here's a first!!

[g3ckosr4me]

Today I went to my local *****, and they had AFT's.I just thought it was interesting since I never heard of an AFT at *****.

 

[VampyricAngelX]

Yea, that is a first. At least to me. The oddest thing I've seen at my local one was a baby savannah monitor. Poor thing. I hope it went to a good home and didn't die because it's not there anymore, but I doubt it.

 

[leoman777]

the oddest thing i saw at ***** was a crawdad in a fish tank....

 

[fOOlsgOld]

:main_angry::main_angry: That's normal for two of the petc0*ffins* around here. Then a petstupid around here is actually very good with their animals and I've never seen any that have been housed on sand, don't have moist hides or 10 animals to a 10gal tank or anything like that.

 

[Haligren]

We have a Canadian chain store up the street from me who actually seem to take pretty good care of their reptiles. Granted the leos are still on sand, and there's three in a tiny give gallon, but they all look healthy - fat tails, clean tanks (usually).

The pet store I worked for got AFTs in before I quit. I hope they made it. They were so sweet (loved to be held and petted).

 

[Adinar]

I've seen two pretty bad things at the same store in one day when I went to purchase Odin 2 weeks ago. We were standing in front of the gargoyle geckos cage when one viciously attacked the other. I hurried to the front to inform the cashier that there were animals fighting since the guy in the area mysteriously dissapeard. They pried them apart and took one away.

Then two tanks down were the leos. Their cage hadn't been cleaned in ages as there were dropping covering the back corner of the cage. Two out of the four leos in there were shockingly thin, and one of the others had a shedding problem. So obviously no one had checked on them in quite a while.

We both walked out and went to the same chain across town and reported their inability to keep an eye on and clean the animals cages. Went back about a week later and the cage had been cleaned up a bit, tho was still rather messy. And the gargoyle geckos were at least seperated.

Needless to say it makes me think twice about going there again.

 

[Gregg M]

You all need to stop hating on the pet stores... If you look at it from a big business point of view instead of an animal lover point of view you might understand what is going on...

These places sell animals... The reptiles get to the shop and are sold... In a busy place, they are not there long... Why would a pet chain open calcium containers and house animals in cages induvidually??? From a business stand point, it does not pay... They also do not have the man power and normally the staff does not have the knowledge to nurse sick or skinny ones back to health... Why would they try??? What they sell for 30 buck the store they paid about 3 bucks for... Plus, that is what people who dont know any better and what people who "resue" leos from these stores are for... Leo "rescuers" go to these places and pay the sticker price on the animal... Then they post on the forums how they got a "rescue" from (insert store name), and want to know how to make Marcias slurry...

Here is an idea for all you haters... STOP GOING TO THE STORE... Personally, I do not like what I see in these places so I do not step foot in them... Its pretty simple...

 

[VampyricAngelX]

Not hating or attacking anyone, was just making a simple statement about a savannah monitor I saw once. Besides, the one chain store I do go to for supplies and mealworms usually takes decent care of their reptiles. (aside from the monitor that one time)

 

[Foreverandever]

That is a first. I've never seen AFT's at chain stores


On a side note...I dont see a problem with "rescuing" leos from the big chain stores if one is so inclined

 

[acpart]

I have actually seen AFT's at several of the large chain stores in the Boston area. I bought my male AFT from one of those stores where I'm pretty familiar with the workers and the level of care. He's a stripe and was on sale for $60 and had been in the store for at least 6-8 months. I told them I could give him a good home but wasn't going to pay $60 for him. Since he had a regrown tail, they took 20% off and I was happy to pay $48. He weighed about 35 grams when I bought him last year and is now up in the 60-70 gram range and is doing his male thing.

ALiza

 

[Jenn]

Interesting, I never seen one around here but will keep an eye out for them now.

 

[EchoPet]

On a side note...I dont see a problem with "rescuing" leos from the big chain stores if one is so inclined

The problem is, they're not really RESCUING them. They're BUYING them. By buying an animal from a store that does not take care of it, even if "rescue" is the mindset, the message does not make it to the store. Instead, the store makes money, and has room to fill the empty space with another animal. By buying these animals, it only supports the industry and the lack of care for the animal. The only way to stop the cycle is to stop giving the stores money - not only by refusing to buy animals from them, but by refusing to spend ANY money there. Better yet, let the management know WHY you won't be shopping there. :main_thumbsup:

 

[Foreverandever]

The problem is, they're not really RESCUING them. They're BUYING them. By buying an animal from a store that does not take care of it, even if "rescue" is the mindset, the message does not make it to the store. Instead, the store makes money, and has room to fill the empty space with another animal. By buying these animals, it only supports the industry and the lack of care for the animal. The only way to stop the cycle is to stop giving the stores money - not only by refusing to buy animals from them, but by refusing to spend ANY money there. Better yet, let the management know WHY you won't be shopping there. :main_thumbsup:

I get that. Hence why I put rescuing in QUOTES :main_rolleyes:

And if they choose to do so, I dont think its a bad thing. My opinion :main_thumbsup:

 

[clarkee_04]

I agree with Gregg, buying a sick animal is a nice thing to do, but your encouraging and enabling the store to continue doing it.

