Petsmart & Petco

[Harry The Cham]

I’m making this forum because I honestly think people are a little bit to hard on petsmart/co, and no I don’t work there. Whenever someone buys a pet at petsmart/co and it dies they like to blame it on them saying that it was there fault, well sure it was probably sick there but it was also most likely a baby. Petsmart/co seem to sell babies that are pretty young which is on them but not every baby survives as I like to say survival of the fittest. I have gotten 4 lizards there and haven’t had a problem with them since the day I had them. If you had that many pets in your house as petsmart does, you would probably have some that die especially newborns. Also sometimes they don’t know what there really saying about the pet but that’s because they can’t know every little detail on every single pet there, it should have been up to you to do your research before you decided to get a new pet. I hope you think a little bit differently about petsmart and petco please comment your thoughts.

 

[Graves923]

Alot of keepers bash petco and petsmart because the companies do not give the animals proper care while they are in their stores. Not giving the animals basic needs along with receiving them from questionable breeders leads to those animals having an increased mortality rate from the get go. Add in the fact that the caresheets that the company distributes to each store are almost always incorrect. These are the same caresheets that the employees read through and regurgitate to potential customers. All this gives those chameleons and some other animals almost no chance at a decent life.

Like you mentioned, it is up to the individual to do their proper research before buying any animal but, most people that go to petsmart or petco think that because the store sells these animals then the employees must know everything.

This is why I personally will not buy and live animals from these chain pet stores and always recommend reputable breeders.

 

[jamest0o0]

I totally disagree, I think people should be even harder on petco/petsmart. They hustle animals, mass producing them on large scales, with only profits in mind. These are living creatures which we all love and you're going to support that cruel treatment?! What do you mean it's not their fault for selling babies, sick animals, providing incorrect information?.... You wouldn't accept that standard from any other business. You wouldn't buy a tv at best buy that is broken and be like... well, they have sooo many TVs, a few are bound to break... especially with these being alive. It's no better than the puppy mills, and all that other stuff. I get that compromises have to be made for pet stores, but Petco could do a much better job.

 

[JacksJill]

As I'm usually the first to criticize the chain pet stores so here I go. First I do not hold the employees responsible it is a policy problem and a training problem.
90% of the young and ill chameleons I encounter on here are from chain pet stores. The brand new owners have been told the wrong care and sold things they don't need or shouldn't use. Sure they should have done more research but they were handed a care sheet and spoke to a "knowledgeable" employee why should they think they were misinformed. Half the time I, an anonymous stranger, spend on the forum is spent trying to correct the information a smiling person they met at the store told them.
I recently started researching the wholesalers that the chains use looking for an importer. Read some of the things on Fauna Classifieds board of inquiry (BOI) on these sleazy places. They make puppy mills look wholesome. I wish I could name names.
I was talking to the exotics vet I used to work for he sees the chams for the local chain store. No matter what he recommends they only ever euthanize. He says that they are usually so small and so far gone that that is probably for the best.
They make their money selling supplies not pets and that is what their bean counters care about.

 

[timw1]

I try to avoid Petsmart and Petco for anything other than dog/cat toys. I get upset when I see a chameleon in the store in a 10 gal glass aquarium with nothing for them to climb on, improper lighting, and a bowl for water. It's no wonder we see post after post on here from people who buy a cham from Petsmart or Petco and they are wondering why their cham has mbd or is dying. We constantly see people posting that they gutload with flukers cubes which were recommended by a Petco/Petsmart uneducated employee.

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

I recently saw a panther chameleon at petco when we went to pick up some hermit crab supplies. It was in probably a 10 gallon cage, a dripper dripping directly into a disgusting, dirty water bowl, and I didn't see any feeders. it was a beautiful chameleon, and it made me so sad to see it. I can guarantee it had just recently arrived there, and it was probably going to go to someone who didn't know a lot about chameleons and where the good places to get them from are. It was over $230. Why would you spend that much money, no, any money on an animal with who knows what kind of problems?? You don't get to know where it came from, what locale it is, who its dam and sire are, nothing! A stranger could see that their chameleon care is questionable, but a chameleon owner can see that they have some serious problems going on there. There just isn't any passion or care going into that! That passion is arguably one of the main care requirements for chameleons, since you really have to love it. Whenever any petco employee tells me something useful, I am mildly shocked.
Chain pet stores main goal is to make the most money possible, no matter what. Is that really where we want to be buying our living, breathing animal friends?

 

[VerucaSalt]

I totally disagree, I think people should be even harder on petco/petsmart. They hustle animals, mass producing them on large scales, with only profits in mind. These are living creatures which we all love and you're going to support that cruel treatment?! What do you mean it's not their fault for selling babies, sick animals, providing incorrect information?.... You wouldn't accept that standard from any other business. You wouldn't buy a tv at best buy that is broken and be like... well, they have sooo many TVs, a few are bound to break... especially with these being alive. It's no better than the puppy mills, and all that other stuff. I get that compromises have to be made for pet stores, but Petco could do a much better job.

