Why I won't buy from a pet store

[wilomn]

Keep one more thing in mind. That snake may have something contagious. You might bring home a pathogen that does harm to your snakes. If you don't have a completely separate room, better yet building, you could be getting in over your head. Some pathogens are air born, some transfer by contact, some there is not a definitive answer to how they are transferred.

It's not as simple as taking it home and giving it TLC.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I just spent the last half hour of my life catching up on this thread, I read slow

I see a lot of "do-gooders" here that are getting in an uproar about something that none of us have any control over.
A lot of new people here complaining about it too.
Now you might not like this BUT:

1-all of you new to the hobby should get use to seeing this in big retail pet stores (I'm not saying its right but its REAL)
2- I don't see any of you really wanting to do anything about it
3- you really want to do something about it, ask them for a job and spread all the knowledge that you have learned here. YES, I am serious here. Quit your job and go work for minimum wage to take care or their reptiles.

As much as I don't like chain stores, what brought most of you to this great hobby?
You really want to make a difference? Support your local breeders, get to know who is around you and what they breed.
Then and only then can you help the reptiles in that store. When you are in there (because we all have to buy stuff from them) and see someone looking at the reptiles you can speak up and start a conversation. Now you can recommend where they can get a quality animal and how to properly care for them.

Those are the best two ways you can help, its your choice to change jobs or build your local data base.

[DSpythons]

Keep one more thing in mind. That snake may have something contagious. You might bring home a pathogen that does harm to your snakes. If you don't have a completely separate room, better yet building, you could be getting in over your head. Some pathogens are air born, some transfer by contact, some there is not a definitive answer to how they are transferred.

It's not as simple as taking it home and giving it TLC.

Yea I know the snake would have been in a totally seperate room. And no contact between anything that touched the sickly snake just in case.

I called and they said that they are taking it to a herp vet and if that does not help it is mine for free.. But sadly I think it will perish by then. Thanks for the help and responses everyone. Wish I could help that snake and if it lived give it to a caring home. I go into pet stores about 3 times weekly since I was a 5 because I have always had pets and reptiles and I have never seen a snake that bad. I always check out the mom and pop stores and the major chain stores in my areas and that was just the worst I have seen any snake. If I could have tried to save the snake and got it a new home I would have felt better.

[MarkS]

At least they're bringing it to a vet, if you hadn't said anything they might not have.

[wilomn]

At least they SAY they're bringing it to a vet. The little voice inside me that tells me things says it's unlikely, possible, but unlikely.

[garrettslaughter]

Some of the reasons discussed above seem to be valid, and for these even I would not prefer to buy different pet products online. However, I feel that if you buy from reputed online store, you do not end up facing these issues for sure.

[treeboa]

From what I've seen some reptiles, especially hatchling Balls, usually do poorly in pet stores. If you think about it, their nature sets most of them up to fail. They are nocturnal and secretive, love to hide all day. Most pet stores won't give them proper shelters because if they hide all day, they will not get sold. If they cannot hide and are stressed, many will not eat. What you end up with is a snake the one in this shop. If the cages are dirty and the animals have no water, that's neglect and cruelty. If the snake won't eat, but is being fed it's not cruelty. Is it neglect because they could offer it proper shelter but don't to make a sale? I'll let you decide, but it is a reality of the business. I've seen this a lot over the years and not just in chain stores or little mom and pop pet shops, but even in stores that specialize in reptiles. I'm just of the opinion that some animals just aren't cut out to be put on display like that for sale because of there nature.

[Recreation]

While I agree that it shouldn't be out on the floor, we don't know what the situation is at that store. Maybe they don't have a back room. Maybe the new manager is not a reptile person. We are reptile people and know just by looking that it's in poor shape. Again, facts before stupidity. We don't have facts, we have emotions. I prefer facts.

That snake probably should be euthanized. As was mentioned above, it's a 30.00 dollar snake. While we might prefer that it be treated, it makes more business sense to put it down.

Pointing this out to the management, OFFERING to take it off their hands, without "forcing" them to give you anything, which was a joke to begin with, might produce a better outcome, but that snake looks pretty bad. Why jump right to aggressive righteousness when you have a chance of educating someone who simply doesn't know better? Jump down the guys throat and why should he give a rat's patootie what you think?

When you own animals (as an individual or a corporation) it is good business sense to keep your assets in healthy condition.. thats good business sense

[PitOnTheProwl]

When you own animals (as an individual or a corporation) it is good business sense to keep your assets in healthy condition.. thats good business sense

the chain stores are multi-million dollar