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  1. #1
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    Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    Yesterday, while in SoCal visiting my parents I had some time to go to Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley, Ca. http://www.prehistoricpets.com I highly advise against anyone purchasing animals from them. I would say that over half of the cages had feces lying around and many had old sheds lying around. Many of the adult snakes had more than one snake in a cage, including the ball pythons. The large boids, and they did have some twenty footers, were so cramped that they barely had room to move. One green anaconda I saw was trying desperately to take a soak, but he or she was about 4 times the size of its dish. Many snakes and lizards had incomplete sheds as well, telling me that humidty requirements are not being met.

    All in all, I saw some very sad looking snakes. I even asked if I could see their ball python collection since I know that they are one of the high end producers of ball morphs and they wouldn't let me see them. The staff looked like they were wearing 2 or 3 day old uniforms as well. Not a good place.

    Maybe this forum can start a thread and leave it at the top of one of the forums where we can go to rate breeders and so-called "reptile" stores so we can know which ones we want to support and which ones are beneath our own standards? Maybe a template of questions to answer about the place and/or breeder as well? Any thoughts?

    Rachel

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  3. #2
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    oooh man, thats an eyeopener. visiting their website you would never think that. im glad you said that because i was under the impression that they were great. thanks tons
    -marshall

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  5. #3
    BPnet Lifer Kara's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    First off, let me preface this with the following:

    I am not, nor is the company for which I work, affiliated with PP in any way. The points I have to offer are based only on my own perspective, formed after A) visiting their facility in 9/05, and B) having retail herp experience and also breeding facility herp experience.

    Quote Originally Posted by RWillinnable
    The large boids, and they did have some twenty footers, were so cramped that they barely had room to move.
    What do you consider cramped? Also, are you familiar with the needs of a sedentary, captive 20' snake? Additionally, exactly how big were the cages in question? 8-10'?

    Quote Originally Posted by RWillinnable
    Many snakes and lizards had incomplete sheds as well, telling me that humidty requirements are not being met.
    Lizards have incomplete sheds. They do not shed in one piece as snakes do. We frequently have monitors & various Cyclura with incomplete sheds...geckos will typically eat their shed skin; toes & tails may need extra attention from a keeper...but most lizards will rub the shed off within their enclosure as they go along. Yes, the snakes should be soaked & hand-shed if necessary, esp. depending on the severity of the stuck shed.

    Quote Originally Posted by RWillinnable
    I even asked if I could see their ball python collection since I know that they are one of the high end producers of ball morphs and they wouldn't let me see them.
    No offense, but if you were some Joe Schmoe off the street w/o an appointment, I wouldn't let you into our high-end ball python collection either. Even our weekend tours don't include the ball python rooms, unless someone has called ahead, pre-screened and arranged a ball-python-specific tour. How would anyone know you aren't casing the place? Don't take that personally...but anyone with high end snakes is going to be suspicious of walk-in's. We've been conditioned to be that way!!!


    Quote Originally Posted by RWillinnable
    The staff looked like they were wearing 2 or 3 day old uniforms as well.
    .

    Perhaps, but do you honestly expect anyone who works with reptiles day in & day out to have a straight-off-the-rack-at-The-Gap crisp uniform to wear? Stains happen! Monitor doo-doo happens. Snake doo-doo happens. Bleach happens. Nasty congealed grossness from flooded rodent cages that someone has to clean up happens!!!!!!!!!! All of the above can stain. You'd probably be shocked at what I wear on a daily basis...NONE of which is a uniform, none of which is glamourous, all of which has bleach, blood and God-knows-what stains despite being washed on a regular, extremely hygenic basis.

    Not to mention, what if someone got called in unexpectedly to cover for someone else? Life still happens, regardless of whether you're taking care of animals on that day or not...or if someone's car gets a flat, or their dog dies, or any other reason that would cause someone to come in & deal with living animals that are more of a priority than clothes. \ So unless you're looking @ uniforms that were just off the shelf...I'd recommend adjusting the perspective a little bit.


