Another Disappointment

[Raiden The Almighty]

I was at my local Petsupermarket the other day when i noticed they added a reptile section. The terrariums were shamefully built pine boxes with chicken wire lids and the list of reptile products included heat rocks among other things. uke01: When I asked the herp guy If heat rocks were good for corn snakes he said that they would be perfect. Doesn't the incompetence disgust you.

 

[Brooklynyte]

Doesn't the incompetence disgust you.

Yup, I always disliked most pet store employees, as with any pet I research before I buy, so when I used to have fish they would give me totally wrong instruction, and the same with my corn. The woman who worked there said to buy a heat lamp, and said to NEVER use UTH's and all that ridiculous stuff. When I went to my new petstore it was 100000 times better, they had all the snakes in proper viv's, the guy who takes care of that section had great knowledge of snakes and even said he owns a few corns, and they had a much wider range if reptile supplies like my thermostat which was impossible to find around my area. Needless to say I only go to that store now even though the other one is only 3 blocks away from my house I drive a mile to go there.

 

[Alsoknownas]

Yeah, they are clueless. When I knew nothing about snakes and was buying my first, I was going to get this kit which was $40 and had everything I needed to put in the tank, including the substrate, logs, hide spots, plants, water dish and a UTH. It would have saved me a bunch of money, but she told me not to get it because of the UTH, and that the snake was going to burn itself with it. Little did I know this could be easily prevented by controlling it.

 

[PnyKlr]

When I asked the herp guy If heat rocks were good for corn snakes he said that they would be perfect. Doesn't the incompetence disgust you.

Actually, in terms of heat produced, heat rock are no more dangerous than UTHs. The only difference is that people regulate their UTHs and not heat rocks. If someone would hook up a rheostat to a heat rock, it would work out just fine.


...Too bad you won't find out ANY of that (regulating either one) at the petstore.

 

[BeckyG]

I think we need to cut the employees a break. Just as most McDonald's employees are not trained chefs, pet store employees are not trained herpetologists. Most are just high school or college kids looking to make an extra buck. They only know what they are told by their corporate office. Even if they do know better, they have to do what the corporate office tells them, or they lose their jobs, only to be replaced by another high school kid who may know even less about snakes.

Frankly, it is your responsibility to educate yourself about pet care before getting any type of pet, not some kid who just happens to work at a pet store. Most of the one's I've talked to are more than willing to listen and learn from what I tell them. Of course, I don't go in there acting like a crazy person, getting in their faces yelling obscenities at them either.

I just know my stuff and when they try to sell me a UV light for my ball python, I calmly tell them that snakes don't need UV,or that king snakes shouldn't be cohabited ("That's what I thought but they [meaning the corporate office] told us it'd be ok.")

 

[Hypancistrus]

Most are just high school or college kids looking to make an extra buck. They only know what they are told by their corporate office. Even if they do know better, they have to do what the corporate office tells them, or they lose their jobs, only to be replaced by another high school kid who may know even less about snakes.

Too true. It's corporate that you have to go after to change things. The people working there, even the store managers, have little to no control over how things are run.

 

[Alsoknownas]

You don't think if it's your job to sell these animals that you should sell them to people who would at least have the right equipment and knowledge to take care of the animal? I think that should be part of the job. They should know what they're doing, or else they're useless. I don't need someone to tell me the wrong information, if that was the case I'd rather have someone tell me no information and just put the snake in the bag for me.

 

[PnyKlr]

So, imagine that you absolutely MUST have the current job you are working (to raise kids, pay off your loan shark, rent, whatever). Would you tell people the "right way" to keep every animal they sell and risk losing your job because you are driving away customers? If you answer "yes" then you have probably never been strapped for cash (where you have $5 to last you a week and a half) or have never needed to find a job NOW.

Sure, an employee could do research about what they are selling, but would you honestly research that far into your job when the company gives you "perfectly good" literature on the subject? Very few people will delve that far into a job they have no intention on working their entire lives (as is most of the people working at petstores).

Whatever happened to "buyer beware?" There needs to be more responsibility put on potential pet owners than there is on the employees. Besides, if an employee sees the store keeping their animals a certain way, why should they think it is wrong for other people to keep the animals that way?

