Pet stores

[Simplex]

So no offense to anyone who works i a pet store.. But i need to rant...

I can barely walk into pet stores now... They frustrate me...they annoy me.. And i leave bothered.. Rarely do i walk into a pet shop and have the opportunity to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about..

Most times im confronted with a happy hello and a friendly smile of a 16 year old kid who got the quick guide to selling reptiles.. Mention ball pythons and there needs ( ill throw a test out every now and again) and im quickly whisked away to the enclosure area, where im being sold a thin tall enclosure, heat rock, and heat lamp...

Not to mention the sickly looking normals on sale for 125.00 that they would be happy to sell without any follow up, or initial questions.

In closing... Thank my stars theres sites like this that help educate new owners, on needs of their animals. Before or after purchase...



We should almost issue lil tokens u need to present to show u know enough about your reptile!!!

[hypnotixdmp]

Yeah I feel ya, it's like its nothing but a corporation now. It's not about the animals, it's about the money, not even the customers happiness.....

I hate having to go in even to buy live mince when needed, so I bought like 12 last time and am trying to breed them!!!

Here is my story though, from Pet Smart in Pace Florida. I went in, with the intention of buying a 30"long snake tank kit. I had the kit in my basket and everything and got everything I wanted. Then, I asked to handle and check out the 3 they had, they actually looked decently healthy, but then again, they just got them in like 4 days before I picked her up. But, the lady was like,

"You HAVE to have a UVA and UVB bulb, or your ball python may not shed. You also need to make sure you get this and get that and this!!! My snake didn't shed right until I got him a UVA and UVB bulb and set it up!!!"

I looked at her, and I said.....I don't need UVA or B and neither did you. They probably had shedding issues because you used an analog thermometer and hydrometer and didn't have a high enough % for humidity. She looked at me so confused, and I explained that snakes, unlike most lizards, do NOT get nutrients from sun light, only the food they intake. Then I told her she needs to stop trying to tell people what to feed the balls because they are so picky and will eat what they will eat!!!

Basically, I felt more like they were trying to get money off of me rather than sale me a beautiful animal. She felt all dry and you could feel her scales sticking out....after 2 sheds she feels nice and smooth, can barely feel her scales when rubbing up backwards. So, my exp. is crap with pet stores too....

[RoseyReps]

I worked at a chain pet store for about 5 years. I loved that store, and the owners. Looking back, there were some things that were done that shouldn't have been, but for the most part they did their best to take care of all the animals while still being able to sell. I was the go to reptile person, which is funny thinking about it back then, I didn't know half as much as I know today, and still don't know a small fraction of what I could know. I know we never sold a snake who hadn't eaten for us at least 2 preferably 3 times. I also stopped or veered many sales, after explaining things like "Iguana's are very cute, but please, let's look at something else as a first reptile for your 7yo son. How about a leopard gecko? Or a beardie?" Most people, once I explained how big certain animals got, listened to my advice and ended up with a better beginner pet. Some wouldn't listen, (some people can't tell their kids "no.") and insisted on getting a Savannah Monitor as their first pet, even after explaining size, food, caging requirements etc. But this is where the store owners would step in, saying they felt it best to refuse to sell. I worked in the back, with the animals, not as a sales rep. The sales reps, unfortunately weren't as insistent as me at telling people how big certain animals get etc. I stopped / saved as many as I could, but there were many that I didn't. The owners told us many times over that we could refuse sales if things didn't seem right, but sales reps working on commission aren't the best people to make that decision. We spot cleaned all cages daily, and deep cleaned once a week. Fed our snakes weekly, fed our beardies veggies & cricks, sometimes mealies, and give vita sups to most of the reptiles. Sadly, that isn't enough, and the owners had to shut the doors last February.

I tend to be more lenient with pet stores than most, as I understand they are trying to make a living, and it is incredibly hard to sell something your customers can't see. (IE: many pet stores don't give bps hides) but at the same time, I believe there are ways around those issues. Putting up a picture of the snake with a little "Ask to see this beautiful animal!" etc.

I prefer to support the local pet stores over chains, now that my old employment place is no longer around. But even the local places are hit or miss with quality of care, knowledge, and the like. Maybe if I win the lotto one day, I'll open a pet store that houses all the animals in properly sized, and set up enclosures, have the best fed feeders in town, and be able to tell people to shove off when they want to buy a monitor for their kids. *dream* one day..maybe

I'm not defending pet stores, not by a long shot. It's very rare to ever see a pet store that takes good care of their animals, or gives a hoot who they sell what to... just wanted to ramble...so.. deal with it...ha

[AK907]

Pet stores around here don't like my wife nor myself because we have absolutely no issue hashing it out with the managers on their neglect. It is all in vain because they really don't care, nor does the ASPCA or anyone of authority. Animal abuse and neglect outside of animals like dogs, cats and horses isn't considered of any importance around here. Sad, but true.

[h00blah]

My sister has been working at Petco for so long as the "aquatics specialist" that she doesn't care for stuck up people who just want to buy a pretty fish with no intention to provide a suitable living condition... She will flat out deny the sale of a fish to someone who doesn't know how to take care of them.... I hear terrible sad horror stories all the time. People come in and ask for a fish... She asks them questions like "what will you be putting him in? do you know how often to feed them? do you have bla bla" all that fish stuff that I have no clue about. Some people respond with "just sell me the fish" or "fish eat????"..... ... She has actually grown to love goldfish, and before I knew anything about them, they were just dumb fish who I couldn't keep alive for more than a week... There's actually a lot more to keeping them healthy than I thought! I understand her frustration with the people who don't have any real interest or passion in our favorite animals lol.

