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Pet stores . . .

peep_827

peep_827

hehehe
Not sure if this is the right forum for this post, but I'm putting it here anyway . . . hoping people who are looking for snakes will read this too . . .

I have defended the pet store where I got Monty. I even planned to buy another snake from them cause I had such good luck with Monty. Heck, I was even planning to sell them my babies when I get around to breeding . . .

Well, I finally went back for the male ghost I wanted (long story, won't go there again) and he was gone. I was disappointed, but with the expo coming up it might be just as well. But I really, really liked him. They had a tub marked "creamsicle - $65 hypo - $55" and I asked to see them, since I was there anyway. He brings out the tub and what I saw really freaked me out. The creamsicle was bent strangely and had a very dark spot on it, it did not look healthy at all. I turned my attention to the hypo and thought "what is WRONG with that snake?" it had these weird ridges down the sides of it's neck. I asked the guy why and he looked in there, to his credit he was horrified and says "OMG those are some skinny snakes!" and then he looked at the lid and says "they were fed 3/10". These were tiny, tiny babies. I was horrified. I was amazed they hadn't ate each other. Perhaps they did not have the energy . . . it was sad. I left, ignoring my 13 YO son's pleas to buy them try to save them - I explained that I'm not going to waste my money on sick snakes that are likely not to make it and that they are would just replace them with more anyway. I won't be doing business with them again.

Then I thought I should give them a little credit, maybe those babies just wouldn't eat? The other snakes there I've seen were healthy, but I think 12 days between feedings for tiny babies is too long. I'm not even sure if they could have got in that bad of shape after 12 days. It was just awful.

One other thing, I asked the guy if creamsicles are corn X rat hybrids and he said no. Aren't they? That is the 2nd store where they have told me they are pure corns. That bothers me too. I don't even want a creamsicle, but I think I've read posts on here that they are not pure corns and should be advertised as such. Any thoughts?

Anyway, I just have to say that I was really not happy with my last experience with that pet store.
 
That "site about Petco" is hosted, developed, and sponsored by PETA.

And we ALL know that they're an objective, legitimate and unbiased source of information.
:noevil:
regards,
jazz
 
yeah, I'm sure that's biased, but that still doesn't mean that it's all a complete lie either. I know there are good pet stores out there, but there have just been far too many things that I've read about and seen firsthand that make me not want to shop there.
 
Even though it is hosted by Peta, the stories and animals are real. I have seen some bad stuff my self at a local Petco, and the employees don't even seem to care.
 
mattsnake said:
Major pet store chains like Petco and Petsmart are known for animal neglect.

Check out this site about Petco:

http://www.petcocruelty.com/
Click to expand...

Hi, this is Gordons girlfriend. I was reading this thread and decided to do something about it. One, I am the type of person who has to see things for myself...so I am thinking about applying for a job at petco and/or petsmart. Two, I am an animal lover and seeing those pictures on that site broke my heart, so I sent the link to my Social Problems professor to see if she can research it further and also show it in class to notify more individuals about the crulety that is being displayed behind closed doors.
 
TrpnBils said:
yeah, I'm sure that's biased, but that still doesn't mean that it's all a complete lie either.
Click to expand...
By logical extension, neither is it all a complete truth.

I know there are good pet stores out there, but there have just been far too many things that I've read about and seen firsthand that make me not want to shop there.
Click to expand...
To each his own, I guess. There are good Petsmarts and bad Petsmarts; there are good Petcos and bad Petcos. Better that one takes the time and legwork to find out than to blanket-statement everything as the PETA site does.

There are a number of forum members who have purchased corns at their local pet store, and they are thriving - there are a number of forum members who have purchased snakes from private breeders that have met an early demise - and vice versa.

Personally, I have no issues with my local Petco, and I'm at that store at least three times a week. :cool:

Meanwhile, I'll be buying my next corn from a private breeder, as I'll know the genetic makeup for when I start breeding corns myself - something I don't get from my local pet shop.

regards,
jazz
 
I have purchased snakes from different Petco stores in my area. From the first, two healthy snakes that are 5 and 6 yrs old respectively. From the other, a baby that died after repeated regurges and another baby who's face had been horribly burnt from a heat source accident. To their credit, the Petco gave me the injured snake to see if I could get it to thrive. Sadly, after three months, it did not. This is the same store where I have seen a baby corn apparently killed by crickets.

They are operated independantly and their employees are usually very young people who are making minimum wage. They may love animals, but I don't think very many of them know, or take time to know, about animals' needs other than cleaning cages and feeding their stock on hand. Its better than working at fast food, but its the same mentality.
 
mattsnake said:
Even though it is hosted by Peta, the stories and animals are real.
Click to expand...

