# Funny things heard at the pet store...



## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

Just called a herp/fish/invert pet store looking for an A. Seemanni male for my girl and spoke to their resident invert expert.  They did have an adult A. Seemanni so I asked the guy if he knew what the sex was.  
This was his reply, "I'm not sure.  If it has a fat abdomen it's male and if it has a fat butt it's female. right?"

To that I said, "We're talking about the tarantula, right? Nevermind... I'll have to drop by and take a look."


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## KJE (Feb 27, 2009)

LOL!  That's hilarious!  I hope it's a male for your sake.  Maybe while you are there you can educate their "expert" a little.


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## IdahoBiteyThing (Feb 27, 2009)

*lol*

Think that only holds true for humans!


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## testdasi (Feb 27, 2009)

LOL! Fat butt vs fat abdomen! LOL!


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

When I bought my A. metalica one of the guys there said it was one of the non poisonous Tarantula's. I dont even bother talking at them anymore. It's a waste of time. :wall:


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## nhdjoseywales (Feb 27, 2009)

kinda like the guy at the pet shop telling me my emperor scorpion would just love black sand as a substrate. glad i did some reading when i got home :/


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## bamato (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm kind of happy most of the pet stores around here have some semi-eduacted associates....


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## Julia (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm just happy that with the ones around here, the associates don't PRETEND to be educated.  I've gotten blank stares, shrugged shoulders, "I dunno..."

All of that is fine with me!  I'd rather have them say they have no idea than make something up.  :wall:


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## white_feather (Feb 27, 2009)

I had someone ask if salt-water fish need to be in salt water.


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## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> When I bought my A. metalica one of the guys there said it was one of the non poisonous Tarantula's...  :wall:


Cool! Did he personally remove the poison gland?


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## JayzunBoget (Feb 27, 2009)

Just to turn this thread around on you guys, I have worked at Preuss Pets, at pet store in Lansing, Michigan, for the last nine years and I have heard some doozies from the customers as well.
My favorite was some college sorority girl who walked in, fresh off the bus from MSU, and asked us, "Do you have anything that I don't really have to feed? I mean, maybe I could just throw some grass in their or something?"


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## gumby (Feb 27, 2009)

ROTF you have got to love pet stores! That reminds me of the time my pet store told me they had a very calm blue T that I should take a look at. went over and what did I find a beautiful F H. lividum on the glass wall of her cage. ;P


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## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

Julia said:


> All of that is fine with me!  I'd rather have them say they have no idea than make something up.  :wall:


Exactly.  I can't stand being lied to.  If they don't know that is fine but be honest about it.


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## LadyPharaoh (Feb 27, 2009)

*And the not-so-funny*

Stopped by LPS where I bought my first T (Rosie) to get crickets a few weeks ago and thought I'd take a look at their Ts.  The person I spoke with said they didn't have any right then because he "came to work a couple days ago and found their last one on it's back dead and threw it in the trash". :wall:  Oh, but they had two or three on order so I should come back at the end of the week.


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## nhdjoseywales (Feb 27, 2009)

LadyPharaoh said:


> Stopped by LPS where I bought my first T (Rosie) to get crickets a few weeks ago and thought I'd take a look at their Ts.  The person I spoke with said they didn't have any right then because he "came to work a couple days ago and found their last one on it's back dead and threw it in the trash". :wall:  Oh, but they had two or three on order so I should come back at the end of the week.


i think i would have just cried while choking him


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## Snuggles (Feb 27, 2009)

JayzunBoget said:


> Just to turn this thread around on you guys, I have worked at Preuss Pets, at pet store in Lansing, Michigan, for the last nine years and I have heard some doozies from the customers as well.
> My favorite was some college sorority girl who walked in, fresh off the bus from MSU, and asked us, "Do you have anything that I don't really have to feed? I mean, maybe I could just throw some grass in their or something?"



Maybe she should have gotten a "Geiko" (car insurance).  Or if you live in my area, a "GetGo" (gas station).  

G-E-C-K-O

Reactions: Funny 1


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## HerbertWest (Feb 27, 2009)

I had the same problem the other night at my pet store..the guy had no idea what he was talking about..and i love how the stores always call them the experts


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## DreadLobster (Feb 27, 2009)

I don't know about everywhere else, but in the st. louis area, all the petco's and petsmarts have stopped selling T's and scorpions. They used to always have Rosies, A. Seemani, and pink toes, and emporer scorpions. And I never saw anything too wrong with the way they kept theirs, so I'm kinda disappointed.


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## LadyPharaoh (Feb 27, 2009)

nhdjoseywales said:


> i think i would have just cried while choking him


I wanted desperately to choke him. After a few minutes of Molt 101, it was hard not to feel bad for the guy.  He seemed genuinely upset when he realized what had happened.


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Cool! Did he personally remove the poison gland?


       I actually overheard aguy telling this boys mom that the spiders they had had the poison glands removed. And no I didnt keep my mouth shut on that one. He turned about 3 shades of red. Thats just stupid to tell people that crap. They have to know better.
       By far I think the best was when I went in and was checking out the T's and one guy walked up and say's hey, That obt we had exploded. I said huh. So, he picks up the kritter keeper and says look its legs and stuff are every where. Of coarse it had molted. I couldnt help but to laugh and I know he felt like a jerk. But just the look on his face as he was explaining how the spider exploded was just too much.
       So, lesson learned. Watch out for explodeing spiders. I would hate for one to go off in my hand.


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## skippy (Feb 27, 2009)

i had an employee at one of my lps tell me that the obt had the worst venom of any T and that they kill kids in africa every year so i should be very careful  i asked him about the h mac and the s calc and he shrugged them off like they were nothing. he told me that he used to work at the EBV so he knew what he was talking about...


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## vio220 (Feb 27, 2009)

DreadLobster said:


> I don't know about everywhere else, but in the st. louis area, all the petco's and petsmarts have stopped selling T's and scorpions. They used to always have Rosies, A. Seemani, and pink toes, and emporer scorpions. And I never saw anything too wrong with the way they kept theirs, so I'm kinda disappointed.


Yeah, I went to petco the other day and they said that in the history of petco, they have never sold tarantulas.......but I distinctly remember them selling t's.


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## Sukai94 (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> By far I think the best was when I went in and was checking out the T's and one guy walked up and say's hey, That obt we had exploded. I said huh. So, he picks up the kritter keeper and says look its legs and stuff are every where. Of coarse it had molted. I couldnt help but to laugh and I know he felt like a jerk. But just the look on his face as he was explaining how the spider exploded was just too much.
> So, lesson learned. Watch out for explodeing spiders. I would hate for one to go off in my hand.


The OBT exploded? This made my day! :clap:


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## redsaw (Feb 27, 2009)

vio220 said:


> Yeah, I went to petco the other day and they said that in the history of petco, they have never sold tarantulas.......but I distinctly remember them selling t's.


The dude that orders the animals at the local Petco here can order Ts but they dont keep them instock.


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## GrammatonCleric (Feb 27, 2009)

There is an S Calc at my LPS that I may buy just to keep some kid from getting it. They have NO IDEA how these things are.


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## ReMoVeR (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> I actually overheard aguy telling this boys mom that the spiders they had had the poison glands removed. And no I didnt keep my mouth shut on that one. He turned about 3 shades of red. Thats just stupid to tell people that crap. They have to know better.
> By far I think the best was when I went in and was checking out the T's and one guy walked up and say's hey, That obt we had exploded. I said huh. So, he picks up the kritter keeper and says look its legs and stuff are every where. Of coarse it had molted. I couldnt help but to laugh and I know he felt like a jerk. But just the look on his face as he was explaining how the spider exploded was just too much.
> So, lesson learned. Watch out for explodeing spiders. I would hate for one to go off in my hand.


That made me laugh like hell and... this:



			
				GrammatonCleric said:
			
		

> There is an S Calc at my LPS that I may buy just to keep some kid from getting it. They have NO IDEA how these things are.


made me go like  :wall:


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## DreadLobster (Feb 27, 2009)

vio220 said:


> Yeah, I went to petco the other day and they said that in the history of petco, they have never sold tarantulas.......but I distinctly remember them selling t's.