[Andrew21]

It annoys me when people know nothing about reptiles. Like at all. I did a survey for a class project. It was titled "what's your favorite snake species". One kid said albino yellow python. I was like "Albino is a morph. Yellow is a color. And python is a genus. I need a species." He just kept saying albino yellow python. I put him down as burmese because that is generally what people mean when the say python.

I went to a petco and the "reptile lady" let me handle a few snakes. When I asked if I could hold the gtp she said only if I was serious about buying it. We started joking around about how they tend to bite and she said she didn't "want to risk having to go to a hospital to get a vaccine."

[Vargronak]

I actually just bought my first BP from a Petco.... However I did my homework ( mainly by reading these forums ) and knew what I was looking for. A few weeks before I bought her it was my b-day and everyone gets me Petco giftcards ( because of the my aquariums and cats they are practical ) so I figured I would put them to good use and since this was my first snake I wasn't fully comfortable buying one online and would much rather handle an individual before I committed. I have to say the guy who worked there in the reptile department actually knew his stuff, he wasn't just some punk 16yo kid trying to sell me a UVB lamp. I actually threw a few questions out to test him such as substrate he said Aspen, asked if I needed heat lamp/UVB he said absolutely not and asked if I should get a heat rock and he said HELL NO! UTH all the way and he even told me to get a thermostat but I should buy it on Amazon because they ones they had were better quality and cheaper than in the store. He also told me her feeding schedule demeanor and let me handle her for a good 10 minutes while answering questions I had about her. He even went as far as to give me his work schedule so if I had any issues/concerns I could call him or come see him at the store!

Of coarse I already had her setup ready to go before I bought her and I didn't go to the store with the mind set of " I'm buying one today" I was going to check and see how they looked and if they were healthy I would pick one out. But the guy really knew his stuff and she is actually a very healthy snake and since I have had her ( about 5 weeks now) Has had a good clean shed and has not even hesitated on the four meals I've given her ( F/T Mice). I need to post some pics of her ( but I'm always posting from work lol ). But I agree that most chain pet places suck. I have a 155 gallon aquarium and sometimes i hear employees giving other customers some of the worst advice I have ever heard ( yeah a 29 gallon will be perfect for that Oscar ) lol WTF?! I guess it really comes down to the individuals, we can't slam everyone that works there just because the vast majority of them are idiots.

[Vargronak]

I actually just bought my first BP from a Petco.... However I did my homework ( mainly by reading these forums ) and knew what I was looking for. A few weeks before I bought her it was my b-day and everyone gets me Petco giftcards ( because of the my aquariums and cats they are practical ) so I figured I would put them to good use and since this was my first snake I wasn't fully comfortable buying one online and would much rather handle an individual before I committed. I have to say the guy who worked there in the reptile department actually knew his stuff, he wasn't just some punk 16yo kid trying to sell me a UVB lamp. I actually threw a few questions out to test him such as substrate he said Aspen, asked if I needed heat lamp/UVB he said absolutely not and asked if I should get a heat rock and he said HELL NO! UTH all the way and he even told me to get a thermostat but I should buy it on Amazon because they ones they had were better quality and cheaper than in the store. He also told me her feeding schedule demeanor and let me handle her for a good 10 minutes while answering questions I had about her. He even went as far as to give me his work schedule so if I had any issues/concerns I could call him or come see him at the store!

Of coarse I already had her setup ready to go before I bought her and I didn't go to the store with the mind set of " I'm buying one today" I was going to check and see how they looked and if they were healthy I would pick one out. But the guy really knew his stuff and she is actually a very healthy snake and since I have had her ( about 5 weeks now) Has had a good clean shed and has not even hesitated on the four meals I've given her ( F/T Mice). I need to post some pics of her ( but I'm always posting from work lol ). But I agree that most chain pet places suck. I have a 155 gallon aquarium and sometimes i hear employees giving other customers some of the worst advice I have ever heard ( yeah a 29 gallon will be perfect for that Oscar ) lol WTF?! I guess it really comes down to the individuals, we can't slam everyone that works there just because the vast majority of them are idiots.

[alexOATH]

I work at a pet store and quiz all the potential buyers, rarely do I actually sell an animal to any of them. They don't like me very much lol.

[Beccanin]

I remember going to a pet store and they had the most beautiful 3 year old BP, she was a really big size and a total sweetheart, I was in love with her.
Some guy came in, admitting he had no locks for his viv and left his window open and the last one escaped and well... fell out the window.

They still sold him the snake even though he still didn't have a lock and didn't seem to know much about the snake and it's needs in general. Woman working there didn't seem to know much either "oh ball pythons can be really big and dangerous, not a good starter snake". My face hearing that from her.

I've not been around many places for the reptiles, I've mainly stuck to the ones I was told where good by people online and such.
The place I'm getting my baby from is a friends, and while his main thing is fish he knows what to do with snakes and such which is good, and his supplier for them is a good friend who owns a huge store filled with loads of exotic snakes, morphs, reptiles ect. Every bp he's gotten in has been beautiful and very happy to be held and such.