wots the worst piece of reptile advice you've ever been given??

New reptile store in town. Maybe not the worst advice, but let me know not to go back and ask questions. New owner, youngish guy "Yes I've heard of Kathie Love, but I have been doing this for twenty years, and know lots more about corns than she does." He asked if I was buying snakes from the so-called experts on this "forum" I said I may be getting one through a friend from Rich Z at Serpenco, "I don't think you can trust him, he hasn't been at this very long." This really happened about a month ago. :shrugs: susan

New reptile store in town. Maybe not the worst advice, but let me know not to go back and ask questions. New owner, youngish guy "Yes I've heard of Kathie Love, but I have been doing this for twenty years, and know lots more about corns than she does." He asked if I was buying snakes from the so-called experts on this "forum" I said I may be getting one through a friend from Rich Z at Serpenco, "I don't think you can trust him, he hasn't been at this very long." This really happened about a month ago.

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susan


That is almost hysterical.. Obviously he doesn't know who you were talking about...

Regards.. Tim of T and J

The UV and Heat lamp thing seems to ring true a lot of time too.. In fact I argued with with boob ( Sales twerp ) at a PetCo that Abiant heat is not a good soruce of heat for corns. The best thing in UTH for them becuase of it aids in the digesting of the food.. I argued with this guy till he was red in the face and wanted to sock me... It was actually kind of funny, except Jen snuck off because I was creating a specticle.. Even funnier, this same sales twerp a few monthes later was letting me check out the Nelson's milk they had.. As I was standing trying to get part of the last shed off, and kid asked him if it bites.. The twerp said no at the same time the nelsons sunk its six teeth into my arm and starting grinding.. *lol* I showed the kid the nelson's biting my arm.. *lol*

Regards.. Tim of T and J

just so you know...

I did go back the next day and talk to the owner about his corn "set-up". He was reluctant to believe me at first, but things did change. So that was good.

This wasnt said to me, but to someone I know:

He goes into a small pet shop to buy a baby ball python. He picks one out, they tell him that all baby snakes are too small to eat rodents, and that they need to be fed fish. They procede to take a baby boa out, grab a minnow, and push it down its throat with a pen. They offer to have him bring his new ball in once a week for them to feed it. The snake took to rodents right away, but unfortunatly it didnt survive for long.

After reading all this, I'm glad I started on the right path. I did my research. And I never once believed that a snake would eat vegetables. That's just sad. I mean, you just have to look at their teeth to know they're not herbivores.

I've had a couple of opportunities to educate people, though. I told my shrink I was getting a snake, and he asked me a bunch of questions about it because his kids want one.

After reading all this I want to go yell at my pet store up here. They have a baby ball python in a tank thats the equilvalant to a 5 gallon tank. no heat. I think i might to. Then again I also wanna go straight to my vetrenarian and take his snakes to.

WOW, some of the bad advice given to you guys deserve an Award!

I am happy to say that I was not given bad advice by the shop I got Freya (and her food) from.
The only thing I would say is that some of the snake still have some skin of their last shed on and that they are not very strong on spot-cleaning but the animals look healthy and do not show signs of stress.
In that pet store, there is only one person I ask question to and take his advice into consideration as well as checking them out on this Forum (search function is great ) as the other 2 seem more interested in eating their lunch rather than helping you or checking the snakes... boooo boooo

Here's a question: Should pet stores sell snakes at all?

They got under a lot of pressure over puppies and kittens because of the mills, and they stopped selling them because of that. It seems to me like in most cases, the employees don't know enough about snakes to care for them properly and/or the customers buy them on impulse while they're there to pick up a bone for their dog. If the only people who sold them were breeders and reptile specialty stores, the snakes would be well cared for, and no one would buy them on impulse.

But this is really an ethical question and nothing more, as I realize that pet stores won't stop selling snakes unless people stop buying them. There's no way to convince them otherwise. So perhaps all we could do along those lines is to encourage people we know to buy from breeders and to tell their friends the same thing until eventually, the sales drop.