Absolutely.

We purchased our Jackson from PetCo. From absolutely inaccurate care advice from multiple employees, from giving us a night basking light and a heat pad for the bottom of our tank, to saying mealworms were all to feed him.....they even sold us a hermit crab cave for the bottom of his cage for him to hide in. At their advice, after i explained i read differently, a bulb style dual uvb and 40 watt heat bulb for the screen enclosure....

He was housed in an all enclosed glass cage, no ventilation excluding a screen top which was enclosed with a display cap. He had a dripper which never dripped the 3 times we went into the store. Also recommended very low humidity for a Jackson.

They should be regulated. He was like a bag of bad food to be disposed of.

We brought him back one week after purchase for a suspected resp infection. They offer a warranty on health for 30 days. They didn't keep him even 24 hours, didnt ask syptoms, didnt ask dnto see video clips but called to say he was perfectly healthy after a regular vet observed him for "maybe 2 minutes". No fecal, no advice.

He went to a specialist the next day and had a resp infection which required anitbiotics.

I'm not sure if they happen to be more stringent where @Harry The Cham is, but can assure you that the reptiles at our local Petco are being housed, fed and cared for incorrectly. It's a shame that they aren't required to care for a live being correctly.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

to the original poster.... I have no idea why you would post something like this. Trolling?

Both of those chain stores have one goal and no soul. They make money off of live animals they have no vested interest in seeing thrive. If the animal dies on you, they figure you'll buy another.

Let me explain as a former veteran of the pet industry back in the 80's and 90's.

Our "mom and pop" stores not only prided ourselves on healthy animals, we depended on it. If animals did not do well, your customers didn't come back or refer their friends and family to you. We thrived on investing a little extra into all our animals and only selling them if they were healthy. So what killed stores like that if they sold solid healthy animals ? Cheap dry goods.

Keeping a $19 iguana healthy, with multiple feedings of fresh veggies, vitamins, lighting and heating, the cost of labor, de-worming them after being imported (just Panacur), having solid employees to teach a customer.... well for $19 it couldn't cover the cost of all that. We made our money on the dry goods. Along comes Petco and Petsmart who buy in bulk and undercut all the smaller stores. I can't tell you how many times a customer would come in, buy the animal, spend 30 mins or more with an employee on how to care for it, then go to petco. Eventually we came up with an odd idea. The idea was the animal was not for sale. We actually stopped selling Iguanas and ball pythons but we carried them.

Instead the animal was free with the purchase of the caging and equipment. You want our Iguana? You buy the stuff here. It worked for a awhile until the local petco, who actually sent in their manager to one of the stores I managed, came in and discovered what we were doing. Their reptile equipment sales had dropped for two months. Because of that, at least in my area, they started to sell iguanas which they didn't before.

So then when those customers came in with sick iguanas, we had a choice...either help them and try to turn them into a customer or turn them away. The statistics sadly indicated that those we helped tended to continue to buy from petco and only came to us for our employees information. Eventually we turned them away. Time is money and petco doesn't spend time training their employees.

The pet industry as a whole would be better off without Petsmart or Petco existing. ....(and Veiled Chameleons would smile for once)

As I'm usually the first to criticize the chain pet stores so here I go. First I do not hold the employees responsible it is a policy problem and a training problem.
90% of the young and ill chameleons I encounter on here are from chain pet stores. The brand new owners have been told the wrong care and sold things they don't need or shouldn't use. Sure they should have done more research but they were handed a care sheet and spoke to a "knowledgeable" employee why should they think they were misinformed. Half the time I, an anonymous stranger, spend on the forum is spent trying to correct the information a smiling person they met at the store told them.
I recently started researching the wholesalers that the chains use looking for an importer. Read some of the things on Fauna Classifieds board of inquiry (BOI) on these sleazy places. They make puppy mills look wholesome. I wish I could name names.
I was talking to the exotics vet I used to work for he sees the chams for the local chain store. No matter what he recommends they only ever euthanize. He says that they are usually so small and so far gone that that is probably for the best.
They make their money selling supplies not pets and that is what their bean counters care about.

This was also spot on fyi.

 

[Harry The Cham]

I guess I was wrong I’ve probably never had a problem there because I do so much research before I buy the animal unlike some people. They do put them in very small cages I would like to call them temporary homes but now that I think of it they take a long time for someone to finally buy the animal. I’m sorry OldChamKeeper I am not trying to troll you guys. It seems I’ve upset a lot of people over that statement if I could delete this post I would. I think I haven’t had problems because the chameleon I got was actually shipped into petsmart 2 days prior and I’ve bought 3 of my leopard geckos 2 that we’re surrendered and a baby but it is pretty hard to get a leopard gecko sick. I’m sorry for the false info and I take back what I said. Thank you guys for your thoughts

 

[Remkon]

I'm basically just against selling reptiles and other exotic pets in your average petstores...

