Anyone else feel as if big pet store chains mistreat their chams?

[Cacti3]

Hello everybody, this is something I’ve always felt.

Every time when I go into a big pet store chain like Petsmart or Petco, I can never help but see how they mistreat their chameleons. It really makes me upset.

Literally every petco I go to always has 2 or more veileds in one cage. I once went to a bigger petco and saw TWO ADULTS in a cage together. I checked and they WERE BOTH MALES. I really wanted to buy one to help it escape, but I don’t have the space and it would just fund them more

Also, they always put them in such a tiny glass tank when they need screen. And they only have 1 longer branch with like 3 fake plants which is dangerous especially for veiled chameleons since they are known to nibble plants.

One time, when I was buying crickets for Spyro, I got a special experience. They took me to the back and it was horrible to be honest….


They had hundreds of crickets in different sizes crowded in 3 bins. They had reptiles and fish and animals on shelves.


I saw a 5 month old male veiled in a glass tank no larger than 8 x 10 x 8…It made me want to cry.

They also had a ball python in an even smaller tank then they do on their display.

This lady then told me to hurry up and choose what size I wanted. I was honestly too distracted looking at the state of the replies. The 5 month old male veiled in that tiny glass tank looked sick. He was brown with 1 branch and 1 fake plant. He was moving slowly too. I told the lady that the chameleon is in a way too small cage. She ignored me snd told me to choose my crickets already. That annoyed me to be honest.



Also, back to the topic of the display chameleons, I once went into a Petco and saw that they had the veiled chameleon cage lights off. The UVB and heat lamp….


It really makes me upset how they treat their reptiles there. And their animals in general….

 

[Cacti3]

Hello everybody, this is something I’ve always felt.

Every time when I go into a big pet store chain like Petsmart or Petco, I can never help but see how they mistreat their chameleons. It really makes me upset.

Literally every petco I go to always has 2 or more veileds in one cage. I once went to a bigger petco and saw TWO ADULTS in a cage together. I checked and they WERE BOTH MALES. I really wanted to buy one to help it escape, but I don’t have the space and it would just fund them more

Also, they always put them in such a tiny glass tank when they need screen. And they only have 1 longer branch with like 3 fake plants which is dangerous especially for veiled chameleons since they are known to nibble plants.

One time, when I was buying crickets for Spyro, I got a special experience. They took me to the back and it was horrible to be honest….


They had hundreds of crickets in different sizes crowded in 3 bins. They had reptiles and fish and animals on shelves.


I saw a 5 month old male veiled in a glass tank no larger than 8 x 10 x 8…It made me want to cry.

They also had a ball python in an even smaller tank then they do on their display.

This lady then told me to hurry up and choose what size I wanted. I was honestly too distracted looking at the state of the replies. The 5 month old male veiled in that tiny glass tank looked sick. He was brown with 1 branch and 1 fake plant. He was moving slowly too. I told the lady that the chameleon is in a way too small cage. She ignored me snd told me to choose my crickets already. That annoyed me to be honest.



Also, back to the topic of the display chameleons, I once went into a Petco and saw that they had the veiled chameleon cage lights off. The UVB and heat lamp….


It really makes me upset how they treat their reptiles there. And their animals in general….

This is also the reason I didn’t buy Spyro from petco/ petsmart and I bought him from an actual reptile store that knows what they’re doing

 

[VeiledMoodRing]

Yes, I have seen poor baby veiled chams at Petco with 6 in one cage and most of them had injured tails and eye bumps their beardies where in bad shape too. I got my baby from a friend that bought a mom cham from a good site and only had one batch.

 

[Cacti3]

Yes, I have seen poor baby veiled chams at Petco with 6 in one cage and most of them had injured tails and eye bumps their beardies where in bad shape too. I got my baby from a friend that bought a mom cham from a good site and only had one batch.

I know, it’s horrible. I wish I could do something to stop them from mistreating them.

Also, the give out complete misinformation. And their signs they have about chameleons is just wrong. One of them said “ DID YOU KNOW CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLORS DEPENDING ON THEIR MOOD? “ no they f-ing don’t.

Workers will also tell you wrong things and try to make you buy stuff they don’t need.

