I've read SO many threads on this forums of...

[3beardies1cup]

People getting the wrong information from pet stores, it's REDICULOUS. And I've bought a bearded dragon from a pet store and it died 2 days later (they did refund me though). This is just not right, what can we do to remove all reptiles from pet-stores? I'm sick of this ****. It's so wrong, i just want to shoot every pet store owner. I've seen ONE pet store in my area out of 4 who actually properly takes care of them BUT they even do 1-2 things wrong and when I try and tell them with proof they say nope you're wrong i've been w/ bearded dragons for 435234 years. *****s, sorry i'm a little fed up w/ people atm =)

 

[3beardies1cup]

PEOPLE 10.0 Reptisun, not REPTIGLO.
Breeding = Bad unless you have 1,000 loose cash.
Never buy a reptile from a pet-store unless you want wrong information w/ unhealthy reptiles & support cruelty
Measure temp. with temp gun 100-106
Bath every other night to loosen muscles so they can poop easiler =)
KNOW YOUR BEARDIE, RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH =)
Feed insects! (Crickets, Roaches, Phoenix Worms) && Sprinkle w/ vitamin/calcium

 

[Ethelia]

I live in a town with two reptile dedicated stores. Both are utterly useless.
One scammed us out of money.
Both claim beardies NEVER brumate & that thats only for snakes.
One claims my viv temp should only be 73!

They are utterly useless and I now only use them for food.

 

[slddgk]

I totally agree! I didn't get my beardie from a pet store, but I did go to one to get supplies, and the three I went to in my little town, only one had any idea (and because of the economy, they went out of business, so sad). But the other two are useless. This is my first beardie and before I knew how bad Repti-Glo 10.0 coil lights were, the one store convinced me to purchase one. With-in two days, my baby was keeping her left eye closed most of the time. I did some research on the topic, and found out it was the light, I immediately took it out and within hours she started to improve. I returned it to the store, and purchased a florescent tube fixture and light. Now before everyone asks - it is an ESU UV light, but I have ordered the ReptiSun 10.0 UVB light tube, and it will be here anyday. But she is very active and eating well, I just wish she would eat her salads, but she is still young, but I do offer her veggies everyday. She is eating approx 24 or so more crickets every morning and in the evening 15 or so. She is pooing everyday, so she is healthy. Now the guy at the one store has said he used to breed beardies, and that the I search here for any advice. I am on here all the time, reading, reading and more reading. I think this is the most reading I have done on any one subject in a long time. This place is the bomb.

 

[slddgk]

Ooops ... part of my reply must have gotten deleted... I said the one guy at the one store said he used to breed beardies and that the coil light should have been great for her, what a ***** ... That is probably why he works at the pet store chain and not breeding anymore. Ohhhh and the second store, was soooo clueless. When I went to buy crickets, they gave me more than crickets, there were caterpillars in there as well and the girl said, they were crickets that weren't ready yet ... what a dumb butt. I have ordered crickets from online Ghanns Cricket Farm, they will be here Tuesday or Wednesday. I went and got a plastic tote and some screen from Lowes to put them in when they get here.

Anyway - I think I will be doing most of my shopping online from now on ... local pet stores disgust me to no end. Poor animals.

 

[lillybd2008]

Its awful! I bought a beardie from petsmart under 3 weeks ago, in that time I noticed she was sick called them they said to bring her back ok! not easy could not do it! I knew she was not going to make it but I wanted to keep her here where I could at least give her chicken baby food like vet said and keep misting her and just give her love she died a few days ago very hard on myself and 3 boys! we spent most of the day crying! the tears are less but we miss her! I called and said she finally died they told me the contract was over and they would not refund no biggie, it was worth it to have known her for the few weeks! but went today to get some vitamins my son dumped out my other container and pick up some wax worms everyone else was out today! and I was talking to the lady and told her about the beardie and about all the bad advice I got when buying my lighting for the other beardie we got and from talking to people online I finally ordered the right lighting she asked where I was getting my info I told her online she then asked do you listen to everything you hear online HUH are you kidding me? you people sold me everything wrong and harmful to my beardie, so irritated from now on I am buying online! I said I was not going back and I did but this time was my last trip to Petsmart!