Ha ha yeah they either had no idea what they were talking about or just straight up lied to you because I know for a fact they sold the three species I listed above. Plus scorpions. And that was just at the 2 near my house. I'm betting they've sold others at other times and places.


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## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

JayzunBoget said:


> Just to turn this thread around on you guys, I have worked at Preuss Pets, at pet store in Lansing, Michigan, for the last nine years and I have heard some doozies from the customers as well.
> My favorite was some college sorority girl who walked in, fresh off the bus from MSU, and asked us, "Do you have anything that I don't really have to feed? I mean, maybe I could just throw some grass in their or something?"


Agreed.  As a customer in many pet shops I've heard some odd stuff.  The most common by far is someone pointing to a lizard (usually a monitor or bearded dragon) and saying "Hey! Look at this Iguana." even thought the tanks are clearly labeled.

I would have brought her to the cat toy section and gave her a wind up mouse.  No feeding required and no mess to clean up after either!


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## kaydyn1512 (Feb 27, 2009)

*Petco HUH???*

Ummm I bought a G rosea from them in August. I still have the receipt, I think, somewhere. As a matter of fact they have 1 juvi RIGHT NOW.. It was funny too, The resident "expert" admitted wholeheartedly he wasn't an expert at all and asked ME some questions. The juvi was molting when I got there and he looks at me says "there are 2 big crickets in there since yesterday and he hasn't eaten them, should I take them out?" Hmmmmm  :?  Let me consult the my magic eight ball. "The answer leans toward YES!!!!!"


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## Neophyte (Feb 27, 2009)

I was given wood chips and advised to feed my T two crickets a day a while back..


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Agreed.  As a customer is many pet shops I've heard some odd stuff.  The most common by far is someone pointing to a lizard (usually a monitor or bearded dragon) and saying "Hey! Look at this Iguana." even thought the tanks are clearly labeled.
> 
> I would have brought her to the cat toy section and gave her a wind up mouse.  No feeding required and no mess to clean up after either!


          This is true, I was in there about two weeks ago and a guy came in and wanted a refund for a hamster he had bought a few days earlier. When asked why he said it pooped to much. :?


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## WelshTan (Feb 27, 2009)

my local reptist doesnt have a clue bout T's. . . .he was selling a "female" adult chile rose. . .(WITH TIBIAL SPURS!!!!!). . .and labelled it as a "very long living species of up to 25years. . . . there was not a drop of water in sight and to my dismay the tank the T was in had a heat mat underneath it PLUS a light bulb INSIDE THE TANK. . .when i tried to explain to him that the heat wud kill it plus it needed water he told me "dont be so silly, the spider doesnt need water as it sucks its food up thru its fangs, they dont have mouths!!!! they dont need water!!!!!". . .i also tried to explain that it was male as it had tibial spurs n probably wudnt live for very long. . .. his reaction was to get very rude n told me he is an expert in the field with over 20yrs experience in T's!!!!! i felt like i cud have shot him !!!! i also asked him if their warehouse stocks green bottle blues or red knees . . . his face went blank n he asked me if they are some kind of lizard!!!!!! n this is the guy that OWNS the shop!!!!!!


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## nhdjoseywales (Feb 27, 2009)

DreadLobster said:


> I don't know about everywhere else, but in the st. louis area, all the petco's and petsmarts have stopped selling T's and scorpions. They used to always have Rosies, A. Seemani, and pink toes, and emporer scorpions. And I never saw anything too wrong with the way they kept theirs, so I'm kinda disappointed.


in memphis they still sell them, i have 2 rose hairs and a seemani and an emperor scorpion fom local petcos. at least 2 of the spiders had leg injuries when i got them (looked lke a cricket had eaten on them after molting maybe) and the advice given by the employees usually is very generic and may or may not fit the species you are purchasing. they had me convinced at tfirst my rose needed 70 percent humidity. i couldnt figure out why he lived on the side of the tank.....


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## nhdjoseywales (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> I actually overheard aguy telling this boys mom that the spiders they had had the poison glands removed. And no I didnt keep my mouth shut on that one. He turned about 3 shades of red. Thats just stupid to tell people that crap. They have to know better.
> By far I think the best was when I went in and was checking out the T's and one guy walked up and say's hey, That obt we had exploded. I said huh. So, he picks up the kritter keeper and says look its legs and stuff are every where. Of coarse it had molted. I couldnt help but to laugh and I know he felt like a jerk. But just the look on his face as he was explaining how the spider exploded was just too much.
> So, lesson learned. Watch out for explodeing spiders. I would hate for one to go off in my hand.


that is just teh awesome sir. maybe my OBT will explode and then there will be a way out of the seemingly impenetrable fortress of webbing it has made in its cage


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## Andrew273 (Feb 27, 2009)

After working for petstores for the last... 2 years? Something like that. I've heard some funny things.

From employees (who were fired soon after):
"It's simple to start a 4 gallon saltwater aquarium."
"All the fish here (freshwater, like mollys and swordtails) can be in either freshwater or saltwater."

From customers:
One girl who worked for the local college's entomology department "We've got some pretty rare stuff, we used to have a goliath birdeater but now we have mostly rosehairs." She should see my room.
"Do you have anything to get the superglue out of my dog's ear." (Long story...)

From another pet store I went to:
I was thinking of buying a "Peacock Tarantula".
"So is this an A metallica or A versicolor?"
"Yeah."
Of course that's also the petstore where I saw an arboreal H lividum... Basically it made a hammock like a pinktoe. So weird...

And yet another pet store:
"I don't know why all 3 rosehairs are having trouble molting. The back part came off fine."
"So the tibial spurs aren't a sign?"

And another:
"I can hold every other spider here, I don't know why this orange one is so mean."

I LOVED the petstore that had a rosie and a lividum in the same tank. I didn't even tell the guy why that was wrong because he was such a jerk when I walked in and just glared at me the whole time.


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## Neophyte (Feb 27, 2009)

Andrew273 said:


> "I can hold every other spider here, I don't know why this orange one is so mean."


PFFFffffffffahahaahahhaha!


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## Yanose (Feb 27, 2009)

ya I don't know waht the guy at petco is talking about I live in spokane washington and the two petcos here sell all kinds of T's, scorps, and herps.


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## CRX (Feb 27, 2009)

There is this HORRIBLE pet store a few miles from my house called ''Pet Supermarket''. They know NOTHING about herps or tarantulas. Their herps live in such bad conditions its almost sad. Their frog tank had 2 dead rotting frogs floating in the water, and one had climbed to the top and got baked to death by the heat lamp. When we notified an employee of this, he just shrugged us off. Their baby bearded dragons were in a tiny 12x8 cage, with NO UVB lights, only a basking light. And one was so skinny and dehydrated I almost cried when I saw it. They had no water, and only some bearded dragon food in a dish. There was also a small anaconda there that starved to death because the employees were too scared to feed it.

They have tarantulas and scorps pretty frequently. One time I saw a hot dry tank crowded with emperor scorpions and an employee telling customers they were a desert species that needs no water. In addition to a mature male B vagans on sale for $70 (the manager said it was a ''very rare species''), a cobalt clue in a kritter keeper barely big enough for it to turn around in with reptile carpet on the bottom and no water, and more Ts and herps kept in appalling conditions.

There were many other atrocities at this place, and they continue to sell exotics animals and keep them in these conditions. Pet Supermarket is a chain of pet stores, so there are probably some near you. Please don't buy anything from them. Doing so finances their business and assures the continued abuse of animals.


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## Yanose (Feb 27, 2009)

that is messed up most of the pet stores around here admit to not being experts in the feild and will take advice if you give it to them. Or it might just be that I am a large indian and the store owners don't want me angry at them they don't want to get scalped after all.


