Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok... so currently i have two cornsnakes, i have been looking into getting a leo or possibly a crested gecko for the last 2-3 months. One of my friends said that my local PetSmart(shudder) had a few leos with some cool patterns/coloration so i thought i woudl check it out. when i got there i was horrified, they had 6-8 full grown leos and 1-3 babies in a 10 gallon tank with one hide. the poor leos were all trying top cram into the hide becasue it was the middle of the day, i have to say i was shocked, i mean i know petsmart doesn't take very good care of their pets but i didn;t knwo it was this bad. Any ways normally i am pretty shy and dont like to complain, but i couldn't help it. i asked the cashier for the manager and she said he was busy.... so i walked into his office (its about 3 ft from the cash register). The manager refused to do anything about it and just kept repeating "they are social animals, they liek to be in group." ....maybye im over reacting....

sorry for the long rant
thx for listning heres a pic for yuor trouble(hope you like corns)

Same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago at a pet store by my house. They had one leo (in not so good condition) labeled as a nile monitor, and the clerk argued with me that it was a nile monitor. Then they had an iguana in a 10 gallon tank, and he had absolutely no room to move. They were feeding it crickets too. None of the reptiles had any heat source or lighting. But luckily for the animals, or not so lucky if they get euthanized, that pet store is on the SPCA's list for being almost shut down for animal abuse.
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~*Chibi*~
Sir Iggy ( 1.0.0 El Salvador Blue Iguana), Ryo-ohki, Orion, Bud, & Finnegan (3.1.0 crazy kitties), Rosebud (0.1.0 cockerspaniel), and Kayko (0.0.1 leopard gecko)

ya i read your post on that...but easy mistake right? i mean a leo and a nile monitor look so much alike
LOL

That is awful, i have seen inadeuate conditions for leo's but that sounds like one of the worst.

If you want to i would say go ahead and take more actions, especially since the manager was not willing to work with you. Call your local ASPCA, also look up your local state inspector (they work for inland fisheries and wildlife) and call him and tell him to inspect that store. The inspector up here in maine is great and will definately get pet stores to change if they feel the animals are not being cared for!
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Doesn't that make you sick? The petstore we have here is the worst...they don't even know what the reptiles are that they sell! In one 10 gallon tank, they had several Anoles, at least 7 of them, a whole bunch of Grass lizards, probably about 10 of them, 3 Madagascar Ground Geckos trying to bury in the BARK to hide from the heat given off by the 100 Watt bulb a foot above them, a House Gecko and some toads! I asked about the little Ground Geckos..and they told me they weren't sure what kind they were but they knew they were from India and Sri Lanka and liked the tropical habitat (Is it tropical in INDIA?)!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Needless to say...the little cuties are now comfortably living in luxury *grin*. Then we looked over at the next tank, maybe a 10 gallon, and there was a White Lined Gecko, a Tokay Gecko, 3 Leopard Geckos and a couple babies...and they didn't even have a hide!! The craziest setup was the one with the Iguana, Water Dragons, Skink, Anoles and Agamas and GOLDEN GECKO...all in one!! I hate buying animals from these stores, because then they just bring in more..but sadly this store brings them in no matter what, whether they die or get adopted.
And yes...I have a big mouth...apparently I have to "read up on them" or so they say! And the SPCA says "being that it is a petstore, they're pretty confident that the store is aware and educated on the species they bring in" and that they "are just to swamped to be checking in on every complaint"! I'm still trying to find a way to deal with this bull ****..and what's even crazier is that the girl that works there runs a wildlife rescue! Ya think she'd care a little more!

it is sad how some places just dont care or they dont know. i have seen the same thing, a nile monitor, 3 horny toads 4 young leopard geckos, 2 dragons and a tokay gecko no hideholes it is really sad to see all those animals in a 30 gallon tank.
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4.8.4 leopard geckos
1.0.0 cat (storm)
0.0.1 green tree frog
1.1.0 anole
0.0.1 tokay gecko
1.2.0 kingsnakes
0.1.0 cornsnake
mutiple cichlids

