whats the best way to give some input to petco?

[Rhetoric]

I was in one of their locations tonight getting some meal worms and I saw that they were carrying savannah monitors, I've never seen them in a major chain pet store before. I have one myself and I wanted to make sure they were being taken care of properly.. They were on some kind of wooden shavings, I'm not sure what kind of wood there wasn't anyone around to ask.. Their basking temp was measured with a temp gauge, at the top of the enclosure. The temp was 80*F, the little savys were about 9-12 inches below where they were measuring it with no way to get that high. And there was also no sign other than a price tag saying how large the animals get or what their basic care was like.

I felt really bad for the lizards, I can see someone getting it for their kid and once they realize its going to need an 8x4 the lizard will be homeless... Or that the temps wont be high enough, causing all sorts of health problems... Or that the diet will be wrong resulting in obesity or malnutrition. They cost $10 less than a bearded dragon and do not require UVB lights as a beardie does, but they are more expensive to feed and house...
I almost got one of the baby savys, I've got a ton of empty aquariums but I know that they would just order more. My dad sort of laughed and said I can't save every animal that needs help.. But I can help share knowledge!

The manager said that they used to sell a bunch of savys but then corporate changed some of the rules and they could only order specific things or something but he was recently able to get savys again. I don't have issues with them carrying them, I just want them to be getting the care they need. Would an e-mail be a good way to go about it? I realize that things probably wont change much but on the off chance it does I will feel a lot better...


But they appeared to be healthy! I was surprised, they were running around and came over to check me out when I stopped to look. Sorry this was so long and thank you!

 

[Strange_Evil]

I almost got one of the baby savys, I've got a ton of empty aquariums but I know that they would just order more. My dad sort of laughed and said I can't save every animal that needs help.. But I can help share knowledge!

Exactly what they are and will do. Thats the problem with big chain pet stores,so many animals they can't properly care for them all. When i go to Pet co there is mainly only workers who know about Rodents,Fish,cats and dogs, only about 1 or 2 people know anything about reptiles and there knowledge is very limited(Not that i am a expert or something, i just know some basic care needs). I try giving pointers and care tips but they look at me like i have two heads,they act as if they pay attention(when i get them to listen) or they just walk away. I'm only 17 so my opinion does not matter much to them. But then i remember they will be in there no more than 2weeks before they are sold and it's up to the buyers to do the research,or hopefully they will at least try to do a quick search to look at the lizard they have.

One thing you can do is,just see if you could get in contact with the manager,talk to him/her and speak your mind keep it calm and if s/he is a good manager they'll take your advice and straighten up a little or at least give jobs to more experienced owners.

I don't know much you can actually do on the subject other than that or try and report that store. Hopefully others have better advice,i am really interested in seeing how this thread turns out and input others have.

 

[chelvis]

You can't change the system but the store managers can change the out come for the animals in thier care. Like Strage Evil said, talk with the manager explain your view point and that you understand there is a limit to what he/she can do. My manager while i worked at Petco let me do all the reptile stuff, they still only order off the list of "approved" first reptiles that i made (no more boas, iggies or savies at the store i worked at). That is somthing you can do explain why some of these animals are easier to care for, be it their size like crastie geckos or ball pytons; thier relative ease of care such as kings/corns and leos; or becuase of their personality and hardieness like beardies and russian torts. These are good starter animals, paired with a good setup and some good advice most first time reptiles will not go wrong with these guys and they stay a managable size. I know they cost more but in the long run they will do better in the store and with people.

As for the cages there. I hate hate hate the new cages. They have force air heat and under tank heating instead of basking temps. So the gauge at the top will read 80-85 but the temp at the ground in 90+. This is fine for desert animals but you ever wonder why sometimes you see animals in soaking or hinding in odd places... its becuase there is not enough subsertate and the ground is too warm. I think they have solved with with a better thermostat however.

If you want a list of good starter reptiles this is one i created for a local petstore that wanted my imput.
Lizards:
Leopard Geckos
Crestied Geckos
Beardies
Pictus Geckos
Blue tounge skinks (they can be expensive though)
Plated Lizards
Fire Skinks

Snakes
King snakes
Corn Snake
Ball Pythons

Torts
Russian torts
Box turtles

I cannot seem to remember the rest, maybe someone else will chim in with a few more. Again i choice these animals becuase most handle well, are realitivly hardy, they stay a resonable size and they are easily avalible. I do not include things like frogs or water turtles just beacuse they require i bit more work then most people relise and frogs are just not good for kid to really have in my opinion, often times the get board with them when they realize they can't hold them all the time. All reptiles for sale in big box stores should be Captive Bred!

