The bad thing about knowledge

Rookie

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
283
Hey all,
Today I discovered the down-side to knowing a little more about Tarantulas. I went to the pet store to buy my first crickets (i hate them already), and I noticed that the only T that they're keeping there is dying. The people who work there didn't seem very knowledgable about Ts, and the substrate seems very inappropriate. I'm not sure what it is, but it looks sharp and jagged. Anyway, I'm almost sure that the T is in jeopardy. It's doing the classic giveaway: huddled in the corner with its legs underneath it.
I'm unsure of the species. They have it labeled as a 'striped knee'. it's entirely brown in color and it does indeed seem to have lighter brown stripes on its knees. to my untrained eye it looks to be about 3 inches or so. I can't afford to buy it and I don't know how I'd do at caring for it, but I wish I could do something. Maybe I'm wrong and it has a long life ahead of it. But if not..then this sucks.
The Rookie
 

Mister Internet

Big Meanie Doo Doo Head :)
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 5, 2002
Messages
1,408
Did you see it move? If it's in a corner with it's legs actually drawn up underneath it, then it may very well already be dead...
 

krucz36

Chelcirator
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
296
poor little guy. try some gentle persuading. its probably on wood chips, which isn't a great substrate, but it works for the most part. as far as a "stripe-knee" goes, even G. rosea has stripes on it's knees. most of my tarantulas do. it's just a question of the intensity of the striping.
if you can let them know that the T's in trouble without being antagonizing you have a shot at helping it out. a lot of people will just let them die before they'll "give in" to someone preaching at them.
good luck, it's a sad story that gets repeated a lot.
 

JacenBeers

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Messages
1,264
Tell them that it is dying. Point out to them the telltale signs of the dying tarantula. Tell them you really think they should do something about it because you know it is sick and if it doesnt get some special attention they will just lose it. Tell them that if they are not willing to give it this extra attention that you think they should sell it to you for a lower price because it is sick and you may not have a survivor on your hands of you do take it home.

I got my GOliath Birdeater this way. The petstore it was in didnt mist it ever and it was completely skinny and almost dead. I told them that they should mist it and the lady said she couldnt believe she didnt know that. I told her it was almost too late for the little beast and that is she cut the price in half I would take it home with me to see if I could nurse it back to health. She gladly took the offer. If it died she would lose all her money and if it was dying almost nobody would take it. i only took it because I have compassion for the animal. A month later it was fat and sassy and had a beautiful molt.
 

krucz36

Chelcirator
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
296
great job jacen! that's one t that should count its lucky stars you came along.
 

Rookie

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
283
Afraid I was right..

I went into the same pet store today to explain to the manager that her Striped Knee was in jeopardy, but it was too late..
I've been really down about it ever since.
Paul
 

conipto

ArachnoPrincess
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
1,256
Yep.

I had a similar experience this week, I wrote a report of it in the Pet store review section. You should do the same, rookie.

Bill
 

Immortal_sin

Arachnotemptress
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
3,952
that is how I got my two 3" A versicolors for $10 apiece!
They were in bad shape, so I told them that I would take them, but I wasn't too sure that at least one of them would live.
They are both fine now.
I actually wrote a nasty email to Petco. Believe it or not, the district manager called me, and had a long chat with me. Then, the store manager called me as well.
They have actually made the changes they needed to. *EXCEPT* for that $#$($*#$ sponge in the water dish!
 

MrT

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
2,171
Rookie, That makes me sick. What are they thinking? The person in that dept. should be written up. And if it happens again, they should be FIRED!!!!
What did the manager, ( if you can call him / her a manager ) say?
"Oh well its just a bug", or what?

Ernie:(
 
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