Auuugggghhhhh Petsmart Idiots!

[Julirs]

So I go to Petsmart to use my coupon and see a woman and her two sons and the Petsmart Idiot puting a habitat together with something in a cardboard box. I had to ask, "What are you getting?" and cringe when I hear the woman say, "A chameleon!" Soooooo...what is in the cart.......well.....analog thermometer/hygrometer, a clamp lamp, a screen top for a 20 tall aquarium, reptile carpet, moss, plastic plants, vine. Since the Petsmart Idiot said NEVER USE LIVE PLANTS-THEY HAVE PARASITES! --And a 6 month-ish old female Jacksons in pretty good shape but slightly dehydrated. What's not in the cart? UVB, supplements, screen cage, basically all the stuff you need.
So I told her I have been keeping chams for a few years, point her to LLL to order a screen cage and UVB tube, and help her set up the tank she already had temporarily. I gave her my card, and hope she calls. Should I have told her to not buy it? Of course, but I am hoping that since they have the will to keep it correctly, it has a better chance with those people then the next idiot they set up entirely wrong.

 

[spencer k]

dont get me started. the local petsmart had a veiled male that was so sick, he wouldnt open his eyes and they had to force feed him. if no one buys from these big box retailers then they eventually will quit carrying them like petco did!

 

[Versagirl]

the bf and I were in a petsmart last night and saw a female veild...in a tiny tiny cage, asking 230 bucks for her. I think the workers at petsmart are the worst when asking for advice, at least at the petco by us there is a guy whos crazy into reptiles and knows his stuff.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Juli, You did the right thing. I hope she calls.

 

[Kat77]

Let us know if she calls Juli, I hope she does.

 

[ciafardo 4]

dont use live plants parasites wow! The employees at my petsmart all wear rubber helmets and lick the glass windows

 

[panthercham]

I hope she calls...she probally will when something goes wrong and cant get the right answers.

This is the reason I cant go into Petsmart to buy anything just in case I see something like this. I am the type to snatch the box out of the arms of the customer and make a bolt with it out of the front door just to spare it

 

[Fred]

So I go to Petsmart to use my coupon and see a woman and her two sons and the Petsmart Idiot puting a habitat together with something in a cardboard box. I had to ask, "What are you getting?" and cringe when I hear the woman say, "A chameleon!" Soooooo...what is in the cart.......well.....analog thermometer/hygrometer, a clamp lamp, a screen top for a 20 tall aquarium, reptile carpet, moss, plastic plants, vine. Since the Petsmart Idiot said NEVER USE LIVE PLANTS-THEY HAVE PARASITES! --And a 6 month-ish old female Jacksons in pretty good shape but slightly dehydrated. What's not in the cart? UVB, supplements, screen cage, basically all the stuff you need.
So I told her I have been keeping chams for a few years, point her to LLL to order a screen cage and UVB tube, and help her set up the tank she already had temporarily. I gave her my card, and hope she calls. Should I have told her to not buy it? Of course, but I am hoping that since they have the will to keep it correctly, it has a better chance with those people then the next idiot they set up entirely wrong.

You totally did the right thing!!! I wish there was a you around when I was at the petstore, would have saved me alot of heartache!! You should have told them about this forum too!! I hope they call and I hope they believed you!!!

 

[dondeb562]

you did the right thing. They were going to buy it whether you told them to or not. Now lets just hope they actually went home and ordered the proper things for it.

 

[tiga]

I bought from PJ's pet's which is pretty much the equivalent of petsmart here unfortunately. Tiga was a birthday present for my gf and I had never owned a reptile in my life. they ended up giving me a completely wrong set up, sold me a cage that was to small, all glass, fake plants, waterfall (which i recently found out was dangerous). Worst of all when i gave her to my gf who knows alot more then me about chameleons she noticed she had burns on her side and tail, and was underfed. She called them the next day and we got a free vet appointment, who said they had seemed to heal alright, and they gave us the option to get a refund. But i figured if we gave her back we would pretty much be leaving her for dead. And happily i can say i think she likes her new home she eats alot better now, and thanks to this forum, and some books we have learned alot on keeping her healthy and happy. Needless to say i won't be buying from there anymore, luckily we found a reptile specialty store here privately owned, who are knowledgeble and look to have some very happy looking chameleons.

