PETCO is out of control!

[JASBALLS]

Yesterday, I stopped into a Petco...looking for ways to increase our humidity and happened to take a look at their bps. They had two - not babies, but not that old either, in one enclosure. One hide in the middle. Both of the poor babies were outside of the hide - bright daylight might I add - one curled into a ball, the other in a horrible shed. He was rubbing all around the glass and clearly was having difficulty.

I found an associate and informed her of the situation. She basically ignored me and when I asked her if she would do something about it, she indicated that she would after she waited on me.

Following our transaction, I gave some suggestions on increasing humidity in the tank. She told me "corporate" wouldn't allow it, but she would take the snake out, and soak it so customers wouldn't see it that way!

I tell you, if I had the $80 and enough $$ to buy a set up, I would have taken that poor creature home. I'm going by there tomorrow to check it out. I also logged onto their website and filed a complaint - but, boy, that pissed me off!

I dont get it? What actually was wrong?? Everything you mentioned happens here all day long.. My petco Rocks!

[frankykeno]

Remember too, large chain store or not, PetCo is under the same laws as any other place. Many states do not cover reptiles in those laws specifically for pets stores but some are seeing the light. If you see obvious neglect or abuse, notify your local humane law enforcement department, then send details of that contact to PetCo corporate so they know you are quite serious about your concerns regarding their store and the condition it keeps it's reptiles in.

I'm with the above posters on refusing to spend a penny in bad pet stores. They won't get any money from me for a living creature and nothing for dry goods either. Money talks with corporate America. The reality is you aren't rescuing a snake from them, by giving them your cash you are supporting their poor care practises.

[cheryls]

you have a good point, but there's no other pet place within 20 miles of here...all the small, good ones have gone out of business. Maybe I should just buy everything on line!

But, the poor snake. I really felt bad for it.

[dorado29]

my petco is actually pretty good... i was in there earlier and got a corn snake and the humidity in the tanks was about 65 and temps about 85 in all the snake tanks. granted some of the employees weren't the most knowledgeable but still they had pretty decent living conditions

[DownSouthDragons]

The sad thing is, how many snakes have to die before they learn how to take care of them? We bought a columbian red tail from a petland store because it wasnt being taken care of, they swore they had fed it 2 days before yet it was as skinny as a pencil and wasnt drinking, and 3 days after we bought it it died and all they said was "Bring it back and we'll get the vet to check it out". . .Well needless to say one of the employees told us that the vet said it got dehydrated (No $hit) and that because we brought it back, the store got credit for it! They didnt offer to replace it or refund us or anything, and they STILL GOT CREDIT! We also bought a ferret who was "Very docile and tame" and when we got it home it started biting everyone who touched it, chewing up everything in the house, and wouldnt use its litter box. . .I called and complained because he was drawing blood when he was biting and they said "Sorry, all sales are final. . .you can GIVE it back to us and we can find it another home, or you can try to break it yourself. . ." I thought that was some crappy customer service. . .I went from going in petland 3x/week to not going in there in the past 6 months

[Mr. Constrictor]

i went to petco today to get some more digital thermometers and they had 5 baby balls in one cage about the size of a 20 long. the last time that I said something to them about it they told me that the company says its ok. I hate that place. I almost wanna get a p/t job there so i cant take care of there snakes.

[bcampos]

Ok here is a thought. Maybe I am wrong...

If you buy the snake to "rescue" it, then aren't you just adding gasoline to the fire that is poor treatment of reptiles at Petco?

If their sales drop, they probably will stop carrying whatever it is people are not buying: ie: ball pythons from Petco.

But if everyone "rescues" them all the time, all they are really doing is sponsoring the treatment of the animals so the next guy or gal can "rescue" the next one.

Just my .02.... Maybe you should just leave it alone.

-Ben

[Noek]

I hate seeing those dogs locked up in those chain cages or those tiny little boxes too...Or a thousand parakeets flying around in one cage...at least PetCo doesn't discriminate

[slartibartfast]

Ummm...Neither Petco nor Petsmart sell dogs or cats.

They do provide space for area rescue groups to come in and display their animals for adoption. Perhaps that's what you've seen?

[Noek]

The petsmart near us always has dogs and tons of cats. I am not sure if they are for sale or rescued /shrug

They also almost never have reptiles there though. The only pet store that actually has reptiles is a PetCo