Frogs and Pet Stores

[clownonfire]

@Eric and Mike: I'm not surprised by either one of you. You walk by integrity. I really want to inquire about the breeder in question...

[DonLisk]

You would think that if they created small separated vivs with some decor, fake planted or real, they would promote selling that decor along with the inhabitant.

When you view just a reptile or frog in an almost empty tank, you take home the animal and a tank. When you see a fully planted display, and sell the products inside, you have a better chance of having the customer want that to show that off in their home. You sell the plants, the decor and get the customer more interested in the living situation of the critter instead of just having a frog.

The small store by me separatsd things, they also have a breeder stop in and rearrange the tanks to make them function better with mister and drip systems so I applaud them

The other shop I go to has complete vivs built and its nice, but they are breeders themselves.

As for Petcos and such, I point out issues when I can but they are more interested in the plain empty tank so customers can see the critters inside. My local Petco isn't too bad and separates the animals and also puts in some decor, but I doubt humidity levels are ever observed which sucks.
I rarely go there unless its a last ditch effort to find something I need.

[Whistly]

Not that it's frogs but my Zebra x Bengalese finch babies I would like to sell to pet shops but don't for the fact that when I look at the birds there's either 30 finches crammed into the smallest cages I have ever seen only about 30cm long and 20cm high or the aviary's which have quails and chickens on the floor with budgies finches lorakeets love birds and othet birds all in poor condition with no baths or places to sit so they cling to the wire. I walked out of that one and the other 2 pet shops were the same so I'm unable to sell them because I want a clear conscience and to know they're being looked after unfortunately I can't do that so I'm getting swamped down with finches.

[TheBambooGoanna]

I typed up a whole long rant about pet stores but I decided to spare you all

I'll just say this: I hate pet stores. I think they have a responsibility to properly maintain their livestock until a suitable buyer comes along, not only for the animal's comfort but as a role model for the buyer and general public. They have not lived up to this responsibility at all. Yes, people should research the animal they wish to purchase beforehand...that is still their responsibility. However, under no circumstances, should pet stores give out false/inaccurate information, either directly or by example. Especially not if said false/inaccurate information is being conveyed purely for profit (to save the store money etc.)

I hardly ever go into pet stores anymore, just because I find it really hard to see animals being kept in pathetic conditions. But the times I do go in, I make sure the people know exactly what they're doing wrong lol

Dang, I kind went off in a rant again...sorry! At least this version is much shorter

Anyways, that's just my 2 cents

[Kisa]

You may have seen my postings about pet shops and how they treat their animals, especially one in particular down near my house. I purchased my Blue Phase WTF from them a few months ago just to save it from the agony of having to live in a terrible place like that, I'd like to think I've made his life better by purchasing him, even though I was supporting the store in a way.

I went into this particular shop today as a matter of fact and saw a full size adult crested gecko (A beautiful creature. If I had had the money and the space I would have rescued him too...) in an Exo Terra nano, sitting on a branch. His body length filled the tank, I doubt if he could even have laid long ways in the tank as the branch he was lying on was diagonal inside the set up. I'm not sure if typing it out has the same effect as the visual I got today when I saw him, my eyes watered out of pity and anger at the fact that they were housing such a beautiful animal this way. But it did not surprise me, they sell RETFs for $80 and pack all their animals in cages too small to be long term housing. They're always over stocked and out of room, keeping turtles in cages so small that the poor things can't even turn around. It is sickening to see, and if I was bolder I could give them an earful about the way their treating their animals. Not to mention the staff are a bunch of stuck up pricks who think they know everything about herps, when obviously, by the state of things, they do NOT.

I was in this shop and saw a small baby tortoise wedged between some decor and the glass of his tank, he was struggling to get out, kicking his legs and wiggling his body. I don't know if the thing would have survived if I hadn't gotten someone to come and help him, and when she did I thanked her and she looked at me like I was nothing but a bother. That poor turtle was kicking for at least fifteen minutes before I went and got her, it took her three seconds to move him, and she gave me the dirtiest look I have ever seen in my life.