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## Neophyte (Feb 27, 2009)

CRX said:


> There is this HORRIBLE pet store a few miles from my house called ''Pet Supermarket''. They know NOTHING about herps or tarantulas. Their herps live in such bad conditions its almost sad. Their frog tank had 2 dead rotting frogs floating in the water, and one had climbed to the top and got baked to death by the heat lamp. When we notified an employee of this, he just shrugged us off. Their baby bearded dragons were in a tiny 12x8 cage, with NO UVB lights, only a basking light. And one was so skinny and dehydrated I almost cried when I saw it. They had no water, and only some bearded dragon food in a dish. There was also a small anaconda there that starved to death because the employees were too scared to feed it.
> 
> They have tarantulas and scorps pretty frequently. One time I saw a hot dry tank crowded with emperor scorpions and an employee telling customers they were a desert species that needs no water. In addition to a mature male B vagans on sale for $70 (the manager said it was a ''very rare species''), a cobalt clue in a kritter keeper barely big enough for it to turn around in with reptile carpet on the bottom and no water, and more Ts and herps kept in appalling conditions.
> 
> There were many other atrocities at this place, and they continue to sell exotics animals and keep them in these conditions. Pet Supermarket is a chain of pet stores, so there are probably some near you. Please don't buy anything from them. Doing so finances their business and assures the continued abuse of animals.


Rescue mission:







I found a T that was about 5" molting in one of the small cups. And uh yeah, those are their homes until they're bought or they die. This place has tons of T's in these conditions. I don't think I need to say more.. :wall:


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## Bill S (Feb 27, 2009)

WelshTan said:


> ... i also asked him if their warehouse stocks green bottle blues or red knees . . . his face went blank n he asked me if they are some kind of lizard!!!!!!


I busted up laughing when I read that. It reminded me of a conversation I had long ago - like back in the late '60s.  And any of you who remember the late '60s will probably appreciate the humor of the situation a little more.

I was sitting with a few friends who, like me, were into reptiles.  In particular, rattlesnakes.  The conversation was about what species we kept at home, what kinds we'd collected in the wild, where we'd seen them, etc.  Rather than using the Latin names for them, we were using the vernacular names that collectors applied - Mojave greens, red diamonds, Arizona blacks, speckleds (which come in a wide range of hues and tones), etc.  We hadn't really noticed the character sitting at a table close by, but he had noticed us.  And he overheard just enough of the conversation to get really interested.  Finally, he walked over to us and admitted he'd heard some of our conversation.  Then he said "You've been talking about Mojave greens, Arizona Blacks - all kinds of drugs I haven't tried.  You aren't selling any of that stuff are you?"  To be honest, I don't remember what kind of answer we gave him.  But we laughed about the possibilities for a long time afterwards.


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

nhdjoseywales said:


> that is just teh awesome sir. maybe my OBT will explode and then there will be a way out of the seemingly impenetrable fortress of webbing it has made in its cage


          Spider web is pretty tough so I guess it would depent on the size of the T. If shes a big girl she may just take out the whole tank. Cant say for sure cause I have never seen one go up yet.
          I still cant help but laugh when I think of it. I'm sure I will never hear a better one.


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

Just a quicky on photoshop.


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## Endagr8 (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> Just a quicky on photoshop.


Wait, what is that lol. A t with girl hair, a hat and a straw? :? :? :?


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## skippy (Feb 27, 2009)

it's a suicide bombing OBT  can't you see it?


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## Endagr8 (Feb 27, 2009)

skippy said:


> it's a suicide bombing OBT  can't you see it?


LOL...didn't see the fuse....or the turban. :clap:  :clap:


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## Miss Bianca (Feb 27, 2009)

NOW THIS IS A HILARIOUS THREAD... 

and I thought I'd add... 

today while at Petland purchasing some crickets and some coco fiber the manager is going on about being understaffed/having to be @ the register.. and looks up to me after scanning the stuff 

"Oh you're the girl who always buys reptile stuff and doesn't have any reptiles, what is it you have again?".. 

so I says "Tarantulas".. 

he goes 'what kind?" 

I says "well I have a bunch of different kinds..."
knowing I might not go any further by going into naming details while a line forms..

so he looks at me as if I might not even know exactly what kind and says "well- _WHICH KIND_??"...

so I says "well I own a few Grammostolas, some Avics, Brachypelmas...".. 

to which he interrupted because he _obviously_ had _NO_ clue what I was talking about... and goes 

'Well a friend just gave me a Baboon Tarantula because he had to move and couldn't take it with him... but its the venomous kind, not like those you may have..."... 

I just looked at him and handed him a twenty in silence... 

these people are so ignorant and actually say more than they have to say to seem 'knowledgeable...


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## IrishPolishman (Feb 27, 2009)

I picked up a couple Brachys from a local Petland.  It was before I knew anything about them but I knew enough to feel confident to purchase them.  I was asking general questions and especially about venom potency.  The guy look me square in the eye and says "we only sell devenomized tarantulas"...thank god that store closed a couple weeks later.  I did go back and clean out their Exo Terra selection since the cages were all going for about $20 a piece.  People should be educated before selling any sort of animal.  People that work in pet stores are scraping the bottom of the gene pool.


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## LeilaNami (Feb 27, 2009)

> "All the fish here (freshwater, like mollys and swordtails) can be in either freshwater or saltwater."


Well...uh..._technically_ mollys can live in saltwater if acclimated properly  

Let's see what I got:
Oh yes the all too common "Fish will only grow as large as the tank".  I always enjoy telling customers it's because they die as soon as they do. ;P  Also the gallon per inch rule must die. 

We had this one guy come in ALL THE TIME. Nasty and smelly redneck too. He apparently did tattoos (though I really wouldn't want him doing mine).  He would always come up with some whoppers.  I think the one I remember is him talking about his 30ft long Burmese and 11ft long Ball. Oh and his budgie was apparently smarter than an African grey because it would hold conversations with him  ... 

When I worked at a Petco, we would regularly carry emps.  Well, when the vendor ran out they decided they would just send us some big black scorpions including Heterometrus sp.  and Pandinus cavimanus.  Well, my boss told me not to tell anyone and tell them they were emps.  Uh no? I think the temperament issue is definitely a concern for people wanting a beginning scorpion that they could hold...

Also, firebelly toad juves could apparently be fed large crix.  I'm still having a problem with that at my current PetSmart job.  I tell them to stop feeding the babies large and yet I keep getting "Well they're eating them" Yeah? No kidding when that's all they got.  I keep trying to explain that if by some miracle they don't choke on it, passing undigested crickets will cause problems.  When I tell them that, I actually get in trouble.  Go figure.

Also, we have a couple baby finches.  One fell out of the nest though was still being fed.  Customers threw a fit.  My MANAGER told my coworker to move the baby to the back. Are you serious? Even if you didn't know about the baby, it was pretty freaking obvious.  Luckily the parents continued to feed it when it was moved back.

I do distinctly remember me saying something stupid about a filtration thing though.   I was asked about dry sumps which I knew nothing about and I tried to help him but I think I came off as an idiot! lol


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> Just a quicky on photoshop.


   I forgot the most important part
    I KILL YOU !!!!!!


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## Endagr8 (Feb 27, 2009)

jr47 said:


> I forgot the most important part
> I KILL YOU !!!!!!


LOL ACH(phlegm)med the OBT!


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## jr47 (Feb 27, 2009)

Endagr8 said:


> LOL ACH(phlegm)med the OBT!


ACH(phlegm)med The dead obt.  I think we could be on to something here. maybe we should call homeland security and report the explodeing obt.


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## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

tortuga00 said:


> 'Well a friend just gave me a Baboon Tarantula because he had to move and couldn't take it with him... but its the venomous kind, not like those you may have..."...


HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!


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## LeilaNami (Feb 27, 2009)

Sathane said:


> 'Well a friend just gave me a Baboon Tarantula because he had to move and couldn't take it with him... but its the venomous kind, not like those you may have..."...


He obviously hasn't been tagged before


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## Sathane (Feb 27, 2009)

Endagr8 said:


> LOL ACH(phlegm)med the OBT!


 Arachmed!!!!


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## tarantulaholic (Feb 27, 2009)

I overheard a lps customer ask the employee, hey, it says vietnamese bird eating tarantula. It came from asia right? :wall: :wall: :wall:


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## jefferson (Feb 27, 2009)

Yanose said:


> ya I don't know waht the guy at petco is talking about I live in spokane washington and the two petcos here sell all kinds of T's, scorps, and herps.


as one guy said "their not allowed to keep them in stock" cause their poisonous i think they got sued a while back but the manager can order if you ask


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## skippy (Feb 27, 2009)

i was in a petco a while back and asked to see a rosie. the guy opened the top and moved it's hide and *freaked* when i reached in to nudge it to get a better look.

