wanting a bigger dog, but I would like to wait until my older dog passes. At this point I could handle another dog, but I'm waiting for just the right dog and the right situation to come along. So when the time comes it will be a bit of an impulse, although a planned impulse? :oops:

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

So when the time comes it will be a bit of an impulse, although a planned impulse? :oops:

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That is a good point you bring up. There are different levels of impulse buying. Not all can be lumped in together. I should have addressed this in my OP to avoid any misunderstandings.

You might decide on a whim to go get a new dog one day, but you have been thinking about it for awhile, you have experience with dogs, and you are confident you are capable of providing that animal a good life. This would bring up a logical question; if you have thought about this in depth, and over a peroid of time, is it really an impulse anymore? Going out and buying a dog ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY may be spontaneous, but the idea of wanting another dog has been instilled in your mind for quite some time. Going out and buying another BP on a whim when you have a collection of many is impulsive, but not the type of behavior I was critisizing. Going out and buying a new fish to add to a healthy and well established aquarium could be an impulse, but again, not the type I was meaning to bring up here.

The type of behavior I disagree with is when someone gets the idea in their head that they want a certain pet, and act on that desire immediately, without any of the required planning and research. Situations where the person buys first and asks questions later, almost as an afterthought. "Oh by the way, what does this animal eat?" as they're walking out of the store. These are the type that must be avoided. I would suggest, as a rule of thumb, if someone becomes interested in a certain pet they hold back the urge to buy immediately, research as much as they can for no less than a week, and then decide if the pet is right for them.

It can be summed up by saying EDUCATED impulse buys can be alright at times. UNEDUCATED impulse buys are the type that get my blood boiling.