Emaciate BP baby at PetCo

[MelissaFlipski]

I stopped in the local PetCo tonight just to have a peek. I like to look, though I will never buy another animal from them (unless it's frozen).

Normally, their animals look pretty good - it's a new PetCo, but what I saw tonight confirms that they seem to have hit their reputation low. There were about 6 or 7 baby BP's in a 20 L together. Some looked OK, and a few were curious about me and looking around But one had about 95% of a stuck shed and another was EMACIATED! It looked like snake skin on a skeleton. I could see he was still breathing, but I don't think he's long for this world.

WHAT SHOULD I DO? I thought of talking to the manager and offering to take it off her hands (I assume it refuses to eat). But on second thought, I had the heebie-geebies and thought that maybe I don't want it in my house (IBD scare). I plan to go back with a camera tomorrow.

Ideas? Thanks!

[Mindibun]

I hate to be devil's advocate, and I do not necessarily back up PetSmart or PetCo, ... but, if there were 6 or 7 babies, and only one was emaciated, then isn't it probable that he just refuses to eat?

Which, as we all know, ball pythons have a tendency to do, so it would not (necessarily) be the fault of the store. I know they are not being kept in the best of conditions, but pet stores are going to keep animals in cramped living quarters. It's business, as much as I hate it.

Employees there are given very little training on reptiles. I used to work at a PetSmart and knew next to nothing about snakes or lizards. The managers didn't know, either.

My advice would be to calmly, and nicely, explain, "Hey, I noticed one of your snakes has a stuck shed. That can be fixed by simply making the humidity higher, and giving him someplace to soak in." (The watered down version will be best, since I doubt they'll listen very closely) I wouldn't take the non-eater if I were you. I would just suggest to her that if they isolate it, and give it more places to hide, that it may eat better.

Don't be mean or rude, and offer simple solutions to their problems. More than likely, they'll be thankful for the tips which will keep their profit alive.

[starmom]

Until people stop buying ANYTHING from Petco and other stores like it, there is nothing to be done. Hurting their profit margin is the only way to get them to change their reality.

[Mindibun]

Until people stop buying ANYTHING from Petco and other stores like it, there is nothing to be done. Hurting their profit margin is the only way to get them to change their reality.

I disagree. I think it may very well be the case that the employees are just not knowledgeable. A little information can go a long way. Don't forget, that "profit" is also a life, so it can't hurt to try. I'd never buy an animal from them, and I hope others feel the same. That hurts profit margin. But I don't think she should keep quiet when an animal's life is on the line. Like I said, it can't hurt to try.

[Gooseman]

talk to the manager and tell him/her about the condition of one of their animals. Then suggest the idea of removing it to the wellness room if the idea doesn't seem to cometo them. If this is not done promptly, you can always call the petco pals hotline they have posted in the store. Their district managers and regional companion animal coordinator (RCAC) would love to make a trip to the store to go on a killing spree if they hear words that they violated policy by leaving an sick/injured animal on the sales floor, not to mention witholding taking it to the vet. Take note that according to policy, the animal in question is to be removed imediatly to the wellness room and the vet and RCAC have to be notified within 24 hours or they are in violation of several agreements corporate petco has made with humane society and animal rights groups nation wide. as bad as some stores may be... a few calls to their RCAC and hotline should clear most of it up. the RCAC is one of the few people who can fire an employee on the spot for misconduct with the animals.

[.:LRG:.VinTaGe1947]

I must have lucked out with my Petco. My local petco has a guy that just loves reptiles he keeps all the cages clean and in perfect conditions (and not overstocked with animals) when my local herp store does not have what I need, I am able to just go to petco and get it.
Two of my crested geckos came from Petco and they are and were very healthy (had them for about a year now)

[starmom]

I've spoken with the Petco manager for my area store. I've done unannounced checks to see if they've done what they assured they would do. Nope. Nothing is every done.
It is untrained workers and it is also untrained workers being paid minimum wage and having very little intention of making a career out of working at Petco.
I still see it as fairly hopeless and believe, at least for the vast majority of Petco's that I have heard stories of, the bottom line is get them out of business by doing no business with them.

[wilomn]

petco, at least the West Coast ones, are phasing out most of the reptiles they carry. They are downsizing to about 25% of what they carry now.

They say, and I've heard this and seen the empty tanks at half a dozen or so stores, that they will keep beardies and leos, torties, corns, maybe kings and the cheaper lizards like anoles.

It will be interesting to see if this goes company wide and if it lasts.

[Gooseman]

i've heard the same... except, its not just a reptile thing. the aquatics departments are going to consolidate their types of freshwater fish so as to no longer carry several types of fish that look almost identical to each other. The shrinkening of the freshwater should be by about 20%+ which would allow a larger salt water system in high-demand stores. The small animals departments are going to be switched to most animals will only be offered in a specified gender, and birds selection is going even farther down. Moving more and more away from a pet store to a animal supply store. Which has it's ups and downs as far as I'm concerned.

[littleindiangirl]

I amuse myself that I shut down the Petco here in Midland. I didn't want them to leave, but I made several complaints on the condition of their BP's. Just by email, no phone calls. Within 2 months that I started writing these, Petco went out of business there. I bought a sweet cage for 1/2 off.