why dont pet shops do this?

[PlantWac]

Hey, Just thought i'd share my opinions on this matter.

When I got my Beardie I was well informed by the owner of the pet shop, she wouldn't let me have my dragon until I told her exactly what size of tank, setup and temperatures I had and insisted that i let the tank sit for almost a day to get stabilised. The recommendations I got with regard to food pretty much corresponds with everything I have read off BD.org and the recommendations about caring for my dragon are pretty consistent with best practice.

I got my dragon from a shop at my local market and, while not the best place, seems to be several cuts above many of the stores I have read about online.

I'm from the UK and there is a pet superstore in my town which does not sell reptiles however a small market shop does...

It may be because we do things differently here across the pond but i doubt it (because i saw, in another local 'specialist' store beardies for sale barely dry from hatching.)

I would be interested to see other people's opinions on this and if anyone has a possible explanation.

 

[Livey]

Well on the first one i got i was well informed she gave me a 4 page caresheet,
i was just appoled at the others, i was just handed them, 2 came with books, but what if i couldnt read ay?
Im not saying all pet shops are bad, i just wish they would inform us better when buying animals, escpically reptiles,
one girl i started taking to from london, she had just gotten her self a beardie, she hadent done any reasearch prior to the buy( which i addmit is silly) but she baught the viv and no UVB or Dident feed crickets, she said she was uninformed, and the pet shop never told her they just said `keep it warm`? not evan temps or anything?

 

[JagersMom]

I have to agree with punkrockprincess.

I work at a pet store, and not ALL pet stores are bad to their animals. There are always sticks in the mud, but when people come into my store, they do not leave with an animal (beardie or not) unless I am 110% sure that they are ready and prepared. I have refused animals. Most of us do genuinely care for our animals at our stores. I don't always follow what the stores tell us to do, because like it was said, what the stores teach us and expect us to say is wrong 90% of the time. This site has been a lifesaver.

 

[lnicholson]

We bought our beardie at Petco in Miami, FL the day after Christmas. The only thing the clerk asked me was if I had a setup ready for the beardie! I said yes and she gave me the beardie. I was also given a paper to sign saying they were not liable for anything bad happening to this pet after 15 days of purchase. Being a first timer and nervous because I was buying my oldest a beardie and the youngest a guinea pig and I was alone with 2 very excited and crazy kids I forgot to ask how old my beardie was, what gender...well I didn't ask anything at all really and no one told me anything. Mind you, I did my research before buying. I gotta tell you that a lot of info I found on the net was very conflicting. There is nothing like getting advise from people who have been there and done that. I think you can read all you want but until you have one you really don't know what you are doing! I have learned so much since we bought Samson thanks to this website and facebook! I have also found a pet shop a few blocks from my house that only sells reptiles and a few exotic pets like sugar gliders and hedgehogs. They have been in business for many years and their reptiles look very alert and active. All these things have gotten me through the past 2 months. I have been to many of these big pet shops and seen the conditions of their reptiles and I have thought to myself "why would anyone want to buy here". It is very sad. The worst part is that my kids ( 8 & 9) have told me the conditions were horrible and have asked why.

 

[lnicholson]

Oh and when I was looking for a vet for Samson I asked the owner of the reptile store. It turns out there is 1 exotic animal vet in all of Miami. This is a big city...how could there only be 1! I can only go to one place to have Samson seen by a Dr. I think that is outrageous! Maybe one of my kids will become an exotic pet vet one day...I know that whatever they choose animals will be involved

 

[Livey]

yeah theres only one were i live!
i have found nomrous good pet shops, but i tend to rescue reptiles, and it really does just show really how crumpy some care and then to find out they no nothing

 

[Leo123]

Ive had my own run in pet shops in the past, it really annoys me that they get away with it.

Although i think its upto the owners of the pet shops to train the staff to look after reptiles, i think the RSPCA should get their fingers out their **** and get to know what the doo's and dont's are for these animals and get into these pet shops to either sort them out or shut them down

 

[Livey]

well im trying to get a voluntering posistion with them, i will help .... hopefully if they answer my email :roll:

 

[PlantWac]

UPDATE...

The pet superstore I was talking about in my previous post has started selling crix and will soon be selling beardies and leopard geckos, they trained their staff at the college that i attend which has one of the best animal management courses in the UK. It is nice to see that the larger stores are getting into lizards because a higher level of care can be enforced upon them.

However i did go in and one of the members of staff did seem a bit hazy about what size of cricket to give to a dragon...