Are YOU a pet store employee?

[AntMan612]

I am curious how many Gecko Forum members work in pet stores that sell leopard geckos. This forum is an excellent source of information, not only important to breeders and caring leo owners, but also to those who are responsible for educating "the masses" in person.

Hopefully, more pet store employees would use this forum. (If you're not yet a Member, please register so you can reply to this thread. )

 

[spykerherps]

I am a pet store employee of a small business though we don't sell reptiles (we specialize in hand fed parrots). I have occasionally brought the geckos I produced in and sold and educate a few people in how to properly care for them.

 

[scintillatingstar]

*******
I am an employee, i work in petcare at petsmart.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Let's please keep this a positive thread and not mention any pet store names in regards to their business ethics or husbandry skills. Thanks!

 

[goReptiles]

I used to be a pet store employee, but not in the reptile department. In the interview the manager asked me what animals I had, and he stopped me after I went through dogs, chinchillas, rats, and hamsters. He didn't let me get to my list of reptiles. I hated the small animal department. Of the 2 reptile department people, only 1 of them knew what she was talking about. The other thought she did, but knew nothing.

 

[Greyscale_Geckos]

I worked as a reptile specialist at PetSmart. However, I no longer have that job.

I was actually registered here before I worked at PetSmart. My managers were always surprised with all the knowledge I had bottled up. Needless to say, the many things I had read here, learned here, and etc really helped me out in the long run.

The health and medications subforum was priceless.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Just to clarify my edit: Jillian wasn't making a derogatory comment about a store, she was referring to another thread which was started by another member with a derogatory title which has now been deleted as it violated the TOS. I apologize for any confusion.

 

[loye_86]

I used to work at a petstore...I helped out a lot in the reptile section (even the managers had asked for my help cuz they didn't know what they were doing)

 

[AntMan612]

I agree this should be a positive thread for LPS employees and owners past and present to let us know they're out there spreading this good information around!

Bravo! :2thumbsup:

 

[scintillatingstar]

I live in NY. I've found that spending a lot of time here in FL with Jason has really opened my eyes to the differences in regulations. Not only are there a large number of animals in FL that are legal here but illegal in NY, but the owners of private stores dont seem to have to follow the same regulations.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to travel enough to notice differences in regulations in comparison to region?

I would also have to say that i understand how others might end up frustrated with the employees of major companies (ie petsmarts or petcos) as i myself who even works at one has noticed some lack of knowledge which isnt really explainable. I would like to say that the pay starting out is, wow, not competetive. So, its not like people go there for the money! If they arent going for the money they must love animals (like myself). So why they would have no desire to learn the knowledge is beyond me. I think a benefit of a doubt should be given, like maybe they are new. However, Emily, you said that managers didnt know what they were doing, which cant be good! It's interesting to analyze and think about...

Sorry for such a long reply! And also, Melody, thanks for clarifying

 

[rubym]

I worked at a small pet store for 10 years. They only carried a few reptiles and no geckos. If I was selling an animal I tried to make it my business to learn about it. The library ordered ALOT of animal books in from larger libraries for me in those 10 years , LOL. I miss what I did alot but unfortunatly as others have pointed out the pay isn't exactly top scale. I barely made enough to support myself and my daughter at that time.

 

[AntMan612]

I guess I can understand how lower wages could be a factor in deciding not to go beyond the call of duty. Even a love for animals may not be enough to keep you from looking (or studying) for other opportunities in your spare time. In some cases, maybe the pet store managers/owners might be in a better position to encourage employee development and/or interact with the public themselves. Interesting.

 

[moosassah]

I don't work in any petstore, but I'm always recommending gf to anyone who will listen in a petstore. Especially the parents in there trying to help little kids buy their 1st "lizard". I wish we could leave gf business cards at the stores!

 

[AntMan612]

I wish we could leave gf business cards at the stores!

I think that would be a great idea! They might make us delete any negative PETCO/PetSmart posts, though. :main_lipsrsealed:

 

[rhino43grr]

i work at petsmart, unfortunately my store manager ignored the fact that i applied for and said i wanted to work in petcare and stuck me in pet products instead (their fancy way of saying stockperson)
he also insists on severely understaffing all the time, so i've had a few chances to work in petcare anyway like the other day when there were two people total working in the store from 6am to 11am including myself.

 

[scintillatingstar]

In truth, large stores such as petsmart and petco don't actually make their money off of the pets they sell. They actually almost lose it. I mean, we have to clean the cricket cages out 2x a day and count all the deads- shows how tight they are. Not to mention hampsters that end up with wet tail, cinchillas with a virus, reptiles (common for white dumpys) die without explaination. Petsmart in particular makes all its money off of the pet supplies and products, not the pets themselves.
This really does put a focus on other places rather then petcare and the animals. My store in particular does a great job with the pets and keeping them healthy and i can say with confidence we are are pretty darn knowledgable on the pets in the store. I have seen, however, other stores that are completely lost and not at all organized with their pets.
I agree with some others that pay should be a little higher. It might make others feel a little more desire to pick up the books that are IN THE STORE and read about the animals.