Wow... Let me know what you think...

[SoCaliSon]

Okay... So I am in the market to buy a new female Ambilobe for my Male, ... Then today I went to buy some feeders at my regular place (side note... they have asked me to come manage their reptile dept. but I could only do it part time as I have my own "zoo"to manage on top of my full time weekly job). I was browsing while she grabbed my crickets and there I saw a beautiful female panther who was nice and plump, and she sat displaying the most obvious glowing peach color. The price tag was $250... I asked and apparently it belonged to the girl who was helping me(the Dept Manager) and she was selling it. She said "Yeah he is a healthy guy... I've raised him from a baby as a rescue." I said "Do you know what kind of panther it is?" I am not good enough to identify in a lot of females. It was replied with a confused look and a "No but I could call the guy and try to find out." I said "Your selling a panther for $250 and you don't even know what kind of Panther it is or what kind of bloodline it has?" I then got "Do you want to hold him?" I said yes and when she got into my hands she had something wrong with her right eye... It was pinched shut and obviously bothering her... As I held her the girl said to me again..."Yeah he is really healthy..." At this point I couldn't take it...Honestly I felt like running out the door with the cham in my hands... I looked at her and said "Please tell me you know that this is a female..." She quickly said "Yeah I knew that... But the guy that gave him to me said he was male casue he was so young and had nice color." I then pointed out the eye and asked if she had seen a vet or if they had tried to treat it... She then said ... and get this... try not to break your computer screen..."Oh no nothing is wrong with it.. She does that off and on... It's just a thing she does". This is the manager of a fairly impressive reptile department with a lot of potential I wish I could afford to just buy her to help her... but I don't have the flow to spend 250 on a rescue yet. At that point I had to just nicely ask for my roaches and leave. I was really almost fuming... I didn't want to step on any toes more than already had just in case there is a chance they ever want to let me take over her position.

I just thought I would share another story of incompetence from pet store emplyees... I don't know what to do... I could probably talk them down to $200 maybe less with the eye... I want a breeder and she looks like a great healthy breeder aside from her eye. But I don't know what kind she is... Maybe I'll go in with my camera and get a good pic tommorow... She sqeezes it in a lot like it bothers her... She definitely needs a vet and with all my animals I don't know if I could afford to tackle that right now.

 

[dodolah]

if you buy the panther off her, will there be a possibility for the pet store to buy another chameleon and torture it?
It's tough to do, but i don't think supporting the store with your money will help.

 

[SoCaliSon]

In this case it is this girl downsizing her personal collection and selling them at work. The other animals they sell are pretty healthy aside from a few husbandry issues on a few enclosures. Her personal pets are not. I actually come in and make a point to comment on anything I see that needs to be addressed... and they normally listen. I actually have had other employees from this place call me to ask advice on a sick cham or dragon. I was actually glad to hear this girl was having to find new homes for her animals... The Boa she had brought in before looked sad also.

 

[Dankmeleon]

you should tell her boss she is selling sick animals under the table

 

[SoCaliSon]

The store will make a profit off the sale since she is selling it from the store... And we all know that unfortunately all the noramally care about is the dough. I want to go to the owner and quietly point out that something like this can give the shop a bad rep. The girl was trying to tell me "The only reason we are selling a $600 for so cheap is that it was a rescue that didn't cost me anything. Since they know I am experienced... and they know how I care for my herps... And I am practically a daily customer and herp advisor there... I am going to see If can convince them to give her up to me for $50... I will make the point that they should not be selling her there because of her eye and that it should be treated instead of passed off to probably a first time cham owner who will end up in over their head. Hell... They were selling a female as a male!!!

They were asking me about my Chams and if once I have a clutch hatch if I would be willing to sell to them. I have made up my mind that they will not be selling any of my chams. I just thought since that girl owns the cham and is trying to get rid of it... I am going play buddy buddy with her and try to get her to cut me a great deal if not just let me take her to see if her eye can be treated. But I am definately let it be known to the owner that they should not be selling animals like that.