"company policy" he said, no touching the Ts or scorps


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## Julia (Feb 27, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Arachmed!!!!


**falls off the chair laughing**  

(Sorry, I have nothing more to add.)


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## Flower (Feb 27, 2009)

vio220 said:


> Yeah, I went to petco the other day and they said that in the history of petco, they have never sold tarantulas.......but I distinctly remember them selling t's.


I bought my rosie Flower there, so I KNOW they do. 

But only one in this area does, the others don't. =/


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## jefferson (Feb 27, 2009)

these people need to be corrected only like two people on this one said that they corrected or attempted to the only way to stop the ignorance is to correct it if somebody said that a tarantula wasn't venomous i might go on a rant right in the middle of a store


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## Flower (Feb 27, 2009)

kaydyn1512 said:


> Ummm I bought a G rosea from them in August. I still have the receipt, I think, somewhere. As a matter of fact they have 1 juvi RIGHT NOW.. It was funny too, The resident "expert" admitted wholeheartedly he wasn't an expert at all and asked ME some questions. The juvi was molting when I got there and he looks at me says "there are 2 big crickets in there since yesterday and he hasn't eaten them, should I take them out?" Hmmmmm  :?  Let me consult the my magic eight ball. "The answer leans toward YES!!!!!"


No point in getting snippy with someone who at least had the sense to admit he knew nothing and ask for help. I never get upset with people who are willing to learn, it's the ones who aren't...


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## Julia (Feb 27, 2009)

skippy said:


> i was in a petco a while back and asked to see a rosie. the guy opened the top and moved it's hide and *freaked* when i reached in to nudge it to get a better look.
> 
> "company policy" he said, no touching the Ts or scorps


That one actually could be true.  Who knows.... maybe they got sued by some sue-happy customer once who got tagged by a T or a scorp that they didn't know how to handle.

Once, I went into a Southern Agriculture store (more of a pet-supply store than a pet store, but they have some animals) and they had a few Ts.  I asked if I could get a better look and/or touch/hold a few to get an idea of the temperaments.  The girl said, "You know what you're doing?"  I said, "Yep."  She said, "Great.  I'll be way over there."  And she opened up cabinet locks and let me go.   

(Although.....now that I think about it, I suppose that would be a horrible thing to do, considering she really didn't know if I had experience or not....though I did use their Latin names instead of their "pet store names" when talking about them.  But still.)


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## skippy (Feb 27, 2009)

oh, i don't doubt it _*was*_ company policy(frivolous lawsuits these days you can't be too careful) i just thought it was stupid that they would let someone handle a RTB or a savanna monitor but look out for those rosies and emps! they're vicious!


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## Flower (Feb 27, 2009)

Bill S said:


> I busted up laughing when I read that. It reminded me of a conversation I had long ago - like back in the late '60s.  And any of you who remember the late '60s will probably appreciate the humor of the situation a little more.
> 
> I was sitting with a few friends who, like me, were into reptiles.  In particular, rattlesnakes.  The conversation was about what species we kept at home, what kinds we'd collected in the wild, where we'd seen them, etc.  Rather than using the Latin names for them, we were using the vernacular names that collectors applied - Mojave greens, red diamonds, Arizona blacks, speckleds (which come in a wide range of hues and tones), etc.  We hadn't really noticed the character sitting at a table close by, but he had noticed us.  And he overheard just enough of the conversation to get really interested.  Finally, he walked over to us and admitted he'd heard some of our conversation.  Then he said "You've been talking about Mojave greens, Arizona Blacks - all kinds of drugs I haven't tried.  You aren't selling any of that stuff are you?"  To be honest, I don't remember what kind of answer we gave him.  But we laughed about the possibilities for a long time afterwards.


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## LeilaNami (Feb 28, 2009)

skippy said:


> oh, i don't doubt it _*was*_ company policy(frivolous lawsuits these days you can't be too careful) i just thought it was stupid that they would let someone handle a RTB or a savanna monitor but look out for those rosies and emps! they're vicious!


There is no such policy.  It's just a stigma on the tarantulas and scorpions. Most likely everyone in that store were simply afraid to touch it.


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## Miss Bianca (Feb 28, 2009)

jr47 said:


> I forgot the most important part
> I KILL YOU !!!!!!


LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


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## Neophyte (Feb 28, 2009)

Next time someone swears their T's have no venom, ask them to nudge em a bit in the face 'just to make sure'..


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## hasani1408 (Feb 28, 2009)

My favorite is "If you are allergic to bees, tarantulas will kill you!" I have heard this at lps at least twice and my Dr. even gave me an epi pen when I told her we keep T's.


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## arachyd (Feb 28, 2009)

Arachmed - that's priceless    :clap: 

I'd have been sorely tempted to tell them, "I'm really into preserved specimens and would someone please reach in and get me the pieces?" Not that I would do it but I'd really be tempted.


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## Sathane (Feb 28, 2009)

jefferson said:


> these people need to be corrected only like two people on this one said that they corrected or attempted to the only way to stop the ignorance is to correct it if somebody said that a tarantula wasn't venomous i might go on a rant right in the middle of a store


I'll correct them if what they are telling me is dangerous to the animal or a buyer.  Especially if they are talking to a customer and giving them dangerous or completely incorrect advice.


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## Nerri1029 (Feb 28, 2009)

I have one.

After a soccer tournament in a diff city I noticed a large pet store. 
A private one, that had a really large showroom.

My daughter needed to use the restroom, I noticed the herp room and a tank with an emperor, a tank with a corn snake. SO I ask the closest Emplyee "Do you have any Tarantulas?" 

he says "I'll check" 

he comes out and says "No we sold the one we had yesterday"

I respond " Ah, ok thanks. So do you just carry Rosies?"

He says "No, we carry both kinds, Rosies and Pink Toes"

I say "Oh ok"

I buy some coco-fiber bricks, as the rest of the store was very clean, smelled nice ( they bred loads of feeder rodents and other fancy rodents) 
just too bad they didn't know T's


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## JNG (Feb 28, 2009)

white_feather said:


> I had someone ask if salt-water fish need to be in salt water.


tell that some like pepper!


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## matthias (Feb 28, 2009)

Best Arachnid related one was I was at a pet store outside Chicago for work. Checked on their herp room and saw a nice big Emp scorpion. Then I noticed it was dead. Then I noticed it was on sand in a small KK (it only just fit in it)

I told an employee, and she told me "That's the third one that died I don't think we'll get any more"  I suggested keeping them on anything but sand and making sure they were moist. Her response was "oh no, they are from the desert and can't handle any water" 
I wonder why they all died...

But th best one was at a PetSmart, when they still carried big birds. I over heard an employee telling a customer all about his lovely White Amazon (it was really a Goffin Cockatoo there are NO white Amazons) and how you could tell the sex by the color of the it nostrils (nares) blue for boys, pink or flesh colored for girls. (this is only true for budgies) And she was the resident bird "Expert"


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## Drachenjager (Feb 28, 2009)

Bill S said:


> I busted up laughing when I read that. It reminded me of a conversation I had long ago - like back in the late '60s.  And any of you who remember the late '60s will probably appreciate the humor of the situation a little more.
> 
> I was sitting with a few friends who, like me, were into reptiles.  In particular, rattlesnakes.  The conversation was about what species we kept at home, what kinds we'd collected in the wild, where we'd seen them, etc.  Rather than using the Latin names for them, we were using the vernacular names that collectors applied - Mojave greens, red diamonds, Arizona blacks, speckleds (which come in a wide range of hues and tones), etc.  We hadn't really noticed the character sitting at a table close by, but he had noticed us.  And he overheard just enough of the conversation to get really interested.  Finally, he walked over to us and admitted he'd heard some of our conversation.  Then he said "You've been talking about Mojave greens, Arizona Blacks - all kinds of drugs I haven't tried.  You aren't selling any of that stuff are you?"  To be honest, I don't remember what kind of answer we gave him.  But we laughed about the possibilities for a long time afterwards.


I have tried Mojave greens before lol hmm well thats what we called them little green dots lol 
anyway Carry on troops
" Hey man, is there any more of that Plutonian nyborg left."


