Fluffy Went to Petsmart

[sweetiepie9]

I have a 3 yr old dragons who's 22" long and over 800g. He's such a funster, but he really freaks people out if I take him out. I'm just waiting for warm weather to take him for a car ride, as he loves being on the dash, watching everone. The only place I"m allowed to take him is to our vet & pet shop. There's a lady at our pet shop that's retiring in April, so I intend to take him over one Saturday so she can see him. And yes, people freak out when they see him because he's so big & dark yellow.

When Sweetie was a year old, my huband used to put her in the library bad, covered with a towel & take her around everywhere.He was eventually asked not to bring him into the library & Safeway, but she's always welcome in pet shops. So that's a good thing. We've only ever been approached by friendly people with lots of questions, so we've been lucky.

Sorry Fluffy had such a bad reaction to ignorant people, but glad she's still visiting.
Deb

 

[PumpkinJelly]

LOL!

The perfect setting for that comment would be you buying some crickets at the pet store with Fluffy all happy in his harness by your foot, and someone makes a comment and you're like "What? Do you have a problem with my dog?" And then take your crickets and then say "Come on Fluffy, Good girl!" and then walk away. LOL.

I want to use that if anyone ever says something to me about Fiz. I just love him so much I can't tolerate anyone speaking negatively of him. I know it sounds silly, though. LOL! But he's so sweet, how could a person say something mean about him?

By the way, I love Fluffy's name. LOL! People probably view her as some mean reptile (You know those judgmental people who don't have the joy of owning a beardie) and then you're like "Oh, this is just Fluffy!" Lol! It's like naming a Lion "Kitty". hahaha.

Don't let anybody tell you that Fluffy isn't as awesome as you think she is. Lol! Keep bringing her places with you, who cares what others say? That just shows that they aren't lucky enough to have a pet as cool as Fluffy!

Sweetiepie: Aw! That's so cute. I wish they didn't tell him to stop bringing Sweetie in. It was probably very fun to go places with Sweetie.
WOW! Your male was HUGE!

 

[dragongirl95]

My vet is in petsmart so i always buy the beardies a treat from petsmart and the employees love my beardies , they even start talking about any reptiles they have at home. i even had a little girl about 3yrs old ask to pet mama one day. i do get odd looks when i walk around with one of the beardies on my shoulder but if i see someone stareing i ask them if they wanna kiss her or something, they stop staring real quick. i bring her to the libary whith me too sometimes.

 

[PumpkinJelly]

LOL I wish Fiz could go to the library...

 

[bltkpo]

When I first got Bindy, I was posting photos all over my FB and someone I once worked with had the nerve to say "gross". I told her, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." ...

She blocked and deleted me. :roll:

I was most bothered by the fact I had to tell a 40+ year old woman, to stop acting like a child.

 

[PumpkinJelly]

How could anyone say something mean about Bindy? Just look at him, he's adorable!

 

[bltkpo]

I know, right!? After that, people learned quickly that they dare not insult my beardie, cause I am mighty defensive.

 

[Nuka042]

Whenever I take Roku out I always have him riding my bf since he's the more aggressive looking one in the relationship, thankfully we've never had anyone say anything mean about us having Roku out. It's mostly the whole "omg what kind of lizard is that?" or "is that an iguana?!?" *facepalm* or my favorite "Is that real/alive!?!" No, it's actually a dead lizard, I sewed him onto my shirt just for the giggles....really? There was only one instance where one woman (in the grocery store, we were buying him some more greens so why not bring him along for approval) turned around in the line, saw him and ran away screaming like he was going to attack her! My reacton: dirty look to the woman and comforting my baby while saying "Oh it's okay, did that nasty looking woman scare you boy?" oh so loudly. But thankfully the general public around my area are just curious and rather nice.

So next time someone tries to make a comment about how "gross" a beardie is, just comfort your dragon for having him/her around such gross people.

 

[Jess]

I've never had people react that way to Dud, everyone usually loves him. Some people I know don't like reptiles, but most people think he is cute after they get to know him.

Dudley has a black reptile-print dog purse that I tote him around in! Haha. We go to visit the reptile store I adopted him from, and he has been to Pet Supplies Plus a couple times and Petco, and the vet's. Wink went into the salon when I got a hair cut once. :lol: Once the weather warms up, I'm bringing him to the pet store I work at because everyone wants to meet him.

As for the negative comments? IMO the best response is "So's your face." and walk away!

 

[ShannyBeard]

You should purposefully gotten in her space with the fluffster

Always the non-confrontational voice. :lol: :lol: I laughed for real. :lol:

I think we all have a responsibility to take our dragons and other reptiles into public more often.

 

[PumpkinJelly]

I think we all have a responsibility to take our dragons and other reptiles into public more often.

We need to spread the word of how great beardies are!

They need to stop making movies about dogs and cats, and make some about Beardies. I'd definitely go to see that movie!

 

[Fuzzyviper]

I've only been able to bring Malygos out once, since he was far too small when it was warm enough outside. I brought him to work (Petsmart) after his vet visit a month ago. Most people just kind of walked by him, not minding. I had a couple come up and say how handsome he was and a couple of my co-workers that think beardies are adorable came over to fawn over him. Most of my Facebook friends will comment on his pictures about how big he's gotten or how adorable he is. I have had a few "stealth" unfriendings happen so I'm not sure if my entire album of beardie pictures was the cause or not.

Most people are more "grossed out" by Aleksandr, my 5 year old ball python. He's very shy so I don't take him out on the town often but he went to Steak N Shake and the pet store once a couple years ago. We went through the drive thru and the workers were like, "Is that a snake!?" and were all leaning out the window to get a good look at him. I will often carry the snakes by hand into the back to be fed at work too. Sometimes someone will back up into an aisle from fear but most people are curious and will come over to check them out. I'll sometimes end up standing in front of the reptile enclosures, holding the snake, while kids gently touch the snake and I talk about the care of snakes. It informs the parents how most pet snakes are low maintenance and calm and the kids get really excited about reptiles.

I'd love to bring one of my herps into a classroom and just do a short presentation. (I often will talk to people for half an hour about the herps even if they aren't interested in buying one at work.) Don't be confrontational with people. Being aggressive or nasty will just make them think that "reptile people" are bad/creepy people. Most people only know reptiles from TV or the movies and think they are dangerous. Offer to let them pet the animal and give some information. I find most people will listen and while not always willing to bring one of these animals into the house, they will leave with a more informed opinion of reptiles.

 

[NeosMom]

Yesterday someone told me "you know... bearded dragons taste just like chicken." I just can't win. Even when people are "being nice" and trying to have a sense of humor, they just get on my nerves.

 

[PumpkinJelly]

Anything that has to do with anyone or anything ingesting or harming a beardie just doesn't appeal to me, so odds are I'd be wearing a really weird face if someone said that to me. LOL!

 

[thebenior]

I haven't gone anywhere but the vet and my local pet store with my dragon Thor. This summer, my girlfriend and I did sit out on my apartment's front porch with him a number of times. You have to walk past my porch to enter the building; my second floor neighbors did a double take walking out the front door ("Wait a minute... yup, that's a lizard"). I was inside once when my girlfriend was sitting outside with Thor on her leg and our third floor neighbor came home. She asked my girlfriend, "Is that an iguana?" My girlfriend told her that he was a bearded dragon, she said, "Oh, he's cute!"