Heat rocks are no better or worse than UTHs. Heat lamps can be used as well. Just because it is not the "best" or most accepted set-up, doesn't make it wrong or bad.

I'm not going to fault employees for regurgitating information they have been given. A responsible pet owner should know what they are doing BEFORE purchasing the animal.

*On a side note: There was an ad in the paper for "Bull Terriers: the Target Dog!" IMO, if you have to tell someone what the breed looks like, then they are ready to take on that type of dog.*

 

[Roy Munson]

I think we need to cut the employees a break.

For the most part, I agree with you, Becky. These places should have good, detailed care sheets for every pet they sell, and the staff should stick to what the sheets say. This would have to be implemented by management higher than store-level.

The one employee who doesn't need to be cut a break is the misinforming, know-it-all who guesses at things to give the impression that he/she is an authority.

 

[PnyKlr]

The one employee who doesn't need to be cut a break is the misinforming, know-it-all who guesses at things to give the impression that he/she is an authority.

Ha! And there's one at every store...

 

[Raiden The Almighty]

I think that if I were to work at a petshop I would still inform the customer. I can find a new job but the animals will have to live with poor care. I see it as my service to all living things. And whenever I see a petshop employee misinforming a customer i will correct them. I think the responsibility falls to the employees, its there job to inform the customer so they can make a decision.

 

[Brooklynyte]

Well, when I mention employees who are idiots I'm talking about the ones who just say things to look like they are all knowing because they work in a pet store, and if you try to correct them then tisk tisk on you, how dare you correct me? "I work at a petstore for a living and you think you know more than me??"


Ummmmmmm......... yeah.

 

[PnyKlr]

I think that if I were to work at a petshop I would still inform the customer. I can find a new job but the animals will have to live with poor care. I see it as my service to all living things. And whenever I see a petshop employee misinforming a customer i will correct them. I think the responsibility falls to the employees, its there job to inform the customer so they can make a decision.

Sorry, but I don't think you would feel the same way if you were a 30-year-old with bills (and perhaps more than one job, with what these places pay). Right now, you don't know what it's like to NEED a job. Imagine that you are working at a national-chain petstore while you are in high school. On top of homework and studying for tests, are you going to research and memorize the many different ways of keeping a snake? If I am talking about "Raiden", then I would say "sure," but if I'm talking about any high schooler,propably not. Now lets talk about Raiden and his vast snake knowledge. Are you going to research the proper care and housing for mice?
Rats?
Guinea Pigs?
Rabbits?
Ferrets?
Hermit Crabs?
Parrots?
Finches?
Salt Water fish?
Fresh Water fish?
Tarantulas?
Scorpions?
Centipedes?
Anoles?
Leopard Geckos?
Bearded Dragons?
Chinese Water Dragons?
Hamsters?
Gerbils?

These are all the different types of animals I can recall seeing at one of these store. You would, as an employee, would have to cover all of these areas. Not many of the chain stores always have on staff one person in each department. Now, Raiden, if you would, in fact, do all of this (which would surprise me if you had the time) do you think another person your age would do the same? How about a 20-year-old in college? Or a 30-year-old with bills?

I think not. The responsibility to learn about the potential purchase is solely on the shoulders of the buyer. Any good buyer would have researched their purchase and would know when they are being misinformed. I would not expect an employee to know anything more than what the care sheets say.

 

[Alsoknownas]

Are you kidding me? What is the point of the employee then? The care sheet is far more useful. Many people, including myself at one time, go there to LEARN about the animal they're contemplating getting. Giving the wrong information to a customer is going against what you're qualified to be doing. Atleast it is at Petco. When I was filling an application it states one of the qaulifications as being concerned of the well being of animals. Let me tell you, giving the costumer such wrong information sure is showing their dedication to the safety and well being of these animals. The employee is at fault for that. That's part of the job, to inform the customer, it's part of being a sales associate there.
You're saying they're not at fault because they have too many other things to worry about. I suppose you can say that with any other job then.

"The contracter working on my house screwed up my tiles because he has to pay for a bunch of stuff. Oh well."

