Petsmart rats

So Saturday evening I was out of town and heading home to feed my snakes. I normally go to a local guy to get my rats but he closes early and it was late so I decided to stop by PetSmart on my way home. I asked the girl if they sold mive and rats and she started to help me. When she asked what i needed them for, I told her and immediately she says she can't sell them to me cause its inhumane to feed live. I have never had this problem anywhere else including other chain petstores, but since she informed her manager of my intentions I guess I will go back to my regular guy today.

I've heard and read quite a few times that PetSmart will not sell live feeders.

PetCo, on the other hand, will not question you. In fact - when I used to shop at PetCo for my live food, I would occasionally be questioned by employees - not because it was their job, but because they were curious about what I had and I recall a few occasions where I had lengthy conversations with the PetCo employee about how awesome snakes are.

Did she have a british accent? I happened on a UK forum and they really really really really don't want you feeding live over there. Matter of fact, it is supposedly difficult to find live feeder rats or something.

I know PetCo sells live feeders but the town i was coming through was in KY and i just figured i would give it a shot since it was late. If someone else would have been with me I might have sent them in oh well

Petsmart will not sell their rats as feeders. End of story.

I just would like to know where they get off with crap like that?

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I just would like to know where they get off with crap like that?

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What do you mean? They can refuse sale if they want to for any reason.

yeah, anyone will find out real quick that no petsmart will sell feeder animals. it's against policy. i got my first snake from a local friend and the first thing he told me was to not go to petsmart for mice. i wouldn't go anyway, have you seen the price of those rodents? i couldn't afford to get feeders from there if i wanted to. they do sell frozed rats/;mice there, though, but there not too much better in price.

This is Petsmart company policy animals there are only sold as Pets and their employees (whether they agree on this policy or not) are trained to screen you to make sure you do not intend to buy their animals as feeders.

That is their right to do so and I see nothing wrong with that. (Does not mean I like pet stores though ;))

As far as your snake he can wait a day or 2 even more for your local store to be open.

Yeah, I bought a female rat from PetSmart once (I wouldn't normally but this girl was just too damn cute to pass up) and when I told the girl that I keep snakes she was absolutely horrified! They make you sign a waiver saying that they will not be used as food, that if there are any problems you'll take them to a vet blah, blah, blah. I assured her that she was not going to be food (didn't mention anything about her babies though!) and they sold her to me.

I didn't even get far enough to see prices we made it about three steps and asked me what kind of cage i was keeping them in. i think she thought i should know they don't sell them as feeders, but i had never been in petsmart before. GPS said that was the only petstore around that area

They will sell snakes but not the food for them, my guys only eat live mice and rats

Petsmart sells pets, not food animals. They do sell food for snakes, and it's not their problem that a person's reptiles only eat live. They sell F/T rodents which is what most people advocate feeding anyway.
I feed live, for convienance's sake. I've gotten rats for breeders from Petsmart, and they didn't ask me about them much, but I did sign a pet waiver saying that I'd take good care of the rattie and love it forevers. I did too. It was a lousy breeder, and I ended up giving it to my sister who wanted a pet rat,(gave her two so they'd have company) and it lived out it's life as a pampered spoiled brat.
ANY pet store can choose to not sell live feeders. They get to decide what they will or will not sell to anyone. The beauty of owning a business is that the OWNER gets to decide their policy. Nothing wrong with it at all.

I totally agree they can sell them for whatever purpose they want. It just kinda caught me off guard cause thats the only place that has ever refused to sell me feeders. oh well my normal guy will be open so i will get them after work

Yeah we got denied also, my man was so pissed. But we found a rodent factory so all is well now. They are just losing buisness, it is not inhumane it is mother nature.

Would it be fair to say that a lot of folks here owuld be upset to see a store selling baby ball pythons as live feeders in pet stores? There's plenty of animals that eat baby ball pythons, including other snakes. A tank full of cute baby ball hatchlings with a label of "Feeder snakes" would be a little bit sickening to me, although I know that there's other creatures that eat ball pythons.
It's all in what YOU are used to. We feed rodents to snakes. They don't feed live rodents to snakes. In some cases they are gaining business because rat lovers won't buy rats or supplies from places that DO sell live feeders(sometimes non-rat lovers, becuase it's a fuzzy pet and even if they don't want to own one, they still equate it as a cute pet, not as food).

That's funny. I went to Petsmart and Petco to get a live mouse and they told me they don't sell live feeders. It never occurred to me to look in the pet mouse section.

I get my live feeders from another big box pet store now and most of them are nasty. Does Petsmart and Petco guarantee that the mice and rats they sell as pets have the proper temperament to suit that purpose? :colbert:

Just thinking out loud.

