Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay guys can you post some messages that say some cons about petco to see if my mom will belevie me about getting one from petsmart if this one dies??? thank you alot )

Just have her look at all the below threads that we have been writing you from day one. That should help.

It should prove to her that you are right if every single person has told you not to buy one from petco or petsmart. Especially prove it when people are willing to call breeders and set up appoitments for you and find infor out for you. That should prove alot.

Alicia

Sorry I don't have anything pro to say about Petco and Petsmart when it comes to the animals they sell. It reminds me of pet stores buying from puppy mils that don't give a hoot about their animals except to make a quick buck. Most of the employees that work there don't really know much about husbandry of the different reptiles which is not their fault since the store didn't bother to train them. I don't remember how many times I have heard people buying an animal from there ended up being extremely sick and eventually died. And if you are like me the first sign of problems with my animals is off to the vet they go which can translate to lots of $$$$.

Yes, Garrick might be a bit far from where you live and will cost your parents maybe $40 for a tank of gas but you know what that is way cheaper than the vet's bill and heartaches. How about if you tell your parents you will earn the gas money by doing chores around the house and pay them back for the gas? I really want to see you getting a happy, healthy leo from a reputable breeder as a first gecko. Besides leos I also keep chameleons, bearded dragons, tortoises and dogs and none of my animals are from a pet store. They all (yes including both of my dogs) come from breeders and if I have to pay more for shipping I gladly do so to avoid health problems. I hope you can convince your parents the importance of getting a healthy animal. Let us know what happened.

time.

you may very well go to either store and get a leo that is somehow in good health.

the point is this.

1) The quality of care the animals receive while in the care of petco is abusive, negligent and for the most part completely incorrect. The sale of animals from this type of environment allows more animals to be exposed to the substandard of care found at most NOT all but a vast majority of petsmart and petcos

both the pet smart and petco store in my area Located on Ga. highway 20 in buford/lawerencville ga across from the mall of ga. has care that is appalling!!!

animals knee deep in feces, dead and rotting mealworms in the feed bowls that haven’t been cleaned in weeks, the leos at these won't eat because they are one immune suppressed do to lack of correct heating and they don’t eat because the feed they have to choose from is to big for some adult leos.

i recently saw a jackson cham try to eat a crix 2 times the size of it's head at pet smart.

2) Breeders work very hard to produce quality stock. it is their passion they do it because they love it and thus you get the reward of their love and passion.

3) This has nothing at all to do with be a tree hugging liberal.
I am as conservative republican as they come I am not against establishment I am for quality product and corp. competition.
Just because a breeder doesn't run a multi million dollar company doesn’t mean they can’t compete in quality.

4) Sometimes and I know this is a shock parents are wrong. We do the best we can but sometimes we are wrong. And this is just a case. If they could see that it is most likely going to cost more money in the long run they could see the benefits from buying from a breeder. Shipping should be of no concern stuff happens every now and than. But we can all give you solid recommendations for stand up breeders who would hate having their reputations ruined by screwing a customer.

5) we just want you to get the best you can. And since your willing to pay petco/petsmart prices than you should be willing to pay those same prices for better animals it just makes sense.

Tell if some one is selling a a beat Honda for a 3000 bucks and a new hummer for the same price which would you choose. It’s a no brainer.

Mat price

1. Petco/Petsmart are more interested in selling the animals than caring for them.
2. Most animals are overcrowded and in the wrong environment.
3. Many animals are malnourished.
4. Disease spreads like crazy
5. Most leos bought from these places are sick and dying or are incubating a disease at the time of purchase.

Chain stores are NOT good places to buy pets...breeders, reptile specialty stores, and Reptile expos are the best places to get them.

Cleo
1:1 leos (7 eggs cooking)

If you think you are getting a deal you are wrong. I just spent $300 and 4months of handcare on a rescued petco gecko I got for free from a friend (VERY lucky she didn't die). My vet said he puts down 80% of the young geckos he sees from petco/mart. I sometimes ask the attendants just for fun about geckos and hear some amazingly wrong things (and they employ those tips on their animals!). You are saving lots of money on vet bills if you go with a trusted breeder (or better yet adopt a healthy animal).