Petsmart "cages"

[Doss]

So, today I visited my local petsmart for some cat related items. And I noticed in the reptile department, a male veiled chameleon. And im glad I noticed him!

This, "cage" as the called it, was more of a glass box! Roughly 1.5 feet wide, about 11/12 inches tall, and has a depth of about 10 inches. The entire box was glass, but the back and the sides were covered with a "foresty" background paper. The entire front window was completely exposed and highly reflective.

The bottom was filled with some kind of bark looking substance, I didn't feel it so I cant give a 100% accurate estimate of what it was.

The plants in the "habitat" were all fake, and only covered about one corner of the space. Not nearly enough or remotely thick enough to escape the day to day crowds.

And the water supply, was standing, in a small rock pond. Nearly empty, and quite bleak looking.


The only good thing i can say about the "habitat" was that everything was slightly damp, so he must have been misted previous to my arrival.

I was talking to a store employee, just about their chameleon shipments, not trying to come on as a "this is wrong, you need to fix it" person, and I learned that he had been in that box for nigh on 4 months now.

When I first arrived, he was a light shade of green, slightly pale, his crest was shedding, his tale was about average for his size, but the only thing off, was that he looked slightly skinny. Especially when he walked.

So after my little discussion with the employee, I left to get my supplies. And as i was leaving, i figured, eh one more look just to see he is content. And guess what? He was a dark brown color. Sitting on a tiny branch in the open.
I felt so bad for leaving him there, but at the time I dont have the funds to be bringing a new reptilian friend home.

The only good thing I heard, was that someone within the next few days will be around to pick him up and take him home.

I've never left petsmart so disgusted, and I am sending them a formal e-mail about chameleon care and why what they are doing is cruel, and going into the store the next time I learn of a new chameleon shipment to see if conditions have improved.

 

[Sang]

sadly this is typical of most chain petsmarts and petco's.

the animals are on a automatic renewal shipment, so when one is sold a new one is sent, at least they don't house more then one per enviroment, at least that i have seen.

 

[viaje]

I know how you feel, and after working at PetSmart for a good long time it's really sad to say that- unfortunately- there's not really anything you can do. The only people at PetSmart who care about animals are the people in the store, any higher than that and they're just businessmen who don't know

The stores rules about the reptile habitat are that each cage must have a substrate, water dish, hides, and (fake) plants. Corporate expects each animal to be sold in a week or two, so they don't really care if the cage is any good because they truly believe that the animal turnover is that fast.

Here's the bright side- it's the Pet Care manager's decision of what animals they get and which ones they don't, and believe it or not the people in the store work there because they care about animals. Your best bet would be to find out who the Pet Care manager is, and casually chat with them every time you go in (I'm assuming you buy your crickets there) until they realize you know what you're doing. After a while make sure they realize the advantages to buying from somewhere other than PetSmart. The manager may reconsider ordering them.

 

[Sang]

most of the petsmarts out here, get their vieleds at about 1 month, selling for 75 bucks, then i see the same animal 6 months later, in the same enclosure selling 120, because they fed the animal they have to make up for what they fed it.

 

[rachelk]

The petsmart in springfield missouri house 3 to 4 veileds at a time in that tiny little "cage" you are talking about, so sad... they are younger but not young enough to be housed together.

 

[viaje]

most of the petsmarts out here, get their vieleds at about 1 month, selling for 75 bucks, then i see the same animal 6 months later, in the same enclosure selling 120, because they fed the animal they have to make up for what they fed it.

They're not allowed to do that

They have to sell the animal as what it was sent to them as.
I know a lot with the fish, they'll send a tiny one as "large," and a huge one as "small," and they're not even allowed to swap the two so they're in the appropriate tanks- even if it would make them more money.

 

[Sang]

viaje, ive seen it man. so either they are doing something they arn't supposed to. OR they were charging 120 for a baby vieled?

 

[dco1990]

I was in a local pet store today (pet safari?) and encountered a similar situation. The reptile "area" is in the back left corner and they had about 7 veileds i would say. Most of them were probably 5-6months but one of them was huge. Sadly, the were all housed in 10 gal tanks with a mat on the bottom, one wood tree branch/vine, and a water bowl.Oh, and they are in plain view of all the other reptiles and most of them were trying to escape (clawing the glass) and a brown/black color. Three of them were actually in one cage (2female, 1 male) The male was very nice looking tho (I think he just got there) he appeared to be in good health and had some beautiful turquoise in him. I would have loved to save him if i currently had the money available.

Just thought i would share my story.

 

[Doss]

You would honestly think, that with as much care as required to own a chameleon, that sellers would only sell them off to companies who can take care of them until they are bought.

But all those high profit companies trying to make money just throw them wherever they can. >.>

 

[thealissa]

I bought my first chameleon from a PetSmart, where she was housed with one other in the tiny tank thing. The people working didn't even know how much I should feed her, or what size cage would be appropriate for her.

I then bought my second from a PetCo, where she had a much bigger cage, but still housed with one other cham. She also had more ventilation in this cage, and much more climbing space, with vines extended across the cage. The guy who sold her to me knew his facts well, and made sure that I also knew mine before making my final decision.