It is a PET STORE..... There is a big turnover in pet shops.... They are kept like that for a period of time and then they get a new roomy home (in some cases)when someone buys them.... You can not falt a store for keeping the leos in the same cage.... As long as they are kept clean, fed and watered there is nothing you can do..... You can call anyone you want and they will not do anything about it..... Sure, you would not keep your pets housed like that, but when they are in a retail store, THEY ARE NOT PETS..... They are FOR SALE.... Learn the difference and relax......

Oh I totally understand the sales aspect of it all, but it just upsets me because they are living creatures, and are clearly suffering. It's just nice to be able to express my feelings about it with others who feel the same

i used to work at a pet store. i know how it works but that does not make it right. thats y i dont work at one anymore.
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brandy

Well Gregg it sort of depends. I agree with geckos, leopard geckos for sure, I dont see that it is that big of a problem. The gecko will be gone in about a week. But as long as they are all healthy it really doesn't matter if they have 2 hides or 100 hides. But when it comes to snakes and some other herps i would have to disagree, they are usually there a lot longer time and therefore they require a little better treatment (well that is how it is in my petstores, but hey, all the petstores around here are nice and take good care of their animals, except the two pet cities that just got shut down for selling dogs with diseases and other things like that).

I've worked at pet stores and i know how it works. and i agree and disagree with you Gregg. Yes it must be understood petstores are temporary homes for the lizards, and so yes SOME of the care tends to be much mroe lax then we would like it.

But on the other hand, some of these stores are ridiculous. Housing adult and baby leos in the same tank? Having no heat or apallingly unsanitary conditions? Having obviosuly ill leo's in a tank? There is no excuse for those kind of extremes. Pet stores are not going to be as perfect as we would like, but there is no excuse for neglect.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

I live in a small city where reptiles are not a popular thing, and there are no cities close by either, so needless to say, the reptiles stay for alot longer that a week (including leos), usually until they die. They look like crap - sores, scars, infections, missing tails, dehydrated, starving..not to mention overheated and frightened. Then if they happen to be lucky enough to be bought, the consumer is usually given inappropriate advice and care info. (one girl insists that almost all reptiles NEED a heat rock!). So not only does my heart go out to these little reptiles, it then goes out to this person who takes their new little pet home, stresses out for a few weeks about what's wrong with it (we've all seen the posts) and then has to watch it die. And yes, I know, it is up to the person to learn as much as they can about the reptile through books, websites, experienced owners..but it's surprising how many people believe that because it was in a petstore it must be ok, and that because the person that gave them the advice works in a petstore than they must know what they are talking about.

There is no excuse for neglect.... But I did say in my post that it is fine as long as they are clean, watered, and fed.... I other words, taken care of while they are at the shop..... But I do not see a big problem with over crowding them as long as it is a temp situation, and that is the case for the most part.....

cant we all agree that there are good petsotores and bad petstores. as long as the animals are kept the way there suppost to. it shouldndt matter if there are 2 or 3 adult leos in the same tank. like dude said its only temp. but if they are treated wrong and put in with lets say babie leos then that is wrong.
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1.0.1 Green Anole(tedo, bubbles)
0.0.1 Tremper Albino Leo gecko (Brut)
1.0.0 Small Dog( Cho lu la)

0.1.0 Beachy Girl Friend

i think everyone agrees that there are good and bad petstores. but when you put 3 or 4 differnt species together that have completely differnt needs and are from completeley diffent regions and enviroments that is just wrong no matter how long they are going to be there.
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4.8.4 leopard geckos
1.0.0 cat (storm)
0.0.1 green tree frog
1.1.0 anole
0.0.1 tokay gecko
1.2.0 kingsnakes
0.1.0 cornsnake
mutiple cichlids