Petco and chams

[Callievd94]

I work at a Petco, and yes some of the stores out there have no clue what they are doing so their humidity might not be the best and their set ups aren't the greatest. But I know that when I go work they have the proper lighting, humidity, food and everything they could possibly have. I will never sell to anyone that does not have a set up at home ready to go, I make sure to drill them with questions because if they don't have everything they could possibly need I will no sell them a chameleon. We do not sell them quickly and if we do we will not replace them immediately. Yes they are in glass cages, but where I am located at they have to be or their humidity would be all over the place with it being freezing cold all the time. Everyone that works in the reptile section has done extensive research on all the reptiles including the chameleons so we can look for anything not right and are able to make sure the customers are knowledgeable too. Compared to some of the other pet stores around me I would say we have the best set up. I have a small pet store near me which has a 2 year old Nosey in there and it has water in a dish (no misting system, and not dripping system) , no vines just grapevines on the floor of the tank. They have no heat or uvb bulbs (they claim its in the ceiling, which they only have two light fixtures in the whole room full of reptiles) on him and he never has food. We will caring a range of chameleons from 3 months to 1 1/2 year old (which are some of drop off from people that didn't know what they where doing). I just advice you to make sure they person in charge of the reptiles actually knows about talking about, or even has experience while talking to them.

 

[jamest0o0]

Haven't read this entire thread and i really don't mean to offend or disrespect in anyway, but i just want to add something that may or may not have been said already. I had issue with petco and others over this sort of thing with saltwater fish. when you buy from them, they see it as a number. Most of the chams/fish/etc there go to people that are not experienced and have done little research. So even if you are a good keeper and happen to get a healthy cham or whatever, you encourage the company to continuously stock more and therefore sentence more animals to death. I wish chams and especially veiled would cost more so people would be willing to invest more time and research into the animal they are purchasing.

 

[Dragon1516]

Haven't read this entire thread and i really don't mean to offend or disrespect in anyway, but i just want to add something that may or may not have been said already. I had issue with petco and others over this sort of thing with saltwater fish. when you buy from them, they see it as a number. Most of the chams/fish/etc there go to people that are not experienced and have done little research. So even if you are a good keeper and happen to get a healthy cham or whatever, you encourage the company to continuously stock more and therefore sentence more animals to death. I wish chams and especially veiled would cost more so people would be willing to invest more time and research into the animal they are purchasing.

I basically said the same thing but it couldn't be said enough. I completely agree.

 

[Inky]

i just got back from petco , i little jacksons chameleon proboly about a month old was running around the cage. looked healthy but had really poor condiditons

 

[Carlton]

I agree, please consider getting your chameleon from a breeder. Supporting Petco isn't helping any of the breeders who are really working hard to offer these captive born animals and you are going to get an unhealthy chameleon 9 out of 10 times when going to a large pet store like that. I don't even like having my chameleons at a reptile show because of the stress for one day, I couldn't imagine how horrible the chameleons must feel being in those setups in front of 1,000s of people every day without any place to hide. It should be illegal for Petco to keep their chameleons how they do and allow customers to buy stressed and unhealthy chameleons.

This....is it possible to get a healthy cham from Petco? Yes, but I suspect the majority of those bought don't survive unless their owner gets worried and finds this forum in time to save it. The bigger issue here is who you want to support....a corporate culture that sticks to poor husbandry info, incorrect or even dangerous care products pitched to the buyers for their new pet, and the pretty sketchy or careless treatment their store animals face, despite many many boycotts, pleas to change, and complaints they get from hobbyists. I do not give these stores my business even if they have something I might need unless there is no alternative. The hobby survives because of the dedication and expertise of breeders. These are the animals we should be buying for the good of our captive populations, not some puppy-mill for reptiles.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