I know a lot of places don't have specialty stores, too--the pet store's the only local source for snakes. But it seems like in this day and age, we don't have to rely on what's down the street. We can order things online from all over the world now. Shipping snakes is expensive, but then what costs more--the $40-odd to FedEx a snake or the vet bills for a snake that's been burned on bare bulbs or starved by being fed crickets?

Colleen360 said:

Today I had a couple come into work looking to buy an iguana. As I was asking them a bunch of questions to determine whether or not they should really buy one they asked "what are you guys feeding them right now?" So I told them that they are eating different types of fruits and vegetables along with vitamin and calcium powder. They looked at each other funny and said "Iguanas are supposed to eat lots of crickets and meal worms." I told them about the iguana diet in the wild and they looked at each other and gave me this look like "what a stupid girl!" Then they tried to tell how they read it in a book and blahblahblah... They also thought that iguanas get six feet NOT including their tail. Can you imagine an iguana that huge?!?

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Now that is the other way around, funny!

rushrulz said:

Here's a question: Should pet stores sell snakes at all?

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FYI, the one I go to only sells Herps along with Tarentulas, etc... it is a specialised store

Well, my pet store actually keep their snakes quite well and I did not hear any bad advice.. they just say if they don't know something. And they listen when you give them advice! So, no nice story for you but good husbandry on the snakes!

"You can keep a turtle in a bowl of water with a rock in it. It won't grow more than two inches long." That's probably the worst I've ever heard. Being young, I believed it, and my turtle husbandry has been a real learn-on-the-job affair. I'm surprised the poor thing survived.

There are some things in my local reptile shops I'm uncomfortable with though:
The one I got my snake from sometimes has many hatchling corns in one cage, but recently they've been in individual tupperware boxes. They also feed in the cage, substrate and all. Apart from that, they're fine.

Another place near me that specialises in reptiles has links with a reptile rescue centre. They clearly care about their animals. Recently though I asked if the corn labelled as "reduced black" was a hypo. The guy said he didn't know, because the mother was kept with three males, so the exact parentage was unknown. But I could come back later in the week and speak to the lady that bred them. I also asked if they had any sand boas, he actually turned around and said, "you don't want a sand boa - they're crap, you never see them. Here, look at this hog-nosed - you want one of them." Er, I think I know what I want. While I understand it's his job to sell me stuff, I found it incredibly rude. I don't think I'd buy a snake from there now.

I bought my viv from a regular petstore, the guy tried to sell me a 2foot viv, when I was clear I wanted a 4foot viv. He said a corn doesn't need much space, and was getting really cross that I wasn't listening to him. The 4footer cost more money, so I don't understand what his problem was. :shrugs:

My turn!

I was holding a tiny fresh hatchling *albnino* (snow) corn, and I asked what it ate, well I ws thinking small pinks ,but he said they probably feed them crickets!!!!!( hope not)

And a few days ago after seeing the Yellow bellie ball at petco ,when i was trying to prsuade my mom into letting me have it the petco guy interupted and said that he would recomend a RTb over them becuase there not as nippy!!!!! He also said that balls got 6ft 4inches plus!!

Other than that my Petco has very healthy herps.

rushrulz said:

Here's a question: Should pet stores sell snakes at all?

They got under a lot of pressure over puppies and kittens because of the mills, and they stopped selling them because of that. It seems to me like in most cases, the employees don't know enough about snakes to care for them properly and/or the customers buy them on impulse while they're there to pick up a bone for their dog. If the only people who sold them were breeders and reptile specialty stores, the snakes would be well cared for, and no one would buy them on impulse.

But this is really an ethical question and nothing more, as I realize that pet stores won't stop selling snakes unless people stop buying them. There's no way to convince them otherwise. So perhaps all we could do along those lines is to encourage people we know to buy from breeders and to tell their friends the same thing until eventually, the sales drop.

I know a lot of places don't have specialty stores, too--the pet store's the only local source for snakes. But it seems like in this day and age, we don't have to rely on what's down the street. We can order things online from all over the world now. Shipping snakes is expensive, but then what costs more--the $40-odd to FedEx a snake or the vet bills for a snake that's been burned on bare bulbs or starved by being fed crickets?

