Anyone ever bought from petsmart?

[Seru1]

We're always talking about pet stores here, especially when they are bad.

But I gotta say I was buying some f/t mice yesterday and a striped Cali king caught my eye. Nothing special really, nothing exotic, But it came out as I was looking for the geckos that were supposedly in one cage. As I chatted with the employee nearby she let me handle it.

My finances are in pretty good shape now, and I have two colubrid cages set up. It had such a cool personality. I figured though I'd shake it off but I can't help but ponder that snake.

Still Big Chain pet stores can have poor husbandry. And I prefer to do buisness with breeders, but I dunno alot of colubrid breeders.

So I wondered if any of the pros here ever bought from pet smart. Or is it just the ultimate noob move. Maybe I should just let the idea go, it was a really cool little snake though.

[snakegrl]

I have only ever bought fish and some rats when we were desperate for snake food. I have no problem with it except you are going to pay more at those places. Of course you have to becareful and make sure they are not sick

[rabernet]

I haven't purchased from Petsmart, but there was a chocolate striped cali king that didn't sell, and didn't sell, and didn't sell, and the manager grabbed me one day and asked me if I'd buy it if she discounted it. I asked her how much she'd discount it, and at the time it was 20%.

I told her that since essentially, since I wasn't shopping for a cali king, that would be a "rescue" situation for me, and told her the price I could get them at local reptile shows vs what she wanted me to take it off her hands for.

She said if it didn't sell for another week, she'd mark it down more and let me know. One of her employees said if she knocked it down that low, HE'D buy it. I said "there you go! You've got your sale!".

Seriously though, I like the staff at my Petsmart, they genuinely want to try to do what's best for the animals, they know that I breed ball pythons, and they are always stopping me when I come in to look at a new critter, check out an animal in their quarantine area to give my opinion as well as asking me general care questions. They acknowledge that they are somewhat handcuffed by corporate policies that they have to follow.

[Rorschach]

I haven't purchased from Petsmart, but there was a chocolate striped cali king that didn't sell, and didn't sell, and didn't sell, and the manager grabbed me one day and asked me if I'd buy it if she discounted it. I asked her how much she'd discount it, and at the time it was 20%.

I told her that since essentially, since I wasn't shopping for a cali king, that would be a "rescue" situation for me, and told her the price I could get them at local reptile shows vs what she wanted me to take it off her hands for.

She said if it didn't sell for another week, she'd mark it down more and let me know. One of her employees said if she knocked it down that low, HE'D buy it. I said "there you go! You've got your sale!".

Seriously though, I like the staff at my Petsmart, they genuinely want to try to do what's best for the animals, they know that I breed ball pythons, and they are always stopping me when I come in to look at a new critter, check out an animal in their quarantine area to give my opinion as well as asking me general care questions. They acknowledge that they are somewhat handcuffed by corporate policies that they have to follow.

Besides the fact they try to charge $80 for normals, which I understand, they are a giant business after all. I have no problem with buying anything from Petsmart. Their animals look healthy.

There is a pet shop where I live where I will absolutely not buy from. Their tanks have no hides, mites everywhere even when I mention it to them it doesn't get handled. If you go in one day and see something you like, go back a few days later and ask where it went... It died. I even heard from one of the staff that a co-worker froze a ball to death because it wouldn't eat and she felt she had to put it down. I prefer Petsmart to this place any day.

[djansen]

petsmart price vs breeder price...

plus, I would rather buy from a breeder where I can go and see how he raises his animals, pick one out, talk in person, etc. Maybe you know someone. and I would rather my money go to an honest person in this hobby rather then some big name chain store.

[WakoNako]

I don't know any local breeders here (Central Florida) so we're brought our normal bp at Petsmart. Yeah it was $80, but from the breeders online it still would of been that much including shipping.

The snake is a good eater, hes very tame. Only a little jumpy if you move too quick in front of his face.

But he's healthy and we haven't had problems.

[Seru1]

petsmart price vs breeder price...

plus, I would rather buy from a breeder where I can go and see how he raises his animals, pick one out, talk in person, etc. Maybe you know someone. and I would rather my money go to an honest person in this hobby rather then some big name chain store.

Yeah I feel the same way, little king though just had an awesome personality.

[WingedWolfPsion]

If the husbandry in the reptile section looks good, and you feel that the animals has been kept safely, then I see no reason why not. These animals came from big breeders who sold them wholesale.

I would be sure to get it the vet exam with fecal, but that's a good matter of course with a new animal no matter where it came from. I got an albino from a breeder that turned up positive for pinworm. I'd had it for a year at the time. Did it come from him? From a live feeder rodent (he wouldn't eat FT)? I don't know, and it doesn't really matter--infectious parasites like pinworm are common and they can get into your collection in more than one way, so periodically--get your animals tested. If any behave unusually or don't eat regularly, all the more reason to get them tested.

If you love an individual animal, and you're willing to pay the price for it, why not? Who's to say you'll find one with that kind of personality direct from a breeder? They are individuals.

[Jackal]

I'm not a fan of the Petsmart in my area personally, the staff consists of a bunch of squealing teenage girls. I've given up on getting fish from there because they all end up being horribly sick. Also yesterday I purchased an Asain painted bullfrog ((Chubby frog)) from them and noticed when I got it home its eyes looked a bit cloudy then in the morning they had turned completely white, a bit of google searching let me know it was a fungal infection cased by being kept in bad conditions.
Honestly though each store is different, so yours might be better than the one we have here.