I've never seen a chameleon (in person) except at a Petsmart/PetCo. The night I got Ophelia, we just happened to stop in to hold a beardie or snake. I fell in love with the chameleon, though. She was super sweet. They didn't want her anymore, however. She was too big for the glass enclosure she was in - they had dropped her price 50% and were going to put her up for adoption (give her away free). I knew that meant certain death. Oftentimes, unfortunately, "free" also means "disposable". Honestly, I had no business taking home a chameleon in the tiny cardboard box they gave me. But I was afraid for her. The salesperson was nice, but gave me no information whatsoever - other than "it eats crickets". Now, after spending hours upon hours (days!) reading and learning about these creatures and the time and money I have spent to get her vivarium halfway decent - I look back and think "what the heck are these people doing??!" How can they sell such exotic animals with nothing more than a pat on the back and "good luck!". It's a shame. In a way, I'm sad that Ophelia came from a Petco. I should have known better - or thought about it from a different perspective. What is that saying "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." Now that I KNOW... I would never purchase an exotic, or any reptile, from the box store. I can't unlearn what I have learned. And to go against what I know to be good, right and true... seems silly.

 

[NHenn]

I work at a Petco, and yes some of the stores out there have no clue what they are doing so their humidity might not be the best and their set ups aren't the greatest. But I know that when I go work they have the proper lighting, humidity, food and everything they could possibly have. I will never sell to anyone that does not have a set up at home ready to go, I make sure to drill them with questions because if they don't have everything they could possibly need I will no sell them a chameleon. We do not sell them quickly and if we do we will not replace them immediately. Yes they are in glass cages, but where I am located at they have to be or their humidity would be all over the place with it being freezing cold all the time. Everyone that works in the reptile section has done extensive research on all the reptiles including the chameleons so we can look for anything not right and are able to make sure the customers are knowledgeable too. Compared to some of the other pet stores around me I would say we have the best set up. I have a small pet store near me which has a 2 year old Nosey in there and it has water in a dish (no misting system, and not dripping system) , no vines just grapevines on the floor of the tank. They have no heat or uvb bulbs (they claim its in the ceiling, which they only have two light fixtures in the whole room full of reptiles) on him and he never has food. We will caring a range of chameleons from 3 months to 1 1/2 year old (which are some of drop off from people that didn't know what they where doing). I just advice you to make sure they person in charge of the reptiles actually knows about talking about, or even has experience while talking to them.

I'm glad to hear that you are doing your part to help change your store and provide the chameleons with their needs to survive. Unfortunately, the company you work for isn't. The simple fact that you still have them in glass tanks which I'm sure corporate wouldn't allow you to change, shows this. Humidity and heat isn't the reason for this, it is because they won't provide their stores with a proper reptile room that isn't right next to the dirty rodent section that is right next to the dusty bird section. The money and effort placed into the reptiles at these chain pets stores from the corporate side is only enough to hopefully have someone like yourself do your best to keep them alive. They might live at your store but unfortunately will never thrive...

 

[TheAmazingGerby]

Haven't read this entire thread and i really don't mean to offend or disrespect in anyway, but i just want to add something that may or may not have been said already. I had issue with petco and others over this sort of thing with saltwater fish. when you buy from them, they see it as a number. Most of the chams/fish/etc there go to people that are not experienced and have done little research. So even if you are a good keeper and happen to get a healthy cham or whatever, you encourage the company to continuously stock more and therefore sentence more animals to death. I wish chams and especially veiled would cost more so people would be willing to invest more time and research into the animal they are purchasing.

I 100% agree with this. I honestly wish that they weren't so cheap so people wouldn't impulse buy them. I've done so much research over these last few months that it's crazy. I've been searching for other cham carries in my area have have found a better and more reliable place to buy one.

 

[Dragon1516]

I 100% agree with this. I honestly wish that they weren't so cheap so people wouldn't impulse buy them. I've done so much research over these last few months that it's crazy. I've been searching for other cham carries in my area have have found a better and more reliable place to buy one.

Another thing most people don't think of is look at all your options for chameleons before getting a veiled. There is nothing wrong with them but there are lots of other amazing chameleons out there you may enjoy more.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I plan on drilling them with questions, and if they don't meet my requirements, I'm for sure not going to buy one from them. I have a family friend who breeds chams, so I'll go to him. So Petco will get the third degree from me. I know enough of basic husbandry to call them out on their BS so-called "proper" husbandry.

You don't seem like much of a friend to the "family friend" you have that breeds chameleons! Why would you support PetCo and snub a family friend? With friends like you, who needs enemies.

Their staff don't know chameleons and who cares if one salesperson does. What point are you trying to prove by grilling them about husbandry. What a joke!