 

[Cacti3]

Like I once went to buy Spyro a new log for Christmas and the worker said :

“ I think you should get your chameleon one of those hammocks “

And I said “ No thank you “

Because those hammocks are bearded dragon hammocks and chameleons feet can get stuck in them…

 

[LizardLurkin]

It's the unfortunate reality of the pet trade. I can accept the store as a transitional state for animals, granted they don't stay over long, to a point...What gets me more is the setting up people for failure with death kits and other improper products. It's not even just reptiles. Hamsters and the like get it terrible!
If they'd at least offer better products and updated care information, it would earn a lot more good faith...At least their crappy time at the store would be made up for sending off the buyer with the right stuff for their animals to thrive...But alas.

 

[MissSkittles]

As long as the pet stores are making money, nothing will change. While they do make a small amount from selling the animals, they probably make the bulk from selling the supplies for them. It doesn’t matter that the supplies are all wrong. I’m sure they’ve done their research and it’s found that people will only spend a certain amount to care for the animal they buy, and the chameleon death kit is well affordable. I’d guess that people who have invested time and energy into researching proper husbandry, also know better than to buy an animal from a chain store.
Now, with all of that being said, I bought Stella from a Petco in a very vulnerable time. I have no idea how long she was there for and guesstimate that she was maybe about 5 months old. Every day for just over six years, I am entranced by her beauty and her sassiness. I have zero regrets about getting her from Petco, especially when I think about the horrendous fate she may have had.
I also got Spike, my beardie from a different Petco. He was slow moving/lethargic and didn’t look as healthy as the others he was in with, so I had to get him. He’s been glaring at me now for five years.
I’d guess that my leopard geckos also probably originated from Petco…I got them from Craig’s List, chosen specifically because they were getting crappy husbandry.
I need to add - I avoid at all costs needing to step foot in a chain pet store and no longer look at Craig’s List. I’m at capacity, though wish I could save more.

 

[Cacti3]

As long as the pet stores are making money, nothing will change. While they do make a small amount from selling the animals, they probably make the bulk from selling the supplies for them. It doesn’t matter that the supplies are all wrong. I’m sure they’ve done their research and it’s found that people will only spend a certain amount to care for the animal they buy, and the chameleon death kit is well affordable. I’d guess that people who have invested time and energy into researching proper husbandry, also know better than to buy an animal from a chain store.
Now, with all of that being said, I bought Stella from a Petco in a very vulnerable time. I have no idea how long she was there for and guesstimate that she was maybe about 5 months old. Every day for just over six years, I am entranced by her beauty and her sassiness. I have zero regrets about getting her from Petco, especially when I think about the horrendous fate she may have had.
I also got Spike, my beardie from a different Petco. He was slow moving/lethargic and didn’t look as healthy as the others he was in with, so I had to get him. He’s been glaring at me now for five years.
I’d guess that my leopard geckos also probably originated from Petco…I got them from Craig’s List, chosen specifically because they were getting crappy husbandry.
I need to add - I avoid at all costs needing to step foot in a chain pet store and no longer look at Craig’s List. I’m at capacity, though wish I could save more.

lol the chameleon death kit

Yeah, that’s the reason why I only really buy from reptile stores that actually know what they’re doing and have correct supplies and most of the time people who genuinely care about their reptiles. If you go to a Petco or Petsmart asking for cage recommendations, they would most likely give random supplies you don’t need or recommend the death kit.

Something that has always had me questions is why the heck did Zoomed which is a good reptile brand decide to make such a terrible product for chameleons? I mean, they should probably know what chameleons really need….. and then they package incorrect lighting and call it a chameleon kit for $200?

I literally bought all of my supplies separately and it cost less I think… atleast less than the deluxe kit….


Also, 16 x 16 x 30 which is what they give you in that kit is too small for most common species. Not sure if it’s suitable for any species really. I don’t understand why a brand like Zoomed would make this…

 

[Cacti3]

It's the unfortunate reality of the pet trade. I can accept the store as a transitional state for animals, granted they don't stay over long, to a point...What gets me more is the setting up people for failure with death kits and other improper products. It's not even just reptiles. Hamsters and the like get it terrible!
If they'd at least offer better products and updated care information, it would earn a lot more good faith...At least their crappy time at the store would be made up for sending off the buyer with the right stuff for their animals to thrive...But alas.

