Need Help with PETCO petition ..UPDATE new problems!10/21/09

[vickson420]

Wow, 196 sigs, that's great.

Thanks Diane but guess what we are now up to 199 So who wants to be #200? Come on maybe I will throw you a party :wink:

Vicky

 

[diamc]

Wow, 199, who's going the make the 200th signature? You've done an awesome job Vicky. :wink:

 

[vickson420]

Thanks that means alot but really its more like WE did a great job :mrgreen:

 

[vickson420]

Hi Guys me again just wanted to let everyone know we hit a mile stone we have made it to 201 sigs
I guess I owe someone a party

 

[puppytoes72]

204 now!!

 

[Dragons of the Deep]

Party time! Beardie and Cowboy get superworms today! You should have seen their little faces LOL. Add hand fed mustard greens, and you have a happy dragon!

 

[KairaandTaz08]

Sorry if I'm a bit late on this post and you sent the petition already, but if you haven't, could somebody please re-post the link? I couldn't get to it.
Also, how about one to PetSmart?? I've seen the same things there. I'm trying to get a hold of my local humane society or some law-type organization that will do something about this particular store at the very least (but I don't they'll pay too much attention).
I'm tired of it, it makes me sick. I took a copy of both PetCo's and PetSmart's "caresheet"...whatever . They are full of you know what. I have a cell phone picture of a baby beardie who obviously had either had his head literally "smashed" or MBD...possibly both. You can hardly tell what is wrong in the picture unfortunately. I'll go in everyday though and get more pictures. I don't care what it takes I'm sick of it.
Abi

 

[cjdickey]

Only if u promise to sign it..lol. J/J...Here ya go!!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petc ... ardiecare/

 

[cjdickey]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petcosbadbeardiecare/

ok, that one should be right..lol

 

[KairaandTaz08]

Thanks so much, I will right now!

 

[cjdickey]

You're welcome!!!

 

[KittyLovesBeardies]

I just signed it Lots Lub everyone & beardies! :love5:

 

[KairaandTaz08]

I keep rewriting my message thing...I just don't think I can say enough to show my true anger or put it in a way that PETCO will understand it and DO something about this. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Abi

 

[vickson420]

Hi guys
Just to add some fuel to the fire :wink: I am posting PetCo's BD care sheet online.Unbelievably playsand according to them is an impaction risk but calcisand is perfectly safe :dontknow:
http://www.petco.com/caresheets/lizards/Dragon_Bearded.pdf

Vicky

 

[modinlarson]

Hello, Okay I feel as though I have to disagree with some of this being a Retile Specialist in a Petco store..... Some of this is not the practice of the company I can tell you that... it must be the managers and store employees that are doing wrong So, I response I will asay what I feel is not right....

Hello,

My name is Vicky Fradella and I am a concerned bearded dragon owner and handler. I have been caring for bearded dragons for a number of years and I would like to express some concerns on practices that I have witnessed PETCO using in their husbandry and care of bearded dragons that not only myself, but a number of other beardie owners feel are incorrect and would like to see adjusted.

This is understood, but where are you located and what Petco? I am just wondering where our sister companies are not doing the correct practices in the husbandry department.

I recently visited your store and have noticed a number of things that need to be changed. I have been an avid researcher over the past few years and have been keeping as up to date as possible on the changes in the standards of care that have taken place in regards to bearded dragon husbandry.

I was very disheartened to see on my last visit that the baby beardies were being kept on calci-sand which has been linked to causing major impactions especially in young bearded dragons. I truly believe that no baby or juvenile bearded dragon should be kept on particle substrates of any kind in order to reduce the risk of impaction.

I happen to know being a Reptile Specialist for Petco and taking care of all the reptiles that Cali- sand is not NOT used in our stores and not allowed to be used in our stores... We use reptile carpet in tan... I know this because I am the one who takes care of the husbandry on these babies and own two of my own as well as am babysitting my best friends Durkin/Lawson....


I also made notice that there was no food of any kind in the tank. The lighting in the tank was also in my opinion incorrect. There was an infrared heat bulb in the tank instead of a bright white basking bulb that is the current standard that many care sheets advise should be used. There was a uvb bulb, I don't know the exact specs on it however I do know that the beardies couldn't get within the 6-8 inch proximity that all fluorescent uvb bulbs require for proper exposure.

Wow, where are you all from this is all wrong too... our beardies have green at all times... trust me I have to do that tooo... it is fresh water twice a day and fresh greens twice a day and crix twice a day...... Which is the same as I feed at home... and what is told that is appropriate for feeding.... and I belive is appropriate for feeding.... most people feed twice a day as many as can be eatten in 5 to 10 minutes and remove the ones not ate.... look anywhere it will tell you that As far as bulbs I have a updated system that is ran off lights and computer timers.... they have a repti sun 10 and also a 75 basking light that runs on timer 16 hours a day and we provide a basking log that provides the height that is needed for the basking to be 108-110 in that area... I check this daily and am there all the time on my days off to make sure that all the habitats are correct, since that is my time to spoil my babies and buy them things... the humitidy is sometimes off but corrected and the temps are right on...

