Got a job at Petsmart. Really worried about one of their BP's

[AK907]

I'm seeing people say that "reptiles don't belong in pet stores" . That says enough to me. Additionally, big name stores aren't the only ones that are can be bad. Small mom & pop stores can do the same.

And surprisingly, the local petsmarts in my area take decent care of their reptiles. It really boils down to how the individual stores are ran.

I think you misinterpreted what he meant by that and took it a little too literally. I am sure he didn't mean EVERY pet store, but was making a point about how very few pet stores have the knowledge needed for reptiles to thrive. I know all too well how poor mom & pop stores can be. I've posted many times about one of our local stores and the horrors that go on there. Tails chewed off, dead animals liquifying in water bowls for weeks, a years worth of fecal matter from 20 different animals kept in the same tank without ever cleaning it. The least of their problems are the mites.

i didnt know the cats were from the SPCA, and now that i do, im fine with it, i was just trying to think of things they most likely breed in the basement in a shoebox

They also give quite a bit to charities as well.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Unfortunately Petsmart is a huge contributor to the HSUS. Once I found this out I stopped donating that $1 they always ask for at the register. They also lost most of my business. I only go there when I can't find the pine bedding I need for my rats now. I had hoped the Petsmart boycott would last a lot longer but I guess it didn't.

[cmack91]

Unfortunately Petsmart is a huge contributor to the HSUS. Once I found this out I stopped donating that $1 they always ask for at the register. They also lost most of my business. I only go there when I can't find the pine bedding I need for my rats now. I had hoped the Petsmart boycott would last a lot longer but I guess it didn't.

whats HSUS? all i can think of is humane society of the united states?

[Mft62485]

whats HSUS? all i can think of is humane society of the united states?

You'd be correct. HSUS is nothing more then a lobbying group.

[AK907]

I forgot about them having ties to HSUS. We haven't even been to a PetSmart in years and that isn't about to change. They lost our business a long time ago.

whats HSUS? all i can think of is humane society of the united states?

Yup, but they aren't like your local SPCA. They are an animal rights group, quite similar to PeTA. They would rather burn down ski lodges because they have elk heads on the wall or smearing blood on themselves and protest outside of a slaughterhouse rather than taking in animals after a natural disaster or rescuing abused and neglected dogs from bad homes and helping them find new owners. If you want the latter, support your local SPCA!

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Yep. When we found out about them being a big contributor/supporter to that nut job Florida senator Bill Nelson fighting against USARK (Andrew Wyatt, the president, is the one who goes to all the hearings to fight for our rights as snake owners) to get those first snake ban bills passed, we (the reptile community) spread the word about their true cause. A lot of dirt was dug up about the HSUS. They don't even have a single shelter, yet they televise those awful commercials about neglected animals needing help. They're terrible. I try not to deal with any company that supports them.

Each Petsmart store can't really be blamed though. They are a corporation and have to follow the rules. I just wish when it came to the care of the animals someone at corporate would take the time to do the proper research needed. Then change their ridiculous care sheets and policy's so that the animals actually get the care they need.

If you think about the true purpose of HSUS, how they are similar to PETA and are against pet ownership, the fact that they are on the list of "charities" that the donations made at Petsmart go to, and the fact that many if not most Petsmarts do not take proper care of their animals, there is definitely some irony in all of that..

[cmack91]

Each Petsmart store can't really be blamed though. They are a corporation and have to follow the rules. I just wish when it came to the care of the animals someone at corporate would take the time to do the proper research needed. Then change their ridiculous care sheets and policy's so that the animals actually get the care they need.

i agree with that, you cant blame every individual store or employee, unfortunatly 99% of the people in the corporate world would rather make an extra 5c on lower electric bills then raising the temp in the cages of the animals theyre supposed to know and care about. what im confused about is how they dont realize that by saving that 5cents on electricity is killing their animals which makes them lose more money than if they would just pay the 5c.

and im really glad i heard about all that hsus bull**** (sorry admin.) i have officially resigned as a customer of petsmart thanks to all you good folks on this forum. although someday i might go there to rescue some BP and give it the care it deserves, i think i'll go to my local one soon and act like im interested in my first snake and see what they say i need to do

[flyingsqueak]

The "breeder" is typically a BP farm in Africa. The hatchlings are mass imports straight out of the egg, which have never eaten before they get to the store.

The breeder where the Petsmart that I (unfortunately) work at is actually Reptiles by Mack, and I am appalled by how they ship their animals. I am also certain that even though they claim they only send out ball pythons that have eaten (I believe they claim three meals) they've never actually had a meal. Luckily we don't have snakes dieing on us, but they are usually sold severely underweight and our in store policy is to assist feed even if they ate for us the week before I've talked to my manager and coworkers about this, but it's still the policy.

In general our reptile care is pretty good. Correct temps, in range humidity, clean habitats, proper feedings. It's never perfect though, and I'm the only one in the store who really cares about the reptiles and cares to do the research to properly inform people planning on buying any animal in the store.

Unfortunately we're not allowed to ever refuse a sale. I can strongly discourage it, even tell people that their animal will die if they do as they plan, but I still have to sell them the animal. The most I can do is deny them the 14 day guarantee.

And I hate that they contribute so much to the HSUS. If you really care about animals give to your local SPCA, humane society, or even better--your local no-kill shelter and herp society.

I've only worked there since June and I'm already trying to find something better.

[Riv]

Wow. I really didnt know anything about the HSUS. Im glad you guys brought it up. No longer intending to donate.

Im going to stick it out for now. I feel like it will be difficult to change these places if there arent enough people within driving them to do it. Who knows where it goes from here. But I think theres potential for positive change in the future.

As far as that little bugger Iwas talking about earlier goes, Im opening tomorrow and going to attempt another feeding midday. Its only a fuzzy, but the guy needs all the food he can get right now. At least I can take comfort knowing that next time we get them in I will have a far larger chance at making sure they are properly fed from the get go. Hopefully they'll take their meals.

I was also considering popping him tomorrow before his feeding. It would be a useful selling point to know the gender if someone that is actually interested and knows how to take care of them, and im curious about it myself. Do you guys happen to know if I could be reprimanded for that? Im not really sure how they would feel about me sexing them.

[cmack91]

you should try feeding it in the morning since naturally they come out at dawn and dusk to hunt, so maybe it'll br more inclined to take it then. and as far as sexing goes, they'll probably just think your trying to kill it so i wouldnt do that since i doubt anyone there has ever seen a snake get popped