I know, and then when you buy all the useless stuff they tell you to your animal ends up dying in a few months to a year or so…. Just to get money…

Not to mention that they get their animals from a breeding mill or something. And what’s horrible is that the animal welfare act can’t protect animals like reptiles, hamsters, or other small animals like amphibians. So, by the time you finally take your animal home, it’s already been through so much stress and cruelty ( especially from the mills, I really hope their chameleons don’t come from one ) that they will likely die soon… especially without proper husbandry….

 

[regal81455]

"One of them said “ DID YOU KNOW CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLORS DEPENDING ON THEIR MOOD? “ no they f-ing don’t."

Just to clear things up for the OP, actually they do. It's not the only reason but it certainly is one of them. The large chains are not the best for info but they didn't get this statement wrong.

 

[Cacti3]

"One of them said “ DID YOU KNOW CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLORS DEPENDING ON THEIR MOOD? “ no they f-ing don’t."

Just to clear things up for the OP, actually they do. It's not the only reason but it certainly is one of them. The large chains are not the best for info but they didn't get this statement wrong.

Yeah, they do, I was thinking of the wrong thing lol.

What they really say is: “ Did you know chameleons change colors depending on their surroundings and emotions? “ No they don’t… atleast not the surroundings part because a Cham won’t change blue just because it’s blue around them…

Here’s a picture of the actual sign they have on those horrible tanks…. Sorry if it’s a bit blurry…

 

[regal81455]

Well I'm not here to argue, just educate. They do "blend" into their surroundings for protection, as they suggest, but it's usually a secondary benefit. Most of their color changing is a way of communication, expression of mood, thermoregulation, or reaction to outside stimuli triggering a defense reaction. "Blending" in, whether by design or just inherently the case, being just one of these types of reactions. So that sign isn't wrong per se. Again, not trying to defend the stores they do in fact get a quite a bit wrong but in this case I'm personally OK with what they're suggesting.

 

[Cacti3]

Well I'm not here to argue, just educate. They do "blend" into their surroundings for protection, as they suggest, but it's usually a secondary benefit. Most of their color changing is a way of communication, expression of mood, thermoregulation, or reaction to outside stimuli triggering a defense reaction. "Blending" in, whether by design or just inherently the case, being just one of these types of reactions. So that sign isn't wrong per se. Again, not trying to defend the stores they do in fact get a quite a bit wrong but in this case I'm personally OK with what they're suggesting.

Yeah, I can see what they may be saying with that sign as you said. It just they word it in a way like their saying that they change colors from blue to yellow to purple depending on what’s behind them for example and by wording it in that way can make it seem like their spreading misinformation. Also not here to argue, either! Just saying how I feel.


Also, this is my reaction when I walk into the chameleon section of a petco lol:

 

[regal81455]

I can see where you are coming from. Yeah I feel ya on walking through the stores - they can be quite UGH at times. Love the vid.

 

[Rango_TheManEater]

Yes… I agree. Unfortunately, my first Cham (and current Cham) came from a PetCo. Rango had developed MBD because of how horrible his conditions were, and was shedding due to stress (it was extremely unlikely he was growing very quickly with how bad his MBD was at that point).

He was housed in a small glass tank with a female. Rango was very slow-moving, even for a Cham, and looked fairly small for what I assumed his age was. He refused to eat for a while after I got him (although this is fairly normal due to stress), but he just seemed… sad. It hurt me to see him like that.

Rango is doing much better now, but I completely agree that PetSmart/Co mistreat their reptiles. They do not know how to take care of them, which often ends in the animal suffering silently because they cannot speak for themselves.

Here’s a few pictures from the week after I took my poor baby home. (He also does NOT live in this glass tank anymore!)

 

[MissSkittles]

Yes… I agree. Unfortunately, my first Cham (and current Cham) came from a PetCo. Rango had developed MBD because of how horrible his conditions were, and was shedding due to stress (it was extremely unlikely he was growing very quickly with how bad his MBD was at that point).

