Pet stores bother me now...

[shiningfate]

Do you get bothered when you go into pet shops, both locally owned and chain stores, and neither of them take care of their corns as well as they should? Now that I understand a corn's needs fairly well after looking after Sparkster and doing my own research, I can't stand walking in to see the corn snakes being sold locally. They don't have hides, are often bunched together in large numbers in one tank, and their tanks are typically WAY too small for adult corns (I see a pair of adult creamsicles at the local shop that are kept in 5g tanks...they just sit there cuz they can't move around much ), they don't feed them right sometimes (I cringe when I see them with crickets in their enclosures...or when a salesperson tells me to buy crickets for my corn and not mice! :angry01: )... I know this is probably because they expect to sell them fairly often, and because they are cheap, but still...it saddens me, because I know they deserve better. I'd take them all home if I could, but that just isn't possible right now, unfortunately.

Anyone else feel this way about pet stores, at least when it comes to corns?

 

[Rich in KY]

I feel that way in general about pet stores. Not just about cornsnakes. I am a long time saltwater fish keeper and I hate walking into a pet store and seeing how they keep their saltwater fish.

But it is just a business to them. Unfortunately making a profit is all that matters.

 

[MO CORNFED]

Totally Agree

This is the reason I left PETCO and PETS MART, they don't know who there breeders are, they stick 50 baby BP's or corns in one 5GL cage and expect them to eat crickets or Tiny frozen mice. I found out from my BP that it all depends on what the breeder starts them out on. If they are used to eating live like my BP was they won't touch a dead one, and if you know they started on frozen don't change to live, because they become blood thirsty and won't eat frozen anymore.

I always check a few stores before I buy, unless I've been to the store and I know they are reliable.

poor snakes

 

[Wis_fishing_guy]

Yeap!!!!!! I can't stand pet stores!!!!It does not matter what herp/animal it is none are cared for correctly .Other than seeing 4 or 5 hatchlings corns housed together have not seen to bad of treatment around my area.But for a while the wife/kids had got me in to Bearded Dragons and they are one of the worest treated in pet stores.Wrong food,wrong temps,wrong subtraits and etc. I have even seen a sub adult housed with babys.

 

[GillyMonster]

PetCo

All but 1 PetCo I have seen don't care about the reptiles they keep,like you guys said 10 baby corns in one 5 Gal tank.The 1 I had said was the only one that had look good with the animals,but I think it was like that because it is in a rich neighborhood (they had 20 corns but in a 50 Gal tank).The one by my house have 2 corns left but one looks dead but I'm not sure if it is,the poor thing was just laying there not moving a all.

 

[tom e]

I have found a good local petstore. But they don't have any snakes unfortunately. Also I don't have any complaints about the local Petsmart, though I don't need anything that they have now that I know where to get EVERYTHING cheaper. The local Petco on the other hand is pretty bad..

 

[starsevol]

I have one family owned petshop in this area that is pretty good. I go there once a week to buy crickets for Mimi the leopard gecko.

But why would anyone buy a corn at a petshop with the smorgasboard of gorgeous healthy babies from breeders on here?

 

[Flagg]

If they are used to eating live like my BP was they won't touch a dead one, and if you know they started on frozen don't change to live, because they become blood thirsty and won't eat frozen anymore.

This is not really true. All of my corn snakes will eat live or frozen/thawed interchangeably. Sometimes I am in a hurry and if I have live mice of the right size I may occasionally feed them live and they will eat F/T just fine after that. A lot of corn hatchlings are started on live and change easily to f/t. It may be a little more work with ball pythons, but not always. My BP was on live for the first 5 months then I offered F/T and she took it immediately.

All snakes are different and some may behave like you say, but most corn snakes are fairly easy to feed. This is one of the main reasons why they are recommended for beginners.

 

[shiningfate]

But why would anyone buy a corn at a petshop with the smorgasboard of gorgeous healthy babies from breeders on here?

True, but I got Sparkster at a pet store and he's wonderful. I saw him and held him for a bit, and he was just too lovely to resist! :grin01: I'm planning on getting him a friend from one of the breeders on here though, once I get another 5g tank.

 

[TandJ]

But why would anyone buy a corn at a petshop with the smorgasboard of gorgeous healthy babies from breeders on here?

Would be nice if I could house our babies with people from the board.. At times it is not possible, since no one is eithier intrested in "classics" unfortunantly I am forced to whole sale them off.. Of course, the next complaint is the darn shipping is so expensive, who wants a normal with nice hets for more than it will cost to get one from the local pet store? Of course, then there are the higher end animals that people are intrested in, and pretty much expect for a song, after years of my hard work and breeding, some projects of course are not going to be cheap...

