PETCO is out of control!

[cheryls]

Yesterday, I stopped into a Petco...looking for ways to increase our humidity and happened to take a look at their bps. They had two - not babies, but not that old either, in one enclosure. One hide in the middle. Both of the poor babies were outside of the hide - bright daylight might I add - one curled into a ball, the other in a horrible shed. He was rubbing all around the glass and clearly was having difficulty.

I found an associate and informed her of the situation. She basically ignored me and when I asked her if she would do something about it, she indicated that she would after she waited on me.

Following our transaction, I gave some suggestions on increasing humidity in the tank. She told me "corporate" wouldn't allow it, but she would take the snake out, and soak it so customers wouldn't see it that way!

I tell you, if I had the $80 and enough $$ to buy a set up, I would have taken that poor creature home. I'm going by there tomorrow to check it out. I also logged onto their website and filed a complaint - but, boy, that pissed me off!

[bonheki]

yea i went to a petco to and their was no humidity in their cages i felt real bad for them then had like thoes atomiatic dog water systems and they were so small the bp couldent soak or anything that was real sad

[mattciupak]

luckily, they don't sell any pythons in pet shops in NY.
But in petland discount i saw 2 garters snakes which were housed with what looked like a tegu...of course i had to buy all of them, but i bought 3 small critter cages and put them in and gave the garters to a garter snake breeder about 30 minutes away from my house and gave the tegu to a nearest herp shelter...at the store i asked why are they like that and they said "we ran out of room"...idiots...

[bonheki]

man thoes guys shouldent be able to run a pet shop they realllllly suck at it i could run a better pet shop then they can

[cheryls]

yep...I'm gonna go back. I'm working an extra shift this weekend - if it's still bad, I'll probably just bite the bullet and buy another snake!

[bonheki]

hey if you do end up buying another snake the more the marryer . another snake wont hurt lol espcially a ball python

[dalvers63]

Though it is honorable that you want to buy the snake, doing so does nothing except let them know that they can keep them in these conditions and still make money. All that will happen is they will get more in and keep them exactly the same.

You are much better off complaining to the management/corporate and also filing a complaint with the local Animal control agency. If you keep doing this, AND stop buying things in the store, something might change. The only way to get big stores or, for that matter, any retail store, to change is to hit them where it matters. Unless they are losing money there is no reason for them to change.

[bonheki]

but the snakes will still suffer throught their lives untill some one buys them and then like in a year or so they will go back to the way they were

[lord jackel]

While I too hate to see any animal suffer by buying the animal you are NOT helping the situation. Petco/Petsmart/Petland and the rest won't get the message about proper care until that message comes via lost sales. Once they figure out that people won't buy distressed ,sick or poorly taken care of animals then they will make changes for the better.

So send the right message that you won't support their store till they take care of their animals.

[slartibartfast]

And a third time for good measure:

Buying snakes from bad places hurts more snakes. Buy responsibly, and don't give your money to the abusers.