Do people really do this?

[sweetiepie9]

PastelBeardie is right and as usual the person at the pet shop didn't do any research. I have a crested gecko and she's away from the light of the balcony door because she needs temperate (about 73-75F) in her tank. She has a black light for extra warmth at the top of her tank in the winter, but that's it. They're from an island off New Zealand and don't do well in excessive heat. They need high humidity, as well, so I spray her tank once or twice a day thoroughly.

I also have a golden gecko who is the opposite. He's from the rain forest of Vietnam and needs higher heat and also humidity. I have a fig tree in his tank, and spray his tank once or twice a day. He's closer to the balcony door, so he gets direct sunlight into his tank. He also has two hides & a 1/2 log he can hide in if it's too hot. He has a heater on the back of his tank outside the glass that he likes to hang on. Bunny, my crested, would hate the extra heat. Neither of them have UVB as they're both nocturnal & sleep all day.

I'm glad the woman was able to tell the saleswoman that she wouldn't be buying a UVB for her gecko. They're mostly nocturnal (except the bright green/blue Madagascar Day Gecko) so none of them need UVB.

Bearded dragons, on the other hand, need full spectrum UVB and will become very ill if they don't get what they need. So research is always necessary when getting any type of lizard.

 

[Ofthelime]

It is something that happens far too often ( even more common with iguanas) unfortunately some people don't care and unfortunately pet shops don't care (petco doesn't even supply UVB to their lizards bought mine at the beginning stage of MBD I've also witnessed them feed dragons oats). I've always said that if I ever have a petshop I would mandate an oral recognition of the animals needs. I am curious however if you can report stuff like that to the better business bureau.

 

[CrowClaws]

Ugh, yes, sadly this happens way way too often. And I would know, I actually work at a Petco. I'm still learning about beardies but I know enough to get people set up right, and I've owned lots of snakes, rats, etc. I will admit that the majority of people I work with do not research any of the animals. One gives false information and customers believe everything, and the other says why do I even need to learn about them? I just clean the tanks. There was also a new rule implemented recently and we are no longer allowed to take out any animal for anyone to see unless it's going into a box for them, so I can no longer attempt to socialize animals, or help get rid of the negative stigma around them, especially reptiles. I try to get the reptile sales when people come in for them, but if it's too busy I get to witness what everyone is talking about here, which is new owners and employees not knowing any better and getting the wrong substrate, wanting to mix species, feeding the wrong diet, feeding only one thing (i.e. crickets for life). Drives me crazy. Some people I lived with years ago would buy tons of animals, mostly reptiles, and not take proper care of them. They'd die, or have stuck sheds for ages, wrong humidity...bleh. So I definitely research ahead of time and try to educate who I can, and I encourage customers to do their own research as well. It makes me sad that non dog/cat pets are disposable to so many people.

 

[CrowClaws]

PastelBeardie is right and as usual the person at the pet shop didn't do any research. I have a crested gecko and she's away from the light of the balcony door because she needs temperate (about 73-75F) in her tank. She has a black light for extra warmth at the top of her tank in the winter, but that's it. They're from an island off New Zealand and don't do well in excessive heat. They need high humidity, as well, so I spray her tank once or twice a day thoroughly.

I also have a golden gecko who is the opposite. He's from the rain forest of Vietnam and needs higher heat and also humidity. I have a fig tree in his tank, and spray his tank once or twice a day. He's closer to the balcony door, so he gets direct sunlight into his tank. He also has two hides & a 1/2 log he can hide in if it's too hot. He has a heater on the back of his tank outside the glass that he likes to hang on. Bunny, my crested, would hate the extra heat. Neither of them have UVB as they're both nocturnal & sleep all day.

I'm glad the woman was able to tell the saleswoman that she wouldn't be buying a UVB for her gecko. They're mostly nocturnal (except the bright green/blue Madagascar Day Gecko) so none of them need UVB.

Bearded dragons, on the other hand, need full spectrum UVB and will become very ill if they don't get what they need. So research is always necessary when getting any type of lizard.

Also, I have a quick question. Does the same go for leopard geckos? I'm just curious, we have leopards, cresteds, and gliding geckos at work.

 

[Taterbug]

That's a shame about your co-workers. If only they put "untrained in proper animal care" on their name badge or something. I bothers me that stores advertise their experience ... Then you hear that sort of thing.

Also, I have a quick question. Does the same go for leopard geckos? I'm just curious, we have leopards, cresteds, and gliding geckos at work.

Nocturnal/crepuscular lizards like leopard and crested geckos don't "need" UVB the same way dragons do - they can get enough from supplements to avoid MBD. Generations of captive animals have thrived, so it's generally accepted husbandry.