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## Drachenjager (Feb 28, 2009)

Endagr8 said:


> Wait, what is that lol. A t with girl hair, a hat and a straw? :? :? :?


looks like an african HAmas member lol


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## jr47 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well, Again I was stupid and asked a question at the pet store. Went in and they had what I thought was a T. blondie. But I had abrain fart and thought I would ask to make sure. She said, I am pretty sure its one of those big ones you know. I said you mean a T. blondie. She said yea one that gets really big but I dont know what its called.
             So, I went to the ass. manager and said do you know what that is for sure, He said yea its a bird spider. :wall:  So, I am fairly certain its a T. blondie so I think I may go get it tomorrow. It's about 4-5 inches and 30 bucks. Not a bad price. Looks very healthy and freshly molted.
             If I go get it tomorrow I think I will just go to the counter and say I want the big one. And if they look puzzled I will say you know the one that gets really big.;P


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## IrishPolishman (Feb 28, 2009)

hasani1408 said:


> My favorite is "If you are allergic to bees, tarantulas will kill you!" I have heard this at lps at least twice and my Dr. even gave me an epi pen when I told her we keep T's.


I wish my doctor would give me an Epi pen.  I was a bee keeper for Ohio State and always had one on me at all times.  It's just kinda weird for me to be around venomous creatures with no epi pen.  I teach all sorts of first aid courses at OSU and I think it's made me super worrysome even with all the education and knowledge i've obtained.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 1, 2009)

You know what I love? Customers that insult you while talking to each other in a foreign language that you happen to understand


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## Neophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> You know what I love? Customers that insult you while talking to each other in a foreign language that you happen to understand


That happened to me on a bus once >.>


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## kaydyn1512 (Mar 1, 2009)

Flower said:


> No point in getting snippy with someone who at least had the sense to admit he knew nothing and ask for help. I never get upset with people who are willing to learn, it's the ones who aren't...



I didn't actually say that to him!!!!!! I was just adding some dramatic effect for here. I wouldn't have been rude to him like that. Not my style.


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## Flower (Mar 1, 2009)

kaydyn1512 said:


> I didn't actually say that to him!!!!!! I was just adding some dramatic effect for here. I wouldn't have been rude to him like that. Not my style.


Nah, I figured you weren't outright rude to him. 

I just almost don't consider someone honestly asking for help the same as most of the stories on here of people who are wrong and think they are right and refuse to think anything else.  You get a lot of those at PetDUMB and PETCO. I have tons of stories, but seeing as they're mostly about ferrets I'll bite my tongue and share them somewhere more appropriate.


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## Sky`Scorcher (Mar 1, 2009)

*Yey for pet stores!*

Same thing happens to me, the whole make something up thing but I have to give some credit to the store keeper I buy my T's to although I'd rather do business with their boss.

They know the common names, temperament and such but one time another guy came in, looked around and saw the P.Regalis that I reserved. He asked if it  had any venom. The store keeper said "No, it doesn't have venom" and I just kept quiet  

I just want to answer their questions, so sometimes when I'm there to buy my crickets I handle their Huahini so the customers would ask me for correct info but thats just me wanting to share


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## Sathane (Mar 1, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> You know what I love? Customers that insult you while talking to each other in a foreign language that you happen to understand


This is hilarious!  I happen to speak 3 languages fluently and can speak 3 others marginally well so whenever this happens I let them finish their conversation then carry on what we were talking about before in their own language.  The look on their faces is always priceless.


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## Andrew273 (Mar 2, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> You know what I love? Customers that insult you while talking to each other in a foreign language that you happen to understand


I happened to take french in HS. Nice lady on the phone tried to scam a store I worked at while discussing said scam, in french on the phone.

No... I don't speak french anymore. It was something I haven't reinforced in a long time.


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## RoachGirlRen (Mar 2, 2009)

I was in a pet store once where someone who had purchased a rosehair there was complaining about its inactivity & disinterest in food. The employee suggested that they buy a UVB light for it as it might be suffering from MBD. 

Yes, let that one sink in for a moment.


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## Snuggles (Mar 2, 2009)

kaydyn1512 said:


> Ummm I bought a G rosea from them in August. I still have the receipt, I think, somewhere. As a matter of fact they have 1 juvi RIGHT NOW.. It was funny too, The resident "expert" admitted wholeheartedly he wasn't an expert at all and asked ME some questions. The juvi was molting when I got there and he looks at me says "there are 2 big crickets in there since yesterday and he hasn't eaten them, should I take them out?" Hmmmmm  :?  Let me consult the my magic eight ball. "The answer leans toward YES!!!!!"


The "specialists" in the reptile section at Petco are only trained in reptiles.  They don't even have the resources in the store to learn about tarantulas.  Really, I feel bad for them (employees _and _tarantulas).  If you get a chance, check out the Petco care sheets for the A. avicularia and the G. rosea.  They are exactly the same.


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## Sathane (Mar 2, 2009)

RoachGirlRen said:


> I was in a pet store once where someone who had purchased a rosehair there was complaining about its inactivity & disinterest in food. The employee suggested that they buy a UVB light for it as it might be suffering from MBD.
> 
> Yes, let that one sink in for a moment.


Must be that rare breed of tarantula with the fleshy body and an internal skeleton.

Perhaps I should be dusting my T crix with calcium powder.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 2, 2009)

Snuggles said:


> The "specialists" in the reptile section at Petco are only trained in reptiles.  They don't even have the resources in the store to learn about tarantulas.  Really, I feel bad for them (employees _and _tarantulas).  If you get a chance, check out the Petco care sheets for the A. avicularia and the G. rosea.  They are exactly the same.


And I'd like to point out that they don't have individual care sheets anymore.  They combined them into "tarantula"...lol it says feed them every other day...Jesus...One of the reasons why I quit that place.  I was the reptile "specialist" and you know what? The training books are all about how to sell the animal and hardly anything about the actual care of it.  Sad really.  PetSmart has better care sheets but the problem is that some of the employees don't bother looking at them.  

As far as the languages are concerned, I can understand some spanish but it is much harder for me to start spouting out conversations.  I can usually get the gist of the insult though lol. I'll listen what they have to say and just debunk them in english..


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## somethingbig (Mar 2, 2009)

i've gotta give credit to the petco near me. they ask me about how they should keep their Ts all the time. the rosies are all on bone dry substrate with a water dish and no sponges!! they are very humble, and they readily admit that they don't know much about Ts.

just this evening they referred to me as the T expert, and asked me how to sex a T. i made sure they knew that i'm no expert. i haven't been in this nearly the years some of you other guys have, but i'm working towards it.

of course i'm the only one "brave" enough to handle petco's rosies... ;P


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## Onagro (Mar 2, 2009)

This one happend at my local reptile/invert petshop.  My brother and I were selling some poison dart froglets and talking to the employees when 2 "customers" walked in and began to freak out about the "deadly" tarantulas & scorpions (to be fair, they did have a few deathstalkers...) we calmed them down and explained most of the T's were docile, calm, and safe pets.  One of them looks at me and remarks "Well, at least the spiders are safer than those poison dart-throwing frogs over there!"


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## LeilaNami (Mar 2, 2009)

somethingbig said:


> i've gotta give credit to the petco near me. they ask me about how they should keep their Ts all the time. the rosies are all on bone dry substrate with a water dish and no sponges!! they are very humble, and they readily admit that they don't know much about Ts.
> 
> just this evening they referred to me as the T expert, and asked me how to sex a T. i made sure they knew that i'm no expert. i haven't been in this nearly the years some of you other guys have, but i'm working towards it.
> 
> of course i'm the only one "brave" enough to handle petco's rosies... ;P


Those kind of people are few and far between.  Most of the time you get "I work in a pet store so I know more" attitudes.  I personally like to learn from my customers and we exchange information on animal care all the time.


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## Chilobrachys (Mar 3, 2009)

I once seen an H. lividum in a deli cup the size of its body, i felt bad that it couldn't move, but i also felt bad for whoever had to feed it.  They had a ton of Ts that where kept like this.