When I expressed my concerns to the store personnel, I was advised that there was nothing they could do because it was company policy. I called the PETCO customer service hotline and was advised I would receive a call back to discuss their care and have yet to receive this return call. That is why I have created this petition on behalf of myself and other concerned bearded dragon owners.

Okay someone lied to you... we dont use that substrate, there is a food with veggies and water that is declorinated at all times and a basking log that in my set up hits about 7 inches from the lighting...

We respectfully and urgently request that PETCO change its continuing practice of what we consider outdated husbandry practices, specifically the use of calcium based sand or any other particle substrates. The only type of substrates acceptable for bearded dragons are solid substrates such as reptile carpeting, ceramic tile, papertowel or non-adhesive shelf liner. Anything other than solid substrates, is unacceptable and most certainly will increase the risk of impaction which is a major cause of bearded dragon fatalities.

Reptile carpet is the standard company policy for substrate ....

We also ask that PETCO change their policy on lighting and heating and commit to using bright white basking bulbs during daylight hours and ceramic heat emitters in the evening in place of infrared heat bulbs and strictly adhere to the use of linear fluorescent uvb bulbs that the animals can get to within 6-8 inches of. We ask that they also consider using a more accurate method of checking the temperatures in the tanks to ensure that the bearded dragons have an appropriate basking spot temperature of 95F-105F to ensure the proper digestion and growth of the animals as well as an available cool spot of 75F-80F to allow for proper thermoregulation. This can be simply accomplished by using a digital probe thermometer or an infrared temperature gun in lieu of stick on thermometers, such as the round gauge or strip type.

We do have the round stick on them's just to show that the temps are correct to customers ... everything we have in our store is regulated by computer...

On the topic of feeding, we ask that baby and juvenile bearded dragons, only be fed appropriate sized feeders specifically crickets that are no larger then the space between their eyes to avoid risks of impaction, that they be offered an adequate supply of such feeders and we also ask that they discontinue the use of mealworms as a feeder in the baby and juvenile animals for the same said risk. We ask that a fresh and continuous supply of appropriate dark leafy greens be made available to them on a daily basis such as Arugala, Collard Greens, Dandelion Greens,etc. In regards to supplements, we recommend that the bearded dragons are offered an appropriate amount of vitamins to ensure proper bone growth specifically a calcium vitamin with D3 and no phosphorous like Rep-cal, as well as a weekly multivitamin if this is not already a practice PETCO has in place.

At our store we feed crix two times a day and they are small crix... pinheads We do not over feed our beardies but there is enough placed in the tank and watch them eat to know that they have enough crix a day to satisfy their feeding needs and I continue to feed them until noone eats anymore of 8 minutes is up and everyone look satisfied ....

We have also viewed larger bearded dragons in with much smaller ones and are requesting that only babies be kept together as some adults have been known to eat smaller ones which is very upsetting.Please also consider upgrading your tank size as well as limiting the amount of baby beardies that are housed together.The current standard for an individual adult bearded dragon is a 40 breeder size tank and only 5-10 babies should be housed together in a tank of similar size.

You are joking... this can not be a Petco cause they never never order adults ... no no no... I know this I do the ordering all our beardies are 6 to 8 weeks in age.... there is no no no way this can be true.... I want you to take pics of the petco and the beardies in there that are adults .... we dont order again until sold out... and trust me they are there maybe 3 weeks tops before they are put up for adoption for free, we never have adults in the tank they would be there almost a year NO NO NO NO BULL you are so lying out your teeth on this one... we put them up for adoption for free after a certain amount of time.... sorry no way you all should not believe this... and we use a 20 gallon long for the babies and they are there maybe ummm three weeks tops in a extreme case most go in a week....

The practices we have requested above are the minimal standard of care that most experienced handlers use today and are used to simply ensure the health of the bearded dragon species. We believe the current husbandry practices of PETCO when it comes to bearded dragons, is sub-standard and needs to be changed in order to avoid any further animal losses, especially the use of any and all particle based substrates, including calcium based reptile sand and vita-sand as we believe that these substances are extremely hazardous and carry a very high risk of impaction and/or death.

Also in my store we have NEVER NEVER had a death of a beardie due to care... actually we have never had a death of a beardie at all... one Iguana and it came to use with a skin virus and I nursed it everyday and it still passed in the night ... with tons of love and commitment I might say... and yes he went to the vet the day we got him and vet said he was not going to make it (he had 3 days of love and kisses and snuggles from me) but we could try and we did .... I tried my heart out and cried ... he came in sick it made me so mad... and we dont order from that breeder anymore.... my foot went down... he did not care for his babies and I wont order from him ever again.....

I would like to thank PETCO and its representatives for hearing our appeal and please ask that you take these recommendations under serious consideration. Thank you for your time.

I guess that is all I have to say because a lot of this is just not right and wanted to make you all aware of this....