He was housed in a small glass tank with a female. Rango was very slow-moving, even for a Cham, and looked fairly small for what I assumed his age was. He refused to eat for a while after I got him (although this is fairly normal due to stress), but he just seemed… sad. It hurt me to see him like that.

Rango is doing much better now, but I completely agree that PetSmart/Co mistreat their reptiles. They do not know how to take care of them, which often ends in the animal suffering silently because they cannot speak for themselves.

Here’s a few pictures from the week after I took my poor baby home. (He also does NOT live in this glass tank anymore!)

View attachment 368111View attachment 368112View attachment 368113

Poor sweet guy. I wish they would just stop selling animals altogether. Pet food and supplies is a booming multibillion dollar business and they don’t need to sell animals. It’s wonderful that they do have the rescue cats and occasionally dogs every now and then, but they need to stop with all others. Even the locally owned exotics pet store in my area kills me to walk into. They will have one lone prairie dog or other animal that needs socialization with its own kind. The dozens and dozens of baby beardies, all the adorable teeny tiny sulcata babies, and so many others that I wonder if they’ll eventually end up either sick/dead from humans too lazy to research correct care or a rescue because they became inconvenient pets. Ok…I’m going on a rant and need to shut up now.

 

[Cacti3]

Yes… I agree. Unfortunately, my first Cham (and current Cham) came from a PetCo. Rango had developed MBD because of how horrible his conditions were, and was shedding due to stress (it was extremely unlikely he was growing very quickly with how bad his MBD was at that point).

He was housed in a small glass tank with a female. Rango was very slow-moving, even for a Cham, and looked fairly small for what I assumed his age was. He refused to eat for a while after I got him (although this is fairly normal due to stress), but he just seemed… sad. It hurt me to see him like that.

Rango is doing much better now, but I completely agree that PetSmart/Co mistreat their reptiles. They do not know how to take care of them, which often ends in the animal suffering silently because they cannot speak for themselves.

Here’s a few pictures from the week after I took my poor baby home. (He also does NOT live in this glass tank anymore!)

View attachment 368111View attachment 368112View attachment 368113

Oh my god! Poor guy, he didnt look well at all when you first got him…


Speaking of sick chams from petco/ petsmart, I have something to say about that…

My best friend has 14 reptiles. One of them is a veiled Cham. She got him from a petsmart and he was in horrible shape when she got him. She said that when she saw him in the petsmart tank, he was at the bottom of the cage EATING DIRT AND MULCH. It’s really sad.

When she brought him home, she put in crickets in there in case he wanted to eat some. Instead, for a week, he just stayed at the bottom of his cage closing his eyes.


She then brought him to a vet and treated him becuase he was sick with something I can’t remember what.

After a little bit, he finally took Dubia, crickets, hornworms, and more feeders.


It’s really sad though.

 

[Cacti3]

Poor sweet guy. I wish they would just stop selling animals altogether. Pet food and supplies is a booming multibillion dollar business and they don’t need to sell animals. It’s wonderful that they do have the rescue cats and occasionally dogs every now and then, but they need to stop with all others. Even the locally owned exotics pet store in my area kills me to walk into. They will have one lone prairie dog or other animal that needs socialization with its own kind. The dozens and dozens of baby beardies, all the adorable teeny tiny sulcata babies, and so many others that I wonder if they’ll eventually end up either sick/dead from humans too lazy to research correct care or a rescue because they became inconvenient pets. Ok…I’m going on a rant and need to shut up now.

Yeah, honestly they would be better off not selling reptiles, chams, hamsters, and other animals. They just treat them so horribly that it would be better if they just didn’t sell them. It’s so stressful for the animals and they sometimes get sick too.

Not to mention with animals like hamsters, they try to make you buy the horrible hamster food and the crappy plastic cages with those bars. Barely any space for the hamster too.

Then with chameleons, they just give you the most basic stuff like buy crickets and the death kit.

Also, they once told me that if my chameleon is going near his heat lamp then it’s an appropriate temperature…. They will still go under the basking lamp even if it’s way too hot and burns them. It’s just complete misinformation that a person who wants a chameleon because they think they’re cool or something ( without any research ) would believe and possibly kill their cham….