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## GrammatonCleric (Mar 3, 2009)

ReMoVeR said:


> That made me laugh like hell and... this:
> 
> 
> 
> made me go like  :wall:


This is the same LPS that took like 40 minutes to get an Avic Avic from a KK to a deli cup b/c the employees were afraid of it. I can only imagine them trying to rehouse an S Calc.


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## ReMoVeR (Mar 3, 2009)

GrammatonCleric said:


> This is the same LPS that took like 40 minutes to get an Avic Avic from a KK to a deli cup b/c the employees were afraid of it. I can only imagine them trying to rehouse an S Calc.


[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tX5h-IEBh08&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tX5h-IEBh08&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE] Kind of like this but without knowing that it would happen ;F xD


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## kaydyn1512 (Mar 3, 2009)

Snuggles said:


> The "specialists" in the reptile section at Petco are only trained in reptiles.  They don't even have the resources in the store to learn about tarantulas.  Really, I feel bad for them (employees _and _tarantulas).  If you get a chance, check out the Petco care sheets for the A. avicularia and the G. rosea.  They are exactly the same.



WHAT???? Wow, then it's not the "specialist" themselves but the ignorance of the chain. There should be a regulation that states if they can't teach PROPER care of any given animal in a pet shop then they can't carry it. Just amazes me.


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## Miss Bianca (Mar 3, 2009)

Thats awesomeeeeeeeeee........  thanks for sharing that!!!!


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## SCORPIONNOOB (Mar 3, 2009)

Where do I begin about my LPS and petco... hmmm... Well first off my very first scorpion I bought at my lps said that I needed a light, sand, and something for him to hide under... which would have been great except ITS AN EMPEROR! I tell her the mistake only to come back to find her selling the same *#*$@ thing to somebody else and I told the guy NO NO NO SAND! and explained why, therefore making the owner mad about not getting the sale on the sand.... rediculous... 

Down the road, After obtaining my first 5 scorpions I decide I was going to try out a T. So at petco I go and pick out a good looking rose hair... the "expert" tried to sell me everything in the store and was running his mouth about everything, trying to sell me lights, heat rock, blah blah blah.... I give up... Time to start ordering online.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 3, 2009)

I went in bought a scorp at Pet-o-rama a few months back.  When it came time to get him out of the enclosure, all the employees paused and looked at each other kind of in a "who's gonna take one for the team" way. I laughed and asked if they just wanted me to get it out.  The girl that was designated to get it was so thankful lol. I think she would have peed her pants.


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## GrammatonCleric (Mar 7, 2009)

That dude holding the S Calc is pretty insane.


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## MorbidPh8 (Mar 8, 2009)

Ok I have to add mine. Today I was in Petsmart buying crix. The clerk getting my crix asked "So what are you feeding?" I say "Tarantulas and scorpions." She looks at me wired and says "they can eat crickets?" Thank god they don't sell any arachnids. Lol .    My family used to own a small pet store. We carried mostly birds. We bred most of our stock, and my parents where involved in a lot of bird related orgs. So we knew about our animals. Sadly I rarely find any pets stores that are into the animals more than the profit.


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## jesters22 (Mar 8, 2009)

MorbidPh8 said:


> Sadly I rarely find any pets stores that are into the animals more than the profit.


thats wats wrong with the entire world.. not just the pet world.. but i think it directly affects the pet world more . bc lives are at stake that cant help themselves..


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## Endagr8 (Mar 8, 2009)

I bought crickets awhile ago at Petsmart. The guy that scooped them out and put them in a bag asked, "What are you feeding?"
I said, "A couple of tarantulas". 
He said "Would you like to get them calcium-dusted?"
I said no.
He then tried to tell me that calcium-deficient Tarantulas can get some kind of arthritis.    (I silently laughed to myself)
Unfortunately, I paid and left, without correcting him. Some of those people are quite the BS-ers.


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## Bill S (Mar 8, 2009)

Endagr8 said:


> ...He then tried to tell me that calcium-deficient Tarantulas can get some kind of arthritis.    (I silently laughed to myself)


The image of an arthritic tarantula hobbling along on four canes comes to mind....


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## MorbidPh8 (Mar 8, 2009)

I had my g/f stop by PetSmart once and get me some crickets. When she got home the crickets where ghostly white. So of course I had to give all the crickets showers. Lol I didn't know they offered that service. I also hate the fact they feed there crix gutload and water gel with reptile vitamins. I keep telling my girl if she would just let me breed roches we would no longer have to by crickets all the time. Lol


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## Lennie Collins (Mar 8, 2009)

I went into a pet here months ago and it had a 3 inch brachypelma boehmei for about $99. I asked the worker in the store if he knew it was male or female. He shouted "Definitely female because females are smaller than males"! I walked out quickly trying not to laugh and went to Zookeepers and bought a guaranteed 4 inch female for $74.


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## Neophyte (Mar 8, 2009)

You got a guaranteed female Boehmi for 70$???

I'm gonna cry x.x


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## Lennie Collins (Mar 8, 2009)

Neophyte said:


> You got a guaranteed female Boehmi for 70$???
> 
> I'm gonna cry x.x


I bought 10 of my current 20 tarantulas and 4 of my 6 scorpions from him so he gives me a deal every now and then!


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## Pastskater (Mar 8, 2009)

oh help, that is the expert's knowledge

oh god help me 

better days I hope would be out there, with my questions

great topic:razz:


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 8, 2009)

I remember I had an experience with my very first reptile purchase.

The store I went to is called Aquarium Discount.  It's a nice store and really knows their stuff on care or fish, reptiles, amphibians, and inverts, and birds.  When I bought a bearded dragon from them, I asked them the gender of my new pet, the guy looked at the base of the tail and said "Male."  I was a high school freshman at the time(you know how unintelligent of a bunch they can be ), so I took his word for it and brought it home.

Well my beardie died a few years later, and when the vet performed a necropsy, it turns out HE developed infertile EGGS, which wound up rupturing a blood vessel in HIS reproductive tract and caused HIM to die by internally bleed to death.

R.I.P. Irwin.  I miss you girl.


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## gambite (Mar 8, 2009)

Here is one that I heard from a fellow arachnid-enthusiast, NOT a LPS or vendor.

At the local reptile expo, I saw a woman looking at the tarantulas for sale at a table. She picked up a Cobalt Blue, and asked if she could see it. So the vendor lets her open the container and poke the T around a little. She then asks "Is it a female? You can tell because the females are smaller and dull-colored, like all tarantulas". She then went on to open the OBT's containers and poke them around. After all this, she settled on a P lugardi, saying it was her first tarantula and asking what kind of tank setups to use. I have bought from this vendor before, and honestly I felt like I was watching the blind lead the blind. Ironically, she did not touch the L parahybana that was there as well.

At that same expo, I got a chance to chat with another vendor about inverts, one that actually knew a thing or two about them and was not just peddling whatever seems profitable.


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## Flower (Mar 8, 2009)

There is a local pet store around here that is not very good. All these bimbos work there in the day, and if you go during that time and buy an arachnid they're a mixture of so scared/grossed out of them and so busy playing with the various overpriced mill dogs sold there that they just hand you the whole KK and water dish for no extra cost because they refuse to just remove the animal.

It kind of works favorably (free KK!), but their T's are kept in awful conditions so you still have to totally fix up the KK they were in.


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## Sathane (Mar 8, 2009)

Flower said:


> There is a local pet store around here that is not very good. *All these bimbos work there in the day*....


Where is this place located?  Address please.


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## somethingbig (Mar 8, 2009)

Lennie Collins said:


> I went into a pet here months ago and it had a 3 inch brachypelma boehmei for about $99. I asked the worker in the store if he knew it was male or female. He shouted "Definitely female because females are smaller than males"! I walked out quickly trying not to laugh and went to Zookeepers and bought a guaranteed 4 inch female for $74.


i love zookeepers!! that place is awesome! i have gotten some great deals on slings from these guys, and they really know what they're doing...


