So I went to petsmart today and saw something very sad...:[

[Dragon Born]

So I went to petsmart today in Daly City for some feeder crickets and a new enclosure for my dubias. Upon entering I go to the reptile section just to check out what they had and how they looked. First a saw a veiled in a glass enclosure with a small area of ventilation at the top of the cage. Besides his enclosure being less than ideal he himself looked fine and healthy with both eyes open and check out the people. Next door to him I saw the sign for a jackson on the cage and was very excited because I had never seen one in person before...and after being puzzled about not finding it in branches after looking I look down and notice it one it side laying dead in the enclosure. I as well notice that there were a bunch of eggs that it must have laid right behind it. It was a very sad sight and such a bummer to have to let the store workers know that they were not keeping their chams in proper enclosures and that now one has probably died from it...

But this brings me to question, do you think that jackson died because of the stress of laying eggs or do you believe that it died because of the improper enclosure?

 

[SaintJimmy]

So I went to petsmart today in Daly City for some feeder crickets and a new enclosure for my dubias. Upon entering I go to the reptile section just to check out what they had and how they looked. First a saw a veiled in a glass enclosure with a small area of ventilation at the top of the cage. Besides his enclosure being less than ideal he himself looked fine and healthy with both eyes open and check out the people. Next door to him I saw the sign for a jackson on the cage and was very excited because I had never seen one in person before...and after being puzzled about not finding it in branches after looking I look down and notice it one it side laying dead in the enclosure. I as well notice that there were a bunch of eggs that it must have laid right behind it. It was a very sad sight and such a bummer to have to let the store workers know that they were not keeping their chams in proper enclosures and that now one has probably died from it...

But this brings me to question, do you think that jackson died because of the stress of laying eggs or do you believe that it died because of the improper enclosure?

It probably died of both.

it's really sad taking trips to petco and petsmart honestly.

Petsmart is slightly better but petco just butchers it.

 

[mattj]

It probably died of both.

it's really sad taking trips to petco and petsmart honestly.

Petsmart is slightly better but petco just butchers it.

Really. Around me I've noticed the opposite. Petcos chams always seemed to look a tad better than petsmart.

 

[Dragon Born]

yeah I felt really bad for the jackson and the veiled. I wanted to rescue the veiled from them, but like I said, he looked alright and not in bad condition so I opted not to(I just bought 2 baby(male/female) veileds, or else I would have..

But damn, how do big petstores get away with this kind of stuff? How is that not animal cruelty if a company like that is selling animals in improper and harmful conditions. What can be done? I know this is america, so if your a corporation you can get away with anything, and that is the messed up part about this country. Its disgusting.

 

[Seiryu]

Jacksons give live birth and do not lay eggs. Are you sure it was a Jacksons? If so, something else that was in the cage laid the eggs.

Yes most Petco/Petsmart are pretty horrid, but they also can't have huge enclosures for every animal.

 

[KatiLemons]

I go into my petsmart about once a week to get crickets and supplies and it always saddens me to see when they have chameleons b/c they are always in small 12x12x12 glass cubes that have standing water and orchid bark for substrate. I always hate that because right away they are giving the wrong impression on how to house a chameleon.

The thing that boggles me about this thread is that a Jackson Chameleon doesn't lay eggs. they have live babies.. Is it possible that what you thought were eggs were actually "slugs". Slugs are non viable egg sacks that look like a rotten, moldy slimy egg.

 

[SaintJimmy]

Really. Around me I've noticed the opposite. Petcos chams always seemed to look a tad better than petsmart.

Well here's the thing.

Petsmart has smaller cages, but also keeps super young animals. The chameleon I saw in there was around 2 months old (very tiny) and was in a pretty small cage, but it had plenty of room for its age.

Petco however throws an adult jacksons pair right next to each other. The only vents are thru the top (screen cover) and the divider between the two glass enclosures.

The chameleons can obviously see each other.

The male looks fine. But there are hardly any branches. They have one freaking twisty vine in that tiny cage and then dirt halfway up so there is NO SPACE. Crickets EVERYWHERE. Literally. They just dump em in.

The female however was very stressed. She at first was kind of brown then turned very dark and hid. She also looked gravid.

Did I mention when I got my chameleon from petco?

Kept in the tank with another chameleon. The same tank jacksons was in. He was only around 4 months old so I bet it wasnt too bad of an issue. But the same thing. One freaking twisty flukers vine or whatever, one leafy vine from the top for the lil dripper and that was it. Besides the 100 crickets in there with em and the cage halfway filled with dirt.

I swear to god it was horrifying. I didn't even know much about chameleons at the time so it looked ok to me. Now I know it's just cruel.

The chameleon next to monty was very dark. The salesman tried to grab him and he gaped so he said "I cannot sell you this one he is sick or something" so at least he knew a little. So now I have Monty.

And they sold him to me with MBD\

I go into my petsmart about once a week to get crickets and supplies and it always saddens me to see when they have chameleons b/c they are always in small 12x12x12 glass cubes that have standing water and orchid bark for substrate. I always hate that because right away they are giving the wrong impression on how to house a chameleon.

