Found a sad cham!!

[hawaiianice99]

i hate independent pet stores that dont know how to care specific chams. i found an adult nosy be at a pet store and i almost died i felt so bad for it. a list of bad things that i found to be wrong with it was...
-cage size was a 24x12x24(LxWxH)
-cham could only open one eye
-bottom of cage was crusted with fecal matter/urinates
-cage had rust all over
-so much foilage(fake) it couldnt move
-no uvb/ any heat source
-no misting, totally dry inside
-cage on the floor in the corner, surrounded by empty fish tanks
... this is what i observed and i couldnt believe it, the owner said that he had the cham since he took over the place over a year ago and estimates the cham to be 3. i was thinking that there is no way because this cham wouldnt have been able to make it for 3 years. i offered the guy to take it off of his hands but said that he can sell it, for $300. im sure he can since it has been there for 3 years! What should i do, i really want to get this cham to a good home but the guy wont budge, he is still conviced that he can sell it.

*btw, the pet store name is Amazon Bay in Richland Washington and this is one of many cases of negiligence at this store. it is known as the dirtiest pet store in town.

 

[wendysjungle]

Call your local ASPCA or animal control and describe exactly what you saw. Tell them the cham is sick and needs rescuing, they may seize and rehabilitate it.

 

[Kat77]

Contact the health department and the ASPCA. If it really is the dirtiest petstore in town, something needs to be done. Did you mention to him that he isn't going to sell a sick chameleon for $300 (you said the eye was shut) and that perhaps he shouldn't be living in his own fecal matter?

Ugh. That just makes me angry.

 

[reyesjoshuacruz]

show him a couple care sheets

first of all print off material showing that his car methods are way off and this chameleon will die soon.

this guy obviously only cares about money.

so you have to show him he will loose money if he keeps it.

use a couple things to show him this.

1.) hasnt sold in 3 yrs
2.) is dying and will either need expensive vet care or will die and be a total loss ( all the time and money he has spent so far in keeping it alive will also be lost )

3.) the time it takes to clean the cage
4.) the cost of feeding
5.) makes the store look bad having a sick animal
6.) no ones going to buy it because they can buy healthy animals down the street or online ( show him material to back that up )

Also ask if you can work off the animal buy cleaning things up around the shop

 

[Glittergloomgirl]

I say sneak in with a camera also and take some pictures as evidence.

 

[Lovestospooge]

hey thats my Store your talking about!.......nah im kidding, yea that sucks. you save that chameleon you save it good....

 

[hawaiianice99]

we should also keep an eye out for someone selling a nosy be from my area. because i told the guy that he could findout how to care for chams on this site.

 

[bg77]

Yep been to this pet store, and conditions are not good. But as for the care it is not much different than most pet stores here in the Tri-Cities. I have been to them all, many times. And usually make visits quite frequently. None of them really know, or care about the pets. It is all about the mighty dollar.

 

[chamlover]

I agree. First sneak in camera for evidence, then call ASPCA and tell them that you are familiar with chams and are willing to help take care of him if they can convince him to let it go.

Debby

 

[hawaiianice99]

Yep been to this pet store, and conditions are not good. But as for the care it is not much different than most pet stores here in the Tri-Cities. I have been to them all, many times. And usually make visits quite frequently. None of them really know, or care about the pets. It is all about the mighty dollar.

true most stores are about making a buck, but this one is a particular case that is much much worse than any i have seen. And the chams at the other shops like Aqua Tropics are in much better condition and are taken better care of. i went back tonight to see if the guy had cleaned out the cage like he said he would, he didnt.

 

[hawaiianice99]

also i was doing some research and look at what i found...

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a1_petshoplaws_state.php

... it shows that washington state has no laws which regulate the sale of animals in pet shops and do not protect animals housed and sold in pet shops. Now that is some $hit if you ask me!

 

[Sassy]

That is just wrong, I would still visit or call the local ASPCA and let them know how you feel and what youahve observed. Maybe a visit by them will encourage him to clean up his act? well at least we can always hope

 

[Kat77]

Wow, that is so sad. Poor little Nosy Be.
I agree, bring in a camera. Honestly, why even sneak it? Stand openly, take photos of the cham's cage to send to ASPCA and if he sees you and says something, tell him what you're planning on doing. Then do it, even if he protests.

 

[wendysjungle]

also i was doing some research and look at what i found...

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a1_petshoplaws_state.php

... it shows that washington state has no laws which regulate the sale of animals in pet shops and do not protect animals housed and sold in pet shops. Now that is some $hit if you ask me!

Oh wow, I am now ashamed of my own state! Well, that explains how we had that case 10 years or so ago where the owner just closed up shop and took off, leaving all the animals behind, and nobody could break in and get them and they all died in there. I remember there were multiple parrots.

Unbelieveable. Why does the ASPCA have jurisdiction over pet shops in other states and not ours???

 

[hawaiianice99]

i am planning another visit tomarrow. i am planning on offering him the opportunity to turn the cham over or i will be taking action with the local business bureau and animal control.

* I also think that i forgot to mention that the guy wouldnt let me hold the cham. he said that it gets really "ticked" off when people try and touch it. which leads me to thnk that nobody ever comes in contact so it is really gravid or that it is too sick to move much.

*Does anybody have a pic of an aged, healthy nosy be. i want to show the guy what it should look like.

 

[hawaiianice99]

just got back from the pet store, the guy didnt hand it over or even want to make a deal for the cham. he said that the cham was already %50 off and we couldnt let it go for any less. and after telling him again what was wrong, he responded"hmm, i never noticed that." i also found out that the guy doesnt supplement d3 or use a uvb light. so needless to say i have some phone calls to make.

 

[Kat77]

He said the chameleon was already 50% off!? Rediculous.

I hope SOMEONE in your state will help you get the little guy taken care of!

Argh, I wish I could punch the pet store guy in the teeth.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

You have a lot of punching to do.
This is one situation ... do you think you could even imagine the number of other chameleons in a similar or worse situation right now?
Thousands, some have even belonged to members on this forum (although not typically members who stick around and are open to learning).
I hate to be disparaging about this topic ... but ...
The best thing you can do is try to educate as many people as possible, even if all you do is give them this address.
In the end people are going to do what they want, and these people generally think they know a lot.


-Brad

 

[Day Man]

The best thing you can do is try to educate as many people as possible, even if all you do is give them this address.

Thats so true. I give everyone interested in chameleons this website. I was at petsmart the other day and I saw a poor looking jacksons chameleon. He was on a branch with his mouth open and eyes closed. It was in the same glass enclosure they keep all the amphibians and other small lizards. The top of it didn't look that well ventilated either. Prolly 100% humidity. The lady was cleaning the cages and I wanted to snag him and run out, lol. But I just told her what was up and to relay the info to her supervisor.

 

[chamlover]

Well i think there is only 1 thing for you guys in WA to do. Find out how to get that law passed in your state. I don't know if youre up for the fight but it certainly would be something worth looking into. Maybe you can put up another thread and find out how many forum members live in your state and see if you can work together. I know it would be alot of work but what a GREAT thing you would be doing for those poor animal (not only chams) that have noone else to protect them.

Good for you going in to confront him. Keep it up. Maybe he'll get so sick of you coming in and telling him that he'll eventually give up. Need a petition signed? I've got a pic of a Nosy in my gallery. 2 as a matter of fact. Amadeus and Cobalt. I think i originally called him Midnight.

Good luck

Debby