Saved this guy from PetSmart today...

[Winpooh718]

This poor little guy was at the store over 6 weeks, and he kept getting skinnier. It broke my heart, so I now have 3 veiled chameleons.

His color is a spectacular blue and green, and he is gorgeous.

I didn't want to freak him out, but, I was able to get a picture.

I'm slowly going to add what he needs to the cage so he can relax and enjoy his new home, which it 4 times larger than his old one.

Now it's time to fatten this boy up with some greens and worms, while I think of a name for him.

My other two are Lady Jade and Sir Ziggy -- any suggestions for a name?

 

[BryanP]

Yikes. Poor Guy...

Glad he is in a new home and hopefully you can fatten him up!

 

[RobSquared]

Nicely done. It is always great to hear. One of my boys is a rescue from a guy who used him for straight breeding and just trying to make money off of him. He never got the proper lighting and it shows. I did the same thing. Put him in his new Super Enclosure and left him alone for a while. Well besides feeding him. Now here it is about 9 months later and he is happy, and WAY healthier. Not to mention when the cage opens he is right there climbing on my arm and hangs out on my shoulder. He will stay there all day too if I let him. As far as name. Lets see. (Slim Shaddy, Needle, Wheat Thin, Green Bean (there thin), the list goes on and on.

 

[alphakenc]

"Twiggy the 11th" from another petdumbdumb store like all other chams waiting to be rescued.

 

[Vwcorradoturbodad]

The female I have is a pet store nightmare as well she is missing one of her paws and has a severe light burn mark on her back that's permanent but she is very fat and very happy and has laid three clutches so far I ended up getting her and the whole cage lights and all for 100 bucks she had be there almost a year she eats right out of my hand and is only Cage aggressive

 

[Crashbandit05]

It's a good thing that you "rescued" the cham from the deplorable conditions, but in doing so you are just freeing up space so the pet store can order more unhealthy chams thus continuing the vicious cycle. Maybe you can talk to the person in charge of reptile care and convince them to not order any more chameleons if they won't provide proper husbandry. I got my local Pets Supplies Plus to stop.

 

[Chameleon Mike]

Props to you for saving him unfortunately they will have another one there next week to save.

 

[Courts_spyro]

I doubt it would have mattered but upon buying him I would've told them to stop purchasing chameleons if they cannot care for them. That's just ridiculous. An idiot with no chameleon knowledge can see an issue here.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

You just funded their store and showed that there is a demand for chameleons so unfortunately, they will probably re-stock on chameleons pretty soon.....

It's sad to see them sick and suffering like that, but giving in and buying them only fuels the fire and makes the stores buy more of them to mistreat. I've been tempted before to save a few chams but I know in my mind that I would be funding the store to get more, and I just can't be a part of that...

 

[serenaj25]

This poor little guy was at the store over 6 weeks, and he kept getting skinnier. It broke my heart, so I now have 3 veiled chameleons.

His color is a spectacular blue and green, and he is gorgeous.

I didn't want to freak him out, but, I was able to get a picture.

I'm slowly going to add what he needs to the cage so he can relax and enjoy his new home, which it 4 times larger than his old one.

Now it's time to fatten this boy up with some greens and worms, while I think of a name for him.

My other two are Lady Jade and Sir Ziggy -- any suggestions for a name?
View attachment 164233

oh my gosh!! petsmart and Petco treat their reptiles absolutely terribly!! I'm so glad to see you rescued him and he will live a better life. this made my day!!