The thing that boggles me about this thread is that a Jackson Chameleon doesn't lay eggs. they have live babies.. Is it possible that what you thought were eggs were actually "slugs". Slugs are non viable egg sacks that look like a rotten, moldy slimy egg.

When I go to petsmart at least they have BABIES in the small cages though.

 

[Dragon Born]

Jacksons give live birth and do not lay eggs. Are you sure it was a Jacksons? If so, something else that was in the cage laid the eggs.

Yes most Petco/Petsmart are pretty horrid, but they also can't have huge enclosures for every animal.

wow I was totally thinking that on the way home. It had 3 horns and the cage said jacksons. There were deff eggs laying behind it. there were a bunch of them. They did not look like slugs.

 

[mattj]

I was actually going to try something. I was in a local shop the other day and noticed a cham with real bad MBD. I wanted to play ignorant and say I want that one to see if they would screw me. Cause its a reptile shop. Not a big box store.

Just never did.

 

[SaintJimmy]

I was actually going to try something. I was in a local shop the other day and noticed a cham with real bad MBD. I wanted to play ignorant and say I want that one to see if they would screw me. Cause its a reptile shop. Not a big box store.

Just never did.

I would have played along until they were about to hand me the chameleon and then tell them what's up

 

[mattj]

I know. I shouldve. But after seeing their last inventory and a past experience. I said I'm done with that shop.

 

[Dragon Born]

I know. I shouldve. But after seeing their last inventory and a past experience. I said I'm done with that shop.

If you are done with that shop then you should go back in saying you changed your mind and then tell them what is up just like you said. You are not being a **** by trying to the improve that quality of life of a trapped animal. They are the dicks for being a reptile shop and not knowing how to properly take care of their animals. The shop is sending improper messages to potentially buyers on how to take care of they animals so go give them your 2 cents as long as you know what you are talking about.

 

[mattj]

If you are done with that shop then you should go back in saying you changed your mind and then tell them what is up just like you said. You are not being a **** by trying to the improve that quality of life of a trapped animal. They are the dicks for being a reptile shop and not knowing how to properly take care of their animals. The shop is sending improper messages to potentially buyers on how to take care of they animals so go give them your 2 cents as long as you know what you are talking about.

Well I also don't know if they have it there and are rehabbing it. This is a somewhat reputable local store. I just personally don't like it anymore.

 

[littlefoot3]

The Petco is my city always seems to have a dead veiled and a couple of live ones in the same enclosure.

There are two Petsmarts here and only one of them carries chams. Similar experience: the Jacksons never looks great, but the veiled is usually small enough for where they keep him and looks pretty healthy. I wonder why they can't get it together on Jacksons care?

 

[SaintJimmy]

The Petco is my city always seems to have a dead veiled and a couple of live ones in the same enclosure.

There are two Petsmarts here and only one of them carries chams. Similar experience: the Jacksons never looks great, but the veiled is usually small enough for where they keep him and looks pretty healthy. I wonder why they can't get it together on Jacksons care?

Their mentality is "Oh all chameleons need the same stuff, let's just give Jacksons the same temps and humidity as a veiled!" which eventually kills it

 

[maya2]

I actually bought my cham from a petsmart just slightly over a month ago.
Veiled.
I had been reading the forums and didn't want to get one from them, but she looked alert and was hunting. They don't carry jacksons at this store.

Also, the guy who works the reptile section actually seemed cool. He had two veiled, and even talked about the small tank issue. I told him my set up and asked if I needed anything, and instead of trying to sell me substrate and all kinds of things I wouldn't need, he was super honest and told me to keep an eye on her urate and plan on getting a laying bin.
We ended up talking about chams for almost an hr before I actually got her.

This is probably a rare experience, but I was stoked on it.

 

[camimom]

wow I was totally thinking that on the way home. It had 3 horns and the cage said jacksons. There were deff eggs laying behind it. there were a bunch of them. They did not look like slugs.

If it had horns, it was a male.

ANd no matter what, jacksons don't lay eggs, they lay slugs.

So if they were white and looked like jelly beans, they could have been eggs, but it wasn't from the jacksons.

 

[gar732]

I find that it depends on who they have working there, I went in to a petsmart for some crickets and there was a sign for a veiled but was not on display. Another sign said to ask an associate for assistance. Apparently who ever was in charge recognized that they needed a specialized enloser and had him housed in a screen cage in the back room. I guess that person doesn't work there anymore because now they just throw them in the glass tanks with all the other reptiles.

 

[Simon1986]

this may sound rather un-knowing of me to say this but the amount of complaints photos and evidence on this forum alone could a case not be put together to stop the cruelty and poor treatment. I know its easy for me to say being here in the uk but could this chain store not be challenged??

 

[eswalker]

I live in Kansas and I have NEVER seen any type of chameleon in a Petsmart or a Petco! I'm almost glad I haven't because it would positively break my heart to see any type of animal (but especially chameleons) being mistreated. This needs to be stopped!