I bought my BP from petsmart and they told me he was eating F/T. He did not eat for a three weeks so i got scared and bought him a live fuzzy from my local breeder. he went at it like it was going out of style. so then i went to the petsmart across the street from my house and made the " mistake" of saying"Do you se feeder mices" in steed of do you sell mice. they wouldnt even sell me a mouse that was give to my little sister for Christmas!

they are jerks to me anythime i go in there. So i dont anymore

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Would it be fair to say that a lot of folks here owuld be upset to see a store selling baby ball pythons as live feeders in pet stores? There's plenty of animals that eat baby ball pythons, including other snakes. A tank full of cute baby ball hatchlings with a label of "Feeder snakes" would be a little bit sickening to me, although I know that there's other creatures that eat ball pythons.
It's all in what YOU are used to. We feed rodents to snakes. They don't feed live rodents to snakes. In some cases they are gaining business because rat lovers won't buy rats or supplies from places that DO sell live feeders(sometimes non-rat lovers, becuase it's a fuzzy pet and even if they don't want to own one, they still equate it as a cute pet, not as food).

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If someone wants to spend the $100 Petsmart prices for a normal ball python to feed off every week, instead of perhaps $3 on a rat that weighs about the same and probably healthier, then more power to them. they can even set up a breeder colony and produce 5 snakes a year to feed off.

I asked them if they sell feeder fish for my water dragon and they had no problem hooking me up.

Of course, they sell insects live as feeders too...

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Originally Posted by anatess

Did she have a british accent? I happened on a UK forum and they really really really really don't want you feeding live over there. Matter of fact, it is supposedly difficult to find live feeder rats or something.

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Its because it is illegal over there to feed Live, unless the snake wont eat anything else.

PetCo/Petsmart has all rights not to sell anything to you! Just wait until your friend is open again.

The one by where I live never has rats. The one time I did see one male in a cage all alone, I was going to buy it for breeding. I asked what the price on him was and the guy told me it was $10.00.......then I was asked what i wanted him for, I said for breeding. And he said they would not sell a breeder. So I just went back to the usual shop for $3.00 a rat:D

yeah my normal guy sells them to me for $3-4 a piece.

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Originally Posted by anatess

Did she have a british accent? I happened on a UK forum and they really really really really don't want you feeding live over there. Matter of fact, it is supposedly difficult to find live feeder rats or something.

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I believe it was made illegal to feed live prey in the UK.

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Originally Posted by kabuna

So Saturday evening I was out of town and heading home to feed my snakes. I normally go to a local guy to get my rats but he closes early and it was late so I decided to stop by PetSmart on my way home. I asked the girl if they sold mive and rats and she started to help me. When she asked what i needed them for, I told her and immediately she says she can't sell them to me cause its inhumane to feed live. I have never had this problem anywhere else including other chain petstores, but since she informed her manager of my intentions I guess I will go back to my regular guy today.

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Its a policy of Petsmarts', they wont sell live animals as feeders, thats why they charge like 20 dollars per rat.

Petco is awful to buy feeders from here. I went in with my son (1 year old squirming bundle of chaos) to buy some bird supplies and a few feeders (the other place was out). They asked what they were for, I said feeders, so, the employee threw a fit and had to get manager approval. Five minutes later, I got the mice, and had the slip of sale (to take to the register) with a big *NO GUARANTEE* on them. No big deal, until I got to the counter and had to fill out/sign an adoption application. I was trying to fill it out, hold all the crap, and keep my son under control. I had to fill out name, address, phone number and had to sign at the bottom saying something along the lines that I promise to take good care of them. I explained to the woman at the counter that they were feeder rodents, but I still had to sign and promise to take good care of them. Meh, I certainly won't be returning there for feeders, not after all of that hassle.

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

Does Petsmart and Petco guarantee that the mice and rats they sell as pets have the proper temperament to suit that purpose? :colbert:

Just thinking out loud.

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Actually yes they do. Its called a 14 day guarantee. You can bring the animal back if it is sick, dead or just doesn't work well for you.

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Originally Posted by wafisherman

I asked them if they sell feeder fish for my water dragon and they had no problem hooking me up.

Of course, they sell insects live as feeders too...

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And your point is? If I run a business I can sell what and to who, and for what purpose I want. You don't like it? Don't go there. Simple as that. If they think they are losing enough money, they will start carrying live mice as feeders. If they think their "morals" are more important, they won't.

PetSmart does sell feeder animals....crickets.

I know, I am just being a smart alek....

When we bought some female breeders at PetCo we were questioned about what they were for, and I told them they were pets but that they would be bred for feeders, and the lady didnt have a problem with it, and she was the manager. Maybe you just have to find someone willing to break the rules.

I get that they don't sell feeders, but at the time, i had never been in petsmart before. the girl just made such a big deal about it being inhumane and caught me off guard. the manager did offer to sell f/t but i can't seem to interest either one of my snakes in frozen thawed. oh well i have some live waiting for pickup after work.

So, does that mean that all of the CH balls that PetSmart sells are guaranteed to take F/T with no problems? :-/

The one near me has signs posted to the effect that due to the problem of small animal overpopulation, they will only sell one sex of any kind of small animal per store. (Thus coincidentally ensuring that you will _continue_ to have to pay $15.00 per rat!)