 

[EchoPet]

I get that. Hence why I put rescuing in QUOTES :main_rolleyes:

And if they choose to do so, I dont think its a bad thing. My opinion :main_thumbsup:

I wasn't trying to jump on you, and understood your use of the quotes - no need to roll your eyes at me because I'm trying to explain generally why it is counter-productive and offer tips that make a real difference. My post was aimed at those who see it as rescuing when they're only contributing to the business and therefore to the cruelty, and to anyone who wants to take a stand against inhumane conditions in pet stores. I just get very frustrated by people who continue to enable the pet stores and breeder mills (be they puppy mills, parrot mills, or reptile mills), and are so misguided to think that their efforts are considered a "rescue". That's not just my opinion. Although it is my opinion that gaining support/acceptance in the pet owner community for their supposed rescue efforts only unfortunately encourages more people to buy in the name of rescue. I don't think we should let people sugar-coat things - it certainly doesn't help the animals in the long run. Having worked in legitimate rehab/rescue most of my life, this is a very passionate issue for me.

Not trying to jump on you in this post either, so hopefully it doesn't come across that way to you. Maybe using italics instead of capitals would have proven better for emphasis since caps can be interpreted as internet-yelling. I'm just trying to explain myself and what I meant.

 

[Foreverandever]

I wasn't trying to jump on you, and understood your use of the quotes - no need to roll your eyes at me because I'm trying to explain generally why it is counter-productive and offer tips that make a real difference. My post was aimed at those who see it as rescuing when they're only contributing to the business and therefore to the cruelty, and to anyone who wants to take a stand against inhumane conditions in pet stores. I just get very frustrated by people who continue to enable the pet stores and breeder mills (be they puppy mills, parrot mills, or reptile mills), and are so misguided to think that their efforts are considered a "rescue". That's not just my opinion. Although it is my opinion that gaining support/acceptance in the pet owner community for their supposed rescue efforts only unfortunately encourages more people to buy in the name of rescue. I don't think we should let people sugar-coat things - it certainly doesn't help the animals in the long run. Having worked in legitimate rehab/rescue most of my life, this is a very passionate issue for me.

Not trying to jump on you in this post either, so hopefully it doesn't come across that way to you. Maybe using italics instead of capitals would have proven better for emphasis since caps can be interpreted as internet-yelling. I'm just trying to explain myself and what I meant.

I didnt take it as you jumping on me. Even if you did, thats fine

I rolled my eyes in more of a joking way, not sarcastic. I'm sure everyone knows that about the chain stores. But as I see it, they will be in business with or without my money lol. Also, if a few people here and there want to "rescue" a leo/snake/rat/etc then good on them. At least that one animal got a chance at a good life. I get that it's a vicious circle with one or two animals getting homes and then more being shipped in...but its going to happen whether or not people buy the animals (they die, more get shipped to the store for sale)

Just my two cents

Ok, done taking this thread off course lol

 

[JoshuaTrana]

Our local pet** opened around a year ago and has pretty much always had AFTs

 

[EchoPet]

I didnt take it as you jumping on me. Even if you did, thats fine

I rolled my eyes in more of a joking way, not sarcastic. I'm sure everyone knows that about the chain stores. But as I see it, they will be in business with or without my money lol. Also, if a few people here and there want to "rescue" a leo/snake/rat/etc then good on them. At least that one animal got a chance at a good life. I get that it's a vicious circle with one or two animals getting homes and then more being shipped in...but its going to happen whether or not people buy the animals (they die, more get shipped to the store for sale)

Just my two cents

Ok, done taking this thread off course lol

Ah, further evidence that it's really hard to determine someone's intended tone over the internet from text (and emoticons) only.

Anyway, trying to get back on track, this thread has made me curious about what type of reptiles the chains around here are carrying. I know the one chain here in town doesn't have much - leopard geckos, corn snakes, occasionally a couple of other random lizards. The general opinion is that the store isn't particularly herp-friendly. Maybe I'll go scout out the chain stores in Little Rock tomorrow, see what they've got going on lately.