Good luck!

 

[Moondust]

I work at petsmart, so I understand the frustration because I get frustrated too. However, we have to go by standards that cooperate sets for us and if we dont, we can/will get fired. My store manager nearly wrote me up because I took the red lights off of our leopard geckos back in our sick rooms, just keeping a heat pad on them (as your supposed to). My manager wrote up this huge list of how their wasnt enough heat with just a heat pad and thats why it was sick and couldnt eat and that she "bred leopard geckos and know what shes talking about".

In any case, no matter how much you preach to them (even I do and I work there) they turn a blind eye and only go by cooperate rules.

 

[AlexK]

The petsmart down the street from the shop where I work once tried to tell a customer that Iguanas needed no light at all and all they needed for temp was a "hot rock." I chimed in with a lengthy speech about the costs and care of maintaining an adult Ig and managed to talk the customer out of buying one. The kid that was spouting bullshit got mad at me and apparently turned out to be their "reptile guy."

I really hate big chain petstores, it seems that animals are almost never in proper conditions, whether it be reptiles, mammals, or avians.

 

[Moondust]

Yeah people are stupid. Luckily, Me and another guy know a good deal and practically run the pet care area. But theirs a girl that works there and these peope came in asking about proper lighting for a red slider. And she was just like "You just need this 50 watt red bulb".

....

So i stepped in when she told them that and told them about the uvb needs and gave them a full spectrum day basking bulb and giving them an option for mvb. Still, I wrote down a list for her and such, considering Im pretty much the pet care lead, I try and make sure to everyone knows what their talking about.

 

[frost]

wow i wish i could bring an army of people to the pet store by me.there is pretty much the same bs u guy have to deal with. the latest was a guy telling a customer that a red tail boa only grew to 5 feet. i walked by and laughed.then told him they get a lot bigger. more like 10 feet or bigger.or and theirs a worse offender.place is called ocean odyssey. i was at petsmart and i heard a lady asking about iguanas.she was talking to me and another worker.the person at that place told her they dont get any bigger than 2 feet dont need light and can be kept in a rubber maid container. i have been dreaming of shutting down ocean odyssey for a while.i hate them

 

[chelvis]

i remember when i was first getting into reptiles there was a place near me called PetMeor (its been bought out my Petco now). My mom got me an igunana (i wanted a leo at the time) becuase the store attened said if you keep them in 10 gallon tank they will not out grow it and becuase he lost his tail he will be very doicle. Ya niether happened andmy mom was mad when i had a 5 foot lizard roaming my room, she made me get rid of him.

sadly its not just reptiles, i hear of people selling goldfish with heaters and told to keep them at 80 degress... they ae cold water fish!! That hamsters can be leash trained and do not need a cage. that all their male mice are castrated so getting a male and female is fine. Its only a myth that coco husk is toxic to dogs. Cats are naturally good swimmers and enjoy pool time.

These and so much more is what i have heard at petstores and cring each time.

 

[montana]

The way I would give input at Petco or what ever is to never ever walk in the door ....

It sounds like many of of the respondents here must have rooms there ...

You could park your car out in front while shopping somewhere else with a sign in the window saying Petco Sells Sick Fish [can Petco say they havent ever sold a sick fish???]

Dinosaurs don`t change they go extinct...

 

[thomasjg23]

There is a pet store very close to me with an ill cared for red tegu in a small tank. He eats dry food and has left over sheds around his tail. Asking price is just under three hundred. Im worried no one will buy him to properly care for him because he looks so unhealthy.

 

[Rhetoric]

I sent an e-mail to them and got one back:
Thank you for contacting PETCO.

We appreciate for provide your feedback with regard this issue. I am wiling forward this issue to the upper management team at the store for immediate resolution. Could you provide us the store location? I will await for your reponse.
Please know that we care about our customers and what they think of us. By letting us know when we fall short of your expectations, we have the opportunity to address your concerns and to be better prepared to meet your expectations in the future. If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to reply to this communication or call PETCO Customer Relations directly at 1-888-824-PALS (7257). Thank you again for contacting PETCO.

Sincerely,

Domingo A.
Customer Relations Coordinator




I haven't said anything back yet, I might just go into the store and tell them myself... Doubt it would change much
To the post above me I know what you mean, theres another herp shop close by that is selling an argentine b/w for 350, NOT worth that much in the condition its in, it makes me sad people want to profit from animals they know nothing about.. I wish I could save 'em!