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Thread: I've had enough!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    915

    Default I've had enough!

    Hey all,

    There is a local pet store near me that specializes in fish (salt and fresh) but also carry reptiles. Now their fish tanks are beautiful...the water is clean...the fish are fine. my problem is with their staff and the care they give to their reptiles

    They take horrible care of their reptiles. for instance they have a gold tegu in a cage like a bearded dragon setup (sand ultra bright lights infared and "desert" bulbs) once. Many...over 100 dead crickets in the cage (a 20 gallon long). I told the manager he said okay he'll "get his guys on that" he sounded like he could care less, was very short with me and made it very clear with his body language and facial expressions what i said didnt phase him and i was really getting on his nerves. so i left

    came back 3 weeks later. tegu set up was still the same.

    Now what happened this past week takes the cake. In the back they had a carpet python and red tail boa in the same tank...wich was far too small. with an inch of SAND as substrate. I politely said "are these two new?" he looked over his shoulder shot me a dirty look and said "yeah". i said are "are you sure they are set up properly?" desprately trying to keep my cool. he said "yeah, why?". "well... they are from two different parts of the world...they dont natrually run into one another....and they are in the wrong set up." i replied. He said he thought they "liked eachother" and that they were in the same cage when they arrived at the store. and with that before i could reply he walked away.

    This guy has always been like this...i used to pay him up to $50 for fish (when i had tanks) i have spent hundreds of dollars in that store...and he always treats people like that. acts like he is annoyed by every one.

    What should/can I do? I'd like to report them or something. can i report them to the BBB?


    sorry for yakin so much, and thanks in advance for any help.

    Randy
    1.0.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    0.0.2 African Pyxie Frog
    1.0.0 Blood Python
    1.0.0 Albino Burmese Python
    1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink
    1.0.0 Basilisk
    0.0.1 Cane Toad
    1.0.0 Albino Western Hognose


    Roaches (Dubia & Lateralis)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    1,362

    Default

    call a local rescue or police department. a LPS in my area was shut down after a call to the cops about the care of some of the reptiles (ie the 2ft Sav. in a 20gal tank on fake grass carpet with a foot that was the size of a golf ball and missing all it's toes & 2 b dragons with massive MBD and other reptiles w/ problems)
    1.2.0 Argen Black & White
    1.1.0 Red Tegu
    0.0.1 Blue Tegu
    1.0.0 All American Tegu
    0.1.0 Hypo Red Tail Boa
    1.0.0 Lazik Tiger BP
    1.0.0 Normal Paradox BP
    1.0.0 Cuban Tree Frog
    2.3.0 America Toads
    1.0.0 Masked Ferret
    1.1.0 Children
    Rats & Roaches (Dubia)

    RIP-
    0.0.1 RedxB/W Tegu (Stevie Wonder)
    1.0.0 Croc Gecko (Waylan Jones I)

    & More to come

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    369

    Default

    Its a sad story that happens all over the place.
    I had a situation in Canada where a local aquatics store kept fish as their highlight and had reptiles just there for reasons that I really don't know. They had two adult male tegus ( black and white and a red) in a 75g long no lights...not heat or uv, they had a beautiful white throat that looked very thick and about 4' in length or so in a 100g long. The poor thing had to stand on his tail just to turn direction in the tank. Again, no lights and no heat. Both the tegus and white throat was on sand also. I asked how much ( I was thinking if I could save them then I would), his respeonse was for the right price there yours. He never gave me a price but just informed me that they are high end lizards. Man I was pissed!
    I went on local forums to spread the word, and I called the local SPCA. The SPCA took my info and the stores info and they were going to check the place out. Now I was told that I would get a call if something was done but this was about 6 months ago and no call. On the local forum that I went to knew exactly what store I was talking about (even though I was not allowed to disclose the name) and one member called the SPCA about 6 months before I discovered the "mess" and obviously nothing was done. Last I heard was that the red had MBD so bad she could no longer move.....People make me sick!!! They should have been greatful that someone was willing to take in all of these animals and endure all the costs that go along with the rescue.
    Vanessa
    Ontario, Canada
    1.0.0 Argentine Black and White Tegu (Dezie)
    0.1.0 Argenitne Red Tegu (rehome)
    1.0.1 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Holly and Chugington)
    1.0.0 Brittish Bulldog (Bently)
    1.0.0 Cockerpug (Ryder) Perfect name as he "rides" everything!
    0.2.0 Children (Cadence 5, Jordan 2)
    Large Saltwater tank that contains Dory, Nemo, Marlin, Foxface, 4 Gobeys, firefish, a couple shrimps, and a grumpy Brittle Star that eats fish while they sleep!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    915

    Default

    Thats what really has me upset about this shop...is they are right on the line...if it was a little worse i could nail 'em...just not quite enough...i'll be looking though. I wrote a little something on a local review thing for alot of local buisnesses.

