Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I just went to petco to buy some crickets. Well everytime i go in there I look at the leopards and beardies, since that's what I have. Well there is this one leopard that has been in there for months. It's tail is soooo thin, like as thin as a hatchlings, I would venture to say, and you can see its bones. Today it's head was in shed, I had the opportunity to hold it and the shed part was hard, almost flakey. Well, the poor thing couldn't even open up his one eye, because there was still skin over it. I felt sooooo sorry for this poor little thing, so I asked the manager lady how much of a discount I could get it for since I felt bad for the poor thing. Originally they're like $60, and I wasn't paying that much for a leopard I could see was sick...well she ended up going 20% off. To me, that's still a lot of a visibly sick gecko that could die at anytime. I REALLY want to try to take care of this poor little thing, but I'm not sure if it'd be worth it. The manager CLAIMS they've had it checked out, I feel that if that is true, then it wouldn't be housed w/ other geckos that are visibly healthy, and wouldn't look sick. My dilema is whether I should spend the $40 some dollars or just not worry about it? What do you guys think? A cage/supplies are not a problem, I just don't know what to do. Sorry this was so long. Thanks for any advise in advance.

Jessica

Thats tough. As cruel as it may sound i dont think you should get it. Petco is way overpriced on leos. Petco should stop selling them and people should not support them by buying from them. Some petcos throughout the U.S. are very good at taking care of them, but most arent. I guess they dont know the basics on caring for them. But, my answer is no, you shouldnt.
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1.1.1 High Yellow Leos_ 0.1 Albono Leo_ 2.4 Hamsters_ 1.1 Budgies

I have almost the same problem at the local petsmart. It has been there for months, and isnt looking too healthy. It is a great looking tremper albino, but I just don't want to spend $80 on a gecko that is probably sick.

MS

That is EXACTLY my dilema...I don't know what to do...this one looks like a tangerine....I don't think its completely a tangerine though..most of it's body is orange, but there's still bands on it...I dont know what you'd call it, but a poor sick lil thing that needs to get better, just I don't want to spend $48 on a sick gecko that could die at any given time....it just breaks my heart to see it there everytime I buy crickets

Jessica

It may die and paying $50 for a sick gecko only teaches the store that people will still buy animals if they don't spend money to take care of them.

And to the other poster... $80? That's a) nuts, and b) still teaching the store they can get away with selling sick geckos and still make a wad of cash off of it.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

Tell the manager that gecko is very visibly sick and should be removed from the selling floor to their infirmary. Ask what the stools look like (or look in enclosure). Ask her specifically what tests were done on it and what had come out clear (a fecal float tests for worms, a smear tests for coccidia, an acid-fast stain can detect crypto and other protozoans, and a culture and detect bacteria), and tell her it needs to be gently soaked and the dead skin removed, or it will get infected. Tell her if they cannot care for her in the back room properly and are looking for someone to adopt her, you will take her, but that animal should not be offered for sale to anyone in its current condition. If they do not remove the gecko from the sales floor, report them to Animal Care and Control, or whatever the name of that city agency is where you live. There are laws against the mistreatment of animals.

I recently was approached by the manager of the Petco where I buy my crickets, and was asked to adopt two animals that needed good homes from their infirmary- the animals were doing better but once they have been in the infirmary their policy is not to sell them. One has a birth defect with it's head cocked at an angle and had lost it's tail (partially regrown now) and one had had a thin tail, looks okay now but in need of fattening up under ideal conditions, which I will endeavor to do for it. ADOPTING (i.e. NOT PAYING) for an animal that is or has been sick, to give it better conditions and care, is a rescue. BUYING a sick animal should NEVER be done, it encourages pet stores to sell sick animals. You will have enough vet bills just taking the animals and caring for it, let alone having to pay money for it. Petco does have an adoption policy for previously sick or injured animals, they have a special form for it, and you release them of all liability for the animal's care.

One other note: If you have ANY other reptiles in the house, DO NOT TAKE THE ANIMAL UNLESS YOU CAN SET UP A QUARANTINE HABITAT IN A SEPERATE ROOM FOR IT.

Thank you sooo much for your advice...I think i'm going to print out what you said so I can either call them up or go there personally. I do have 5 other lizards (2 leopards, 2 anoles, and a bearded dragon)...I'm trying to think where I could put it, because I don't think my family would like a lizard out in the living room I keep my leopards and anoles in our sitting room, and our beardie is in our bedroom, but I think I'm going to try and see what Petco says, because i feel REALLY bad for that poor thing. The thing was when I asked if it was ok, she said they had it checked out, but was real quick to put it back in the cage...so I don't know. I guess we'll see. Thanks again.

Jessica

Remember that even if you do not take the animal, you may be able to help it by educating the pet store people...and reporting them if they don't help that animal.

