Chameleons in Pet Stores

[PsychoRep]

i just came back from my weekly trip to the pet store and saw that looked like that got a shipment of sengal chameleons or maybe graceful could not really tell. i just hate how pet stores treat them so badly there was like 6 or 7 of them in a ten gallon tank with just a water bowl and a log with with one small plant on top they just had chameleon on it and were being sold for 65 bucks i seen them with other chams no matter what kind they are they are the same tank and price i just really hate when that happens. im wondering if anybody here seen that happen too?

 

[ChamOh]

welcome to corporate america.

 

[FFSTRescue]

I always say something when I see that. People need to be educated, and it is our job to educate them. The subject has to be approached carefully though because they won't listen if they think you are just a "crazy animal rights activist". It usually does no good, but it is worth a try.

 

[AReptile]

Wow I'm surprised they are priced so cheap. The last veiled I saw in a pet store 2 weeks ago was priced at 169 and it wasn't even full grown yet.. Was in a very cramped tank too

 

[RastaReptiles]

haha i just got back from the petstore too... Good Ole' petsmart... they rarely dont house two chameleons together. Haha the two I saw though were extremely pissed. There is so much traffic that walks through that place... poor chameleons

 

[chamelisa]

i just came back from my weekly trip to the pet store and saw that looked like that got a shipment of sengal chameleons or maybe graceful could not really tell. i just hate how pet stores treat them so badly there was like 6 or 7 of them in a ten gallon tank with just a water bowl and a log with with one small plant on top they just had chameleon on it and were being sold for 65 bucks i seen them with other chams no matter what kind they are they are the same tank and price i just really hate when that happens. im wondering if anybody here seen that happen too?

Please make a point to correct the set-up or to provide good information to them so they can set them up properly. If the animals die, they don't make any money. It's a complete loss. Please try.

 

[DGoff]

there is a store in ft myers called pet kingdom and the have a 7 mouth old panther cham that has parasites, couldnt open his eyes and had MBD, and the other cham they had was around alot of dogs and was dehydrated and had one planet in the cage.
and this is where i saved my cham jazz. jazz is to cool to be treated like that

 

[Jimturner]

yes, i see this type of situation almost every time i go buy bugs. but here in "northern" canada the prices are way too much! top dollar for sickley looking imports or neglected little CB's. allways housed in crowded, dirty and otherwise "incorrect" little glass tanks. i guess their theory is sell just one & pay for all. i have also found that the employees of these shops are usually aware of proper cham husbandry but their hands are tied by lack of avaiable space, resources and store policy. berating one of these poor saps is like preaching to the choir!

 

[pssh]

Thankfully the stores in my area house them adequately. I've only seen 1.5-2.5 month old baby veileds in twenty gallon glass tanks and no more than two at a time, or adults in screen cages. They even have drippers at some stores, and spray them every couple hours.

What really makes me mad is when they don't dust the bugs and don't have cerated gecko diet for the geckos!

 

[Matt1851]

well i dunno abou tdown there but up here in canada iv seen my fare share of very bad chameleons enclosures, one store has a female not sure what local but its just labled panther chameleon, she looks about 6 months and she is 300$ no proper lights or foliage, and no water bowl or anything! did not even look like it was misted ever, and another store has no sort of uvb lights on any of their chams, just makes me want to take over the stores ever so much!

 

[glaceauz]

the other day i saw a panther about 6 months old in an exoterra just chomping away at the foam backing and i just had to give the employees a piece of my mind. petstores should never carry chams

 

[ScubaSteve318]

i just went to petco today to get some crickets and i noticed that they had 2 baby veileds in stock. one of them had a injured eye and the other one just didnt look very healthy.

who wants to do some mission impossible status stuff and kidnap some poor chameleons?

 

[Elizadolots]

I just want to say that I've never seen a chameleon at a Petco or Petsmart...and, as we buy our dog food from Petsmart and of late, I've been buying my crickets from Petco, I always look.

Maybe it's a local store option thing...

 

[athena9995]

I just want to say that I've never seen a chameleon at a Petco or Petsmart...and, as we buy our dog food from Petsmart and of late, I've been buying my crickets from Petco, I always look.

Maybe it's a local store option thing...

I talked to the manager in charge of the reptile dept. at my local Petsmart and was told it's up to them which lizards they carry. He's a new guy and has been ordering cham's, but they are not housed properly and the wrong information is being given by employees. Even the free care sheets they offer are wrong. Luckily, there are multiple specialty shops in the Chicago area that offer good advice along with well cared for animals.

 

[jpm995]

The worse part is it's a catch 22. You want to buy the sickly cham and rescue it but that only encourages the store to buy more and continue the cycle. It's probably better to let them die. I would say individuals are probably responsible for many more chams being sick or dieing than stores though. Because their so strange looking people buy them and don't put in the time and effort thats needed to keep these very demanding anamials. Many parents entrust young children to care for them. it's a shame.

 

[Matt1851]

i bought my chameleon from a pet store. Its actually a reptile store but at the same time the owner even said to my face they do not know much about chameleons. Instantly i said to myself well this little panther looks in good shape so i bought him. I dont know if 250 is alot for a 2 month old male nosy be but thats how much i paid because they had him marked as female. Im so glad i bought him because he is a very handsom growing boy now

 

[athena9995]

Small victory!
I approached the manager of my local Petsmart today and let him know that they are giving out wrong information about the Jackson's chameleon they have and housing her improperly. To my surprise, he picked up one of the care sheets they offer and went through it with me so I could point out what was wrong. He promised that he would be looking in to what he can do about getting changes made, especially in the housing they currently have the Jackson's in, and work on re-educating his staff. Hopefully I've made a difference, but at least I made the effort.

 

[chamelisa]

Don't be surprised. Many people working at those stores love animals. The only problems you will ever run into are egos and people pointing fingers to other managers or employees. But if you approach them in a kind way, you can make progress together.

Thanks for showing how easy it can be. Keep up the good work!

 

[Carlton]

It never hurts to approach a store about improper care. You might just happen to see the first chams the shop ever had in stock, they may have gotten bad care info from their supplier and don't know enough to question it. Someone there just might be itching to hear what you can tell them. Give them the benefit of the doubt initially...be polite, friendly, interested in the animals, talk about your own chams and how you treat them, and offer your help. Bring a good care sheet from an independent source like this forum (not your own...they don't know if you are indeed a crackpot). If they don't take you up on your offer or blow you off, you can tell them you WILL report their poor treatment to local animal control/inspection/health department (what ever entity has jurisdiction over pet shop animals in your area).

Sometimes it does make a difference believe me, and some of those poor animals could have a better life.