 

[slddgk]

Sorry to hear that your baby passed. Petsmart sucks ... That is where I got the bad coil light advice. They sell it, therefore it must be what your beaded dragon needs, NOT!!!!!!!!! They do not sell anything that useful as far as lighting for our babies, well except for the heat lights, which you can get elsewhere --- much cheaper --- I kept going in to my local Petsmart to get crickets, before I smartened up to buy in bilk online, and they had a bearded dragon baby, and he was sooooo tiny, and never grew much at all in the three weeks I was going in there, soooo sad .... he should have doubled in size easily, if he was a baby. I just wanted to rescue him, but I can't afford two beardies right now, not until I begin my very own dubia roach colony, I will have the money soon to get started. I have read so much about the benefits. Anyway, it kills me to see these babies poorly taken care of.

 

[Zemanski]

I have to say the best advice I ever got was in a pet shop

not that I haven't had good advice on-line but our local reptile shop is fantastic (except he's moved to Sheffield now - one of the guys he has trained up has opened up two doors down but it's not the same )

When I got our baby the breeder told me he had a deformity from hatching and gave me no real advice on looking after him other than what size crickets to feed him and to say he fed them spinach - I watched a video produced by an american pet shop and thought I knew what to do so wasn't too bothered.

when I got Trevor home I looked at his bent feet and realised that it might be mbd (I read a BD manual before I got him - it wasn't a good one but it did mention mbd) so I was a bit worried about it and decided I needed to talk to someone about him.
I went down to the local reptile shop, which, being called "snakes'n'adders", I had previously thought only sold snakes with a photo of Trevor and his feet.
The owner of the shop was brilliant - checked my set up, drew me diagrams to show how to get a heat gradient, sold me the right supplements, told me where to find the only herp vet in the area, sent me to a great UK forum and confirmed my suspicions about mbd. He probably saved Trevor's life.

I have been in many bad pet shops and they deserve their bad reputations but there are a few out there that really care for their animals and they need our support as much as the others need our disgust.

I will not buy anything from a bad pet shop; I would rather travel and pay more than keep it open by helping it make a profit

 

[MelissaGray]

This advice is coming from someone who loves all animals (just about) and worked for a pet store for 3 months. Don't get me wrong...is a good pet shop but still does alot wrong. While I worked there, they kept all the frogs in a community tank(except pacman frogs), beadies only ate crickets, about 15 were thrown in once a day for 4 beardies!!!, and the snakes weren't researched properly. They got in a southern Garter snake and were feeding it crickets. After 2 weeks of feeding it, I noticed I still haven't seen it eat any. I came home, researched, found out it eats small fish!. When I went back to work the next day, I told the manager. She argued with me and said no, it eats crickets! I was mad so next day came in. She was off that day and I talked to the other manager. Needless to say, he ate 3 small feeder fish in under 2 minutes. I wish I could have brought him home but hubby said no to more animals. Which is kinda funny because I still got a beardie after that :lol: Also, we bought a snow corn snake while I worked there and they were adamant he needed lots of uv, poor thing died from the uv...I wish there was a regulation that they needed to do research before selling anything. So, for everyone that gets mad at the employees, remember 90% are only selling what they have been told to. I wanted to work there because I love animals and wanted to learn more about them. Only sometimes knowlegde that is given is sometimes wrong. So, don't be so angry with the employees, be mad at the owners/managers. A good one will do the research then teach it. Just my 2 cents. Oh, as an update, they now offer greens to the beardies still not enough crickets though. And unfortunately, this is where I got my beardie Sydney, kinda explains why she is stunted growth wise. Maybe one day, I will have my dream and open a shop myself.

 

[LJean]

I know you can get what you deem bad advice from petshops, but you must realize that people differ in their opinions on caring for the animals. Our two expert reptile people keep multiple beardies in an enclosure and even keep babies on sand. They also feed mealworms... same with other reptiles. They think I am nuts for listening to people online, LOL

Many people who work in stores such as Petsmart, Petco etc are told what is good and what to sell. Can't blame them for it.

 

[Zemanski]

Can't blame them for it.

don't have to support them by shopping there though

 

[LJean]

Can't blame them for it.

don't have to support them by shopping there though

And that is why I won't work for one either. :wink:

 

[Zemanski]

:laughing6:

 

[frog]

They are utterly useless and I now only use them for food.

same here. i only trust them for food. sadly the bearded dragons there are the least healthiest reptiles they own. there a pitiful site. and im not just saying that because i only have experience with beardies. i have experience with MANY other reptiles and amphibians. beardies are the worst. so so sad.....