I'm sorry for the rant but I spend a fortune on my chameleons to produce beautiful healthy animals. They get the best and I am not alone in doing a good job with my babies and my breeding stock. You have no idea how much time and money people like me put into them. When I read that someone like you would buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder who is KNOWN to them--your family friend no less!--I go just a little crazy.

I'm working really hard to establish a rare species in captivity. When I started, two years ago there were a total of nine individuals of the species that could be found in the US and I had four of them. There has since been two more imports, but there will not likely be another import of that species for years and years if ever. You supporting PetCo's mass produced and unhealthy chameleons takes away a home for one of mine or other breeders' babies.

It behooves me when people like you buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder such as myself or @NHenn, @alphakenc, @Matt Vanilla Gorilla and others too numerous for me to remember who frequent this site and who spend a lot of their precious time helping people like you keep your chameleon alive.

Do you understand what a snub it is to us who work so hard to produce healthy animals and give support to the buyer to read your post?

On top of that, it is going to be breeders like me and the others mentioned above who are going to help you try to save your PetCo chameleon!

 

[Dragon1516]

You don't seem like much of a friend to the "family friend" you have that breeds chameleons! Why would you support PetCo and snub a family friend? With friends like you, who needs enemies.

Their staff don't know chameleons and who cares if one salesperson does. What point are you trying to prove by grilling them about husbandry. What a joke!

I'm sorry for the rant but I spend a fortune on my chameleons to produce beautiful healthy animals. They get the best and I am not alone in doing a good job with my babies and my breeding stock. You have no idea how much time and money people like me put into them. When I read that someone like you would buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder who is KNOWN to them--your family friend no less!--I go just a little crazy.

I'm working really hard to establish a rare species in captivity. When I started, two years ago there were a total of nine individuals of the species that could be found in the US and I had four of them. There has since been two more imports, but there will not likely be another import of that species for years and years if ever. You supporting PetCo's mass produced and unhealthy chameleons takes away a home for one of mine or other breeders' babies.

It behooves me when people like you buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder such as myself or @NHenn, @alphakenc, @Matt Vanilla Gorilla and others too numerous for me to remember who frequent this site and who spend a lot of their precious time helping people like you keep your chameleon alive.

Do you understand what a snub it is to us who work so hard to produce healthy animals and give support to the buyer to read your post?

On top of that, it is going to be breeders like me and the others mentioned above who are going to help you try to save your PetCo chameleon!

God damn I couldn't have said it better myself exactly my thoughts on the matter. I was hoping you would chime in on this when i first saw this post go up on here. People really have no idea what they are doing by buying from such a crappy company.

 

[TheAmazingGerby]

You don't seem like much of a friend to the "family friend" you have that breeds chameleons! Why would you support PetCo and snub a family friend? With friends like you, who needs enemies.

Their staff don't know chameleons and who cares if one salesperson does. What point are you trying to prove by grilling them about husbandry. What a joke!

I'm sorry for the rant but I spend a fortune on my chameleons to produce beautiful healthy animals. They get the best and I am not alone in doing a good job with my babies and my breeding stock. You have no idea how much time and money people like me put into them. When I read that someone like you would buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder who is KNOWN to them--your family friend no less!--I go just a little crazy.

I'm working really hard to establish a rare species in captivity. When I started, two years ago there were a total of nine individuals of the species that could be found in the US and I had four of them. There has since been two more imports, but there will not likely be another import of that species for years and years if ever. You supporting PetCo's mass produced and unhealthy chameleons takes away a home for one of mine or other breeders' babies.

It behooves me when people like you buy from PetCo rather than support a breeder such as myself or @NHenn, @alphakenc, @Matt Vanilla Gorilla and others too numerous for me to remember who frequent this site and who spend a lot of their precious time helping people like you keep your chameleon alive.

Do you understand what a snub it is to us who work so hard to produce healthy animals and give support to the buyer to read your post?

On top of that, it is going to be breeders like me and the others mentioned above who are going to help you try to save your PetCo chameleon!

