OMG PetSmart (Now with Pic's)

[SuperMom30]

Me and my friend went to PetSmart yesterday. I had never been to it before and my friend wanted to check prices on dog food. When we walked in there reptiles are right there and I looked into the little tank that said Bearded Dragons..OMG I have NEVER seen such small dragons. They were maybe 2-3inches and there little heads were maybe the size of a dime. One was asleep in a water dish...made sure he was not dead. They had one little light like that you put in a night light. I pulled a lady to the side and asked her how old they were..she flippantly said "I dont maybe 2 weeks old" and walked away. Is there a law stating that they must be a certain age? My friend is now wanting to buy them because they are so tiny and she wants to rescue them. I am a little hesitant on it because they are so little and not being given the care they need at such a critical time. However her point is that someone who does not know a thing about them will buy them and they will die from lack or wrong care info that pet smart will give them. I just hate to buy something that is just plain wrong because it shows them that people will just buy them anyway so they keep getting them so tiny. but I understand her side of it as well....She said it was up to me (were roomies) she would trust what I had to say....so I thought I would ask you guys.
Also there was a CWD dead in the cage with others using his body to stand on...it was so sad...I HATE

 

[spurlee01]

For quite a while our PetSmart stores quit carrying beardies. I really was happy because they aren't cared for there. Well two days ago I went in to get a light fixture and saw these tiny babies like you describe. They were so skinny and so small. Their temps were 85*... 20* lower than they should be for a baby! I was ready to cry. My boyfriend reminded me "it's only temporary" but that does not excuse it! Well yesterday I went in and one of the three babies was gone (sold, I hope). One of the employees was showing the dragons to kids (8-10 y/o I would guess). They asked if it's hard to take care of them and he said no, as long as you keep the humidity right! I would have loved to buy all three, but I cannot afford it. Buying them would be a risk; there is a chance too much damage is already done and you would just spend a bunch of time and honey for the result of heartache, but there's also the chance that you can save them. Just keep in mind if you buy them, there will be three more next time you go to PetSmart. I wish there were laws protecting these guys, but most people seem to think they are "just a lizard".
Sara

 

[SuperMom30]

we went back in today and there little cage was dripping with condensation! There care is just appoling! When we took a look down at the CWD There was another one that looked like he was on his last leg...so thin wouldn't even open his eyes with others climbing and jumping on him another was draging his leg. We went in and took some photo's today and I tried to talk to the manager who let me know I had no clue on there actual care that they required. He said that bearded dragons require a lot of humidity. I asked him about the large bowl of water that the babys were always in and was told that bearded dragons especially babys soak for hours in cold water. When I corrected him on this and the lighting I was told That they have been in business for years I was so heated I said "What the business of killing helpless animals" We were asked to leave the store promptly. Here are a few of the pics we got before having to leave.

The dragon that wouldn't move and was barley breathing is the one in the corner that is hard to see the one in front was dragging his leg

 

[herpfreak]

You can't rescue an animal from PetSmart. If you buy it, they will get another one. By all means complain to the manager and possibly the ASPCA, boycott PetSmart, and tell everyone else to boycott PetSmart, but DON'T buy one of those animals. That is supporting the store and making room for new animals.

This makes me so sad.

 

[SuperMom30]

I know and thats what I was trying to explain to her. You buy those 2 and by the end of the week they will just have more there will never be an end as long as people keep buying them. I understand as a beardie love how hard it is to not help tthem and buy them to save them..it has been eating me up..but I know by me buying it hurts the cause not help

 

[MeatHead]

I go to the local PetSmart out here to buy wax worms for MeatHead because it is the only place local that carries them and she loves them. Right now they have 3 babies around the same size as you were talking (about 3 inches). I will admit that is where we got MeatHead and she was pretty small. Fortunately for us she was very healthy and active. The ones I saw there a few days ago seemed alert and everything. No they do not keep the temps correct at all and there was some slight humidity in the tank. I don't know if it was from being next to the chameleons or not. I don't know how good their ity bity viv's are.

I talk to the people there and they seem to really have no idea what they are talking about. Everytime I go in there I want to take one home with me, because I know how poorly they live. Last time I was in there, the same guy keeps following me around seeing if i need anything. He fortunately knows at least a little about them. He knows that the sand substrate is bad for them and said he always recomends the reptile carpet. He at the time was waiting very anxiously for the crickets to get there so he could feed the babies. He seems to be the only employee that is concerned with their health. None of the other employee's there that I have talked to know squat about how to take care of them. And trust me I have asked and dug big time.

It is honestly if you read up about them is not that hard to care for them. MeatHead is a very content, and spoiled beardie. Make sure your temps are correct, you have the right substrate and know how to feed them properly. The main ingredient in having a beardie or any other animal for that matter is LOVE! That is of the utmost importance you have to care about the animal that you have as a pet!!!!! Because if you don't care about the animal then you will not take care of it properly.

