Other pets (pics and discussions)

[GarField000]

I have no other pets then snakes.
Besides garters, I also have 4 kornsnakes ......

[d_virginiana]

That's why I hate them. And the employees don't give a damn. Not to mention lie to the customers to make sure the pet is exactly what they're looming for. That baby savanah monitor "won't get much bigger".

Yeah, our local petsmart is pretty bad about lying to customers as well. I went in there the other day for fish stuff, and the leopard gecko was laying in the middle of the cage dying, and no one would listen when I was like "Heyy, you might want to remove the dying animal, there are little kids staring at it... and no matter how much you insist it is sleeping, you are very wrong".
They also lied to me when I bought my pacman frog; told me he didn't need additional moisture, recommended sphagnum moss and reptibark for a substrate (number one cause of impaction in pacmans) and sold him as an Ornata, even though he's actually a Cranwelli...

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah, that's how it is. Especially if it'll get you to buy something. "Of course that monitor can live in 2gal, no problem. As long as you're buying it from us."

Speaking of those awesome little pacman frogs, I'm considering one.. Do the require a heat lamp, or just a warm room temp?

[ConcinusMan]

We've all been through the same kinds of things at pet stores Lora. We've had this discussion many times and it's like beating a dead horse.

Bottom line is, a pet store (especially Petco) is not a place to get advice on any exotic animal. It's only a place to get overcharged. Petco changed their policy long ago regarding exotics and cut way back on their stock, if not completely eliminating it at some locations. They rarely, if at all, keep reptiles in the store beyond 90 days and they don't keep it a secret as to why. And that is, they know the conditions and diet are not adequate for long term maintenance.

They know some losses will occur and their stuff and animals are priced accordingly.

Pacman frogs are actually not frogs at all. They're toads. They can survive for many months in dry conditions as long as there is a bowl of water available. They are tropical Jesse. They do like it warm. I would think that normal household room temp or a bit warmer is fine which is why they make good household terrarium animals.

[RedSidedSPR]

That too. Way overpriced.they charge $5 for "reptile water". A small bottle of: distilled drinking water.

Yeah, I don't know why they're called frogs. thanks!

[katach]

I called animal control on our local Petsmart (more like pet stupid) They had a ball python in an enclosure so small it couldn't even move. The anilmal control detective got right back to me and went and checked it out. He told them to get a bigger enclosure and that he would be back to make sure they did it.

[ConcinusMan]

Nice. These places need to get it through their heads that we won't tolerate mistreatment and that goes even for snakes. Not just cute and furry things.

[RedSidedSPR]

Awesome!!

Wow, maybe I should do that! I mean, look at that list I made! All in one store! Was walking back from Best Buy yesterday and stopped in (had to kill 20 minutes) and the mouth diseases were worse, the eggs (after 2 weeks) were still everywhere, and the frogs were gone, obviously dead. The corn snake has obviously never eaten in his life, and isn't planning on eating those crickets. It's like every animal is sick/dying/dead in that store. It's disgusting.

[Charis]

To be fair, sometimes the crickets in the different snake enclosures are not there on purpose. Sometimes they get into the snake cages from some of the other cages, that are supposed to have them. But yes, while individual stores vary and some are great, for the most part, the chain pet stores are horrible for certain types of animals, at least. And there is even more variation in the mom and pop stores.

[RedSidedSPR]

No. They're there on purpose. Another PetCo, a couple year ago I watched someone dump them in. I told them why that's bad, they looked at me like "wow this kid knows more than me", obviously believed me, knew I was right, but just didnt care, and pretty much said that.

Now, here's why I don't have a problem with petsmart. At least my local. They feed the right thing, they treat the animales better, AND THEY LISTEN I mentioned that feedig goldfish to the ribbon snake was bad, they switched to minnows and pinkies, the employees at this store seem to care more. It's an overall cleaner, healthier cages/store.

Hell, PetCo the same way with fish. Dirty water. Dead fish everywhere. I got an albino plecostimus from them a year ago, (last thing ive bought from them)he was sticking to the plastic container while he tried to empty him into the bag, banging the thing on the counter hard as he could! Then fish fell to the floor. He picked it up, dropped it in the bag, tied it up very poorly, and handed to me with a smile, saying "come again!"

Ha!

That fish died that week.

Feeder fish at PetCo -- can't see throughout th water. Petsmarts is a ver healthy clean tank.

Petsmart is bad too, but this ones pretty decent, and they listen ad certain employees care... I'd shop there if it wasn't for the prices. I only buy occasional fish, and feeder fish, but the prices are all that deter me. But I never shop at PetCo, even when they had a 70% off sale on all 20-40 gallons!!! I got petsmart to pricematch.

Oh, and the PetCo emplyees are jerks, but I wont get into that.