    Thanks guys. I was mainly venting (sorry) but this is a problem...i would like to stop this shop from abusing reptiles...we do have a good local SPCA...so i will have to look into that.
    1.0.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    0.0.2 African Pyxie Frog
    1.0.0 Blood Python
    1.0.0 Albino Burmese Python
    1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink
    1.0.0 Basilisk
    0.0.1 Cane Toad
    1.0.0 Albino Western Hognose


    Roaches (Dubia & Lateralis)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Canada, Québec, Pointe-Calumet.
    Posts
    1,493

    Default

    Well I agree with pikey. The other things that you can do is making bad publicity to prevent people not to buy animal to this place, because if someone buy these animal because they look unhappy, once you'll get it, he will immediatly replace the bought one, by a newcomer.
    Ben
    0.1.0, 2007, Bearded Dragon (Uresaii)
    1.0.0, 1999, Hermann Tortoise (Tama-chan)
    0.1.0, 2007, Redfoot Tortoise (Kame-chan)


    Got msn? If you want to talk to me just leave me a private message !

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    1,210

    Default

    I don't know why it is, but it seems like a lot of guys who go into the business of selling reptiles in a retail environment just are not cut out for that business. Like they were really into herps as little boys, probably immersed themselves in collecting and raising them, but didn't stop to think that selling to the public and being on display was more complicated than just keeping cool critters. Have you noticed how rarely we hear from someone on this site who owns a pet store? Just my opinion, not a scientific sample, but I think a lot of these guys were "experts" by the time they were in their teens, but never developed the people skills or maturity to keep learning. So if an employee or customer tries to tell them how to set up or care for an animal, they don't see that as an opportunity, they see it as a challenge to their status or something. For a lot of kids, keeping herps can be sort of an isolating hobby cuz of the "eek!" factor. So I can see where they develop an overconfidence in their own techniques.

    To make matters worse, it's a retail field where a lot of the customers are impulse buyers, or little kids, who may not know what they're getting into and who don't want to spend much money. Many times I've tried to shop for some device, terrarium or service and instead of the pet specialist trying to fill that need or solve the problem, I hear something like, "Well that would really cost you." As if they wouldn't consider it themselves because they couldn't imagine not spending as little as possible on these worthless creatures. Maybe lots of their customers are like that, but they drive off high-end business from nut cases like my family who would and do spend huge amounts on our pets because they are important to us as hobbies and family members. Once I hear that tone as the retailers best first shot, I figure they are not very knowledgeable or trustworthy.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    915

    Default

    They are trying to appeal to the impulse buyers at that store...one girl came in "just looking" and walked out with an anole.

    I myself "impulse buy" to an extent...only if i already have a cage at home...and enough money on me for food and the animal and any heating elements i'd need. (I only do this at expos)....but in a sense its not impulse buying....because i know i am coming home with something...lol, Idk.
    1.0.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    0.0.2 African Pyxie Frog
    1.0.0 Blood Python
    1.0.0 Albino Burmese Python
    1.0.0 Blue Tongue Skink
    1.0.0 Basilisk
    0.0.1 Cane Toad
    1.0.0 Albino Western Hognose


    Roaches (Dubia & Lateralis)

  8. #8

    Default

    You can report to the better business bureau but they're more of a resolution agency rather than an actual consumer information agency anymore. If you purcahsed this animal and it ws all jacked up THEN you'd be able to file a complaint with the BBB or your state's local attorney general's office under the consumer protection laws. Also you can post a bad review for them online at places like Angieslist.com which is growing in popularity. I know I've checked several local businesses out before using their services on angieslist.com. You can check out the permits and licensing his shop holds to see ifhe is even authorized to carry exotics. I'm not sure about the laws in Maryland but I know in Pa. that they have to be licensed for exotics, but not for simple things like fish. You can also contact their insurance carrier, which should be public information that goes with their licensing, and let them know that they are not upholding animal cruelty laws and are leaving themselves open to lawsuiits from cosumers who purchase ill health animals. You can also get a group of your herp loving friends together ansd picket the store. Peaceful protest is a given right under the constitution. Contact local media outlets to cover the protest, and esp. if those media outlets do segments like "eye on business". They'd eat this stuff up. There really isn't much you can do legally but you can certainly make it hard for this fella to get any business. I'd also report it to animal cruelty... it ceratinly can't hurt. I would also send PETA a letter. As much as they are crazy over the top activists they certainly can make life miserable for naer-do-wells. I do a lot of this kind of stuff in my Behavior business. I work with several rescues that pull from puppy mills, and horrid breeders. Gone with those rescues on a couple puppy mill raids, (believe me nothing you ever would want to do) etc. I've got tons of experience when it comes to busting horrid dog people, it shouldn't be too different with herps... to a degree anyway If this butthead is just the store manager, the owner's name should be on the licensing info that they are suppose to keep on public display. In Pa. they HAVE to display their current years license (their mercantile license I believe it's called), if it's not displayed you can report that and they licensing bureau would fine/investigate that to make sure they're current and properly licensed and permitted. I'd contact him and let him know what's goin on. You could also try reporting to the health dept. if there are unsanitery conditions that pose a health risk to store empolyees or the general public.
    "The Worst Sin to OUR Fellow Creatures is NOT to Hate Them... But to be Indifferent to Them...
    THAT'S the Essence of Inhumanity
    "

    ~George Bernard Shaw~

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