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## boonbear (Mar 9, 2009)

When i was 17 I got an iguana.  When i went to get it, i asked which would be the best.  The lady picked one that was going everywhere and said it would be.  Apparently it had the MOST energy, which was good.  And all I needed to feed it was lettuce (terrible for anyone that doesn't know better).  After 3 months of being bitten and tail-whipped, I sold it.  After that, I always got the one that acted like a rock.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 9, 2009)

boonbear said:


> When i was 17 I got an iguana.  When i went to get it, i asked which would be the best.  The lady picked one that was going everywhere and said it would be.  Apparently it had the MOST energy, which was good.  And all I needed to feed it was lettuce (terrible for anyone that doesn't know better).  After 3 months of being bitten and tail-whipped, I sold it.  After that, I always got the one that acted like a rock.


That makes me laugh.  My rescue iguana still plots to murder me in my sleep


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 9, 2009)

gambite said:


> Here is one that I heard from a fellow arachnid-enthusiast, NOT a LPS or vendor.
> 
> At the local reptile expo, I saw a woman looking at the tarantulas for sale at a table. She picked up a Cobalt Blue, and asked if she could see it. So the vendor lets her open the container and poke the T around a little. She then asks "Is it a female? You can tell because the females are smaller and dull-colored, like all tarantulas". She then went on to open the OBT's containers and poke them around. After all this, she settled on a P lugardi, saying it was her first tarantula and asking what kind of tank setups to use. I have bought from this vendor before, and honestly I felt like I was watching the blind lead the blind. Ironically, she did not touch the L parahybana that was there as well.
> 
> At that same expo, I got a chance to chat with another vendor about inverts, one that actually knew a thing or two about them and was not just peddling whatever seems profitable.


where was the expo?  if this was Havre de Grace I'm gonna cry because i used to love that show when i was younger.  i havent been there in ages


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## allie (Mar 9, 2009)

I was at the Havre De Grace show in february, it was terrible. o__o


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## wedge07 (Mar 9, 2009)

I have actually had pretty good experience with my lps, other than the prices,  the young girl behind the counter actually knew quite a bit about T's and had no problem handling them.


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## jasen&crystal (Mar 9, 2009)

i hope you let him know,its our resposibilty to teach them or they will just keep fing up and passing bad care tips that is sad !





LadyPharaoh said:


> Stopped by LPS where I bought my first T (Rosie) to get crickets a few weeks ago and thought I'd take a look at their Ts.  The person I spoke with said they didn't have any right then because he "came to work a couple days ago and found their last one on it's back dead and threw it in the trash". :wall:  Oh, but they had two or three on order so I should come back at the end of the week.


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## Miss Bianca (Mar 9, 2009)

Bill S said:


> The image of an arthritic tarantula hobbling along on four canes comes to mind....



LMAO!!!



---------------------------------------------


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 9, 2009)

allie said:


> I was at the Havre De Grace show in february, it was terrible. o__o


I've never had a bad experience there.  I bought a Cal King and Ball Python from there back in 2003 and they're doing just fine.  Must've changed since then.


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## Miss Bianca (Mar 9, 2009)

jasen&crystal said:


> i hope you let him know,its our resposibilty to teach them or they will just keep fing up and passing bad care tips that is sad !


I agree w/ this, only problem is they're not always willing to listen or admit they lack knowledge and be 'wrong'...


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## Sathane (Mar 9, 2009)

Yup, more often than not they just give you 'the look' and carry on as usual.  After all, who are you to tell a *pet store employee* how to care for pets?
Once they have their name badge on they are experts on every animal in the store whether they can properly pronounce the name or not.

I have run into a few that are genuinely interested in getting proper information though but these are few and far between.


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## Neophyte (Mar 9, 2009)

I was actually really impressed with my local pet store. They changed the chunky wood into peat substrate and gave them hides! Now I just have to convince them to get rid of the sponges in the water bowls, take out the crickets after at least 24 hours and turn the hides *away* from the front window.


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## the_mask86 (Mar 9, 2009)

well, right here in malaysia where i live, pet stores are genuinely money-making machines. they don't actually care about ANY of their animals, and all they have in their minds are profit-profit-profit.

i've even heard pet store employees giving ridiculously wrong information to potential customers just to close a deal/impress chicks.

for example,

a brazilian giant white knee adult, housed on woodchips, with maybe 15 crickets in its enclosure, under the sun.

another was mexican firelegs, probably 5th/6th instars, powerfed to the max, housed on wood chips as well. reason given? "i feed everyday cos that way they'll grow faster; and people buy bigger tarantulas so i can jack up the price." 
yes, every single word from the petstore owner.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 9, 2009)

If you want to talk about purposefully giving out misinformation about an animal just to sell it, well, I've got three words for you:  Red Eared Slider


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## Neophyte (Mar 9, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> If you want to talk about purposefully giving out misinformation about an animal just to sell it, well, I've got three words for you:  Red Eared Slider


Huh?


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## Flower (Mar 9, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Where is this place located?  Address please.


Far away from where you are.  But if you visit the area ever send me a PM, I can tell you exactly where it is.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 10, 2009)

Neophyte said:


> Huh?


Just that Red Eared Slider vendors are notorious for giving out misinformation for a sale.  Such as they only get the size of your hand (the get up to 12"), they can live in a fish bowl (if it's a 75gallon fish bowl maybe) just idiotic stuff like that.  I get the pleasure of correcting people every friggin day because they bought a turtle without researching it first.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 10, 2009)

LeilaNami said:


> Just that Red Eared Slider vendors are notorious for giving out misinformation for a sale.  Such as they only get the size of your hand (the get up to 12"), they can live in a fish bowl (if it's a 75gallon fish bowl maybe) just idiotic stuff like that.  I get the pleasure of correcting people every friggin day because they bought a turtle without researching it first.


gaaah the notorious RES.  They've established a population in the lake by my house in NJ because of all the egg-nar-ah-mooses who've released them thinking they belong in the wild. :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: 

It''s not just red ears that get a bad rep.....almost all turtles do.  I don't get where people got the brilliant idea that an animal will only grow as big as the tank it's in.  If that's the case...if I ever have kids I'll toss 'em in a 40 gallon breeder tank...that way I don't have to worry about them growing up and going to college!


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## Sathane (Mar 10, 2009)

Flower said:


> Far away from where you are.  But if you visit the area ever send me a PM, I can tell you exactly where it is.


Yah, Everything is far away from where I am.


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## Flower (Mar 10, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Yah, Everything is far away from where I am.


Aw.  *huggles*


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## Neophyte (Mar 10, 2009)

Sathane said:


> Yah, Everything is far away from where I am.


I'm not far from where you are


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## Sathane (Mar 10, 2009)

Neophyte said:


> I'm not far from where you are


haha... 

You're about 4 hours away from me according to MapQuest.  The Mapquest time to Sathane driving time conversion normally works out to about 45 minutes on the hour so I could make it to you in just over 3 hours.  You'd need to be offering some seriously kickass Ts for me to make that trip. 

The closest I could go to get any decent assortment of Ts in Toronto - still over 2 hours away. :wall:


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## Neophyte (Mar 10, 2009)

Hey it's not as far as the States though! xD
I don't really have any T's to sell though :<
But I could pick up slings from TCanada if ever you wanna meet me halfway


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## Sathane (Mar 10, 2009)

Neophyte said:


> But I could pick up slings from TCanada if ever you wanna meet me halfway


That's actually a pretty good idea since my last order from TC was lost by the carrier for a day and resulted in three casualties.

So much for guaranteed next day delivery.  Not TC's fault at all, they did everything perfectly and packing was awesome but one sling attempted a molt in transit and the other two were just dead.  Possibly not due to the delay but I'm blaming that anyway.


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## gambite (Mar 11, 2009)

ScottySalticid said:


> where was the expo?  if this was Havre de Grace I'm gonna cry because i used to love that show when i was younger.  i havent been there in ages


Yeah, it was the Havre de Grace one. It is a reptile expo, so the invert stock is really limited. The only guy I really trust there that sells them is Turtle X-ing, and I think almost half of my current collection has come from him (doesnt mean I wont still buy from other people, of course; some very unimpressive dealers gave me a 5" B boehmi for $80!). Have gotten B smithi, 5 G rosea RCF, 3 H paucidens, B jacksoni, H arizonensis, one of my H mac's. Well, maybe not half but a decent amount. Last month he had B smithi and B albopilosum slings, I regret not getting some of the latter... 