Plenty of my friends and other people that I know have bought chams from our local Petco and they have survived. Only one of them has died due to the poor care that the person provided. I also talked to the family friend today and he's not selling his chams anymore for some reason that they didn't wish to share, so they're out of the question, but I've also done some more research since then and have found a very reliable breeder. They live quiet a bit away but everyone who has bought from them says it's worth the drive to go and check them out. So that's what I'm going to be doing once I get my enclosure all set up for a chameleon.

 

[Dragon1516]

Plenty of my friends and other people that I know have bought chams from our local Petco and they have survived. Only one of them has died due to the poor care that the person provided. I also talked to the family friend today and he's not selling his chams anymore for some reason that they didn't wish to share, so they're out of the question, but I've also done some more research since then and have found a very reliable breeder. They live quiet a bit away but everyone who has bought from them says it's worth the drive to go and check them out. So that's what I'm going to be doing once I get my enclosure all set up for a chameleon.

Please do go to a breeder and not Petco. And let me clarify what jajeanpierre is saying. Its not that you can't get a chameleon and have it live a normal life it is what the company does or rather the lack of what they do to produce proper enclosures, food, supplements, etc. They simply do not care enough to do what is right for the animals and buying from them AT ALL supports that and allows them to keep doing so.

 

[TheAmazingGerby]

I get why everyone hates PetCo and PetSmart so much, but I also don't get it. Not every store is the same. It depends on the managers and the staff. Some actually try and educate themselves and provide what is needed for the animals in their care. Most stores aren't like that and I get that. But at my PetCo there are so many staff that are actually educated with animals, but there are also the ones that aren't. (I always re-frame from talking to them about an animal there or other topics) I agree that there should be A LOT of changes in the way that PetCo handles their animal care, but at my store I've never seen a sick animal. Maybe a dead fish or two, but those are fish. I go to PetCo at least once a week to buy food from the tree frog, so I always have to check everything out. Nothing has ever shown any type of physical sickness that could easily be identified by anyone, including an amateur could spot. I've never had a bad experience with them and neither has anyone around me. I hope I don't sound cocky or arrogant or anything because I don't know as much as you guys, but I'm just sharing my experiences

 

[Dragon1516]

I get why everyone hates PetCo and PetSmart so much, but I also don't get it. Not every store is the same. It depends on the managers and the staff. Some actually try and educate themselves and provide what is needed for the animals in their care. Most stores aren't like that and I get that. But at my PetCo there are so many staff that are actually educated with animals, but there are also the ones that aren't. (I always re-frame from talking to them about an animal there or other topics) I agree that there should be A LOT of changes in the way that PetCo handles their animal care, but at my store I've never seen a sick animal. Maybe a dead fish or two, but those are fish. I go to PetCo at least once a week to buy food from the tree frog, so I always have to check everything out. Nothing has ever shown any type of physical sickness that could easily be identified by anyone, including an amateur could spot. I've never had a bad experience with them and neither has anyone around me. I hope I don't sound cocky or arrogant or anything because I don't know as much as you guys, but I'm just sharing my experiences

Yes there are some stores that are good but that is because the employees educated themselves the company doesnt do near enough to educate the employees on their animals. And not even speaking of the stores themselves if you have ever seen their breeding facilities you would be disgusted and you would never even question yourself about supporting a store like that.

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

I get why everyone hates PetCo and PetSmart so much, but I also don't get it. Not every store is the same. It depends on the managers and the staff. Some actually try and educate themselves and provide what is needed for the animals in their care. Most stores aren't like that and I get that. But at my PetCo there are so many staff that are actually educated with animals, but there are also the ones that aren't. (I always re-frame from talking to them about an animal there or other topics) I agree that there should be A LOT of changes in the way that PetCo handles their animal care, but at my store I've never seen a sick animal. Maybe a dead fish or two, but those are fish. I go to PetCo at least once a week to buy food from the tree frog, so I always have to check everything out. Nothing has ever shown any type of physical sickness that could easily be identified by anyone, including an amateur could spot. I've never had a bad experience with them and neither has anyone around me. I hope I don't sound cocky or arrogant or anything because I don't know as much as you guys, but I'm just sharing my experiences