Make 100% sure you have a space for it in a seperate room (your room perhaps) before you take it, even if they let you adopt. You should also be meticulous abourt washing your hands, and always make a point of feeding that animal last. Remember that *if* that animal has crypto, it can spread though the air in a room, even if the animals are in different enclosures, and would likely kill all of the now healthy animals you have at home. I have my rescues in my KITCHEN of all places...running out of room for geckos, and I have a whole bedroom devoted to them upstairs. Of course, I breed geckos, so it is a little different.

np
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

I called and I spoke to the manager, which has leos of his own, he said they won't adopt it out to me, but he's going to go look at it, and if it's sick take it into the vet, or feed it some waxworms to fatten it up. I informed them about the shed and he said they would soak it. He also claimed some have laid eggs recently, well I KNOW that one wasn't one of them cuz it has looked sick for months, just now it's worse than I remember. I'm pretty skeptical about whether he will do what he says. I decided I will not buy it, I will keep trying to adopt it if things don't change soon. Thanks again.
Jessica

Remember, you can hep an animal like that just by caring and doing what you have done, and reporting the store if conditions do not improve for that animal. You have probably already made a difference. You can't fix the world, but you can make a difference, little by little.

You're right in not really believing what he said. Since you've watched this leo deteriorate over several months, when/if the manager determines the leo is sick, I doubt he will expend the money and effort to give the leo the care that is needed.
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Lovin' would be easy if your colors were like my dreams...

i have a real problem with most chain pet stores... the last time i was at petco, i had to alert their staff to the fact that a frog they had was dead. petco is the chain that grew infamous for freezing any reptiles that grew ill or didn't sell, in california, fairly recently. the nearest petsmart periodically has baby leopards that are hatchlings, in with huge numbers of large-sized crickets, all of them peeling sheds... when i saw one with hip bones protruding, i told the staff, who said that 'the reptile guy' was on vacation... my advice is to not buy anything from stores like these- go to local/smaller stores, that only deal animals they understand how to take care of. i only go to petsmart or petco if i need something my local store doesn't have, or if it's an emergency & my pet store is closed.
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marla
keeper of: axolotls, catfish, ferrets, leopard geckoes, oriental fire-bellied toads, and sugar gliders

Call there main office and report what condition these leos and any other reptiles for that mater are in. With everyones help maybe we can put a stop to the way they take care of there reptiles.

I was told by an employee that there adult male was brought in by a lady along with 5 others, sick and thin at the time. 5 employees took one home and this one stayed behind. They are now trying to sell it for $100.00. They have had it at this price for 6 months. They also had another one with a re-gen tail that they said they got from there distributer. I personally know and do not deal with who they get there reptiles from and I can tell you if that one did come in from there distributer it was included free with there other order and they are trying to get $100.00 for that one as well. These both are normals also. There babies were really thin and sick. The manager was not willing to adopt them out but was sticking to there $100.00 prices and there $29.99 for there sick leos. She stated I had no idea what I was talking about and was really rude. I think she knew she was caught. I am awaiting a call from there district manager to discuss this situation and waht else can be done to help stop these really bad conditions from continuing.

This is there main office # 1-888-583-6044.Please call and report there reptiles that are in need of help.

I understand people wanting to purchase these helpless leo's but in turn by doing this we are telling Pet Co. It is ok to sell sick reptiles.

I also do understand that all Pet Co's are not this way. There are the select few that have verry healthy reptiles and extreamly knowledgeabe staff. If you must go purchase from them and comend them for taking good and proper care of there reptiles at that store.
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Very Proud Owner:
2.0 Yellow giants, 0.4 Pastel Jungles, 1.0 Jungle, 1.0 High Yellow, 0.1 Blizzard, 0.2 Las Vegas Albino's, 0.1 Paternless, 0.1 Albino Tangerine, 0.2 Hypo het for Albino, 0.1 het for Albino, 0.0.1 Pastel het for Tremper albino, 0.0.1 High yellow het for tremper albino, 0.0.1 het for Blizzard
Plus 5 incredable Bearded dragons and Snakes too.

I worked for two years in a small private pet store and I just got a part-time job working at a petco near me. I have to agree with the advice I have seen here. DON'T buy it!

Granted, the most likely cause of the gecko being thin is caused by over-crowding, him being the least dominant and not getting enough food BUT there is still the chance that he is seriously SICK.

I come home from work, head straight for the washer, take off my work clothes, toss them in the washer, head straight for the shower, and wash thoroughly. All this happens BEFORE I ever go near my animals and the store where I work is one of the better ones. A few of the employees actually CARE about the animals but I refuse to take a chance. There are a few AWESOME looking leopards there but I WILL NOT bring them home on the off chance that they might be carrying something. I have way to much time, money and love in my animals to watch them all die because I didn't use my head. I have seen it happen.

Before you buy or adopt him, ask yourself "How will I feel if I bring something home to my other pets?" I have taken in rescue animals before and I am careful with quarentine but in the back of my mind there is always that nagging question..."What if?" Think long and hard before doing anything, it is really hard but the best thing might be to just walk away at this point. Trust me I have a soft heart, and it breaks to see animals suffering but I have my current pets to think about.