pet stores

[Retribution Reptiles]

**Judas Priest playing the back ground*** Breaking the law breaking law!!!!! ** metal horns up and playin air guitar **

 

[paulnj]

If a petstore or even a second hand dealer/ wholesaler was to sell an animal with atleast a genetic back ground, then that would change my outlook alittle. "baby gecko $27.99 " is not rescued when any amount is given and you are in essence supporting mass production of uncared for animals by buying it.

Support the breeders that put care and love into them and they will support you :main_thumbsup:

 

[htadothk]

If you look at it from a business stand point, it's not all lose/lose. Customers buy these geckos from the pet shop, the pet shop makes their money and buys more from the breeder mass producing them, the breeder makes his money. All win/win when you don't consider yourself or the animal.

When buying a gecko from a pet store you're doing simply that, buying it not "saving it". By "saving" that one gecko we become part of the cycle. Not participating in the cycle is the only thing that will break it.

If you do not buy the gecko then perhaps the pet store owner will not take care of it and it will die. Maybe if a few of them die he will either a) feel bad about it and take better care of them, or b) stop wasting his money on buying Leos that do not sell because his educated customers to not want to help support the cycle.

Bottom line, if there weren't lots of people out there "rescuing" geckos from pet shops with improper husbandry then there would be no demand for a few breeders to mass produce them.

[end rant ]

Very well put, I think it's the same with all animal companions. In Hong Kong you see puppies and kittens locked up in tiny cages everywhere and people who think they are "saving" them by buying are simply putting more money into the trade and encouraging more wrong-doing. :main_thumbsdown::main_thumbsdown:

 

[lizardlove]

Very well put, I think it's the same with all animal companions. In Hong Kong you see puppies and kittens locked up in tiny cages everywhere and people who think they are "saving" them by buying are simply putting more money into the trade and encouraging more wrong-doing. :main_thumbsdown::main_thumbsdown:

Someone should guerilla warfare it and steal them all at night. Poor babies! But I absolutely agree with everyone, putting money into bad practices perpetuates them.

 

[Daidra]

Don"t buy animals from the petstore as they are all most likely caring parsites/diseases as I tried along time ago to save a leopard gecko and she was very sick and over $500 later she died,buy from breeders only.

 

[ariana]

i wont be saving/buying anymore,
they are too expensive
the 2 i rescued are both healthy now,
they were a bit on the skinny side when i got them and cramped in a 10gal with 2 others...
3 were males and then there was belle.
i just cant stand it!!!!
its horrible.
im going to be breeding my feeders cuz everytime i go into a petstore i cant leave without feeling like im dooming those poor creatures to death

 

[Spooki]

not all pet stores are full of evil uneducated worker drones who only want to sell you fools gold and snake oil... i can tell you straight up that all our leos are healthy (even the ones who lost tails) and our enclosures are clean. most of the people who work in the pet care area at my store own leos.

as far as getting enigmas, at least in my store we have no control over what the breeder sends us. we get a variety of different leos but we have no information about their genetic make up- not because we're stupid but because we didn't breed them and the person(s) who did do not tell us anything.

if you want to be sure of the genetic makeup of your animal go to a breeder.

 

[Bodon]

I agree with you Spooki

 

[Neill]

THOUGHTS FROM NEILL'S GIRLFRIEND (MARTINA):

I agree with a lot of these points, especially as a long time animal shelter volunteer; a world in which pet stores, breeders and puppy mills are the "enemy". However, first know the circumstances under which we got this little guy. It was not just for the breed. He was clearly in need and clearly in an environment he did not deserve. A kind employee that knows us, brought our attention to him because he thought we'd give him a better home.

Secondly, no one who considers themselves an animal lover, breeder or what have you should lose sight of the fact that these are not just a bunch of genes or a fancy breed to show off. These are living things who deserve affection and care, no matter what. There is no "you get what you paid for" because no cost can be applied to a life. I honestly don't care if this little guy walks in circles for the rest of his life, as long as he is not suffering.

Over-breeding and rampant in-breeding absolutely should not occur. However the support given to all these fancy genetic crossings for which everyone so desires still supports this notion; and creates conversations about financial worth and superficial appeal. If a lot of the themes of this conversation thread continue, geckos will suffer the same epidemic that cats and dogs suffer; and there will be thousands of these creatures thrown our in the yard, decaying in pet stores and being turned over to shelters that may not be equipped to care for them. These are wonderful living things. It's that simple.

 

[Bodon]

Also, who is giving all the leos to the pet stores? The major chains and the local ones, there must be some breeder out there right? What about THIS breeder, if they really cared as much as all the breeders on this site, then how come they just give their leos to places they know do not take care of them? Is it the money? Is it they are only in it for the money and business and really dont care about the animal itself? Thats a hard thought to take in.

So while many of us are bashing the pet stores lets not forget where these stores are getting their geckos from...a breeder. For every chain store keeping their leos in bad conditions just so they can get money there is a breeder supplying those geckos. Its a shame is all.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Andrew, that's exactly what I was talking about. It's terrible that pet store keep geckos in bad conditions but if people didn't buy them then the stores wouldn't order them from the "breeders" who are mass producing them.

 

[Bodon]

But how do you get all those clueless people to stop buying them? Thats the problem. Sure telling people on here is one thing, but everytime i go into a big chain pet store all the leos from before are gone and there are always new ones which means there is a lot of buying going on by the general public. If there were only a way to educate them...

 

[Mel&Keith]

One person at a time...

 

[eric]

That is what this site is for to educate the uneducated! In Neill's defense Honestly there are a lot of us that would've picked up this Enigma in a heart beat, especially if you knew how much it was! And don't worry, Neill just because you bought it doesn't mean your evil for not buying from a breeder! Great snag!

 

[JakeG]

Depends who your pet stores know. I have to pet stores that can get pretty much anything I want...But it costs a pretty penny though.

 

[peppered...leopard]

There are some petstores out there that have recues, we have saved 1, and he gave her to us due to the fact that the store didn't have the time to invest in her. She is so big and healthy now. so some stores will let you save them, they arn't all bad!