Before this turns into a witch hunt I'll just say you don't sound cocky or arrogant. A lot of peoOle on here especially the ones who have been commenting has been on the petco mill before/just really care for such sweet and smart animals. You are right every petco/petsmart is different. But I think what people are trying to say is that sure there might be a petsmart that has experienced animal care whether it be reptile, fish, rodent, or whatever; but what is happening to them BEFORE they get to petco. No one really knows and that's the problem. You know? It's like when you go to a grocery store and you're like "I need milk" so you go get milk and sometimes behind the milk you see a guy restalking the milk or whatever from boxes in which the milk came from but you don't know anything about what that box has been through to get to that grocery store. It's like that with petco, it's like how are you able to restock them so fast what's going on behind "the milk" that you are able to display them so quickly again. Does that make sense? It's a weird comparison and sounded great in my head but execution is sometimes lost upon me.

 

[TheAmazingGerby]

Before this turns into a witch hunt I'll just say you don't sound cocky or arrogant. A lot of peoOle on here especially the ones who have been commenting has been on the petco mill before/just really care for such sweet and smart animals. You are right every petco/petsmart is different. But I think what people are trying to say is that sure there might be a petsmart that has experienced animal care whether it be reptile, fish, rodent, or whatever; but what is happening to them BEFORE they get to petco. No one really knows and that's the problem. You know? It's like when you go to a grocery store and you're like "I need milk" so you go get milk and sometimes behind the milk you see a guy restalking the milk or whatever from boxes in which the milk came from but you don't know anything about what that box has been through to get to that grocery store. It's like that with petco, it's like how are you able to restock them so fast what's going on behind "the milk" that you are able to display them so quickly again. Does that make sense? It's a weird comparison and sounded great in my head but execution is sometimes lost upon me.

I actually really like that comparison. I think that it works well in this situation.

 

[NHenn]

I get why everyone hates PetCo and PetSmart so much, but I also don't get it. Not every store is the same. It depends on the managers and the staff. Some actually try and educate themselves and provide what is needed for the animals in their care. Most stores aren't like that and I get that. But at my PetCo there are so many staff that are actually educated with animals, but there are also the ones that aren't. (I always re-frame from talking to them about an animal there or other topics) I agree that there should be A LOT of changes in the way that PetCo handles their animal care, but at my store I've never seen a sick animal. Maybe a dead fish or two, but those are fish. I go to PetCo at least once a week to buy food from the tree frog, so I always have to check everything out. Nothing has ever shown any type of physical sickness that could easily be identified by anyone, including an amateur could spot. I've never had a bad experience with them and neither has anyone around me. I hope I don't sound cocky or arrogant or anything because I don't know as much as you guys, but I'm just sharing my experiences

I think everyone understands your situation and how each store is different but you have to look well past that one store and those few employees how might have it somewhat right. It is the Petco corporation that is the problem and their lack of any accountability or care for their animals. If you were buying a chameleon from a Petco employee that raised the animal and knows what they are doing that is different than buying from Petco itself. Anyway, glad to hear you have found another source and I know you will be much happier with your chameleon purchase this way.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I think everyone understands your situation and how each store is different but you have to look well past that one store and those few employees how might have it somewhat right. It is the Petco corporation that is the problem and their lack of any accountability or care for their animals. If you were buying a chameleon from a Petco employee that raised the animal and knows what they are doing that is different than buying from Petco itself. Anyway, glad to hear you have found another source and I know you will be much happier with your chameleon purchase this way.

@TheAmazingGerby It's more than that. It's also about supporting breeders.

 

[alphakenc]

Thanks for jajeanpierre's tag ,this must be 2,999 threads with the Petco,I probably answer 1/4 of these...
Have u guys n gals wondering why Petco stores are very obsess with some type of "bowl"
They put bowls in every glass tank, cage...etc
I can understand dog bowl,bird bowl,cat bowl,mice bowl ,....but why chameleon bowl??
In their aisle 5 or 6 or 7 ,most of the time the dripper stop working but the scary dirty looking bowls for those crowded chameleon glass tanks are always the bacteria pooping ground with half full disgusting aged smelly water in there.
Is this how they sell their unnecessary add on item to their impulse buying customers with those poorly treating chams??
I wonder in their employees lunch backroom do they use lots human food bowls too....
Even if Im stop breeding my chams,I will not step inside the Petco store UNLESS I see some major improvement on how they treating their chameleons NOT just couple stores But all of their stores period.