Walking through petco the other day I noticed they had some new juvenile chameleons. I’m used to seeing the little $69 veileds they sell, but this time they’re selling $300 panthers. It’s disappointing to see given how much misinformation there is about giving these creatures proper care. They didn’t even know what type they are.
Panthers at petco.
- Thread starter SeeJay
- Start date
The Wild One
Chameleon Enthusiast
Maybe you can talk to the manager about their husbandry and point them in the right direction.
Yeah, I’d like to think that would make a difference but would it really? Do the location managers control inventory? I would think corporate decides what to send them.
Bigsky
Established Member
The availability of reptiles at the stores gives people the chance to view and own something new that may develop into a new hobby for them. They can find the needed management practices on the internet. Employees at my local store are helpful and provide information about lighting, feeding, and other husbandry topics. The new reptile owners need to educate themselves, too. Sure, they will make some mistakes- haven't we all?
Ramrod
Chameleon Enthusiast
Where do the big box stores get thier inventory from? Do they have thier own breeders? I don't think so. I know it's about the all mighty buck but maybe if breeders refuse to supply them without some sort of documented training in husbandry that conditions could improve? Just a thought
Lennoncham
Chameleon Enthusiast
they do have their own breeders / suppliers and they are absolutely horrible. This is just one of the many that have been busted.
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charlottevschoch
New Member
it’s irritating cause the same thing happened at petsmart, this poor chameleon looked so sick and they seem offended i even said anything, i would’ve taken her home but my cham i have at home is not social
Lennoncham
Chameleon Enthusiast
it’s irritating cause the same thing happened at petsmart, this poor chameleon looked so sick and they seem offended i even said anything, i would’ve taken her home but my cham i have at home is not social
1. never buy a Cham from petsmart or petco. It tells them they will sell and they will get more to treat horribly.
2. chams are not social in general and need to be kept by themselves so your Cham you already have would make no difference
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
I know I am probably going to catch hell for speak reality, but I feel it needs done anyway.
Will do nothing. You are not their market, their market is the impulse buyer. Jimmy is with his mom getting dog food at Petco, sees the Cham and tells mom to buy it.
Mom does, buys the chameleon kit Petco sells. The chameleon dies, or Jimmy comes here and gets better care advice and it doesn't.
Later Jimmy will buy animals from breeders, but there is 1000 more Jimmy's born every day.
Even if the animal dies, Petco does not care. It's a write off, they get the tax cut.
Buying an animal from Petco to "Save it" they will replace it with another. To do the same thing to.
There is no winning. The best you can do and hope for, is to talk to the management of your local Petco and tell them why the Chams are doing bad, and changes that will help. They may try some of them, they may not, but that's the best you can do.
Will do nothing. You are not their market, their market is the impulse buyer. Jimmy is with his mom getting dog food at Petco, sees the Cham and tells mom to buy it.
Mom does, buys the chameleon kit Petco sells. The chameleon dies, or Jimmy comes here and gets better care advice and it doesn't.
Later Jimmy will buy animals from breeders, but there is 1000 more Jimmy's born every day.
Even if the animal dies, Petco does not care. It's a write off, they get the tax cut.
Buying an animal from Petco to "Save it" they will replace it with another. To do the same thing to.
There is no winning. The best you can do and hope for, is to talk to the management of your local Petco and tell them why the Chams are doing bad, and changes that will help. They may try some of them, they may not, but that's the best you can do.
Agreed. I’ve heard people “rescuing” sick fish by purchasing them. Like they don’t realize they just prompted the order of two more to replace it since it “sold” instead of dying. They are notoriously bad at saltwater aquaria husbandry(petco that is, petsmart doesn’t do saltwater any more)but the one near me actually seems ok and like the employees care. Hopefully that carries over to the chameleons too.
