I've finally come to understand the hatred of Petsmart...

[ogdentrece]

But I hated when the customers came and asked for my help, I gave it to them, and they turn around and completly go with the cheaper option. Most people just want the cheaper way to care for their pet. Its sad, but true.

Dont kill me for saying something like this but I don't blame people for taking a slightly cheaper option. Some people are just starting out or are less financially able so may not be able to or willing to invest as much as some of us do. I believe that as long as they've got the basics right and everything works, the cheaper option is fine.

I think that it is when something is clearly not good, healthy or beneficial for the animal, or worse still, harmful to it, and they still take the easy way out that is the problem. Take buying huge cheap packs of pine shavings for substrate, or heaters without thermostats. Or even no heating at all. And no humidity control. Just to make things convenient. This would usually be due to total ignorance, another thing which pisses me off. Especially if they still act smart and not take advice. The best thing I've heard: "Snakes are cold blooded, why do you need heating?" Geez what so hard about looking up a caresheet spending 10minutes reading it? Of course I'm not saying that just reading 1 caresheet is enough and youre all ready to have a whole collection, but at least you would have the basics - cage set up, temperatures, humidity, Do's and Do Not's, etc.

[mommanessy247]

i've owned birds, fish, a rabbit, a guinea pig, a hamster, 2 dogs and several cats (not all at once though haha).
the ONLY animals out of all those that were ever bought at a large chain pet store were some of the fish & the 2 dogs (these were "adopted" from rescues using the store as base camp). all the other animals (except the cat) were purchased from a small pet store near our home. the cats were all rescued kittens abandoned by feral moms.
i visited a petsmart the other day to get a bag of bark to use in the mean time while i scrape up the funds for my usual stuff. i wanted to go see the reptiles there so bad but forced myself not to. i bought what i was there for and booked before i was pulled towards the animals.
i wont even look at the reptiles in the store i buy my feeder rats from.

[mues155]

Dont kill me for saying something like this but I don't blame people for taking a slightly cheaper option. Some people are just starting out or are less financially able so may not be able to or willing to invest as much as some of us do. I believe that as long as they've got the basics right and everything works, the cheaper option is fine.

Yes I agree and thats why I should have worded that better, it was turning into such a long post I just kinda summed up the last part. What i mean by the cheaper option is when a person would come in saying they got a 4ft BP from a friend and they want to get something to put it in and I suggest something like a 40 gal long and they go with a 10 because its cheaper. Not the best thing of the animal but its CHEAPER.
Or if a bearded dragon needs a mercury vapor bulb that costs $40 and I would show that to customers they would say "well ill get that next time" and they would buy the cheaper bulb with a beardie pictured on it and think its just fine. And that poor beardie will never benefit from its lighting his whole life.
Thats what im talking about with going with the cheaper option. And thats why I dont like it and I believe if your going to take on the responsiblitly of a pet, he should get the best care available. If your going to go half-assed on the care of a pet thats just wrong and cruel. I feel bad for these animals that go to impulse buy homes and have poor care then end up on craigslist a month later. Im just saying...some people arent even qualified to own a betta fish with the way they care for animals.

[Kingofspades]

See in my area all we have is Petco, a crappy store that sells puppy mill puppies and kittens, and a fish store (the woman who runs it knows her stuff, but is kind of a fish nazi. Hand picks ALL her fish, will refuse to sell to you if she doesn't like your setup etc.)

So Petco it is. Luckily mine isn't TERRIBLE...but it's not the best either.

I'd love to open a reptile and small critter store...

[cecilbturtle]

See in my area all we have is Petco, a crappy store that sells puppy mill puppies and kittens, and a fish store (the woman who runs it knows her stuff, but is kind of a fish nazi. Hand picks ALL her fish, will refuse to sell to you if she doesn't like your setup etc.)

So Petco it is. Luckily mine isn't TERRIBLE...but it's not the best either.

I'd love to open a reptile and small critter store...

there is a small town pet shop for sale in warren pa.