PetCo and PetSmart

[8b8ll]

PetCo And PetSmart
Ok Another story, another town, another state, and another dead or suffering reptile. This absolutley has to come to an end. I am asking you to help me in E-mailing these two companies. I'm guessing that everyone of you have had a bad expierence with one these stores and their reptile husbandry and lack of knowledge. If not that's great but from what I hear and see these companies don't have much or any knowledge of the products and reptiles in there stores. This is unacceptable. Period. E-mail your concerns to these companies and do everyone and reptile suffering in the stores a favor! Please let me know if you will do this favor and the response you recieve! Also include the reptile you saw and what the conditions were ect. Thanks.

Mike.

[Shadowspider]

We use to get pinks at PetCo (DeathCo as we refer to it) and we'd generally check out the reptiles and inverts they had there. As is par, they did not know the first thing about caring for the animals they sold. Being invert people first and foremost, my husband and I had *many* chats with the 'exotics expert" (cough, cough) about how they were caring for the tarantulas and scorpions etc. Well, month after month went by with the typical turning up of the nose from the employees and managers, until...... *insert evil grin here*
We opted to hang around the store for a week and ward *every single person* who so much as looked at one of their reptiles or inverts and tell them how deplorable and inhumane the employees were treating, housing and caring for them. We handed out *proper* care sheets for the various animals and smiled and waved as the would be customers walked out of the store without buying any of the animals.

Now I'm not saying y'all should do this...we got a nice police escort out of the store and were banned from ever going there again. However, the district manager (whom my husband and I know well and who is a reptile and invert keeper himself) heard about it and fired A LOT of people.

Now the people who work in our little DeathCo take care of the animals the way they are supposed to...according to their species requirements...and....they all have strict care guidelines to follow.

They lost A LOT of money that week and to this day, there are people who will go in there and jump their s**t if an animal isn't housed properly.

The unfortunate thing is that these large chain stores hire kids who don't have any experience or knowledge about the animals because they will work cheaper than someone like those of us here generally would.
If I had a bullet for every time I've heard "hey, I just work here"...my town would be a bit smaller.

[8b8ll]

Yes I can't begin to explain some of the thing I have seen with these reptiles. Every other animal is just fine for the most part in the store. Except the reptiles.
It is disgusting. I am on Repticzone.com also and am getting a bunch of people to E-Mail them. I figure if enough people E-Mail. We have to hit their radars. Also next time I go to PetDumb I am going to share with them my opinion. Thanks.

Mike

[wildlifewarrior]

I just shared my opinion with a worker who said he could help me about a bp with a very very bad retained shed. i said the snake looked like sugar honey ice tea, and the kid said "so what do you want me to do about it" so i asked for a manager, who then passed me off to the reptile "keeper" who then agreeded with me that they needed a soak and he took them into the back.


i couldn't believe the attitude of the first kid, then how the manager didn't want to hear it.

ug

~mike

[frankykeno]

Contact info for PetCo:

http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_c...-ftr-_-contact

Contact info for PetSmart:

http://www.petsmart.com/global/custo...contact_us.jsp

[Blu Mongoose]

Have already complained about the store in our town about lack of humidity for the shedding bp's. Also about the diets of a few animals. I always make a point to reach a company when things are bad. Sometimes I talk to the employees themselves and some are willing to learn more about the care of the reptiles. On the other hand some are just totally annoyed by your input, These need to find a different line of work. I have come across a few employees lately that are quite knowledgable and have nice collections of their own. If you have a problem with a particular store please include the store number in your e-mail. Because some of the stores do try to do their best.

[8b8ll]

Thanks! And yes some stores to practice good hubsandry with their reptiles. So don't go bash all of the stores get the store number and voice your concern. But man I saw 15 leo's in a 20 gallon and you should see this Uro they have draped over his water bowl wrinkled up, barley breathing, eyes closed, and selling him for 115 dollars..... Next time I'm there I will try to get a picture and send it to the Contact E-mail address for PetSmart.

[Amy05]

i honestly have never had a bad experience with petco because i have never been there. BUT i just got a gift certificate to petco because everybody knows i love animals, so i'll report back on what i see.

[Jay_Bunny]

Hmm. I've never been to Petco, but I dislike the PetClub we have down the street. I haven't really seen thier reptile section much, but thier fishtanks are horrible at times.

As for Petsmart, I will have to take some pictures and upload them. I don't think they are taking bad care of the reptiles. Actually, they just recently upgraded thier reptile enclosures so that heating them will be more efficient. They always have fresh water and the cages are always clean. Of course, this is just a good case.

[Shadowspider]

The PetSmart in my town is going "no live".
They still have cats and dogs there for adoption days, but they are getting rid of all their reptiles. They sell fish and a bird every now and then but they are focusing their attention on selling only pet related supplies rather than the pets themselves.
Probably a good thing.