Petstores are okay for supplies and to buy a hamster, but not for animals that require a more advanced knowledge of their husbandry.
Get specialized stores for reptiles, that do know the requirements of these animals. Better yet only allow selling chameleons trough breeders... Better for the animal, more business for breeders.

 

[Repti]

My Petco has a male and a female Jackson together in the same cage with only one vine. I have told the manager so many time to separate them because the female was clearly stressed out, she would always say ok but when I come back they are still in the same cage. I would buy the female just so she can live a better life but I have no more space in my house for another chameleon. Sorry if the photo is not clear but the female is next to the dripper.

 

[Remkon]

My Petco has a male and a female Jackson together in the same cage with only one vine. I have told the manager so many time to separate them because the female was clearly stressed out, she would always say ok but when I come back they are still in the same cage. I would buy the female just so she can live a better life but I have no more space in my house for another chameleon. Sorry if the photo is not clear but the female is next to the dripper.

By buying such an animal you'll help the petco business and they will just buy more animals to torture...

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

My Petco has a male and a female Jackson together in the same cage with only one vine. I have told the manager so many time to separate them because the female was clearly stressed out, she would always say ok but when I come back they are still in the same cage. I would buy the female just so she can live a better life but I have no more space in my house for another chameleon. Sorry if the photo is not clear but the female is next to the dripper.

And then there's that little dish full of mealworms, and a water bowl! This is the exact thing I see at Petco here

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

@Repti I know it is very hard to see the beautiful chams treated such as way, but the people at Petco do not consider why you are buying it, they just know that you are buying it, which is good news to them. They will order another chameleon to put in its place, and then it's just a vicious cycle. So, a quick message to everyone, just don't buy chameleons, or any other pet imo, from chain pet stores. It's as simple as that, because even if the Petco in your town treats their animals great, you are still supporting their franchise by buying animals from them, and the majority of their franchises do not treat their animals well.

It is just so much better for you and your new cham if you buy it online from a trusted breeder.

 

[bloftis1]

So sad...

 

[OldChamKeeper]

@Repti I know it is very hard to see the beautiful chams treated such as way, but the people at Petco do not consider why you are buying it, they just know that you are buying it, which is good news to them. They will order another chameleon to put in its place, and then it's just a vicious cycle. So, a quick message to everyone, just don't buy chameleons, or any other pet imo, from chain pet stores. It's as simple as that, because even if the Petco in your town treats their animals great, you are still supporting their franchise by buying animals from them, and the majority of their franchises do not treat their animals well.

It is just so much better for you and your new cham if you buy it online from a trusted breeder.

This. Here's the problem however.... most new cham owners don't know about this site or others, don't really read much before buying that animal. They get all this info after the fact and those chain stores keep on going.

Lastly... the chain stores have been so effective in putting out the majority of quality independent retailers that some people don't have a choice anymore in where to go buy that first pet. What I'm describing is a typical parent and child looking to get their first pet. They don't look shit up online first other than to find a general description of the animal they want...if they even do that. They do what most people do, they take their kid to the nearest pet store in person. Unfortunately nowadays that tends to be a chain store. As long as people keep walking into those stores they will stay in business and there is no way in hell an independent store can even open within 3 miles of a chain store and get their footing by building a reputation for themselves.

No, petco and petsmart are here to stay. The best we as reptile owners can do is to not buy a damn thing from either of them. I can get nearly anything I need online or thru my internet contacts. Anything else I go to my local reptile store.

It's alright Repti. Every now and then we see somebody put on a towel around their neck and try to "fly" across a four lane highway thinking they are superhero. Then the coroner shows up. Bringing up petco on these forums never ends well. You almost never see a petco take care of chameleons properly and if they do, it's due to one employee who knows their shit and not a company policy.

 

[bloftis1]

This. Here's the problem however.... most new cham owners don't know about this site or others, don't really read much before buying that animal. They get all this info after the fact and those chain stores keep on going.

Lastly... the chain stores have been so effective in putting out the majority of quality independent retailers that some people don't have a choice anymore in where to go buy that first pet. What I'm describing is a typical parent and child looking to get their first pet. They don't look shit up online first other than to find a general description of the animal they want...if they even do that. They do what most people do, they take their kid to the nearest pet store in person. Unfortunately nowadays that tends to be a chain store. As long as people keep walking into those stores they will stay in business and there is no way in hell an independent store can even open within 3 miles of a chain store and get their footing by building a reputation for themselves.

No, petco and petsmart are here to stay. The best we as reptile owners can do is to not buy a damn thing from either of them. I can get nearly anything I need online or thru my internet contacts. Anything else I go to my local reptile store.

It's alright Repti. Every now and then we see somebody put on a towel around their neck and try to "fly" across a four lane highway thinking they are superhero. Then the coroner shows up. Bringing up petco on these forums never ends well. You almost never see a petco take care of chameleons properly and if they do, it's due to one employee who knows their shit and not a company policy.

Preach.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Preach.

Naw. Going back to my cave. Big chain stores tend to make come out and then I regret it. You youngsters figure it out.