 

[JosephJenkins]

DON'T BUY from a petshop like that. I work a a great shop, we take pride in our cleanlyness. It is wrong to have animals in bad conditions, and just as wrong to hand those shops money to kill more

 

[herpfreak]

I think it varies depending on the store. My local PetCo has reptiles that are in awful condition, but PetSmart is a bit better. Sand substrate, though. For several-week-old babies, impaction would be absolutely fatal.

 

[picklified]

I think Petsmart needs to stop selling reptiles period. I just went there tonight for cat stuff and I checked on the beardies, there was only one and he looked to be about 5 or 6 inches but the last time I was there I remember seeing 3 of them and they were wayyy too small to be selling. And their viv is SO small. It seems like its a little smaller than a 10gal and that's horrible

The Petsmart I go to also has pamphlets in the reptile area too so I picked up the beardie one to check it out and there was some wrong information...it says that mealworms are okay and to mist them every other day...also I think the temperatures may have been off but I can't remember exactly. Other than that it was okay, at least it said that you need 40gal or larger for their viv. But still, they're attempting to help people who get them but they're giving out wrong information and it's very irritating!

Though I'm not sure about the birds and small mammals in the store and if they're cared for properly, I think at LEAST Petsmart should stop selling reptiles. I mean every time I look at the mice and hamsters, they look fine and their cages look clean but I have no idea if they're actually being cared for correctly. But the snakes, lizards, and turtles are in such bad conditions...it makes me so sad. Petsmart needs to stick to selling pet food, supplies, and toys. Well and the cat and dog adoptions, but I don't think they should sell other animals.


I think I may just try to get a part time job at petsmart [I'm in college] just so I can attempt to educate some people about the animals they're purchasing so they don't further the mistreatment.

 

[Dahni]

I know it is very stressing how PetsMart takes care of it's reptiles. I work for them. I constantly tell my mangaer what needs to be done for them to improve their care, but I am a simple employee and they don't like to listen to us. Hell I was able to tell when the company was shimping us babies with yellow fungus a month before corporate decided to send out emails saying not to sell any baby beardies we had at the time due to them having yellow fungus and gave them some crap medicine to treat them. That of course was after several had already died. The only thing I can give as a tip for you all is that you can ask for the number to corporate. They will give it to you and you can call and lodge complaints. The beardies that are being kept in high humidty I would definitly complain about. They have specific care guides that they are suppose to follow in the upkeep of the reptile habitats and they clearly are not following it. Unfortunatly if you were to buy any beardies now a days, and I'm not to sure if this is nation wide, but it is new at my store now, they automaticaly ship us more babies. We don't order them, it is an automatic refill order thing.

 

[SuperMom30]

I wrote them and got this back/

Dear Heather

Thank you for your e-mail and for bringing this to our attention. I
have taken the liberty of entering a corporate complaint on your behalf.
Your complaint will be addressed by a member of our Management Team
within the next few business days, and you can expect a reply at that
time.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration this may
have caused you, and we appreciate the opportunity you have given us to
set the matter right.

Sincerely,


Karen
PetSmart Customer Care


Original Message Follows:
------------------------


To: [email protected]


I would still love the number if you can get it for me

 

[MeatHead]

I really agree with every one about PetSmart, but on the other hand Complete Pet Mart is WAY worse. Every time I go into PetSmart, the vivs are clean. Complete Pet Mart the viv's are FILTHY! It really is a suprise that the Beardie they have there isn't dead from that fact alone. They have had that same one there for going on 3 months, he hasn't grown ONE BIT!

I asked the guy if they handle him at all and said yes, so I asked to hold him. Nope that wasnt gonna happen, he acted like he had never seen or smelled a human hand before and on top of that the poor guy was STARVING!!! I said uh he's hungry. So naturally to make himself look better he feeds the poor guy some crickets right there. That little thing ate no less than 2 doz large crickets in maybe 5 minutes. One of the guys that works there said he gave him a mouse, now i'm not talking pinkie mouse, but a regular mouse. That little guy is no more than maybe 9 - 10 inches nose to tip of tail. Now from what I have read, you shouldnt feed them mice at all and if you do the beardie has to be FULL grown. People kill me.

My son looked at the guy and bless his heart asked him just as plain as day "um why is his cage sooo dirty?" "Meathead's cage never looks like that", "you need to clean up ALL that poop." Even a 7 year old knows better. Come on people.

They also have 2 very small iguana's and one has a funky black spot on his back forming. I really do not think they need to be selling reptiles either.

 

[wizbee]

This is exactly why I don't even look at the reptiles if I have to go in a store that sells them. It is just too heartbreaking. I can't save them all, but I sure would like to.

 

[Dahni]

You can find the contact info on PetsMart website:

http://help.petsmart.com/contact-us/

Info for corporate, also on the website listed above:

Corporate Office
PetSmart, Inc.
Store Support Group
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
(623) 580-6100
(800) 738-1385

 

[SuperMom30]

Great thank you sooo much!