Shocked at Petsmart!

[Katie007]

I just couldn't believe it. And I never see any crickets in their tanks either. Just pellet food.

I think a lot of stores feed only pellet food and tell their customers that's all they need to eat.

 

[aussiefreak101]

Yeah, and they are fed at 6am and after closing so by the time the store opens at like 9 and closes, of course the crickets will be gone. We feed out of our own store stock, not a set number per week or day sent to us for the animals. Perhaps I'm just bias seeing as where I live in Oregon everyone is very into being pet friendly. Each store is different seeing as each has their own manager. I like mine, they actually care and don't have reptiles together that shouldn't be or small animals, the managers stress not giving false info and will yell at us if we give false info. Each store is different and all can't be categorized as bad. Again, report, don't just witness something and walk away...take it to district managers.

 

[Zeusmybeardie]

O this was petland and look at these guys

 

[Katie007]

I live in Philadelphia, and I can honestly say I've never been in a decent pet store. It's sad really, but sometimes I feel that people here care less about pets than in other places.

 

[Katie007]

Wow those are tiny! and sand?!

 

[Zeusmybeardie]

Yup all the petlands in winnipeg uses it and i want to say something cause I think it would be wicked If I got all the pet stores in Winnipeg to change that but I don't know how to start I would go for everything proper housing food and care

 

[szubelak]

Isn't Petland the chain that was in the press about getting their puppies from puppy mills? Perhaps it was just in my area though. (this was YEARS ago) Please correct me if I'm wrong - I don't think there are any around where I live any more.

 

[HannahandNorbert]

This happened to me today! I went to a petsmart AND a petco today to look for some worms for my Norbert (coincidence right? :wink: ) At petsmart there were three little beardies one with the tail half gone. I would've took that little one home but my boyfriend wouldn't let me. Then at petco there was two tanks with beardies. One of them had three decently sized in them and the other had three smaller ones and a bigger one. Poor little guys the bigger one kept crawling all over them I was so mad I didn't even buy any worms I just walked out of there without saying anything.

 

[Katie007]

I think there's another Norbert on here too! lol Harry Potter nerd?

But yeah, if I had the money I'd be trying to rescue all the neglected beardie babies.

 

[clearlyjoyful]

I had an interview to work at Petsmart not that long ago as a Pet Care Associate. I didn't take the job because (a) I can't stand touching crickets (I usually get my boyfriend to do it, or shake them up in a bag with calcium powder and dump it in without getting powder everywhere) and (b) I couldn't stand having to be the one to put those little tiny guys in there. My Petsmart has them so tiny, and I hate it. They have them on Repti-Carpet, but they usually have BIG chunks of tomato in there, and I'm like, dude. That's not... the best thing to give them daily! And I've never once seen a cricket in there.

I got my Itchy from PetSmart, but that's because I didn't know much better, and he was there for weeks and no one wanted him. The sales associates kept saying it was because he had a kinky tail, which I can't see as being the reason, because it's just aesthetic, but okay. He's also missing a toe that he's been missing since before I got him. I don't like Petsmart at all.

 

[gingergizmo]

I bought my bearded dragon from PetSmart recently and its about 5 inches. I took him to my local pet store to buy crickets that day because PetSmart only had large crickets at the time. The woman at my local pet store was shocked at his size and told me he must of been only a few weeks old. I was rather surprised to hear that, being a first time owner all I ever saw at PetSmart was tiny ones so I thought nothing of it.

 

[clearlyjoyful]

I bought my bearded dragon from PetSmart recently and its about 5 inches. I took him to my local pet store to buy crickets that day because PetSmart only had large crickets at the time. The woman at my local pet store was shocked at his size and told me he must of been only a few weeks old. I was rather surprised to hear that, being a first time owner all I ever saw at PetSmart was tiny ones so I thought nothing of it.

This was exactly my thought process when I first got Itchy too. I was 14-15 years old, maybe 16, and I knew I wanted one, but I didn't know much about them. I mean, I didn't have any reason to study up on them yet, because I didn't have the go-ahead to get one. But shortly after I saw Itchy, I begged and pleaded and everything - got him, found out he was way undersized even though he'd been there about a month and a half. He wasn't young, he was like, malnourished and underfed. Ugh, it's disgusting, I wish I could save them all. I still go to Petsmart sometimes for some things, but there are other local stores I'd prefer to go to for stuff I need.

 

[szubelak]

unfortunately when we "rescue" them from the pet store - more just take their place

edit: it also makes me IRATE when petsmart puts their beardies "on sale" - how do you put an animal on sale - it just seems weird to me - so they'll be $40 instead of $60 which is more affordable (people can handle a number under 50 bucks even though there's only 20 bucks difference)- people just don't know it's all the STUFF they require to live that costs hundreds more

 

[gingergizmo]

I bought my bearded dragon from PetSmart recently and its about 5 inches. I took him to my local pet store to buy crickets that day because PetSmart only had large crickets at the time. The woman at my local pet store was shocked at his size and told me he must of been only a few weeks old. I was rather surprised to hear that, being a first time owner all I ever saw at PetSmart was tiny ones so I thought nothing of it.

