How to Save a Life, or: I rescued three Ts from Petsmart today.

[annanlove19]

I understand and agree with a lot of what you guys are saying. They are going to continue selling these T's. What I would like to see, and I have tried recently and before, is to be able to educate them about the care of these animals....update care sheets properly.....ect. But, my problem with these companies is that they simply will not listen, do not care, will not budge.

I would like to apologize to the OP. I didn't mean to hijack your thread. That was not my intention. I hold your rescue in the highest esteem and value the fact that there are people like you on this Earth.....we need more. This is just one of those situations in life that I feel fairly powerless to fight. It makes my blood boil whether it be tarantulas, snakes, poodles, or whatever being mistreated. I feel they need to be accountable for the care of ALL animals they sell, not just the cute and fluffy ones.

Again annanlove19, my apologies and congrats on making these 3 live a better life.

Damon

Aww, thanks! I actually just said that this thread took a really interesting direction and learning about and hearing different opinions gives me a lot of new, important information, so no apologies needed! I'm really glad I get to learn more about this, and hopefully use the information to help figure out how best to approach contacting Petsmart and/or the Better Business Bureau. There's so much to know and this is such an important issue for me, so thank you <3

---------- Post added 01-04-2015 at 12:06 PM ----------

I help animals whenever I can. I've recused dozens of turtles and tortoises on the roads, and had 15 local outside cats spayed/neutered so they wouldn't keep reproducing and starving (and years later I'm still feeding them). If we don't step up and save a life, many times no one will. Whatever else, it certainly makes all the difference in the world to the animal we save.

I actually just signed up to volunteer at a local animal shelter! I have orientation on the 8th and I'm a little concerned because of my health issues, but I'm hoping they'll be willing to work with me so I can help without injuring myself. I can't bring anymore animals into the house, so giving my time at a shelter is the best form of rescue I can do. Even if it's just cleaning litter boxes or doing paperwork, every little thing helps an animal in need.

---------- Post added 01-04-2015 at 12:07 PM ----------

Wow,now that is mature and honest. May I just say,I respect that fully takes a lot to step up. In the end,doesn't matter how we disagree on how we do get to the same view but we all do agree about how this disgusts us. Just imagine we worked all together,that would be awesome.

+1 agree; good, nice, respectful people on the internet give me hope for humanity.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I think critters like tarantulas in pet stores are what the retail game calls "loss leaders". That is the practice of having items that they run on sale at a loss to draw customers, with the intention of making up the loss through the sale of other items, as has been mentioned upthread. It is sort of twisted that a living thing would be considered a "loss leader", but that's the way retail works, I guess.

In regard to employee rules at chain pet stores, the last time I bought crickets, I had to wait for the clerk. As I waited, I stood and read a poster behind the cricket containers. It described the process of what to do when a shipment of crickets arrived, make sure they have water and food, remove dead ones, etc. I noted two things in particular. First, instruction to accurately count the crickets was emphasised about three times on the list. Secondly, it instructed to satisfy the accurate count, press the baggie flat in order to keep the crickets still in order to be able to get an accurate count. I've watched them do this, and I've wondered if the pressure exerted on the bugs might not result in internal injuries. It seems that I have a higher mortality rate than I did before they started cracking down on the counting process. In the older days, I'd receive a sometimes substantial over count, but not so much these days.
Which brings me to another notion. I'm pretty sure that the suppliers provide the stores with a considerable over-count. I don't really think they stand to take a huge loss, though I suppose it could add up over numerous customers.

 

[annanlove19]

Update on the rescues:

James (G. rosea) has been an unstoppable drinking machine. I got rid of the sponges right away and gave them water dishes, and they all needed to be topped up by the time I went to bed, and then this morning I needed to refill his again. If absolutely nothing else, that makes me 100% certain I did the right thing in taking them home.

Matthew (A. avic) loves his climbing leaves. I've seen him in at least three different spots and countless positions, exploring, being upside down, right side up, moving the leaves around, just generally having a blast. I'm so happy :love:

Nothing specific to report on Oliver (G. rosea). He likes squishing himself between his hide (half a hollow log) and the terrarium wall. He's cute

I can also officially tell James and Oliver apart! James is darker, like a really deep chestnut brown, and Oliver is lighter, like a walnut brown (apparently I only know how to describe browns in terms of nuts xD).

So yes, all is well in fuzzbutt land. Just thought you might like an update ^_^

 

[problemchildx]

Good to hear they are doing well! I think that they are probably G porteri though.

Did you actually see them drink? I always get a kick out of it.

 

[cold blood]

Update on the rescues:

James (G. rosea) has been an unstoppable drinking machine. I got rid of the sponges right away and gave them water dishes, and they all needed to be topped up by the time I went to bed, and then this morning I needed to refill his again. If absolutely nothing else, that makes me 100% certain I did the right thing in taking them home.

I've bought I think 5 t's from pet stores and the one common denominator amongst all of them was that every one went right to the water when I got them home. Literally, every one! Makes you feel bad, but happy to have changed their life for the better.

