Do You Own A pet store gecko??

[MammaSwift8]

We almost got a breeding pair then learned how mean they can be and desided otherwise lol I wanted something we could handle and hold without fear of being attacked lol

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[Wheels47130]

That is a rough question. There is a HUGE difference from a chain store and a local reptile store.

 

[Sasha2]

Ive got 3 from 2 different chain petstores and they are just as healthy as the ones I bought from breeders online. I dont know, they are actually a bit friendlier.The ones I got online from breeders are alot more shy and hide away the most.Might just be coincidence.

 

[trinity]

Ive got 3 from 2 different chain petstores and they are just as healthy as the ones I bought from breeders online. I dont know, they are actually a bit friendlier.The ones I got online from breeders are alot more shy and hide away the most.Might just be coincidence.

Chain petstores babies probably see a lot of people and are on display all day long with bright lights ECT, if they are not too stressed to get sick or just stop eatting and die but instead can do well in that type of setting, then they probably are a more outgoing, hardy animal that was sold VERY young to the owner for even more one on one then ones that are kept in tiny bins in the dark and don't see people all the time then are sold as sub-adults with limited handling and veiwing. ..

Chain petstores often group their animals together at a young age so they are sort of raised together, unlike most breeders who put each one in a bin for Maxuim growth, recoard keeping and health.

I really support breeders and buying from one, double so if your going to breed! But pet store Geckos if they live long enough to be adopted and are lacking health problems, are just more set up to handle interacting with people, the ones that can't, get stressed and die were if they were under a breeders care, they would not be dealing with the stress of being a display animal sold so young.

I'll probably get flamed for this, but it might not be a coincidence.

 

[Geckogirl101]

I got a Leopard get from +++++, and I still have her! She came highly tame, potty trained (She only goes in e corner) and she's a great eater! I've had no health problems with her at all!

 

[stager]

I've posted on this before but having just gone in a chain store for dog food, I usually don't go there. I don't feel the issue is are the as good as ones form a breeder health wise or pet wise. Genetically they don't come close to a good breeder. My issue is don't by from a chain that keeps the in poor conditions like most big chains but a good mom and pop shop. I just saw geckos in horrible condition in one of these big chains and buying one there is not rescuing the animal because as long as the public is buying they will keep treating them in this manner. IMO as a animal lover you are just better off boycotting these type of places even if there prices are cheaper. So sad that they get away with this, but by not giving them your money for anything is the best way you can try to make a difference. And unfortunately one of the best mom and pop stores in my area is for sale. The owner told me he has barely broke even the last two years, and these big chains are popping up everywhere. I remember as a kid my father always dragged me to this tiny little fish store in Paterson and we bought everything there, and would let us look but never buy at the mall. He would always say this old place has been here forever and without people like us it would be gone. Unfortunately it's been gone for a long time now, I was recentely trying to remember which building it used to be but couldn't find it. But it is sad to see these people most were hobbyists like ourselves that were living the dream of doing what the loved to do for a living are long gone. And the reason is these big chains who seem to only care about profits can sell things for less because they buy in such bulk have pushed them out. And yea dog food and other things may be cheepier there I feel better spending the extra few bucks to keep someone like us here going. Sorry to vent here but these horrible conditions really get to me.

 

[Herbiebug]

Funny thing about this question, when I was shopping around my city for the best place (be it chain store, reptile specialty store, or local breeder), it was actually the chain stores that had the highest prices. Breeders and the specialty shop of course had the beautifully coloured morphs available at higher cost, but their normal and high yellow morph leo's were both much healthier in appearance and 20%-40% less expensive than chain stores were asking for normals.

I purchased my new leo from the reptile specialty shop.

edit- i didn't vote in the poll as, in my highly inexperienced opinion, there was a massive difference in care conditions between specialty shop and chain stores.

 

[willow]

Mine is from +++++. It didn't occur to me to look for a local breeder,but in the future I definitely will!

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[Ernielove]

I own a pet store gecko and the only reason I got him there was because he was up for adoption after his tail had been bitten almost completely off by another larger gecko.....I have had him a month or so now and he is growing, growing his tail back and doing awesome!

 

[reptile keller]

all of my leos came from a pet store and breed. the first one to hatch out was a blazing blizzard.

 

[leolover7]

My first leo was from a pet store. It was a very good pet store that I had gotten pet rats before (which they raised by hand). In fact, he was VERY healthy! Only problems I had was he was nervous when I first got him and didn't eat for a month.

 

[Yuk]

I got all three of my geckos from a big chain pet store since I've been unable to find any local breeders in Albuquerque and I didn't want to have my pets shipped. I've only had them a few weeks. Candy, my eldest female, was from a big chain store with a good review from a leopard gecko breeder 3 years ago saying it was one of the few places with well taken care of leopard geckos, so I got her there. I got Toothless and Mischief at the same chain, but different store and both had been housed with an aggressive much bigger male gecko. Toothless is a male, too. He had a small cut on his head that I didn't really notice until I got him home. Mischief was a little skinny and had some stuck shed near her eye that I removed so it wouldn't get infected. I think had they been housed there longer, they would have been in poor shape due to the bigger male gecko's bullying, but they are doing just fine now. We have a local pet shop in the area that I've had a good experience with and wouldn't mind buying a future gecko from if I had the room or extra attention to give it, but the other places had some pretty bad reviews. There is one particular local pet shop that I refuse to buy from to the point I would rather ship feeders and anything else I need than step foot in there just because they give horrible advice and have a no return policy (as well as a bad attitude). So in my experience pet shops are hit and miss. But my geckos are healthy and happy, I think. But I tried to be proactive with their care.

 

[Griffinej5]

I took my big box store Leo back to the store because it regurged everything it ate and got another one from a breeder.

 

[nikki9093]

ik have three from two of the "big store chains", and all are doing fine. it has been within the last two weeks, so they are all in quarantine (or JUST went into) still. one place kepis them differently then the other. all animals had nice full tails and were active. they are eating and pooping just fine. i think the having a whole tank/tub to themselves helps to calm them too. no fighting for space or food. no bright lights and people tapping on the tanks, staring. just me, and my feeding, and waterings, and cleanings. lol. weight checks every week for ALL of them. ( i have 5 so far, the three from the two stores, one from CL, and one from a reptile site from someone looking for a good home for their rescued leo). I will be getting two more. A MP, and a bold bandit. Both are from breeders.

 

[cornsnakegirl]

Mine was from a pet store, 12 years old and still going!

 

[brendan0923]

I got my first from a pet store, and it had crypto but because I couldn't find a local breeder, I bought a bigger, healthier looking one from a pet store, and she has been doing great since.

 

[laurahlove]

I actually got my rainwater albino from a pet store and she is in perfect condition

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[Gigabyte]

I actually work at a chain pet store (where i got my little gal) and although I cannot speak for all of them, the store where I work takes very good care of all our animals. We make sure each animal is nice and healthy before they are sold. If an animal needs veterinary attention it goes to the vet. Each animal gets checked at least twice a day to make sure it has food, water and is healthy and most of the animals are housed alone. I always get compliment on how clean our cages are and how how healthy our animals are.
Alex
168

 

[mnbighorn]

Our Leo was a rescue at about 4 years of age. We rescued him from a home that didn't have time for him we are still new geckos but have had bearded dragons for years

 

[JoulesBurn]

None of mine are from stores. My pet gecko is from Geckoboa. But I always look and it seems store by store more than just differing by chains. I've been in +++++s that have them looking decent in their set ups and I've been in a +++++ who had just a cage of stressed tiny babies on sand and NO hides at all.