This was exactly my thought process when I first got Itchy too. I was 14-15 years old, maybe 16, and I knew I wanted one, but I didn't know much about them. I mean, I didn't have any reason to study up on them yet, because I didn't have the go-ahead to get one. But shortly after I saw Itchy, I begged and pleaded and everything - got him, found out he was way undersized even though he'd been there about a month and a half. He wasn't young, he was like, malnourished and underfed. Ugh, it's disgusting, I wish I could save them all. I still go to Petsmart sometimes for some things, but there are other local stores I'd prefer to go to for stuff I need.

Well I'm not in my teens but a parent of a child with asthma. We wanted a family pet that wouldn't trigger his asthma. Our baby bearded dragon was healthy looking when I got him but I did hand feed him for the first week until he got the hang of hunting his crickets and he will eat his veggies. So he eats good which at first had me worried that he wouldn't when I first brought him home. But I can see how selling them so young can end up many of them in death if you don't make sure that they eat ect. I feel sorry for those lil guys left in the stores tanks. I also know they are supposed to be good with kids which ours is but I don't let mine handle him just yet. They pet him when I hold him but him being so small and delicate I'm afraid they'll accidentally hurt him. Here is a few pics of him. I also wondered if him being so small if he was older than what he is and just small. But I do love him bunches, how can you not? lol

 

[dragonlover3]

Hi,
A new PetCo opened near me last month. Opening day my husband and I took our 2 adult beardies with us as they like to look at fish too! Nice clean bright store. And they had 8 baby beardies, couldn't have been a week old in. One poor little beardie was very dark, not basking, off by itself laying in the corner with it's head down, eyes closed. There was calcium sand sub, no food in their tank, a water dish with sand in it from them walking thru it. I saw a young man roaming the reptile section and asked to speak to the reptile manager or general manager. This kid says, "I'm the reptile manager can I help you?" :shock: Laughingly I asked how old he was. He said 19 :shock: I asked him if he kept any reptiles, and had much experience with reptiles to be a reptile manager at his young age. He said no he was just hired for the job but was learning. He then asked me what my lizard was? :shock: I told him then told him there was an issue with the bearded dragon tank so we walked down to it. He said "These little ones grow that big?" :shock: He was pretty uncomfortable. I told him the reasons why sand was not good sub for beardies. He said "I was told it's calcium sand and it's safe for them and vet approved if I was asked." :roll: I told him he was misinformed and why. Then I told him the little dark one in the corner was having a problem....he asked me since I have a bearded dragon if I knew what was wrong with it? ....huh? I told him and he thought it was taking a nap.. He didn't have a clue! He said he'd let the day people know :shock: I told him that wasn't really acceptable and asked if a quarentine or sick tank set up. He said "OH YEAH!" I told him it would be good to remove that little one and put him by himself and to make sure the sick tank was warm at the basking spot, like 110*. I told him he could tell the day manager there wasn't any food in the tank for them either and could contribute to tail and toe nips for hungry beardies. He said he'd let the day manger know. I told him these chain pet stores are notorious for poor reptile care and giving the wrong advice to new owners. He said he would talk to his supervisor about it. I told him I knew very well it wasn't his fault they hired someone who doesn't know reptiles to be a reptile manager and I wasn't trying to give him a hard time, and that it was the irresponsible company's fault. I know I overwhelmed the kid. He was glad when I walked away.
I went back the next day...couldn't leave it alone. I printed off a bunch of info and care sheets. I talked to the general manager, she said she didn't know a lot about reptiles but would help me if she could. I told her the 17 year old kid evening reptile manager didn't know anything about reptiles either and that it really wasn't his fault because PetCo had hired him without any experience with reptiles. I went over the beardie concerns I had and gave her the info and care sheets. She said the care of the reptiles including how to set up their tanks, what to use in them and what to feed them are all vet approved and to specs from headquarters.... :shock: :roll: {her attitude pissed me off!} I told her the chain pet shops are notorious for bad advise and taking poor care of the reptiles. And that her specs from headquarters were wrong for the bearded dragons and probably the other reptiles, too and I could see this store was just going to follow suit and continue the poor improper care. I could tell she was a bit irritated because she didn't overwhelm me with her "specs from headquarters" speech....lol . With a very tight faced smile she told me she would be glad to forward my concerns to the main office :roll: Yeah...right!
I took the 800 number on the board for complaints or compliments and called the corporate office. I complained for 10 minutes!...unfortunately I don't think it will help!
Amanda