Do I even bother with Petco?

Rigor Mortis

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
498
Hey all,

I was at a Petco in the next city over to get stuff for my cat and I noticed they had some vacant tarantula enclosures. I've actually gotten a T from this Petco before (I know, I know. He was days from moulting and I felt like someone was gonna accidentally kill him if I didn't take him lol, no regrets) and they used to actually be pretty decent with their set ups, for a box store at least. Well now those enclosures have wood chips in as substrate. Last time I went in they had coco fibre. Do I even bother to tell them this is grossly inappropriate for the spiders they expect to put in there? Part of me is certain they will not care, but I'm interested to hear what you guys think.
 

daftpatience

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
0
my sister used to work at a big chain pet store. at least in her case - the rules for keeping the animals came from higher up in the chain, and they weren't allowed to adjust them. it's possible some of the employees even know better already but aren't able to do anything on an individual basis. might still be worth a try talking to a store manager or seeing who to contact above that, but yeah, chances are they won't really listen. sad sad : (
 

Matt Man

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
1,685
they are a client of mine, I am trying to find a way to speak to somebody to change some of their SOPs
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
To Matt‘s point better to contact the corporate office because the SOP. The SOP is the driver that changes things chain-wide; each store is to provide the same customer experience which means everything is supposed to look and feel the same no matter what location you go to as a customer.
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
498
they are a client of mine, I am trying to find a way to speak to somebody to change some of their SOPs
Please do. I've emailed them dozens of times and publicly shamed them on social medias. They keep putting reptile keepers in charge of their Ts without any training and won't fix the T care guide on their website.

To Matt‘s point better to contact the corporate office because the SOP. The SOP is the driver that changes things chain-wide; each store is to provide the same customer experience which means everything is supposed to look and feel the same no matter what location you go to as a customer.
Absolutely. Managers can only do so much and regular store employees aren't able to make any changes at all. It's customers who need to complain to corporate to get things done.
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
I’ve tried something similar. It fell on deaf ears. Explained how what I think they should do would even make them more profits. No one cared
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Dec 8, 2006
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17,851
seeing stories about big box stores all the time for decades, you think one more complaint will change corporate goals for profits???
 

Sterls

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
449
Can't hurt to try, but your efforts will be moot as soon as the kid currently in charge of their care quits.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
703
The only thing the investors and suits can comprehend is a deviation down in stocks or revenue. Buying an ailing animal from them only bolsters a need to resupply that inventory, not change how it is kept. It's gross and it should feel gross, but the only way is to let it be. If it dies and they don't see ROI on all that sh.. stuff. They will light the garbage bonfires of Gondor. They will call for aid, but if we don't buy their chaff they will stop investing in it. I love Petco's adoption weekend stuff, so I volunteer my services. There are a thousand more reputable places just aching to find a home for equally willing animals. Diatribe over.
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,496
I think it is more of a case of cost to maintain them correctly, but a case of them getting the wrong advice from advisors further up the ladder. I mean, those wood chips are probably a product like Repti-Bark, which is likely comparable to price to Eco-Earth. The chain store I am familiar with for the most part uses appropriate substrates.

Substrate depth is debatable. As has been pointed out in other threads similar to this one, it should be conceded that the stores are there to make a profit. And it is a little difficult to sell something the customer can not see. So, the only real option is to provide a hiding place that allows for the animal to be seen with a minimun of disturbance and risk to the animal. Digging something up would not be included in that method.
There are other issues that have more merit for complaint, I don't think that substrate depth is one of them.
However, the potential purchaser should be advised that they need to use more substrate along with the reason why.
 

DomGom TheFather

Arachnoprince
Arachnosupporter
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Apr 26, 2020
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1,975
Peat moss is cheap.
They could change substrate and probably save money but the depth kind of has to be shallow. Even if a customer wanted to buy something they can't see, someone has to dig it up.
 

Smotzer

ArachnoGod
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Jan 17, 2020
Messages
5,275
As hard as it is, to override your love for them, by purchasing you are supporting them, which will only keep purchasing in to sell, wild caught specimens and kept in horrible enclosures. I personally do not support them. Its hard, but for me it is right.
 

Dry Desert

Arachnoprince
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1,552
As hard as it is, to override your love for them, by purchasing you are supporting them, which will only keep purchasing in to sell, wild caught specimens and kept in horrible enclosures. I personally do not support them. Its hard, but for me it is right.
This will never change. Any retailer that is selling any animal wants that animal/ invert on maximum display. They don't want T's webbed up, or scorpions in nice deep burrows, they provide minilistic displays that provide maximum visibility. The store is not interested in correct, only moving things along to make way for fresh stock. Unfortunately this will never change as long as the accountant makes the final decision.
 

ApexApinkPanda

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
110
This will never change. Any retailer that is selling any animal wants that animal/ invert on maximum display. They don't want T's webbed up, or scorpions in nice deep burrows, they provide minimalist displays that provide maximum visibility. The store is not interested in correct, only moving things along to make way for fresh stock. Unfortunately this will never change as long as the accountant makes the final decision.
This couldn't be more true. Any place that labels something as Basic Assorted Trantula have no idea what they are doing nor do they care.
 

Smotzer

ArachnoGod
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Ooooi it’s assorted and rare.....can’t wait to not know what I have :troll: CF7FB2B7-C668-4F6A-BA2A-9BC20F8C8E62.jpeg
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
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This couldn't be more true. Any place that labels something as Basic Assorted Trantula have no idea what they are doing nor do they care.
My favorite is when they label them fancy tarantula. I see the pic above me has it labeled as fancy on the tag haha..
 

ApexApinkPanda

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
110
Exactly, it would take so little effort to put a proper label. Can you Imagine. "What kind of Tarantula did you get?" "I got a Basic Assorted FANCY Tarantula! Anyone know what genus that is. I'd like to learn about it." I got there 1 page pamphlet on Tarantula care and 50% of it was actually wrong.
 
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