PetsMart to start selling Ts and Scorps

[Amelia]

I was at PetsMart this afternoon, just because I was in the area, and started talking to one of the cashiers. When I told him what I kept he informed me that they would soon be selling Tarantulas and Scorpions. Thought this would interest some of you, in case you had not already found out.

 

[Scoolman]

I was at PetsMart this afternoon, just because I was in the area, and started talking to one of the cashiers. When I told him what I kept he informed me that they would soon be selling Tarantulas and Scorpions. Thought this would interest some of you, in case you had not already found out.

That is just sad. The big box pet stores do not care for their live animals. Their profit comes from supplies not the animals. As a result, they tend to neglect the animals.

 

[Imbrium]

The PetSmarts near me always have good, healthy looking animals and clean cages/tanks. If any chain is going to carry them, I would rather it be PetSmart. To be honest though, I'd be pretty surprised if they started carrying them. It's always been against their corporate policy to carry venemous animals of any kind.

 

[Redneck]

I actually will defend my PetSmart to.. They keep animal the way it should be kept.. They already have snakes, lizards, frogs, ect.. ect.... I might have to go up to mine & see if they plan on getting tarantulas..

 

[Scoolman]

I suppose the management makes a big difference.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Yeah, I've always found Petsmarts better maintained than Petcos.

 

[Scoolman]

Yeah, I've always found Petsmarts better maintained than Petcos.

I would agree with that.

 

[DrJonnyD]

My petsmart already has rosies and avic avics. They look healthy but that doesn't mean the impulse buyers are. Plus think of the strain on the populations. It's all about supply and demand with the bid guys.

 

[thebugfreak]

yeah petsmart actually has clean animals. sometimes cleaner than privately owned family businesses selling inverts and animals. from my observation, big chain corps are cleaner than most of the individual stores because one bad store can ruin the whole company. so they are pretty strict on customer satisfaction and make sure that the animals are clean.

i'm not saying that the family stores down at the corners are unsanitary and bad. im just saying that when i walk into a petsmart, the stores do seem a lot more organized and cleaner. but when it comes to inverts, i wouldnt be suprised if they dont know as much as ken the bugguy or paul or anyone else on the boards.

 

[KoffinKat138]

It might actually be a good thing. If there setups are legit,it could be bringing more people into the hobby on how to some what properly care for them, instead of people just bringing them home and throwing them in with sand with a sponge.

 

[Amelia]

My petsmart already has rosies and avic avics. They look healthy but that doesn't mean the impulse buyers are. Plus think of the strain on the populations. It's all about supply and demand with the bid guys.

I wonder how you would find out who would be supplying the spiders/where the spiders are coming from? I wonder if they would be truthful in what they said if they were asked? If they would "assure" you that the individuals being sold in their stores are captive bred or if they would admit to selling WC if they were.

 

[AbraxasComplex]

I worked for a Petsmart for a year. The front of the store may be clean, but customers have no idea how many animals end up dying or in the ICU/isolation rooms (yes that is plural). This wasn't just my store, this happens at nearly all of them. We were even considered to have the best Specialty department in the city by head management yet had multiple animals die each week...

I even got in trouble for "caring about the reptiles too much" after I voiced my concern to head management about 30 house geckos in a 2.5 gallon and 20 green anoles and 15 long-tailed grass lizards in a 10 gallon together. We had nearly 50% die off in 3 days even when I separated them as best I could (which resulted in them being reintroduced together).

My shifts were cut, and the remainder was in stock. I was their most knowledgeable staff member in Specialty, but was punished for caring about the animals.

 

[DemonAsh]

I worked for a Petsmart for a year. The front of the store may be clean, but customers have no idea how many animals end up dying or in the ICU/isolation rooms (yes that is plural). This wasn't just my store, this happens at nearly all of them. We were even considered to have the best Specialty department in the city by head management yet had multiple animals die each week...

I even got in trouble for "caring about the reptiles too much" after I voiced my concern to head management about 30 house geckos in a 2.5 gallon and 20 green anoles and 15 long-tailed grass lizards in a 10 gallon together. We had nearly 50% die off in 3 days even when I separated them as best I could (which resulted in them being reintroduced together).

My shifts were cut, and the remainder was in stock. I was their most knowledgeable staff member in Specialty, but was punished for caring about the animals.