As "real" as it can get through PETA's eyes, agreed.

As far as what you see at your local pet shop, please refer to my prior post.

regards,
jazz
 
Hey now, hey now! Not ALL PETAs are bad ~.~ Tho I must say that site is a little extreme hehe.. not 1/4 as bad as some of the GP sites hehe.. but hey.. we love our animals! Nothing wrong with that.. and PetCo is the devil =P Only ever been in one and it made me puke.. not to metion their puppies were so mistreated they were attacking people, got me some nice scars from that.
 
Gintha said:
.. and PetCo is the devil =P Only ever been in one and it made me puke.. not to metion their puppies were so mistreated they were attacking people, got me some nice scars from that.
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It couldn't have been a Petco, then. Their policy is to not sell or stock puppies or kittens because of the whole "puppy/kitten mill" issue. It may have been one of the numerous adoption partners or local humane societies/rescue groups that are there (usually on the weekends).

regards,
jazz
 
I would recommend getting one from a breeder...this is regurged from one of my previous posts:


I bought my snake from a pet store, and now I wish I would have bought it from a breeder. A couple nice things about getting it from a breeder:

1. 99% of the time they take better care of their corns. They know a whole lot more about taking care of a corn than the average pet store.

2. Breeders can give you family history of your corn (e.g. what parents yours came from). Genetic history, etc.

3. Also, they can give you a hatch date (helpful for knowing your corns birthday)

4. Most of the time they will sex the corn for you, so you know whether its a boy or a girl.

Sadly I don't know what the parents of my 'store-bought' corn are, the sex, the hatch date or if it REALLY is a blizzard!!!
 
Biggest problem with pet stores is that the snakes are overpriced. My local petstore keeps their snakes in very good condition,and even gets some nice animals in there periodically, but they charge about 3 times as much as a reptile show, or breeder (not including shipping on that).
 
Pet -stores are like that in the UK too, and overpriced.

They are selling jungle corns for £300 (is that expensive???)
I am assuming it is since they are selling normal corns for £150 unsexed

WHat would jungle corns usually go for
 
MegF. said:
Biggest problem with pet stores is that the snakes are overpriced.
Click to expand...
the Eugene Oregon petco has one display case for each type of snake species they have in stock. This means all their corns are the same price. Usually the dominate morphs avalible are regulars and snows.. at around $50
Once in awhile there are some more expensive morphs thrown in as well, and in these type cases employee's lack of in depth knowledge about snakes can theoretically come in handy.
The last time I was in there I held up a normal and asked the employee assisting me what morph it was. He could not respond, in fact i'm not sure he even knew what I was refering to with the word "morph". The general depth of their knowledge is basic husbandry care, and this knowledge isn't nessisarily from first hand experience.
While looking at pet store stock you have to keep in mind that we live in a capitalistic society unfortunatly.
 
It's sad, but corps. like Petco and Petsmart just want to make money, if they keep making money they're not going to change, no matter how many complaints they get. :shrugs:
 
wrong info

If I may, I have noticed that all the bad things that are sad about petco are from far away, I live in portland and the pet co that I have is the best ever only cus we have people who gradurated and know what there doing so if you do have that much of a problem with petco go somewhere eles.
 
Not Petsmart or Petco

Just wanted to clarify, since this turned into a thread about Petsmart and Petco, that my original post referred to neither. I was talking about a local store. I was just extremely upset and disappointed cause I thought I'd had a really good experience with them when I bought Monty. I couldn't believe those little snakes were so skinny. Can they recover from that, or will it make them sickly for life? Plus I'm really annoyed that pet stores keep telling me creasicles are regular corn snakes. Sheesh. I've never really had any trouble with Petco or Petsmart, however I've never bought anything but fish from them.
 
peep_827 said:
I was talking about a local store. I was just extremely upset and disappointed cause I thought I'd had a really good experience with them when I bought Monty. I couldn't believe those little snakes were so skinny. Can they recover from that, or will it make them sickly for life? Plus I'm really annoyed that pet stores keep telling me creasicles are regular corn snakes. Sheesh.
Click to expand...

Our local folks seem to know their birds and fish well enough, but not all that much about exotics. While I'd take the owner's advice on anything (hve worked with her for YEARS), I've seen her kids (often the only ones there) do things that would curl her hair indefinitely! She never bagged tropical fish from different tanks together, but Jr. and Jr2. have. So, they're a supplies source and not where I'd add to my "collection" from.

I think it all comes down to using that one uncommon thing...common sense!
 
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