Funny to see Tim mention the cricket "rules" at his lps, cause every cricket I have ever bought over the last 15 years has acted like they were starved and parched. The last ones I got the other day came in a bag with that water gel crap. I'm convinced that that stuff just isn't adequate for an inverts long term survival. Despite being loaded with this gel, they still FLOCKED to the small water dish I provided, just like the LPS t's.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

That is usually the case when I buy them despite the rules. I imagine that the accurate count rule is the only one strictly adhered to.

 

[annanlove19]

Good to hear they are doing well! I think that they are probably G porteri though.

Did you actually see them drink? I always get a kick out of it.

Oh hmm! I'm not sure. I'll try to get good pictures soon, but I'm also trying to let them be and make sure they're comfortable and enjoying life not in a pet store with a million people poking them nonstop.

And I didn't quite see him drinking, but I saw him perched over the water bowl and looking up directly at me like "EXCUSE U I WAS BUSY PLS TO MOVE ALONG KTHNX" and it was so cute xD

 

[DVMT]

Oh hmm! I'm not sure. I'll try to get good pictures soon, but I'm also trying to let them be and make sure they're comfortable and enjoying life not in a pet store with a million people poking them nonstop.

And I didn't quite see him drinking, but I saw him perched over the water bowl and looking up directly at me like "EXCUSE U I WAS BUSY PLS TO MOVE ALONG KTHNX" and it was so cute xD

I think their only choice is to look UP at you! [emoji14]

---------- Post added 01-06-2015 at 08:40 PM ----------

I think their only choice is to look UP at you! [emoji14]

Maybe thats why I love tarantulas...they never look down on you!

 

[annanlove19]

Hey all! Thought I'd give an update on the rescues. They're all doing great is the short version, but for more read on!

James and Oliver are super social, possibly because they're my biggest Ts and that's how spiders who aren't slings act. James is out almost all the time, and Oliver splits his time maybe 60/40 out/hide. James has a mat of webbing down but has for a week or so and shows no other signs of molting, so I think he did it for funsies. He's also been eating like a monster, something I did not expect from a rosie. He has a super strong feeding response, it's so cool to watch. He had two roaches in his mouth at the same time a bit ago, and aside from the oozing dubia guts everywhere, it was the most awesome. Oliver is more what I was expecting; I don't think he's eaten here yet, though I can't be absolutely positive. I've tried roaches and crickets, both alive and dead, and I can say for sure he's not eating the crickets, but of course I can't be certain about the roaches without digging up his space, and I'm not doing that. Regardless, he's not shrivelling away or anything even close, so I'm sure he's fine.

Matthew is Mattie! I managed a (fairly) good quality picture of her sitting on the glass of her enclosure, posted it here, and voila! Female! *dances* She doesn't like roaches or living crickets but scooped up one with its head smooshed in right away, so I guess that's the plan for now. It grosses me out a little tbh, but eh, I signed up for this. I don't mind so much, it's more the thought than doing the actual thing. Today she started to make a web and I am so so so so so psyched! I got to see her doing it for a while too, with the little butt dance/shake that's so incredibly cute, and now she's hanging out with a few pink toes on it and the rest on the glass/leaves.

So yeah! Everyone is doing great and I'm so happy I rescued my rescues. They bring joy and light into my life every single day <3

:love: :love: :love:

 

[cold blood]

op is in Boston...that ac unit won't be turned on for at least 5 months I'd bet.

@Jerry, what is it you need clarification on....a/c units are not used in winter, how much more can that be clarified?

 

[edgeofthefreak]

^ I want to guess that there was a post between the one above mine, and the one above it from just over a year ago.

But another part of me thinks @cold blood is just having random conversations with himself.

 

[cold blood]

^ I want to guess that there was a post between the one above mine, and the one above it from just over a year ago.

But another part of me thinks @cold blood is just having random conversations with himself.

See post #10. Jerry clicked the "clarification please" icon, which sent me an alert. He just clicked it today, which is why I responded today. The post I quoted was the one Jerry wanted clarification on.

 

[Jerry]

Hey guys I have no idea about the clarification thing must have hit it on accendent man sorry

 

[edgeofthefreak]

See post #10. Jerry clicked the "clarification please" icon, which sent me an alert. He just clicked it today, which is why I responded today. The post I quoted was the one Jerry wanted clarification on.

Oh wow! Sorry, but none of that was apparent to me! Maybe I should have used the clarification button?


I'll show myself out now...

 

[Coconana]

Well, thank you guys for digging up this interesting thread! I spent quite a bit of time giving it a read-through, and I was actually really happy to see that everybody was polite and a good discussion was had

 

[saturnthegrey]

Regardless of whether or not some think it is a good think or some think its bad to buy tarantulas from these shops... when some people see them being treated wrong they cant help but to buy them. Despite what certain opinions and disaprovals may be some of us just dont have the heart to walk away from a tragedy. Not one opinion is the same as anothers so there is no use trying to dictate what is right or wrong when the true right thing to do is what lies in the heart. I think if your heart is in the right place then your decisions are just no matter what others may say.
A good person is a good person because they do what they feel they must and that is just fine.

 

[lalberts9310]

I have a tendency to hit the like, dislike, agree and disagree buttons by accident

 

[Jerry]

Yea I was confused when o saw my name I have hit them as well there should be a menu you have to open to prevent that from happening lol

 

[WildPortraitArtist]

Glad that you saved them out of those horrible conditions The poor things. Is there no animal welfare authority that you can report them to?