Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, my local pet store has quite a few reptiles, more snakes than lizards, and they keep quite a few 'exotic' snakes which generally look pretty healthy. I noticed that about half of their snakes were in their water bowls a month or so ago, and I asked the manager why they were in the water every time i came in for feeders. He said, "Oh, I dunno, I guess they like the water". I pulled a 4ft albino out about 2minutes later and about 20-30 mites fell onto my arm and hands, not to mention about 200-300 in the large water bowl. All of the snakes there have mites like that. This is also the place where I get my feeders from, and I think that mites are coming home on me or the mice/rats I am getting from there because I find 1 or two adults on Sonya just a few hours after feeding. It's not my place to tell them that they have a problem, but I want to help, especially since this is the only local place that I can get food and I hate carrying home mites along with the feeders. Any suggestions/alternatives?

Sorry for the long post guys.

Here we go are ya ready???

Its my theory that any store that works with reptiles and has a mite problem that horrible probably already knows about it. The real problem is that they just dont give a damn. Mites are indeed a problem in alot of PESTstores, and unfortunetly they dont have to be. If the store knows it has a problem and dosnt do anything about it you as a customer should not help the store by going there in the first place. If they can continue to sell sick/infested animals or even feeders and make a profit they will. From what i have seen from petstores accross the country reinforces my ideals and I personaly will not spend a dime at any such stores, let alone walk through there doors a second time to comprimise my animals health by bringing home the deasies of the week. Although it may sound like a pain in the bum to some people there are much better alternatives to buying feeders than from a store like this. In my honnest oppion though what you have said sounds like a clear cut case of animal abuse and unfortunetly in a very public setting. It is people like these who only see profit and not lives that continue to destroy this hobby. If I were in your shoes I might contact the manager first and the local animal athority next, because belive it or not if you witness acts of cruelty and dont do anything about it, then in my eyes your also guilty.

I agree that some pet stores that carry reptiles don't have the first clue on husbandry and care for these animals. If you are going into Petsmart or Petco looking to purchase anything but dog food or cat toys, you should be careful. But there are petstores that focus on exotic animals such as parrots, reptiles, and arachnids that can be very helpful and knowledgable (sp?) in those areas. How many people have purchased their first exotic pet in a petstore, whether it be a parakeet or a burmese python? How do you expect to get people into the hobby if they can't see and interact with the animal they may be interested in having? Going to shows is fine....if you live near a city that has them more than once a year. But GOOD petstores with knowledgable employees will be just as helpful to you as any breeder or hobbyist. Hell, the employee may be a breeder or hobbyist him/herself. Don't discount all petstores just because some are horrible. If I remember correctly, Pro Exotics has a retail store, as does E. Bay Vivarium, LLL Reptile, Reptile Haven and Rich Ihle used to own Arizona Reptile Center in Phoenix. If you look around you will find a retail pet store that can be helpful as far as herps go. I know the internet is very convenient and you have access too TONS of animals and supplies, but nothing beats the feeling of walking into a good pet store and getting to handle your first baby boa constrictor and saying "This is so cool! I'll take him!" There are bad petshops and there are bad people on the internet. At least with petshops you can see the animal, see the living conditions, and not worry about the box it is being shipped in being opened by Fish and Game at the local UPS hub. Give petstores a chance before those and all smaller businesses disappear for good. Derek

Nicely put! I couldn't agree more.

Prehapse I sounded harsher than was needed but I do not mean to discredit all petstores. Specificaly ment to target BAD ones for lack of a better word (PESTSTORES). In my oppinion if you walk into a store to purchase a animal or feeder and either is being kept in a cruel manner or posses a threat in any way to the animals that are living in your home, than it is a BAD place to be. In reality I have not seen many good ones but I do know of at least one or two. I would urge anyone who witness thoughs acts to think twice before condoning it, by making purchases. The truth is that economicaly it is cheaper to run a crapy store with crapy animals and make more profit than a nice one and prehapse this is why the good ones have a hard time staying open.

It IS your place to say something about it, because that pet store is putting your snake at risk for disease. Those mites sound like they could be carrying anything. Either A. they don't care or B. they're under the impression that snakes are supposed to have mites. Either way I'd say something.

I think I'm going to call the manager at the end of the week and talk with him about it. Also, I know there are businesses like Marcia's (tango) that ship feeders, but I just don't know of any that ship small feeders like mice/rats...which I will still be using for a while...any suggestions as to where I can get them? I live in College Station, TX., maybe there's a place I haven't heard of...

Lee

We had a petstore like that in our area.The man even refused help from our local herp club.We got ahold of the local dept of agriculture and they sent a person out to look at it.We are not sure what happend but there are no more reptiles at his shop.The dept of agriculture is the office that gives permits to petstores for exotics,at least in Illinios it is.Just giving you some options.I work a couple days a month at a petstore in my town.I have seen reptile mites on live rodents.So be careful and goodluck.