    I am not trying to poo-poo what you've said. All I'm saying is don't expect everything within a large collection - with different animals and people to manage on a daily basis - to run smoothly 100.00% of the time.


    Just my $5.00 (includes fuel surcharge)...

    K~
    Last edited by Kara; 11-24-2005 at 01:43 AM. Reason: Reality check...
    Kara L. Norris
    The Blood Cell - BloodPythons.com
    Selectively-bred bloods & short-tailed pythons
    Quality is our only filter.


  6. #4
    BPnet Veteran Adam_Wysocki's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    Quote Originally Posted by KLG
    No offense, but if you were some Joe Schmoe off the street w/o an appointment, I wouldn't let you into our high-end ball python collection either. Even our weekend tours don't include the ball python rooms, unless someone has called ahead, pre-screened and arranged a ball-python-specific tour. How would anyone know you aren't casing the place? Don't take that personally...but anyone with high end snakes is going to be suspicious of walk-in's. We've been conditioned to be that way!!!
    Amen! ... I RARELY let anyone see my balls! But then again, I don't get a lot of requests either.

    -adam
    Click Below to Fight The National Python & Boa Ban




    "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
    - Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty


  7. #5
    BPnet Veteran frankykeno's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    *gag choke accidentally inhale adult beverage enhanced coffee up my nose*

    Adam where was my warning! LMAO


    ~~Jo~~
    ~~Joanna~~

  8. #6
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    K I reported what I saw. I could be wrong on some things, but I reported accurately. Maybe, I am just unaware of industry standards.

    Rachel

    PS I will check out your balls Adam and review them for BP.net if you like. Although, as you can see, I can be a harsh critic.
    Last edited by RWillinnable; 11-24-2005 at 09:31 AM.

  9. #7
    BPnet Lifer wolfy-hound's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    The place COULD have simply had a bad week, we have all had them. Various things going on and next thing the cages haven't been cleaned and the staff is a bit harried. I know of a few places that think that more than one snake in an enclosure is okay( I do prefer mine to be seperate after reading here) but if they have never had a problem and have had mulitple snakes in enclosures for years, then it is very difficult to try to convince them otherwise.
    If you get a chance to go back and check the cleanlness of the place a second time it would be quite usefull.
    Some thing, like uniforms not being clean is easily explained, my own grooming tunic gets quite filthy some day, despite it getting washed every afternoon. Regular habits as in keeping numbers of snakes in an enclusure, or keeping large boids in smaller cages may simply be what they feel is fine.
    Other things like dirty cages and snakes that should shed out fully having retained shed a lot, might not be so easily explained. I abhore someone who doesn't keep their cages clean for any animal, especially when it is in the public eye. But of course an occasional poo or shed is inevitable but you indicated much more dirt than that.
    It may be explained or not, but a second inspection would be helpful if you have the chance again.
    I also do not allow just anyone in the back sections of my rooms, nor do I allow people to simply walk in and see where I keep my snakes.
    I would like to comment on Adam's balls however. Having held a pair of them, I find them quite beautiful, soft-skinned and active, while showing a bit of spirit. Hey... the het albino pair I purchased!! You sickos!! heeheehee. sorry Adam couldn't resist.
    Wolfy

  10. #8
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    does anybody know what BOI says about them?
    -marshall

  11. #9
    Registered User IamKaervek's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    If the place is a @@@@-pit, I don't see why people are making up these elaborate excuses for them. I don't shop at pet stores that have piles of feces in the corners of tanks anymore, because I've learned about how I want to take care of my animals - and that doesn't fall under the list. Sure, dirty uniforms are no big deal and are easily explained, but if they had several animals with shedding problems, I certainly wouldn't want one of them, and I certainly wouldn't go back later to buy anything.

    The guy says he saw mistreatment, and many of you are saying "well stuff happens." Sure, it happens, but a pet store that actually specializes in these types of animals in particular shouldn't let it happen so bad that somebody feels the need to actually complain.

    That said, I've never been there so whatever.

  12. #10
    BPnet Veteran reptile-girl's Avatar
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    Re: Prehistoric Pets should be avoided

    i say you expect too much from them RWillinnable
    ~Courtney

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