I would love to sell healthy animals to folks who don't wanna support the local stores, and so would a lot of other folks here.. Support your local breeders..

Regards.. Tim of T and J

 

[tyflier]

If you are so sick of pet stores, and all pet stores are so bad, and nobody that works in a pet store knows how to care for the animals, and no pet stores that you ever go in care about their animals...why do you go in there?

Let me ask you this...where do you buy aspen? Where do you buy water dishes? Feeder Mice? Foliage? Lightbulbs? Clamp lamps? Thermometers, thermostats, heat mats, hygrometers, and the myriad equipment and miscellaneous materials needed to care for your snake(s)?

If your answer is the same pet store you are complaiing about...you have absolutely no right to complain about the sho, because it is YOUR PURCHASES that allow them to stay in business. No person or boycott is going to close down the big box and chain petstores, that is true. But if you never make a purchase, of ANYTHING, from these "bad pet shops", you never have to complain about what you see in them, because you won't BE in them.

These topics thoroughly tick me off, because I know that a full 90% or better of the people complaining about pet shops and their employees go to the same "horrible" shops to buy their hard goods. If you don't, than this isn't about you. If you do...STOP GOING THERE!!! Then you won't have anything to complain about.

Support your local GOOD shops with your hardgood purchases and maintenance requirements, even if it means $5 more or an extra 2 miles driving. Otherwise...it is YOUR FAULT...

 

[Rich in KY]

If you are so sick of pet stores, and all pet stores are so bad, and nobody that works in a pet store knows how to care for the animals, and no pet stores that you ever go in care about their animals...why do you go in there?

Let me ask you this...where do you buy aspen? Where do you buy water dishes? Feeder Mice? Foliage? Lightbulbs? Clamp lamps? Thermometers, thermostats, heat mats, hygrometers, and the myriad equipment and miscellaneous materials needed to care for your snake(s)?

If your answer is the same pet store you are complaiing about...you have absolutely no right to complain about the sho, because it is YOUR PURCHASES that allow them to stay in business. No person or boycott is going to close down the big box and chain petstores, that is true. But if you never make a purchase, of ANYTHING, from these "bad pet shops", you never have to complain about what you see in them, because you won't BE in them.

These topics thoroughly tick me off, because I know that a full 90% or better of the people complaining about pet shops and their employees go to the same "horrible" shops to buy their hard goods. If you don't, than this isn't about you. If you do...STOP GOING THERE!!! Then you won't have anything to complain about.

Support your local GOOD shops with your hardgood purchases and maintenance requirements, even if it means $5 more or an extra 2 miles driving. Otherwise...it is YOUR FAULT...

I don't know if the goal is to drive every "bad" or big box pet store out of business. The goal should be to correct the bad treatment of reptiles in the pet industry.

There are laws and regulations for the treatment of animals. Usually it is the cute puppies or kittens that are protected by these laws because the general public takes a stand.

For reptiles (or fish), bad conditions are often overlooked. Change starts with people speaking out. First, in their communities. In our case, we use the forum. Then to places like the BBB or the ASPCA. People should never be persuaded from speaking out against things that are wrong.

We are not gonna change the world here. But if nobody ever speaks up, nothing will ever change.

 

[MO CORNFED]

Amen to that

 

[Plissken]

I think it's a bit strong to simply say 'pet stores bother me.' Some stores are bad, some stores are good... I visit a really decent one close to me. I also bought all my snakes from shops, as at the time I didn't know where to look for breeders in my area. I don't like to see all pet stores tarred with the one brush.

I'm sorry though that you are unhappy with your local pet store. Have you made any suggestions to them about their husbandry? Sometimes people just don't know that they are doing wrong (or, sometimes, don't want to be told.)

 

[Double het]

I always wonder who sells their hatchlings to stores like that? People really should stop selling their snakes to pet shops in general.

 

[mele2511]

I go to paws for thought in leeds, u.k... These guys are very good and look after all the animals perfectly. also the reptile guy who looks after them has a masive wealth of knowlage and he almost looks after the pets like its his own personal collection.

 

[tyflier]

I don't know if the goal is to drive every "bad" or big box pet store out of business. The goal should be to correct the bad treatment of reptiles in the pet industry.

There are laws and regulations for the treatment of animals. Usually it is the cute puppies or kittens that are protected by these laws because the general public takes a stand.

For reptiles (or fish), bad conditions are often overlooked. Change starts with people speaking out. First, in their communities. In our case, we use the forum. Then to places like the BBB or the ASPCA. People should never be persuaded from speaking out against things that are wrong.

We are not gonna change the world here. But if nobody ever speaks up, nothing will ever change.