However not much is know about the effects of not providing full spectrum lighting and wild-type light cycles, there may be benefits to emotional/psycological health. Sort of like providing really nice bright light and UVA to dragons. A growing number of keepers are providing UVB+full spectrum light for their geckos, and snakes in an attempt to provide more natrual experience for their animals. The setups are generally more involved layout wise than typical setups as far as hides, shade and so forth.

 

[NattyB]

Yep. Recently at a pet store a guy and girl were at the reptile area and she says "lets get some reptiles (he he) a boy and a girl how cute". When asked for their reptile licence they said they left it at home and could they bring it in later - NOT!!

 

[Stolzieren]

yep, people really do this and it makes me so mad. I could complain about it all day. I urge people to do their research and REALLY think about what it means to have a pet because it's not just something to make you cool or to play around with and not care properly for.

and it really makes me mad when I try to talk politely to owners about their husbandry and they get very nasty with me about it. I'm just concerned for their animal and they don't even want to CONSIDER the fact they might be doing something wrong.

 

[beardedwoman86]

Ive made my share of mistakes. And I wont claim to be the one person who never did this ever. Like when I first got a set of Jackson chameleons. I paid close to $500 for their setup and them. Convinced myself misting with a spray bottle would be fine a couple times a day. A week later I realized their hygrometer was not reading right... So.. I grabbed my old incubater hygrometer which was digital... Had a thermometer and everything... Was too cold and too dry.. I MADE my own misting system from a fountain pump, porch mister heads etc... And set everything up on timers... BAM.. Taught me... Also taught me how important it is to keep your babies on a schedule. And pay close attention to them. No matter how much, or how little you pay for them.

 

[JayceeBuddy67]

I go to PetSmart every once in a while, and every time I go, they have tiny babies. They are in a tank with one bulb, 4-5 others, only greens and tons of stress marks. If you have a laptop, their tank is only about that big. Tiny!!!


I'm not going to say that I haven't made my share of mistakes. Let me tell you the story behind Miss Buddy.
She started out as a project for school. I bought her at Pets Plus. I had a big plastic tuppuware box with dirt and plants in it. I brought her home and kinda read up. I read that they need to have a light. :book: I kept a 200 watt flood light on for 24/7!!!! My poor Baby! She was prob, like, HELP!! :help: I put GRASS in her "tank" and she ate some. The humidity was too high. I could tell. It was wayyyyy to hot. Then I read they could eat strawberries. Fed her some. Then I got a real glass tank and found out that only 12 h of light was needed. Then I found yall! Now I have everything right! Ii kinda can't believe she survived! She is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo AMAZING!!! :love10: :love10: :love5:

 

[sweetiepie9]

I learned so much from this site. My Sweetie Pie was my first dragon. When we got her from my son (we were babysitting her), she looked like a stick. I found out she hadn't had any crickets for a month (she was only 4 mo old). So I got on here, got the right into, spent $200 on her and told my son to get a cat as he wasn't getting her back. Within 2 mo, she was 16" long and over 200g and did very well from there. That was the beginning of rescuing dragons and I've been rescuing and learning for over 9 years now. I have 5 dragons and 2 geckos and still learn something new every day. It's been a wonderful journey. I've lost alot of my special dragons, due to their issues when I first got them, but I gave them the best life I could. I love my dragons

As for pet shops, I go only to one local one, don't like their husbandry, so just pick up the crickets I need for my geckos and get out of there! I've lost patience with how most pet shops (some do a great job) take care of reptiles, especially chain stores. Not alot I can do for them...so frustrating.

 

[Gail]

Way back before I knew what a beardie was, my sister in law kept talking about them. Saying how much she wanted one, they were so tiny and cute and all she would need was a 10 gallon. I didn't think much of it at the time.
Fast forward a couple years, I was introduced to beardies by a aunt and I ended up getting my first soon after. When he was around 1 year old, the sister in law visited. She was very excited to see my dragon since she has liked to for so long.
Then she got really confused, I presented her with a 22" adult male and she told me that he wasn't the right kind of dragon. She wanted the little bitty kind that the pet stores sell, when I told her those are babies and the grow into what I had, she was amazed. Here was a person who liked and wanted a beardie for years but she had no clue they grew up!
I'm so glad she never got one and I'm glad she was able to see mine. She lost interest once she found out how big they could get.
Of course if she would have asked for advice at a petstore, they would have sold her a completely crappy set up with the advice to feed 5 crickets a day and the poor thing would have died.