What to do about a bad petstore?

[Calift]

My ball python developed an (expensive) upper RI infection and had a case of mites less than a couple months after purchasing her from a pet store (dumb idea on my part). She never had any contact with other snakes and her diet was also from that store.

Reptiles are under a seven day guarantee, so I can't really do anything about it but I did try to let them know they are not adequately caring for their herps. The manager was very rude, when I simply tried to offer them suggestions to check out their reptiles for similar problems.

I'd like to write an email to the main location headquarters (it's not a national chain). What should I say and what are my rights if they are selling sick animals? Can the department of agriculture get involved?

[boboso]

It think writing an email and sending a copy of that email to the direct store management is the right thing to do, if indeed they are mistreating or in any way jeopardizing the animals. These types of actions head off the "insert animal here" farming and gets healthy animals into the hands of those that will care for them.

In addition pressure may be applied this way to get these shops to drop herps as they "cause too much trouble".

My boy has a friend that is getting a ball python for Christmas, the Dad went to the pet store locally (major national chain) and they had them in enclosures at 90% humidity, and at 80 degrees, plus they had 5 in the same enclosure. The BPs were huddled under a half log. I went to the store with him, but the snakes were already GONE! A store person told me they sell them as soon as they get them. When I asked about the enclosure set up, I was told that it made no sense for the store to change out the "cage" as they come and go so quickly and they can use it for a variety of reptiles.

He came to me and asked about BPs and their care. We drove the hour and a half to Amazon Reptiles in Montclair. Let's just say it was a world of difference for the potential new owners.

You could contact local animal services as well to see what actions could be taken.

Good on ya' for thinking this way.

[BLOCK 213]

I visited a tropical fish shop a couple of weeks ago for the first time and was amazed at the wrong information their 'reptile expert' was giving out to a family who were there to buy their first snake.
As I stood by listening I got more and more angry, in the end I took the father aside and told him to visit another reputable reptile shop where he would get proper advice.
When I pointed out to the 'expert' that housing a Kingsnake with a Cornsnake wasn't such a good idea, the reply was that 'they were good friends' unbelieveable !!
Needless to say I was asked to leave the shop, big deal, I had no intention of ever going there again.
It really makes me mad to see these types of shops mistreating their reptiles through ignorance and ripping off customers.

[West Coast Jungle]

The best thing to do is not go there. 2 months after purchase the store could give several reasons how it is not their responsibility.

[Aeris]

Pet stores suck, alot of them have no idea what they are talking about. If they dont know everything thats ok (but they should atleast know the basic care of the animals they sell) but they should say they dont know or go find the right answer instead of just making one up or guessing. I'd rather hear that they dont know the answer than have some poor person whose just starting out with a certain kind of animal get the wrong information and have the animal die as a result.

[Melicious]

When I lived in Richmond, there were actually two really great pet stores. Perfect Pets and Noah's Pets.

Now, though? Most of the pet stores here in Chantilly are horrible. -Shudders.- If I was feeding frozen thawed, I wouldn't have to deal with them at all.

[broadude]

The best thing to do is not go there. 2 months after purchase the store could give several reasons how it is not their responsibility.

I agree.

[bsd13]

2 months is an awful long time to pass and expect them to take responsibility for health of the snake. I'm not a fan of pet stores, but I know of no snake breeders or suppliers who give better than a one week guarantee.

If anything send a letter to them via snail mail and tell them the manager was rude, but trying to pin the blame for your pets problems probably isn't going to get you very far.

[Slim]

Two months is a long time for a BP to harbour an RI, and it's a long time for mites to show up. The mites could have come from substrate. Not sure if they can hold onto an RI for a couple of months before they show signs of having it.

Best way to deal with business you don't like it to not go there anymore...a letter might make you feel better, but it'll hit the trash 2 minutes after it shows up in their office. I would venture to say that a vast majority of people who by BP's in pet stores are one time buyers, and they already have your money.

[mainbutter]

When I lived in Richmond, there were actually two really great pet stores. Perfect Pets and Noah's Pets.

Now, though? Most of the pet stores here in Chantilly are horrible. -Shudders.- If I was feeding frozen thawed, I wouldn't have to deal with them at all.

I feel the same way, I know of a handful of specialty pet stores, and in fact all of them specialize in reptiles(along with a couple other "exotic" mammal species), that take good care of the animals they have for sale.

For example, every time I go in twin cities reptiles to buy feeders, I feel happy knowing I am supporting a store that knows what the hell they are doing and keeps the animals healthy. Even the teenagers/20-some-year-olds that run the registers know about the animals they are selling, and if one doesn't know they own up to it and find someone else in the shop who does. On top of that they don't try to sell you useless items you don't need or want. I can't imagine how many people have been pressed into buying heat rocks for BPs or corn snakes at other stores, only to have the rock burn and/or kill the new pet.

[rant]I hate how some of the "reptile experts" in some of the bigger stores pretend to know everything there is to know about every single reptile species. It's ridiculous. I'm sure there are plenty of professional reptile breeders out there who aren't well versed in one species or another, and would never pretend to know, and if asked about a species they have no experience with would advise someone to go research on the internet and ask someone else..[/rant]