I agree in theory...but you will get a whole lot further by complaining to your local health board or better business bureau(how DO you spell that word??). Complaining about the conditions of a local pet shop to an internet forum without providing specifics like names, dates, locations, photos, and exactly what is "illegal" with the care provided is nothing more than bit%&$ng, and will accomplish nothing. Ever. No matter how many people do it.

The other fact is...there are NOT that many regulations regarding the sale and care of reptiles in pet shops because most authorities don't know anything is wrong. If the snakes are alive, they can't see a problem, because they don't KNOW about a problem. Accepted hunsbandry practices aren't even fully agreed upon between members of the culture, and you expect a "governing board" somewhere to make regulations? There are laws and regulations for the "normal" mammalian pets because there is an actual veterinary health board that has agreed upon the proper treatment and care that these animals require for their health and well-being. NOBODY can do that with reptiles and fish, especially when you consider how wide the variety of care guidelines would have to be to encompass these animals. I'm not defending anyone here...I'm simply stating a fact.

If you post pictures on the internet of a teenager physically abusing a dog or cat, it will get someone's attention and cause an investigation. That doesn't happen with reptiles. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying it's a fact. You can't change the world's attitude about reptiles, so complaining here isn't going to accomplish anything. Complain locally if there are legitimate issues that need to be addressed. Your local Health Board is the best place to start. Unfortunately, even the ASPCA doesn't really care all that much about reptiles, but the Health Board does because of concerns over health and safety of patrons as well as salmonella scares. They may not be accurate concerns...but at least someone will look because of them...

By complaining on here, all you are accomplishing is the "blanket bashing" of pet stores...and that is wrong. Using phrases like "pet shops bother me" and "PetCo employees are clueless" doesn't accomplish anything except another case of stereotyping, generalizing, and name-calling...which doesn't do ANYONE any good...especially the people that ARE trying to improve things in their own neighborhoods. Improvements start at a local level...not on an international forum...Talking sh^& is not going to get anything done for anyone, anywhere...ever.

 

[jazzgeek]

Talking sh^& is not going to get anything done for anyone, anywhere...ever.

Fan of irony that I am, Chris.....you do realize that you're talking sh^& about people talking sh^&, no?

As I see it, your argument is somewhat similar to the "America: Love it or leave it!" argument. "Badmouthing" our governmental administrations and its policies is NOT "hypocritical", but rather, a form of "redress of grievances" guaranteed by the The Constitution.....but I digress.

I'll agree that lumping them into "ALL petstores" is completely ludicrous; it's not the policies of the big box stores that are bad, but the implementation of those policies.....and that comes down to the individual.

There are not "bad" pet stores in as much as there are "bad" pet store employees/managers.

regards,
jazz
(who gets his aspen from a farm supply store )

 

[tyflier]

Fan of irony that I am, Chris.....you do realize that you're talking sh^& about people talking sh^&, no?

Yes...I do that just for you, jazz...

As I see it, your argument is somewhat similar to the "America: Love it or leave it!" argument. "Badmouthing" our governmental administrations and its policies is NOT "hypocritical", but rather, a form of "redress of grievances" guaranteed by the The Constitution.....but I digress.

Not really, because I am advocating getting out and doing something REAL about the poor conditions you see. My argument is more akin to "America: Love it or CHANGE it". I am not saying "pet stores suck, so just deal with it"...I'm saying, "If youre local shops suck, stop spending your money there, and make the complaints to the proper authorites". Petitions and public grievance complaints put in the right hands will go a LOT further than bit%^&ng on the internet.

I'll agree that lumping them into "ALL petstores" is completely ludicrous; it's not the policies of the big box stores that are bad, but the implementation of those policies.....and that comes down to the individual.

There are not "bad" pet stores in as much as there are "bad" pet store employees/managers.

regards,
jazz
(who gets his aspen from a farm supply store )

I entirely agree with this. :cheers:

regards,
Chris(who buys his aspen from the GOOD shop in town for $2 more )

 

[JenniferInNY]

I'm in luck. We have one really good pet shop around here... They have real current information posted up all over the place about how to care for certain animals. There's look great and they won't sell to you if you don't know about a pet or don't have the right equipment. I saw a guy in there trying to buy a green tree python and they didn't let him buy it. They asked him some questions, but, said he didn't know enough about them yet. They said they'd hold it with a deposit and he could come back when he'd done his research. They also won't sell a reptile that needs UV without a UV.
But, yeah, most of the chain stores are cruddy. Tiny little cages and no one knows how to care for anything.
You can always try educating them to you know. But, bring some printouts or something, they tend to listen better to something they can read on paper from someone reliable..