just rescued this guy from one of those chain stores

[PitOnTheProwl]

Nice purchase.

[Albert Clark]

I purchased two animals from chain stores in 2014 but it was for the beauty i saw in the one from Petco . The other was because of the 1/2 price off sale from Petsmart. Both were before i learned all the information i have now on the "chains". Thank goodness both my purchases turned out to be healthy animals that i still have today. I would never patronize them again for any live animals. I think se7en was thinking "rescue" bc he knows that the animal was headed for disaster remaining in the "chain stores" care or lack thereof.

[Rob]

Seems like some of the big box stores have been catching on to the bad rap they have been getting on their reptiles and husbandry. Actually saw I nice fat blood Python while I was picking up cat food the other day.
Nice pied purchase


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[Reinz]

Nice Pied there Se7en.

[MidSouthMorphs]

Nice Pied, the stuck shed is an easy fix.

[Lady mkrj58]

I think the word rescue gets over used, you go in and pay for a product. Congrats on your Purchase

[se7en]

I think se7en was thinking "rescue" bc he knows that the animal was headed for disaster remaining in the "chain stores" care or lack thereof.

^^this

[Eric Alan]

The negative stigma big box stores get within this hobby is ridiculous. It is no different than the stigma we, as snake hobbyists, get from the general public based off of man-eating python t.v. shows. Those are the extreme exceptions - not the rules. The number of healthy, well cared for, snakes purchased (not rescued) from big box stores finding good homes every day far outweighs the few we see popping up now and again in rough shape. There are so many caring people working in these stores doing great things with the animals there (not to mention them doing a saint's work dealing with the general public in a retail store). Big box pet stores turn so many more people on to this hobby than any one of us could ever imagine, and largely do a fine job doing so. THAT'S A GOOD THING!

It's this kind of "in-fighting" that makes us, as snake hobbyists, easy targets for the activist groups. If we can't even support each other, and the good we are all doing for the hobby, why should we expect the rest of the voting public to do so?

We all have our place here, large or small, and there's more than enough room for everyone. Heck - there's an empty chair next to me. Come on by and we can share stories about all of the friends we've made because of a silly little snake addiction. No negativity allowed. Maybe we'll even get to chatting about the snakes themselves. Maybe...

EDIT: OH YEAH! Nice new addition!

[Rob]

The negative stigma big box stores get within this hobby is ridiculous. D

While I agree with a lot of your points of them turning on people to the hobby. A lot of the criticism is warranted. Just I alone have seen countless times those stores having people with little to no knowledge of the animals they are selling giving dead wrong advice to people buying a reptile. That and selling animals that are covered in mites, dehydrated, covered in stuck shed, you name it. On top of that selling a $25 normal bp for $200 is insanity. But like I said before from what I have seen as of late is the quality of animals and husbandry improve at my local big box store. So hopefully the stigma they have gotten as finally reached the higher ups and they are working towards change.

[PitOnTheProwl]

On top of that selling a $25 normal bp for $200 is insanity.

Overhead dictates a lot of cost. Many people don't know or forget what is costs just to open the doors.