I was about to agree with some others, since the Petsmarts in my area always seemd to have very well-cared for live animals, but after reading this one..:barf:

I know one place that's really bad, and this is mainly in the aquatics department>> Wal Mart.. It hurts me to look at the pathetic set-up they call fish tanks. I complain every time I'm in there.

Back on topic: Petsmart has much deeper pockets than any LPS.. I think the first time they get sued cause some noob got bit/stung, that experiment will be over.

 

[cannabeast]

theres one petsmart either in waco or kileen, TX that I went to that actually had scorpions and tarantulas 5-10 years ago. however, ive only been to one that did which is weird because it IS a chain, right? plus they only had emperor scorpions and one type of tarantula.

when i went looking for scorps at the petsmart in homestead or miami, FL they directed me to an iguana store that had tons of things. seems better at 'not so mainstream stores'. the little guys always give me deals and have way more options with pets, and not so much options with pet supplies. could be good if there isnt so many little shops in your area!

 

[LeilaNami]

Well I'll tell you I haven't gotten any wind of this at my location. I have access to the web system and there hasn't been any announcement as of yet. Are you sure those cashiers know what they are even talking about? A pet care associate would know better. Cashiers are never a part of the pet care dept unless cross trained.

@ Abraxas, that may occur in your district but my district excels in little pet loss so I think you should chalk that up to your district having bad managers. Our district manager is really strict on following policy. Really the only reason we ever have any animals in the isolation room are minor fight wounds between the hamsters and cichlids start fighting every now and then. *shrugs*

 

[gromgrom]

I actually will defend my PetSmart to.. They keep animal the way it should be kept.. They already have snakes, lizards, frogs, ect.. ect.... I might have to go up to mine & see if they plan on getting tarantulas..

yeah my local petsmart has GREAT looking setups that would be hard for me to do on less than 50 bucks. they keep it misted and keep fresh water for the turtles, heck, the owner of mine keeps T's and scorps, and is having an LP eggsack soon!

I get free babies

It just depends on the store. Petsmart is my favorite LPS for cleanliness and healthy animals. prices on the other hand...

 

[briarpatch10]

Petco here {olympia wa.} is horrible. I bought a corn snake from there about a year ago and it came with mites. I didnt see them until I got home {my bad} but when I called to tell them the MANAGER laughed and said "not to sure what we can do about that" Petsmart is about 10 miles farther away and is always clean and the animals always look well taken care of...worth the extra 10 miles ...you bet!

 

[SNAFU]

I've asked our Petsmart several times about this in the past and they told me they'd never have T's for sale. I'm sure it's all up to corporate though and what inventory they think will move.

 

[Devil'sRival]

I worked at a petsmart in Texas for a bit and it was kept clean but we constantly had animals in icu. It was mostly hamsters and birds, which I now have a strong dislike for because of dealing with their viscous little butts so much. We had the occasional reptile or fish in icu but the girl that was there before me kept them up pretty good. Once I started and they saw I knew about reptiles they ordered more because they thought I'd sell them better. I said something about overcrowding and got looked at like I was stupid. I refused to sell to a few idiots that couldn't tell me the first thing about how to care for the animal and didn't want to learn. That almost got me fired because the manager was more worried about making the sell than if the animal lived. He told me "Once someone buys it they're not our problem anymore." Needless to say the idiots got the animals they wanted and within a month most brought them back dead wanting their money back. I understand its a business but that's unethical.

I asked numerous times about them keeping snakes and invertebrates but always got told its not going to happen. If they do start selling them you can bet most staff, not all, will be clueless about proper care.

Petco is by far dirtier and care less about how animals should be kept. A girl I dated worked at two different petcos and both where bad in the back especially. The animals looked pitiful, more so than the ones out front. They were going to give me a rat snake with a bad attitude but I couldn't take him at the time. I asked about him the next time I was there and someone took and killed him. I doubt that is common practice but it still shocked me for it to happen at all. I was at another petco a few months ago and found a skinny dead fat tail gecko and they didn't seem too concerned when I told them. Also told them that the tokay was set up wrong (hide on the ground, no other cover and it was an adult male in a the smallest tank they have) and got told " We have to set him up that way, corporate won't let us change it even if its wrong". I had a few words and walked out.

 

[dizzylizzy]

We have bought 2 T`s from Petco, both came with a 15 day garantee.
a.avic 1-g.Rosea, still have them both, doing great.
Both looked great when we saw them, looked well taken care of.
We also have a Petsmart, they dont sell T`s at all.
Both stores seem to be very clean from what I can see.