 

[PnyKlr]

What I am saying is that they cannot be expected to go above and beyond to find information when they are given the information from corporate.

Sure, anyone can check a box saying that they are concerned for an animal's welfare...and a 13 year-old can check a box saying they're over 18 so they can view porn. It happens all the time.

When I talk about employees, I am NOT referring to the ones who give BAD information, I am talking about the one who are regurgitating information that they have been given by their employers, thus making them a "good employee."

I am also saying that there are VERY FEW who would go out of their way to research EVERY ANIMAL that their store carries so that they have information above what the caresheets say.

Do you know how many people bypass the caresheets just to talk to an employee? The same amount of people who don't search or read the FAQs before posting a thread that has been covered numerous times.

You're saying they're not at fault because they have too many other things to worry about. I suppose you can say that with any other job then.

No, what I am saying is that an employee that is paid minimum wage (or slightly higher) is not going to spend hours of their OWN UNPAID TIME to look into the information that their employer has given them to be sure it is correct. They trust a national chain to have good information, and they repeat it.

I really don't see how I can make my views any more clear...they seem to be misconstrued.

 

[Brooklynyte]

The problem is definately at management level, if all of these employees had a little booklet with the right information for each animal, then whenever a customer asks about a certain pet they go into the back, get a copy of the booklet, and either read it and tell the customer or give it to the customer to read.

 

[PnyKlr]

"The contracter working on my house screwed up my tiles because he has to pay for a bunch of stuff. Oh well."

This just shows that you are getting my point. The employees don't have the viewpoint: "Oh, I'm sorry your snake ate your hamster because I said they could be put together. I don't know what I was thinking, my mortgage is due."

It's more like: "Here are your snakes. Make sure you keep them in a large enough enclosure, because they'll get to be about 4 feet each."

The employee doesn't know that there is a risk of co-habbing because HE HASN'T BEEN TOLD. People generally believe this information given to them is true. Frankly, you CAN co-hab without any noticeable problems (to the untrained eye). Stress happens more than cannibalization, and few new snake owners would recognize a small amount of stress.

The employee has good intentions, but is not an expert. Don't blame the employee, blame the moron who goes "Oh, cute snake. I'll buy it right now. What do I need to go with it?" Without ever knowing their snake could reach 13 feet.

 

[PnyKlr]

The problem is definately at management level, if all of these employees had a little booklet with the right information for each animal, then whenever a customer asks about a certain pet they go into the back, get a copy of the booklet, and either read it and tell the customer or give it to the customer to read.

I think it's worse than this. Frankly, I feel that the information in the booklet is exactly what is often the less-ideal information: Co-habbing is okay, get some reptile sand, and use a heat lamp while living in the UP (upper peninsula, Michigan for those not familiar).

I also think that the management of each store is also misinformed, and the people at the corporate level can't be bothered with the "small things."

 

[Brooklynyte]

Your 100% right, but thats why I say they need an informational booklet with the CORRECT information for each pet. Given corporate probably makes more money off the supplies than the actuall animals (I'm guessing), they probably have no interest in doing the research, so its up to us as consumers to research before buying. I did it, I researched for 2 days (sounds like a short time but it was intensive) and found out the right way to care for my corn. But then again not everyone is like us on the forum. So I guess the whole bad information thing is just going to keep repeating itself. What could we really do?? If we complain to the stores, they arent going to do anything. All we could do is shake our heads in remorse for the animals getting cared for improperly due to the neglect from greedy corporate suits.

 

[PnyKlr]

Here's a link to PetCo's Corn Snake Care Sheet:
Corn Snake Care Sheet

As you can see, none of the information is BAD, but it could be a little bit better. It reccommend a heat lamp as primary and a UTH as a secondary heat source, when most of use think the opposite. It says to warm F/T mice to room temperature, and many of us are warming much higher than that.

This is the information an employee gets, which is quite sufficient. A buyer must do the rest himself.

How many of you enjoy repeating the same *duh* information over and over and over again? Does it ever make you groan to hear questions that are in the FAQs?

It only takes a little bit of reading to get good information. THAT is the responsibility of the pet owner.