~Bruce

I only go there to buy "Fancy" breeders.

My Petsmart knows that I breed rats for feeders and I never had a problem buying females from them to add to my original colony. I haven't purchased one from them for some time now, because I have other sources to get rats from (other members here) if I need to.

Who would want to spend $9.99 on a feeder though?

I don't have a problem with PetSmart's policies, personally.

LOL You should've said you were buying them as early birthday presents for all your kids :D They might have thrown one in for free! lol JK

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Originally Posted by DBD

LOL You should've said you were buying them as early birthday presents for all your kids :D They might have thrown one in for free! lol JK

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LOL btw, you never had to mention that your kids were SNAKES!!! :rofl:

petco sells live feeders i would buy like 15-30 mice every couple weeks when they were $1.29 i think there like $2-$2.50 now
they would some times ask how many snakes do you have
they look at you weird when you say 30
no guarantee on feeders but if you want them for breeding you can fill out the paper for a 14 day guarantee
never been to petsmart so i don't know about them

I find that most pet stores look at you funny when they here how many snakes you have... I think its because they know if you breed your own they will lose some business... I doubt if thats the real reason...maybe they just think we're crazy for owning so many snakes.

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Originally Posted by MDball0918

I find that most pet stores look at you funny when they here how many snakes you have... I think its because they know if you breed your own they will lose some business... I doubt if thats the real reason...maybe they just think we're crazy for owning so many snakes.

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Considering how many snakes they sell a month (1 or 2 if they're lucky) I doubt it's the loss of profit. I've seen the same snake sit in that tiny enclosure for almost 2 months now, went there this morning and the bugger is still there.

I think snakes in general aren't really accepted as widely as other animals (dogs,cats) in our society, people tend to either see them as evil creatures that bite and will kill you with it's venom, or some are just ignorantly grossed out by them. Best thing we can do is educate people.

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Originally Posted by JKExotics

Considering how many snakes they sell a month (1 or 2 if they're lucky) I doubt it's the loss of profit. I've seen the same snake sit in that tiny enclosure for almost 2 months now, went there this morning and the bugger is still there.

I think snakes in general aren't really accepted as widely as other animals (dogs,cats) in our society, people tend to either see them as evil creatures that bite and will kill you with it's venom, or some are just ignorantly grossed out by them. Best thing we can do is educate people.

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You're absolutely right I've seen the same california king at my local pet store for over two months. When I said about the loss of profit I was speaking of mice and rat breeding not snakes...If you breed your own you wont have to come to their store everyweek or so for more mice or rats.

I walk in there sometimes wearing my Got Balls? T-Shirt and when they ask I tell them it's none of your buisness and always get mice. That is only when my local shop is closed.

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Originally Posted by MDball0918

You're absolutely right I've seen the same california king at my local pet store for over two months. When I said about the loss of profit I was speaking of mice and rat breeding not snakes...If you breed your own you wont have to come to their store everyweek or so for more mice or rats.

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Yeah but that gets real old after a while. But if someone has the patience to do it go for it.

Don't know if their policy is different in different cities but their two rules here are:

1.) Not allowed to sell any rodents as feeders.
2.) Only allowed to stock same sex.


Litteraly one store by the mall has 100% male rodents. Rats, Mice, Hamsters, Gerbils, and everything else. To get a female you have to drive 25 minutes to go to the petsmart at the beach who only has 100% female rodents.

I hate them... But dealing with crap like that every week is what pushed me to make the best decision I have ever made in this hobby... and that is producing my own feeders.

Mike

Pretty much the same way it is here Mike. Lucky for us there is a Pet Warehouse right across the street. Their store is smaller, and more condensed, but they sell feeders. But everything else is more expensive there.

My fiancee and I along with my buddy that had just bought a JCP went into our local Petco needing a feeder for our savy. We were talking with a lady who was in complete disgust with my buddy's JCP was asking us why we needed the mouse...then my fiancee opened her jacket which had Abraxas attached to the inside of it for warmth. The manager who was standing there thought he was just awesome. I had told him we were gonna need feeder mice and he was all but extatic about having us go there to get our feeders. Needless to say Victim 1-3 have all came from there. We figured Victim was a good name for them. lol.

don't all chain stores that don't sell live feeders also sell snakes? do they just let a snake die if it won't eat frozen/thawed right out of the egg?

They don't let them die if they don't eat the feed the those really freaky snake sausage or crickets lol. The 2 petsmarts near me dosen't even sell mice or rats as pets yet sell rat and mice supplies???I can't get fancy mice or rats in town so I have to settle for feeder animals that could be inbred too much so breeding them might prove futile.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

don't all chain stores that don't sell live feeders also sell snakes? do they just let a snake die if it won't eat frozen/thawed right out of the egg?

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The Petsmart here will actually go over to Pet Warehouse across the street and get feeders if they get a snake in that won't eat F/T.