 

[Veild Cham Owner]

you are such a saint )) we need more people like you in the word Once turn 16 i am going to work at m petstore so i can actually show then how to properly take care of them. Jesus, it is so painful to watch this little chameleon grow in the tiny cage they keep their reptiles in. Every time i go there to get crx or what not i just stand there in front of the cages just too look at them and feel their sorrow. if i had the money i would buy every single one of them. True story, the small animals and birds my local pet store were buying from were abused and no longer sell small animals nor birds because everyone was returning them sick and almost dead. absolutely sickening

 

[carol5208]

I don't agree with everyone saying don't rescue him. Granted they will get another to replace him, but at least they are not replacing him because he died! I am glad you took him and look forwand to seeing his progress when properly cared for

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

I don't agree with everyone saying don't rescue him. Granted they will get another to replace him, but at least they are not replacing him because he died! I am glad you took him and look forwand to seeing his progress when properly cared for

But who's to say the next dozen replaced won't die in a tank at their stores?....I really wish they didn't sell them all together. They have zero business having them in their stores. And buying them only puts money in the CEO's pockets and funds their animals supplies, and in end having yet more neglected reptiles. It's mean to say, but buying one does more harm for other future chameleons that are replacing the ones you buy. It's best to not buy them. I have no poor intentions of saying this.

 

[Gbetts1986]

Wow, he's a little guy

 

[Winpooh718]

It's a good thing that you "rescued" the cham from the deplorable conditions, but in doing so you are just freeing up space so the pet store can order more unhealthy chams thus continuing the vicious cycle. Maybe you can talk to the person in charge of reptile care and convince them to not order any more chameleons if they won't provide proper husbandry. I got my local Pets Supplies Plus to stop.

You certainly have a valid point, and I can't buy every chameleon I feel sorry for, I'd need a much bigger house.

I will have a talk with the store manager, and hope to get favorable results. Will keep you posted.

 

[Winpooh718]

You just funded their store and showed that there is a demand for chameleons so unfortunately, they will probably re-stock on chameleons pretty soon.....

It's sad to see them sick and suffering like that, but giving in and buying them only fuels the fire and makes the stores buy more of them to mistreat. I've been tempted before to save a few chams but I know in my mind that I would be funding the store to get more, and I just can't be a part of that...

You have a valid point, but, I will talk with the store manager to see if they can't provide proper husbandry, perhaps they can stop perpetuating the problem.

 

[Winpooh718]

you are such a saint )) we need more people like you in the word Once turn 16 i am going to work at m petstore so i can actually show then how to properly take care of them. Jesus, it is so painful to watch this little chameleon grow in the tiny cage they keep their reptiles in. Every time i go there to get crx or what not i just stand there in front of the cages just too look at them and feel their sorrow. if i had the money i would buy every single one of them. True story, the small animals and birds my local pet store were buying from were abused and no longer sell small animals nor birds because everyone was returning them sick and almost dead. absolutely sickening

This world needs more people like you!

 

[Winpooh718]

Thank you everyone for making me feel like I did the right thing for this chameleon. My heart was aching every time I went to the store and saw him there. I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I left this poor creature to die before my eyes.

I know it's not going to solve the big problem, but, it solved this guy's problem.

Perhaps the store would reconsider it's policy of selling pets they can't properly care for. If I waited any longer, it would have destroyed me if I went back and heard he died.

I took home a female months ago that was so distraught, I brought her back for fear I would stress her to death. She died several days later, sharing a cage with the male I ended up taking home.

I prayed he wouldn't get sick and die, but, he was fine. I think they stressed the female to her breaking point.

 

[kimmytheriault]

I understand your need to "save" him.. trust me. My guy was dumped, LITERALLY, on the doorstep of a local vet (who happens to be an old friend). I rescued him from her despite having very little knowledge of chameleons (I've keep tons of other reptiles but never a cham before). I took him in mainly because I can't handle to see an animal in distress. I can't save them all, but I can save some - so kudos to you for doing what felt right in your heart, even if it doesn't solve the bigger problem of these stores housing chameleons and other animals in general.