 

[Paul R]

So I go to Petsmart to use my coupon and see a woman and her two sons and the Petsmart Idiot puting a habitat together with something in a cardboard box. I had to ask, "What are you getting?" and cringe when I hear the woman say, "A chameleon!" Soooooo...what is in the cart.......well.....analog thermometer/hygrometer, a clamp lamp, a screen top for a 20 tall aquarium, reptile carpet, moss, plastic plants, vine. Since the Petsmart Idiot said NEVER USE LIVE PLANTS-THEY HAVE PARASITES! --And a 6 month-ish old female Jacksons in pretty good shape but slightly dehydrated. What's not in the cart? UVB, supplements, screen cage, basically all the stuff you need.
So I told her I have been keeping chams for a few years, point her to LLL to order a screen cage and UVB tube, and help her set up the tank she already had temporarily. I gave her my card, and hope she calls. Should I have told her to not buy it? Of course, but I am hoping that since they have the will to keep it correctly, it has a better chance with those people then the next idiot they set up entirely wrong.

Dont know about the store you talking about but in South Africa we got a bunch of Idiots just like that!!!!!!!! They are clueless of what a chameleon requires, i feel for your frustration, bloody Idiots

 

[Julirs]

I didn't expect a call last night, but I did get a few local hits on my website after that Pestsmart trip. My Website links both this forum and Brad's Raising Kitty page. It wasn't the poor purchasers that were bad, but again the Petsmart workers that steer people in the wrong direction!
I wonder if they found me a weird isle lurking freak dishing out advice to strangers? LOL
Of course even an 18" Reptiglo tube (no Reptisun's there) costs like $35 and the fixtures they have in the Reptile section are $42.99-yet another reason there is rampant MBD out there.

 

[ciafardo 4]

JULI you are a weird isle lurker hahahaha thats to funny she could be lurking in a petsmart near you!

 

[Lizardlover]

My petsmart once had 3 male panthers in the same enclosure they were beautiful little guys (red bar ambilobes) and when i came back a month later they were GONE, i asked if they were bought and the clerk said "they were sick when they came in" mind you when i saw them they were in perfect health, since then they have never bought any chameleons

 

[blackbetty]

Yes, Im not the only one who has dealt with this. While I am not expert in cham, I do have to give people advice on rabbits (which I am knowledgeable in) because petsmart employees have NO clue.. But I was pleased the other day. I went int to get a new UVB bulb (which are OVER twice the $$ as LLLreptile, I paid 28 and change!! for an 18 inch!)), and the employee there was telling me how someone came in to buy a cham (btw jul, you dont live in TN do ya because its identical)..and she actually asked her boss if she had to sell it to the people because they would not buy the recommended items and went with a 10gal aquarium and all the crappy cheap junk..the boss..said Yes!! $$ is $$ I suppose..terrible..but that is the ONLY time I have ever seen a petsmart employee actually do their job..

 

[Julirs]

Nope-not TN but Florida-but the problems seem to be the same! That poor employee-she TRIED to do the right thing!

Thus: The new addition to my website: http://www.julirschameleons.com/thepetstoreproblem.htm

 

[blackbetty]

Thats an awesome addition. My husband and I dream is to open a mom and pop shop and sell the animals with their CORRECT housing.. This is the issue I see..people buy the pet and then stand there scratching their heads because they dont know what to put it in and of course, employees sell what is either super expensive to make $$ or the completely wrong thing altogether. We have a local pet store that we have reported because they have actual skeletal animals in the tanks..in fact, we were rather saddened to see that even after the checkup from the state (which says they can only do things about cats and dogs but can 'discuss' about the rest, why do the rest not deserve equality?), the Tokays are STILL in the tank..very much dead.. My kids pointed these out to us about 4 months ago..and there were geckos dead and none of the reptiles had any wayer source.. I was appalled.. I hate the place..we hope they go under and we can buyt he building as its in a great spot..but they sell mutts at 300-350 and people BUY them so they continue to remain in business..UGH.. but thats our goal someday, hopefully within 10 years.. Glad you put that up though, you should pass that out to every pet store!

 

[tryme]

I think it will be a matter of time until they start selling reptiles over here in our petsmarts (which now alot have became pets at home)

 

[Julirs]

The lady I helped at Petsmart emailed me! They found a 65 gallon Reptarium and are off to a great start. I am so glad that I could help that family! And that Cham!

 

[Fred]

The lady I helped at Petsmart emailed me! They found a 65 gallon Reptarium and are off to a great start. I am so glad that I could help that family! And that Cham!

Thats AWESOME Julirs!!!!! I'm so happy, I've been hoping! You should invite them to the forum!! Congrats!