Coop
Avid Member
I might catch some hate for this, but who cares. My little girl flower was from Petco. I had no idea until I asked my parents about a month later. She had been there for almost three months with an eye infection according to the worker that I called. They said they followed the info from corporate and from the breeder they had gotten her from. They said the breeder sent her with the infection, and they had no clue how to fix it. Flower was my little girl, and I’m not mad at Petco for not knowing what they’re doing. I’m more mad at the breeder for putting my local Petco in that situation and putting my little flower through all of that pain. My two cents.
hiddenflaws
Avid Member
Honestly, I think that hiring people with better experience with these animals will help a lot. Maybe not. I believe that if someone is more informative with the animal, they can offer it a better chance in the pet store and inform those who buy better. The lady who took care of the chameleons at my petsmart didn’t know much about chameleons at all. She grabbed him like he was a toy and only fed him 2-3 crickets a day. When I had asked questions, she couldn’t really answer a lot of them. Luckily he was healthy when I got him other than his casque being small due to not getting enough UVB and needed supplements from what I’ve been told on one of my threads for him. I’m sure there are some people who work at pet stores that know what they are doing, but what’s the chance of that, really? I think that there should be more background information on someone before they are left taking care of these animals until they die are sold off. I can not express how thankful I am for the forum community. It has offered me so much information before and after I got my Pascal and has given him the chance to have a better life. I’ve been wanting to work at petsmart for a while but it’s an hour and a half drive. My main reason is because I can inform people more of what I know and learn or at least point them to the forums like this one. Even with the rodents. I understand that workers can’t do everything because they can be limited, but there are always going to be ways to offer help. Pointing others in the right direction and offering the correct information will be a great start. This is all IMHO. I do not and will not ever agree with how these animals current conditions are. The only reason I got pascal from Petsmart is because I couldn’t find a breeder near me.
Ramrod
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ooh, hard to look at the video. What organization or group is responsible for overseeing and regulating these breeders?
cyberlocc
Chameleon Enthusiast
I dont think there is one. Thats a double edged sword, if there were, than small time breeders like those we suggest buying from, would also be shut down.
The treatment of WC animals is not that much better. The ones that are Exported and Imported to us.
Also to play devils advocate here, what do you think happens in the wild? You think beardies do not fight and get limbs messed up in the wild? Are we supposed to go out and capture every sick lizard in the wild and pay vet care for ever little thing wrong with each of them.
They are a large scale operation, as such their care for the animals should defiantly be of higher standard. Getting every animal a Vet visit for the smallest slight however would put them out of business. Their defense to the later, is what I just said. What do you think happens in the wild? Do you think these animals receive vet care in the wild? Good Lives? Not even close. Not justifying any of it, and I am sure I will catch hate for saying any of this. However, some times you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Not surgically removing every hurt limb, and letting nature take its course, as it does in the real world, in nature, is not that far fetched when you have 100,000 of animals. Nor is it as cruel as PETA makes it out, when that is the cycle of Life and what would happen in the Wild. You have to remove the rose colored glasses, that lead to the impression that its sunshine and rainbows in the wild, its not.
I couldn't do it, and thats why I would never even think about being in that business. However it is not as cruel or unrealistic as its being made out to be, the people that accept that and realize it, and can live with it, therefore can work in that business.
BTW that business is still open and operating today.
https://reptilesbymack.com/
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Ramrod
Chameleon Enthusiast
Understood but just wondering if there are any regulations in place as far as the breeding and care and if so are they monitored and inforced by any local or federal agencies? Guess you kind of answered the question and thanks for the reply.
salty dog
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think we all get sad to see chams kept wrong......knocking on deaths door...so most of us avoid going to box stores where we know chams are going to die with store employees walking by every 20 minutes not knowing any better...if you don't want to see it don't go, the higher up executives are not going to listen to some complaining customers...to big business men everybody lower is a piss on........... DONT GO TO BIG CORPORATE PET STORES
PabloTheCham
Chameleon Enthusiast
At my local petsmart/petco, they actually take care of their animals. The staff is knowledgable, and the animals are all well fed and none of them are in any way unhealthy looking. The chams are also hydrated and well fed. I guess it depends on the petstore.
Ramrod
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good to read some good news for a change. I think it would be nice if the employer would give a short training class on husbandry for thier animals; especially any exotics they may be in charge of.
