Incorrect advice, large chain petstores

[Kristen623]

I was just curious to know about employees at large pet store chains. When I go in to buy a light bulb, crickets, worms, etc.... they give me such different advice than what a reptile store would tell me. Shouldn't a large chain store have training on the animals they sell? . My younger cousin bought a baby beardie yesterday at Petco. He's only 3 inches long. They told her to keep the tank at 80 degrees, & never told her about a UVB light. She bought a leopard gecko tank set-up, which is pre boxed & sold as a kit. I told her she doesn't need the night black light for the beardie. I also told her she needs a UVB light, a digital thermometer and the temp needs to be a lot higher, between 100-110 for babies. I don't get it.

 

[Gail]

Large pet store chain offer no training to employees. In reality, it isn't worth it to them. If a dragon they buy for $5 and resell for $80 dies and needs to be replaced, then it more money for them. Same with selling all the wrong crap, they don't care as long as its a sales. Even if all babies but one dies in store, they make a profit when that one sells.
Its all about the $$

 

[Kristen623]

I have to agree with you there. I don't know where they get their animals either. I bought a 3 month old leopard gecko from them a couple months ago. I kept asking them if they need moisture, moss, or humidity. The employee told me no. He said "just mist the tank with a misting bottle every couple days". I'm not sure what happened, if he was sick when we bought him or if he got sick in my care. After about a month or so, he stopped eating and a week after he stopped eating, he dropped it's tail. I took him to the MSPCA hospital in Boston & they said he had a massive infection & couldn't do anything for him. He died later that night. My kids were heartbroken! I was in Petco the other day & they had 6 baby leopard geckos, about 2-3 inches long, and one of them had a missing tail!! Not to mention 5 baby beardies about 4 inches long. One ate a large cricket! He had half the bug hanging out of it's mouth & took a while to swallow. I felt so bad for them!

 

[Jess]

At my pet store, we all have to take tests on how to care for the different animals we sell!

A lot of it depends on personal opinion/experience too. Like, I have a few beardie people who come into my store who will only take advice from me LOL, and I always recommend what I do for my own pets. I do a ton of research on everything, and if we get animals in that I haven't had before I do research on their care too. Some of my coworkers will recommend things that I don't exactly agree with though, so it depends who you talk to.

 

[dangit12]

probably when i get older what i would do is have a bearded dragon petstore and buy any bearded dragons
then care for them like their my own children and maybe make a kit like 1 bearded dragon a tank and everything else. and if possible hire some people on this site that are experts and in california :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Kristen623]

dangit, that sounds like a good opportunity for yourself AND the bearded dragons!

 

[NeosMom]

Very noble, dangit. It gives me hope for the future of the youth in this country when I read posts from you and Jess.

 

[Ratlovinkippy211]

I had to do several different books/workbooks on each section and than had to also passed a few test on the computer. Each store can be 100% different.. thou they do try keep it the same from store to store. people have their own personal experience and sometimes just don't know any better. when I am training anyone new they have to shadow different people ( mainly me) I tell them that any chance they get listen in on what I am saying whether i am selling something or helping out.

Sadly some people don't want to listen. IN some cases we could than refuse the sale in less they show they have the right set up. Someone got a ball python from a different store and had him on aspen. MY personal experience told me that was all wrong for that snake and he needed to be in a tropical set up but the owners didn't want to listen to me.

point is we are giving the training and depending on the store you could have a soild team who can help and want to help set up the animals the best way that we know how. All i can ask is don't assume all of us have no clue.

 

[AtlasStrike]

I keep my BP on aspen. It isn't the most economical substrate for a Ball, and it doesn't hold humidity very well, but the tub I keep him in does, so I don't need spagnum moss or other substrate to trap moisture. When he isn't on aspen, he is on paper towels, which again, doesn't hold moisture very well, but is sanitary and easy to clean.

There is a difference between personal preference and negligence. Some people prefer to keep their snakes on aspen or moss or paper towels, and that doesn't much matter so long as the humidity is correct for the species, but using an unregulated UTH is dangerous.

With beardies, not having UVB is dangerous, using coil UVBs can be dangerous, improperly sized food items can be dangerous.

IMO, beardie care has a lot more nuance than snake care. But, then again, I am one of those "lucky" snake owners with the Ball Python that powers down frozen/thawed rats and has only ever missed a meal when in shed, and the corn who has literally never missed a meal.

 

[Ratlovinkippy211]

I keep my BP on aspen. It isn't the most economical substrate for a Ball, and it doesn't hold humidity very well, but the tub I keep him in does, so I don't need spagnum moss or other substrate to trap moisture. When he isn't on aspen, he is on paper towels, which again, doesn't hold moisture very well, but is sanitary and easy to clean.

There is a difference between personal preference and negligence. Some people prefer to keep their snakes on aspen or moss or paper towels, and that doesn't much matter so long as the humidity is correct for the species, but using an unregulated UTH is dangerous.

With beardies, not having UVB is dangerous, using coil UVBs can be dangerous, improperly sized food items can be dangerous.

IMO, beardie care has a lot more nuance than snake care. But, then again, I am one of those "lucky" snake owners with the Ball Python that powers down frozen/thawed rats and has only ever missed a meal when in shed, and the corn who has literally never missed a meal.

I agree. But in this case they told me they couldn't keep the humidity high enough so I wanted to show them moss and if they wanted a different bedding to help.
Every animal has their own personal needs depending on the species and everyone is going have their own say on how it should be done.

 

[Kristen623]

I do believe it depends on each individual, you are correct. It's usually the same person at Petco who gives me "wrong" advice. Yesterday however, there was a wonderful young girl who owns a beardie & she knew exactly what she was talking about!!! I told her I was glad she was working today! lol By no means am I trying to make Petco workers incompetent at all. I am just saying there are people out there that need to really know their reptile stuff because a lot of buyers are newbies & are clueless about caring for one. These people rely on employees for info. I like to research online & buy books about the animal I'm planning on buying, but some people don't have the resources.