***** & ********.

[jaspa]

Do you guys know if they require an age to be able to buy a reptile from P E T C O & P E T S M A R T ? I am 16, and trust me I dont look my age, which is what I am worried about, I mean they can ask me any possible health & care questions about a leopard gecko and I can give a good answer.. anybody knows ? :main_huh:
or are some stores different ? if so , anybody have any tips :main_cool3:

 

[Khrysty]

I've never had a problem..i'm 20 but i sure-as-h*ll dont look my age. No one's ever asked, carded me, etc, in either store

 

[GeckoGal]

.

 

[jaspa]

Oh then thats good news ! thanks guys,
and I know that that most people claim big chain stores are bad,
but shockingly my ***** here knows what there doing , there young ones are actually in paper towel ,and off loose substrate, & they dont sell sand ! so there really good, I use to ask them to feed the leos while Im there, and they do it no questions

but again thank you everyone for the help,

 

[Nigel4less]

You need to have an adult over 18 to buy ANYTHING from those stores, including fish...

 

[Obsidian Tears]

The people wouldn't ask you questions about health or care because they don't know the answers.

That's not necessarily true I screen potential buyers very carefully before I make a sale, and will only do so if I feel comfortable that they are committed to taking care of their new pet properly. You have no idea how many sales I've refused because people hadn't done their research and weren't serious about the committment they were about to make.

To answer the initial post- My work (****mart) requires that you are at least 18 to buy reptiles/sm&furry/birds from us. Otherwise you need a guardian's signature as well, which really shouldn't be a big deal if they're OK with you buying a new pet. If the employee's you encounter are anything like me they probably won't question you if you look old enough and sound like you know what you're doing.

 

[Barbel]

I used to work at one of those stores and I agree that you should be 18 to purchase a pet from them. You actually don't have to be 18 to purchase fish (at least not at ********). If a kid comes in and buys a pet with his/her birthday money and without parental permission, the pet will more than likely be brought back and then they will have to deal with an angry parent; or the kid will try to hide it in his/her room and the animal won't receive proper care. Now I know there are a lot of kids that are way more responsible with their animals than most adults, but when you are a minor it is still the parent's decision as to what animals are allowed in the house and I personally don't want to see a bunch of pets rehomed because the kids didn't check with their parents first.
Also, I had a 16 year old boy come in once and first he wanted a hamster, but his friends didn't think that was cool, so then he started looking at geckos, then they thought the snake was cooler. When I asked how old he was he got all upset because he was underage. He asked what he could buy and I said only fish. I wouldn't let him buy anything in the tanks because he didn't have a set up so ended up walking out with a beta. That is typically what pet stores employees see, that is one reason why it is important for people to be at least 18.
People who buy pets on a whim in general really annoy me anyways.

 

[Mel&Keith]

I think that this is a useful thread so I don't want to have to close it. As a general "heads up" to everyone: Don't comment on these stores' husbandry practices, that it against the TOS!


Jaspa, I would just call the store and ask what age you have to be to buy a reptile. Or, have your parent call and ask, telling the store that they would like to know because their 16 year old wants to come in and buy one but they don't have time to come in with them.

 

[Kitsune]

I work at ********. Like the people above said.. You have to be 18 to purchase. I have "carded" people before and have refused sales and I won't sell any fish to a minor without parental consent, not even a betta~
And as far as not asking questions because we don't know... Please don't bunch all pet store employees together. It drives me crazy. There are some of us out there who know what we're talking about.

 

[jaspa]

thanks everyone for the help , I guess ill try by calling them first, and if so , Could I just tell my parents to call ? or get a note of some sort, because They do allow me purchasing a gecko , the fact that they work late hours just makes it impossible for them to be home in time, and I know they are exhausted from work , Id hate to bug them... but again thank you all for the help :main_thumbsup:

 

[Barbel]

I don't think calling ahead will really work. At ******** you have to sign a contract when purchasing animals and you have to be 18 to sign it.
If you can find anyone 18 or older to go with you and buy the animal for you that should be fine. It doesn't necessarily have to be your parents. Just pick out which animal you want before talking with an employee and have the other person do all the talking and fill out the paperwork.

 

[LizMarie]

I work at ********. Like the people above said.. You have to be 18 to purchase. I have "carded" people before and have refused sales and I won't sell any fish to a minor without parental consent, not even a betta~
And as far as not asking questions because we don't know... Please don't bunch all pet store employees together. It drives me crazy. There are some of us out there who know what we're talking about.

Really. You learn something new everyday. I've been buying pets on my own since I was like 13, lol. The stores around here don't care.

 

[Andrew]

They said I didn't need my ID to purchase anything, just as long as I said (and I suppose looked) 18. I've tried using a note before a few years ago and it didn't work.

 

[SDahmer]

I think it varies greatly. When I was about 11, my local pet store actually kicked me out saying I had to have a guardian, which was dumb since I had been getting feeders, supplies, & fish from there for like two years. It's just like video games, movies & tobbacco, sometimes I get carded, sometimes I don't. If an employee turns you down, just try it again, I'm sure one of them will sell it to you.

 

[_Sam_]

I've been ID'd there before, and I look older than i am. You have to be 18 according to them.