Chameleons truly are magnificent little creatures, but the amount of care they require is definitely not for someone without the proper knowledge OR the ability/desire to seek out the proper information. Unfortunately a lot of people that buy chameleons at these stores do so out of impulse and end up with disasters on their hands - a sub-par animal coupled with horrible husbandry techniques passed down to them from the store.. it's sad really. The point I am trying to make in this ridiculously long, and round about way, is that the pet stores that sell these animals should truly not sell them to begin with. Any person can walk in there today and purchase one - and that really isn't the way it should go. Recently while buying a few simple supplies for my guy at a Petsmart I happened upon their "Reptile Specialist" and had a conversation with her about "Chameleon Keeping" (pretending I had no knowledge of them what-so-ever) the information she gave me would surely leave any cham bought from them in rough shape quickly - she made no mention of calcium, only admitted that they needed UVB AFTER I said something about "hearing that they needed it", she told me they drink from standing water, never mentioned a need for misting, and said that a long glass aquarium is the best enclosure for them.. etc etc. It was really scary info and actually most of it was the exact opposite of what a chameleon truly needs. I'm willing to bet the pet store you got this guy from also gives out similar information, an assumption I am making based on the looks of that poor fella! (But I could be wrong.)

I'm hopeful that you can turn him around quickly. Lots of love and positive vibes to you and your new boy!

(And, yes, at the end of our conversation I told her that I was pretty sure most of her information was inaccurate and that she should check out this site to get more accurate information - she seemed kind of annoyed with the suggestion though! Whatever.)

 

[Winpooh718]

I understand your need to "save" him.. trust me. My guy was dumped, LITERALLY, on the doorstep of a local vet (who happens to be an old friend). I rescued him from her despite having very little knowledge of chameleons (I've keep tons of other reptiles but never a cham before). I took him in mainly because I can't handle to see an animal in distress. I can't save them all, but I can save some - so kudos to you for doing what felt right in your heart, even if it doesn't solve the bigger problem of these stores housing chameleons and other animals in general.

Chameleons truly are magnificent little creatures, but the amount of care they require is definitely not for someone without the proper knowledge OR the ability/desire to seek out the proper information. Unfortunately a lot of people that buy chameleons at these stores do so out of impulse and end up with disasters on their hands - a sub-par animal coupled with horrible husbandry techniques passed down to them from the store.. it's sad really. The point I am trying to make in this ridiculously long, and round about way, is that the pet stores that sell these animals should truly not sell them to begin with. Any person can walk in there today and purchase one - and that really isn't the way it should go. Recently while buying a few simple supplies for my guy at a Petsmart I happened upon their "Reptile Specialist" and had a conversation with her about "Chameleon Keeping" (pretending I had no knowledge of them what-so-ever) the information she gave me would surely leave any cham bought from them in rough shape quickly - she made no mention of calcium, only admitted that they needed UVB AFTER I said something about "hearing that they needed it", she told me they drink from standing water, never mentioned a need for misting, and said that a long glass aquarium is the best enclosure for them.. etc etc. It was really scary info and actually most of it was the exact opposite of what a chameleon truly needs. I'm willing to bet the pet store you got this guy from also gives out similar information, an assumption I am making based on the looks of that poor fella! (But I could be wrong.)

I'm hopeful that you can turn him around quickly. Lots of love and positive vibes to you and your new boy!

(And, yes, at the end of our conversation I told her that I was pretty sure most of her information was inaccurate and that she should check out this site to get more accurate information - she seemed kind of annoyed with the suggestion though! Whatever.)

Thanks for the advise. I get it. I have a 105 pound labrador-hound rescue who was severely beaten and a 65 pound pit bull-boxer who would have been put down because he's a pit bull.

If I could I'd rescue them all, I do try to foster dogs when I can. I've got 2 dogs that were purchased at a pet store 14 years ago, and I nearly bought a basset hound because he was growing out of the cage.

It's just how I handle things, it's not for everyone -- my therapist says I have "lost puppy syndrome".

I have shown pictures of my new skinny baby to as many people as possible on Facebook, and the picture is being shared. I went to competing stores and showed patrons and workers alike the poor thing and asked them not to patron or buy a chameleon from PetSmart.

It's a start, and I will keep an eye on the next chameleon I see, and will take pictures to document it's time in the store. I'm not above getting media involved even if they don't always help a situation, they can shed light on it.