Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Jase]

Reading this article re-opened my eyes.

http://www.chameleonnews.com/impulse.html

It annoys me when I hear people in pet shops buying their reptiles at the same time as their vivs without doing any real research.
Could you imagine paying a couple of hundred pounds for a Japanese Koi Carp then taking it home to sit in a bag while you dig a pond?! I'd like to think it doesn't happen (though probably does!) so why do it to a Reptile?!

My local pet shop really don't take hygiene seriously, not only do they leave faeces and fouled water in their vivs but they excessively smoke in and around the animals. Anyway, they had some juvenile Flap Necked Chams Chamaeleo dilepis i think. They quite blatantly didn't know anything about the species themselves and intrigued as to their knowledge I inquired. They gave, in my opinion, s**t advice which was very vague and included 'they'll be alright if...' and 'they should stay that small'.
I went home to look them up and couldn't really find much information on the internet but to this day it has bugged me that these chameleons were probably purchased on rubbish advice by serial smokers in a grotty pet shop.

I used to buy my defrost mice from there for my snakes but have since moved into breeding my own mice and rats but they will no longer be having my custom!
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A lil bit of Madagascar

[lol93]

I know how you feel! I was in a local pet shop recently where a young couple were buying a baby yemen on impulse. The pet shop guy was selling it in a small Exo Terra with a waterfall!
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[stubeanz]

arr i hate stuff like this the petshop near my college keeps buying in chams even thou every time im in there they are on the floor and as skinny as anything
this is the same pet shop which when i asked if they had any male leopard geckos they said yes n showed me i told them it was female and they were like sorry we dont no how to sex them! if they dont know how to sex a leo im worried to what they know (or even read) about the chams, dendrobates and other species they keep!

[Cleef]

Some of those stories are shocking, it does make you angry. I thought my local pet shop insisting that my nocturnal crested gecko needed UV lighting was bad.

Personally I find researching about different species quite fun and interesting, obviously others do not
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Steve P

[neep_neep]

I totally agree! It's a combination of rubbish advice by staff and ignorant customers who can't be bothered to research an animal beforehand.

However, on the plus side, i'm sure there are plenty of reptile lovers who can buy something on impulse, but then immediately research the information given and ensure that it was correct, then remedy any mistakes. However, the down side is that it can of course lead to short term suffering.

Though of course, the remedy to this is being given the correct information in the first place!!! If people have enough passion and interest in reptiles to set up a shop dedicated to them, you'd think they'd have enough passion to ensure that they give out the right advice! Grrrrr, it gets up my nose!!!

I myself work part time for a (non-reptile) pet shop, and it bugs me SO much when people walk in asking for animals, when they clearly don't know jack about them! I would never *dream* of just handing an animal over with the wrong information! I don't think I could live with myself!
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Sophie

[Jase]

Obviously there are cases where impulse buys are ok, but only if you know what you are doing. For example, my new royals, I only went for two but came back with three because I knew I could cater for them. It is different when it comes to a different species. I have wanted a chameleon for about 4or5 years, I've bought books and read up on them and it's only now that I feel I can cater for their needs. Even still, I'm not gonna go and get one this weekend because I'm not prepared for them!

I think, unfortunately, it isn't always the customer that's to blame. Blame the shop for insisting on sales!!
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A lil bit of Madagascar

[Daisyleo]

it is very annoying but I am afraid it's one of those things that will never stop until the government bring new laws in on the keeping of reptiles and the like, and I fear that when they do it's going to affect us as a hobby even more so, they will come down on private keepers like a ton of bricks but I for see shops being able to get away with awful husbandry and killing off innocent reps by neglect as long as they have "a full pet shop license" it's damn annoying and that is a fact!!!

[robje29]

I have 2 pet shops near me, 1 will ask you questions the other will not, it is far too easy for the impulse buy, whilst it may affect the genuine keeper higher prices will help deter the impulse buy IMO!!!
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Rob

[Scott W]

I'm afraid it will always be a problem and one that can't really be stopped by anyone except the shop and customers involved.

The government could bring in some sort of legislation / laws but to restrict the entire population because of some peoples lack of common sense and other peoples greed is not right also.

All I can say is help PROMOTE the good shops you visit and don't support the bad ones, even by buying equipment or 'rescuing' an animal you are keeping them in business.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[redbelly]

Most pet shops i have seen chameleons in have been good,but im sure there is some bad ones out there, im not too keen on the thought of buying chameleons from a pet shop.
The best advice i can give is to always use a good private breeder to buy chameleons from.
there are quite a few good ones out there now