Petsmart Animal Caging Conditions

[Viv]

I went to petsmart the other day and I was really suprised that the tanks that the animals were considerably clean, but the cages were really small. They had a whites tree frog in a tank that was about 5 gallon tank. Overall i thought that it is a lot better conditions than I have seen.

[Jace]

Most petstores have small tanks. It allows them to have more tanks to use in a small space, plus keeps the animals in viewing range, thus increasing their chances to sell. Ideally, the frogs and reptiles won't be in the enclosures for long before they get a permanent home, so I always look at cleanliness, proper temps and humidity being maintained and proper diet. If those are met, and the sales people can answer my questions, I may buy an animal from them.

[Viv]

really because the pestore that I usually go to have exo-terra tanks that are like 18-18-18 for like one junivulle red eye tree frog

[Jace]

Wow-I would love to see that across the board. Most pet stores I have come across devote themselves to the furry pets, and to fish, but offer very little space to reptiles and amphibians. Unfortunately, this gives the impression that these animals require no more than the space provided when they are in the pet stores, and then the new owners have issues when their new pet has obviously outgrown their setups. I would love to see a store devoted entirely to frogs and reptiles...I think I would move in and chain myself to a tank or two!

[1beataway]

Ideally, we would have them in larger tanks, but space is a big part of it. Most pet stores aren't going to give an entire aisle just for reptiles to guarantee they are in the right size tank. But it's the same for fish too. Sometimes we'll have a hundred fish in a tank the size of a 20 gallon. But some stores (like the one I work at) will keep them clean and taken care of and will let the customer know everything they need to. I know at my store, we won't even sell some animals or fish unless the customer has a proper set-up. And,in general, the pets don't spend that much time in the store before they are sold.

[whiffer01]

This is not about the caging, but it is about petsmart. I got 2 hamsters there. I still have one of them (the other died) and he is doing great. when I looked at their pacman frog, the soil looked a little too moist. has anyone else noticed that? oh, and they labeled the scienceific name wrong. it was a cranwells horned frog, but the labeled it ceratophrys ornata. but for petsmart, pretty good caging.

[Leefrogs]

There was an old thread on this same subject, and it had a link for state statutes on caged animals at stores. My state, Wisconsin, as no statutes to help the poor frogs here. I RESCUED my frogs(2) from a shoe box size cage, fit fir a single scorpion, and they had 4 of them jammed in there. So folks, there's not much u can do but take them home or write your congressman.