Overall, I think its a decent expo, but since it is monthly the amount of vendors and people vending will vary widely between months, and years. I have been going almost every month for the past 6-7 months, and always find SOMETHING to spend some money on, and its the only place around me that you can get non-LPS stock. Almost all of my current collection has come from it at one point or another. I have gotten a 1.1 pair of H mac for $24, 3 C fasciatum and 2 N chromatus slings for $40, that previously mentioned 5" B boehmi for $80, 1" A genic for $20, tons of RCF G rosea, etc. But maybe I shouldnt be saying all this, because now I will have to fight you guys for it all


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## JNG (Mar 11, 2009)

Endagr8 said:


> I bought crickets awhile ago at Petsmart. The guy that scooped them out and put them in a bag asked, "What are you feeding?"
> I said, "A couple of tarantulas".
> He said "Would you like to get them calcium-dusted?"
> I said no.
> ...


And, dont forget to soak them in beer for an hour on weekends. so your T's can get drunk.


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## Neophyte (Mar 12, 2009)

Sathane said:


> That's actually a pretty good idea since my last order from TC was lost by the carrier for a day and resulted in three casualties.
> 
> So much for guaranteed next day delivery.  Not TC's fault at all, they did everything perfectly and packing was awesome but one sling attempted a molt in transit and the other two were just dead.  Possibly not due to the delay but I'm blaming that anyway.


I'll keep you posted on my trips to Ottawa/Toronto and we'll see if we can arrange something!


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## Sathane (Mar 12, 2009)

Neophyte said:


> I'll keep you posted on my trips to Ottawa/Toronto and we'll see if we can arrange something!



Awesome! Sounds good.


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## ZergFront (Jun 6, 2009)

*Lmfao!!*



JNG said:


> And, dont forget to soak them in beer for an hour on weekends. so your T's can get drunk.


 Haha, awesome. I haven't been to a LPS for over 6 months. We get our pets' food from PetCo Depo and they don't sell pets - just crickets and worms. I can't even remember how my LPS's arachnid setups were. All I remember was looking at a Mexican redknee and my mom saying "Don't _even_ think about it." X-D

And for the BTW, DO NOT purchase anything other than oscars or pet food from Walmart's fish section! I wasted so much money on fancy guppies and angelfish there, it's not worth it. I've seen dead fish that haven't been removed for over a day in some tanks. Every fish EXCEPT the oscars (that is one tough S.O.B. of a fish. Mine would eat little pieces of steak or whole mealworms and haven't gotten any disease!  ) would get some kind of disease - mostly ich and the medicine drops sold there didn't work. >.<


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## Mack&Cass (Jun 6, 2009)

My mother-in-law was in our LPS (Pet Valu) and there was a kid there who was interested in buying a G. rosea. The employee told the kid to always wear TWO pairs of working gloves when handling a T. Yeah. Even my mother-in-law who has only been exposed to them for 5 months knew that was wrong. I used to work there and whenever I'd tell them what they were doing wrong they would just say "well that's the way we do it here". Useless.


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## VESPidA (Jun 8, 2009)

when i first went to petco to buy some enclosures, one of the associates recommended that i continually tear down the roses' webs so that they wouldn't be 'bored' and would have something to do.  she wasn't too familiar with the saying that 'a happy T is a still T' lol.  or that roses don't really web that much, either.


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## satanslilhelper (Jun 9, 2009)

I was told yesterday by a superpetz employee that their haplopelma sp. "vietnam"  was a rosehair. I asked what the seller sold it to them as and they said assorted t's. My favorite part was when they went to fill out the care info. and I asked them how they know what it needs if they don't know what it is. They stopped writing and just gave me the piece of paper to sign.:wall:


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## ZergFront (Jul 18, 2009)

JayzunBoget said:


> "Do you have anything that I don't really have to feed? I mean, maybe I could just throw some grass in their or something?"


 I would've said, "Sorry, we're fresh out of pet rocks."



jr47 said:


> So, lesson learned. Watch out for explodeing spiders. I would hate for one to go off in my hand.


 I'm not worried yet. My jumping spiders would probably just pop in my hand, not explode. ;P 



CRX said:


> There was also a small anaconda there that starved to death because the employees were too scared to feed it.


 Wait, it's legal to sell anacondas where u are!?  My area wouldn't permit it.



JNG said:


> tell that some like pepper!


 LMFAO!!  



matthias said:


> I told an employee, and she told me "That's the third one that died I don't think we'll get any more"  I suggested keeping them on anything but sand and making sure they were moist. Her response was "oh no, they are from the desert and can't handle any water"
> I wonder why they all died...


 That's a mystery I think will never be solved...  :liar: 



Bill S said:


> The image of an arthritic tarantula hobbling along on four canes comes to mind....


 Another awesome image. Think u can photoshop that one, too? LOL!



ScottySalticid said:


> gaaah the notorious RES.  They've established a population in the lake by my house in NJ because of all the egg-nar-ah-mooses who've released them thinking they belong in the wild. :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:
> 
> It''s not just red ears that get a bad rep.....almost all turtles do.  I don't get where people got the brilliant idea that an animal will only grow as big as the tank it's in.  If that's the case...if I ever have kids I'll toss 'em in a 40 gallon breeder tank...that way I don't have to worry about them growing up and going to college!


 Too many good ones on here to pick a favorite.


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## jrmrbcax (Jul 18, 2009)

It's legal to sell yellow anacondas in pet stores in Florida but you can't sell green ones.



ZergFront said:


> Wait, it's legal to sell anacondas where u are!?  My area wouldn't permit it..


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## violentblossom (Jul 18, 2009)

The guy at Petco told my mom to feed her Rosie pinkies every month.


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## Steve Calceatum (Jul 18, 2009)

*Some people's kids.....*

I was on my way home from work once, and in a hurry. I had a bunch of errands to run, and still had to get about a half-dozen crickets and run them home before I could take care of business. I stopped in at Scamp's (a mall pet-store), and placed my order. The guy asked if I wanted them "calci-dusted," and I politely declined. This future Mensa-candidate came back all proud of himself saying how he "talked to his boss, and got them calci-dusted FOR FREE," because he "just KNEW that my hang up with him doing that was the cost!!!" I smiled and gave him the appreciation for his excellent service, and customer retention skills.......However, told him that I had asked him not to dust them because it can potentially cause problems with tarantulas, and I'd rather avoid trouble if it can be prevented. Then this little Einstein gets indignant and starts arguing with me about how calcium is necessary, and they feed all their T's this way. I just shook my head, and pointed out the two dead rosies I noticed in the store display, and said "I see it worked wonders for those two!!"


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## Bill S (Jul 18, 2009)

violentblossom said:


> The guy at Petco told my mom to feed her Rosie pinkies every month.


Maybe that's what gives them the rosie coloration?  

More likely they hoped to sell her pinkies at higher prices than crickets.


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## violentblossom (Jul 18, 2009)

Bill S said:


> Maybe that's what gives them the rosie coloration?
> 
> More likely they hoped to sell her pinkies at higher prices than crickets.


 

What's more, is that she was very ready to take his advice. I got her into T's in the first place, so I'm glad that I'm around to tell her the basic rights and wrongs, but geez. There should really be a law somewhere that requires pet stores to know what in the hell they're talking about.


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## Venari (Jul 19, 2009)

I rescued a Rosie from "lil Critters", an LPS that has two locations in my city.  The store manager told me I was wrong when I said their water dishes should be sponge free.  Their tank was too bright, no hides available, and wood chip sub.

All this was at the behest of their "long time breeder with 10 years experience".  Right.


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## KenW (Jul 19, 2009)

xsyorra said:


> Then this little Einstein gets indignant and starts arguing with me about how calcium is necessary, and they feed all their T's this way. I just shook my head, and pointed out the two dead rosies I noticed in the store display, and said "I see it worked wonders for those two!!"


Perfect response!


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## ZergFront (Jul 19, 2009)

Originally Posted by xsyorra  
Then this little Einstein gets indignant and starts arguing with me about how calcium is necessary, and they feed all their T's this way. I just shook my head, and pointed out the two dead rosies I noticed in the store display, and said "I see it worked wonders for those two!!" 



 That is just too awesome, xsyorra! LPS worker gets owned by customer.


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