 

[questionbox]

yes, my local petsmart had the same thing going on. same kind of tank set up.
it was on ground level too!!
they had two veilds in it and a jackson's. i was very very upset.

 

[Lizardlover]

get this, at my local petsmart they had about 5 or more veilds on the top shelf(some with MBD) a few jacksons on the second shelf, with one of them on the floor dying that was definetly not a jacksons, it was a female johnsons! and on the bottom shelf on the floor mind you, they had a large(r) cage that housed 4 panthers. full grown ALL MALES. labeled as rainbow panthers a few weeks later all that was left was a female jacksons and 2 veilds.

 

[TheSaint]

I bought my veiled from a Petsmart. I knew nothing about chameleons, I'm afraid but luckily I found this forum the next day so things went well after that. When I bought her, they sold me a ton of stuff which was almost all useless. They had me buy a 10 gallon glass tank, some type of bark substrate, a running waterfall, water purifier, a bunch of fake plants, and climate control kit for a bearded dragon (they told me it was the same climate for chameleons).

The morning after, I found this site trying to find some more information. That afternoon I went to a "reptile pet store" and bought an aluminum screen cage, UVB bulb, heat lamp, reptical, etc.. etc..

Anyways, I went back to Petsmart to return all of my useless crap and yelled at them for selling me all of these worthless products. They wouldnt take any of it back and said that once the chameleon was inside the tank, I couldnt return it, because they couldnt resale for another animal because "they care too much about the safety and well being of their animals".

My chameleon is doing great after about two months but last week I stopped by and they have 3 jackson's that are atleast 9 months old all in a 10 gallon tank, no UVB, and they have some sort of fake rock thing in the middle of the cage. No branches, a bowl of water and some substrate at the bottom.
temperature gauge reads 98, and they are gaping and clawing at the glass. Very, very sad.

 

[Doss]

I have some good news, PetSmart actually reads what you send them. I woke up to find this in my email..



Dear Anthony

Thank you for your e-mail and for bringing this to our attention. I
have taken the liberty of entering a corporate complaint on your behalf.
Your complaint will be addressed by a member of our Management Team
within the next few business days, and you can expect a reply at that
time.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration this may
have caused you, and we appreciate the opportunity you have given us to
set the matter right.

Sincerely,

Karen

PetSmart Customer Care




Hopefully this isn't just a "get off our backs" email, and she actually sent that corporate complaint.


Edit: When the reply comes in the next few days, I will be sure to keep you all posted.

 

[zeechiller]

Th ePet smart by my house is fortunate to have a guy in the reptile area that knows what he is doing. He only puts one veil in the small enclosures and takes great care of them while they are there.

 

[Dunnigan]

get this, at my local petsmart they had about 5 or more veilds on the top shelf(some with MBD) a few jacksons on the second shelf, with one of them on the floor dying that was definetly not a jacksons, it was a female johnsons! and on the bottom shelf on the floor mind you, they had a large(r) cage that housed 4 panthers. full grown ALL MALES. labeled as rainbow panthers a few weeks later all that was left was a female jacksons and 2 veilds.

If i saw that i would ask for the manager. Tell him/her what is wrong. Stand there and wait for it to be fixed. If they refuse. Call the humane society, PETA, the police and who ever else would listen, then, if it is a guy probally beat the &@*( out of him. This is just wrong.

Instead of H.R. 669 there should be legislation against stupid ass people housing, attempting to sell, and killing these animals.

Lately i refuse to go to a petsmart/petco just so i dont find myself in thise situation

 

[Lizardlover]

Sadly i was 10 at the time and didnt know anything about chams, i though it was cool

 

[nwbrewbot]

Here's my sad PetCo story. I have been building up and preparing for a vieled chameleon. While doing tons of research I would frequent the PetCo. They had 3 babies housed in one huge cage. 2 of which were deathly skinny, I felt so bad for the smallest one. I almost bought him/her on impulse just to "Save" it. But I remembered everything that I read and I didn't support it.

Recently I went back and this lil guy is missing an eye, barely has a grip, the cage, Huge Glass enclosure, barely ever misted, covered in moldy droppings. I wish I would have saved it and I haven't built the nerve up to speak to the employees about it. You should see the baby bearded dragons, eyes closed, skinny, bowl full of rotted vegies and poop everywhere. Completely pisses me off! The last I was there I saw a young girl barely mist the iguana cage and none of the others that require misting, and offered the prisoners no cage cleaning.

 

[jojackson]

LOl, A 'corporate complaint' probly amounts to him saying "hey ronny, check out this email dude", and ronny comes out, they read it, laugh themselves stupid.
Then after work they will work on a 'corporate reply' together over a few beers!
A major petition campaign to the powers that be might be be taken seriously if you got enough sigs.
Seems to be a new 'petsmart' thread everyday here, yet people still shop there.
$$$ first, everything else second. Nothing new.

 

[Doss]

Seems to be a new 'petsmart' thread everyday here, yet people still shop there.

Well they do have a lot of supplies for pets =/