That's just my brief splurge, but I agree in part with what everyone has to say. If only regulations were up to code at places like this and if the owners/managers actually cared, maybe we wouldn't have so much to complain about.

[clownonfire]

Thank you all for your comments. And I agree with the consensus: pet shops have a responsibility in promoting the wellbeing of the animals they carry. If they can't even do this themselves, imagine the consumer's perception and preconceived ideas when he brings back one of these home. It's basically giving him/her all the wrong tools to cater to his animal.

And we do see it here all the time. And of course the new frog owner is proud of his frog, and enclosure, and it's often heartbreaking to see the enclosure a White's will be in, for example. Yes, of course, the consumer has a role in researching before purchasing a frog. But you know as much as I do that a lot of these purchases are impulse buying, and they will only mimic what they have seen in store.

What also irritates me is that some owners, like the one I am speaking about, will not make any changes to her dart tank. Although giving her all the arguments, she insist in keeping two species together in a miniature enclosure. I say will all call her and harass her!

Eric

[Immortal]

This is a good thread!

My heart breaks every time I go into a pet store. I hate seeing the puppies dying for attention in tiny cages (which they probably never get out to go for walks) and your not even allowed to touch them unless you are interested in them. I know they don't want them to get sick from anything, but come on, that is rediculous.

Probably one of the things that bothers me the most is pet stores trying to sell CATS!! ARE YOU BLEEPING KIDDING ME!?!?!?! I have 11 cats (had 16 a while ago) and every single one was a stray or a kitten of a stray. My family fixed every single one! That is thousands of dollars - and they are trying to sell a kitten for $50!?!?!?!!? .... I'm just going to stop there with the cats.

They also always think they know everything because they are a pet store.. I always tell them I've had basically every animal you could have as a pet and I know a lot about animals. I don't want to act like a "know it all" but compared to them I basically am lol. I've only just been introduced to the frog world (besides having a couple water frogs as a child) and I've already learned so much in the past couple weeks - a lot more than they know in the pet stores. If they'd just take the time to research every specific animal and train their employees it would do so much good.

I too also like to point out things that are done wrong in pet stores - just loud enough for someone to over hear me. Some stores near us house tarantulas in horrible conditions.. I'll say "Well she hates her substrate she won't even touch it, it's too wet!" for example. I also like to say when I'm talking about T's in a pet store that I have 13 of them - yeah, I'd like to think my boyfriend and I know quite a bit about them lol. We've done a lot of research ever since we got our first T a couple years ago.

I wish they would listen to people and take advice if they don't really know about a species. I too have seen turtles that can't turn around in tanks, amongst many other animals who you feel so bad for.

Here's the thing. We could rescue them all so they can be healthy and happy. But if we do, they'll just get more animals in that will be in crappy conditions. So what do we do? Rescue them so they can get more, or walk away and hope they can't sell what they have so they don't get anymore in? It's a hard decision. Sometimes I walk away, sometimes I save.

We already had a bunch of Ts and saved an avic avic who was in what looked like an ant tunnel. She was at the very top trying to climb but had nothing to climb. Avic avics are tree spiders, they don't want to be in an ant tunnel! No matter what T they get they always put it in the same thing.

And of course Haiku, the red eye I got yesterday. Doesn't know the difference in night and day, was dark green from stress being housed with other species of frogs and too much heat lamps above his head in his short enclosure. He's already a brighter green today!

I kind of can't believe all these pet stores can get away with doing what they do. Even animal welfare people don't know exactly how every single species should be kept properly.

So I guess sometimes pet stores are a necessary evil. I have to buy crickets from them and accessories. Sometimes pets too if I can't find a breeder.

If I do breed, I don't think I'd sell to pet stores. Even if they had good conditions for the frogs, how do I know they won't sell it to some idiot who won't take care of it and it'll end up suffering to death? =/