The horrible wholesale!

[Kclarke02]

Ok, so at my local Petsmart, they have at least a 7month old male veiled in one of those tiny boxes they also sell their babies in. He's been there a couple weeks AT LEAST and it makes me sick every time I see him in there. I've already talked to a "worker" who admitted to not even knowing how to sex chameleons, and stating it was the company's policy to keep it in that size enclosure!!! I know it's counterintuitive to adopt one from "them", but I so want to snap this poor boy up and give him a better life than what he's suffered thru so far. Thoughts, ideas?

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

The sad thing is that even if you buy him they are just going to get another one to put in there. You could try talking to the manager and tell them that the way they house their chameleons is not up to standard and hope that works. However if you really want that little dude then you should get him. I know your feels though,,,It's hard to walk into a petco or petsmart near my own house and not want to get all those guys. It's sad but they keep selling so they are going to keep getting more even if they treat them poorly.

 

[Carlton]

The sad fact is that something like 70% of pet shop animal sales are due to pity....customers feeling they have to rescue the creature from its situation in the shop. I know full well how horrible it is to see our beloved chams in shop setups, but think of it another way. You could either rescue the one you see, versus prevent an unknown number of future chams from being sold in their stores.

 

[Chameleomom]

I have learned I cannot even go look because I want to take them all home. I go in and get my dogs food and avoid where they have them.

 

[Theveiled]

At my stores it doesn't even matter if they sell them, they just keep getting them. One time there was a 2-3 month old with a 5+ month cham. I did get Stark at petco and he is so great. Making the life better for a cham that is not in good care makes you feel great! I got Stark at about 5 months old at a reduced price because no one wanted him because he was not a "baby" anymore. Well he will always be my baby and his life is 100% better now.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

The sad fact is that something like 70% of pet shop animal sales are due to pity....customers feeling they have to rescue the creature from its situation in the shop. I know full well how horrible it is to see our beloved chams in shop setups, but think of it another way. You could either rescue the one you see, versus prevent an unknown number of future chams from being sold in their stores.

She speaks the truth!

Sometimes it's like those big pet stores have piss-poor care of their animals on purpose so that people feel sorry for them and buy them. I mean why else would a pet store, that sells animals, not know anything about the animals they are selling?

And hence, this is the reason I completely avoid going into pet stores at all. Any of them. I go straight to breeders if I want an animal and I purchase feeders from either bait shops or online. Never ever ever from the pet stores. Because every time I have ever been to a pet store, I ALWAYS see some type of animal being housed, watered, or fed improperly. I can't save them all; nobody can. So I avoid them all to help do my part in shutting them down.

You help fuel their bullcrap every time you make a purchase because even if you look at it as saving an animal.... THEY look at it as "there is a demand for this animal" and get two more to replace it. You also fund their business, which KEEPS THEM IN business. All things you want to avoid.

 

[nightanole]

Pet shops shouldnt sell pets...
Get the food and supplies at the local pet shop. But dont have the pet shop sell loss leader pets.

It would be so much easier just to have a paid giant bill board with all the local breeders on it that you can call.
Hell mine has a board with all the local dogs/cats for sale (rescue and for sale) and "events".

Then again ive seen some breeder's houses...

 

[BKO Overdrive]

This is what is happening to me but with a jackson at petco, ive seen them kill 4 panthers and a few veilds. This is there first Jackson and i was told "there just like the other kinds" As soon as i heard that i spoke with the manager and told him if he understood what they had. He offered me to take it from them because they do not know how to take care of it. He offered me a jackons for 75$, the little boy looks healthy so im going get him. I told him if I saw another in the store id have to report them. No clue if that will work.

 

[andy27012]

Pretty much all of the big box stores have corporate guidelines they are REqUIRED to follow in terms of animal placement and care. Many people know the correct way to care for them but the store will get dinged on their inspections if it's not to corporates specifications. The best thing to do is to not buy them, if an animal sits for months on end they won't order another one. As for the pity sales, I'm pretty sure you pulled that out of the air. Working for a big box store I can tell you 95% of our customers are new owners.

 

[WAMBO]

I have learned I cannot even go look because I want to take them all home. I go in and get my dogs food and avoid where they have them.

Ditto. I need to go to Petsmart for cat food and cat litter, and easily get attached to them all, and sad to leave them in their care. Just imagine how weird it looks for a sizable weight lifter to be blowing kisses to the cats and reptiles, lol. Yeah, I kinda do it when no one is around, not even realizing the animals can't see or hear me.

 

[ChameSecret]

The sad fact is that something like 70% of pet shop animal sales are due to pity....customers feeling they have to rescue the creature from its situation in the shop. I know full well how horrible it is to see our beloved chams in shop setups, but think of it another way. You could either rescue the one you see, versus prevent an unknown number of future chams from being sold in their stores.

I fully agree with this sentiment.

My first chameleon was a "pity" buy from one of those tiny 6"x12"x6" boxes they put veileds in. Of course no misting, just a water bowl. Her eyes were sunken from dehydration. In retrospect, I regret putting money into the hands of the very corporation that made her suffer in the first place. I wish I had walked out of that store and paid that same money to a local breeder instead.

Live and learn, I guess.