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I believe that pet stores should sell dry goods. Period. It would cut down on animal neglect so much if people had to go through breeders to get their pets- even so much as a hamster or gerbil. It would make them see pet ownership as the responsibility that it really is and NOT a fad.

I could have bought a corn snake at a dozen local places but I chose to go with a breeder who I know is an ethical, responsible person because it's the right thing to do. So I would definitely support legislation banning private stores from selling pets (except fish, really).

concerning petstores selling pets...

I think we can all agree that it is aggravating to see shops who do not properly care for or have knowledge about the livestock they sell. However, how many people, even here on this list, would never have been introduced to certain animals (esp herps) if they had not first seen one in a petstore. There is also the fact that many shops would go under without live animal sales, each "pet" sold means the sale of supplies to care for it.
The reptile pet trade has actually improved tremendously in the last couple decades with information readily available to all who take the time to seek it. The information you can so easily find by typing in the search box now, many people here had to learn by trial and error when they started keeping herps. In a perfect world all stores and their employees would have great knowledge of the items they sell. But in the real world we just have to hope that new owners will find sites such as this, and do what we can to increase awareness and knowledge amongst the people we come in contact with and do business with. JMO

ultimuttone said:

I think we can all agree that it is aggravating to see shops who do not properly care for or have knowledge about the livestock they sell. However, how many people, even here on this list, would never have been introduced to certain animals (esp herps) if they had not first seen one in a petstore. There is also the fact that many shops would go under without live animal sales, each "pet" sold means the sale of supplies to care for it.
The reptile pet trade has actually improved tremendously in the last couple decades with information readily available to all who take the time to seek it. The information you can so easily find by typing in the search box now, many people here had to learn by trial and error when they started keeping herps. In a perfect world all stores and their employees would have great knowledge of the items they sell. But in the real world we just have to hope that new owners will find sites such as this, and do what we can to increase awareness and knowledge amongst the people we come in contact with and do business with. JMO

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My thinking EXACTLY.. There are far too few specialist shops. Many of us who can stretch the budget to properly care for a reptile can not afford the cost of the reptile and another $50 to ship it. I am trying to find a local breeder for my next purchase but I will be honest, in a month or so when I have the Viv completed I expect I will have to go to the local Petco and ask them to get me what I want, then pray they can understand enough of what I have to say to get the right morph for me.

A few years ago there was a specialty reptile shop nearby, 75% home grown snakes. The owner had all his python/boa/colubrid breeders in the back of the store for your viewing pleasure. Some were imports. He also has some lizards. Sadly, he sold the business to someone who closed it down shortly thereafter, to do this....breed and sell crickets as a wholesaler. He made more money at that than selling snakes. Is that not ironic, considering all the "snakes eat crickets" advice??

I kind of have selective hearing when pet store employees start to give advice because I come here to CS forums when I have a question anyway.
I think the worst experience I had with a pet store was when I sold some hatchlings to a really small mom and pop store in a really small town. The salesgirl was obviously afraid and jumpy when she opened the deli cup and an inquisitive anery came out.
Anyways later on that year I called to see if they needed any more corns and she told me 'no, the other ones we got from you were aggressive and vicious'.
Probably for the best, I can find better places to sell to...
OK that's my bad pet store story

Adui said:

My thinking EXACTLY.. There are far too few specialist shops. Many of us who can stretch the budget to properly care for a reptile can not afford the cost of the reptile and another $50 to ship it. I am trying to find a local breeder for my next purchase but I will be honest, in a month or so when I have the Viv completed I expect I will have to go to the local Petco and ask them to get me what I want, then pray they can understand enough of what I have to say to get the right morph for me.

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Please dont go to a Petco to get your corn. While I have gone to petco in the past to buy rodents, petco sells poor quality animals. This is not always true, and some stores may be better than the few petcos around my house but all the fish they sell are sick and die in weeks and their reptiles aren't of the highest quality either, though not as bad the fish. I guarantee there is some little family owned pet store or small chain pet store near you that you may not know about that could sell you a nice healthy snake and more than likely get you a known morph.