People buying animals they know nothing about

Nala

This really annoys me. Why do people buy animals they know nothing about and expect to be able to care for them properly when they don't even know the basics? Why do some pet shops not ask more questions, and why do people blindly believe what the guy in the pet shop says?
I am NOT saying all pet shops are bad- there are some great ones e.g. Boardwalk Pets that are responsible and do ask questions but the amount of times I have been in a pet shop and deliberately asked a question that I know there is a very definite answer to, only to be told complete bull****! I've been told Golden hamsters can be kept together (two adults, even littermates, will fight viciously), I've gone into shops looking for a budgie (I'd looked up countless different species and decided on a budgie because I wanted a good beginner's bird) and had someone try to sell me a macaw! (need a lot of care).

And the pet shops do this because they know a lot of people will not do any research before buying an animal. It seems to me that a lot of people put more thought into buying something like a TV than they do into buying a living creature.

I am not saying all pet shops are bad. I am not saying everyone who has animals just blindly bought them without getting any info first. But it does happen and there are some very bad pet shops out there.

"Let the buyer beware".

Hellrazer

Agreed although the one thing I think is wrong is that "some" petshops dont even have a clue how to look after some of the animals they sell themselves.

For example my local petshop has taken to selling Herps and so far Ive had to show them how to look after Chinese water dragons--after 4 died on them.They also had 2 royal pythons die due to them not being kept in the right conditions and starved to death.
Last weekend I had to point out that Bearded dragons dont need a soaking wet cage and also need a UVB bulb to survive.
Theyre selling these animals as "pets" for Christmas even though the care needed to keep most of them is beyond most adults never mind children.

The manager runs every time he sees me in the shop in case I point out more of his fook ups.

At this stage Im totally pi$$ed off with shops that do this to try and make a quick few quid.

Nala

there's a certain pet shop I hate more than anywhere else that appeared on Naked Camera trying to sell a python to someone who complained his dog was gay and that it wasn't a good guard dog. The guy in the shop told him a python would be great for attacking intruders.

tallus

People can blame the pet shops to a degree but in my opinion there's no excuse for not doing ones research first these days, I mean the information is out there on boards like this and on the www. I had the good fortune of buying from knowledgable pet shop guys in the past when I purchased reptiles.

Carcharodon

This sounds familiar Nala... Who is next on your list.....dog trainers, vets... ?

tallus

Carcharodon wrote:

This sounds familiar Nala... Who is next on your list.....dog trainers, vets... ?

Regardless of previous posts Carachorodon, this one has merit, whether you like it or not.

FranknFurter

tallus wrote:

Regardless of previous posts Carachorodon, this one has merit, whether you like it or not.

Yes Carachorodon. I would rather this be in its own appropriate thread like this than start an argument in an unrelated thread.
This is a valid and needed thread, if for some strange reason you have a problem with it feel free to pm me or another mod.

B

Carcharodon

FranknFurter wrote:

Yes Carachorodon. I would rather this be in its own appropriate thread like this than start an argument in an unrelated thread.
This is a valid and needed thread, if for some strange reason you have a problem with it feel free to pm me or another mod.

B

Wasn't going to start argument, could easily break down the thread and point out its flaws but her heart is in the right place at the end of the day, it just has very familiar tone on similiar issues. Thats All. I wont get involed in thread again, peace out

Nala

Thanks for showing some mercy on me Carcharodon, I was terrified there that you'd pick my thread apart but it was very noble of you not to, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carcharodon

Nala wrote:

Thanks for showing some mercy on me Carcharodon, I was terrified there that you'd pick my thread apart but it was very noble of you not to, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No problem

tonym

if i where u richie id report that pet shop to the rspca that is crazy that they have had so many animals die like that no that dose make me angry

tallus

place I was in last week had chameleons, and two different species of tortoise in the same viv, it's a very very bad idea to mix tortoise species, they can easily die if they catch diseases from other species. I'm not even sure about the chameleons, but the viv wasn't really that tall and didn't provide a lot of cover for them. I mentioned the thing about not mixing tortoise species to the guy in the shop at the time and he mentioned something about the reptiles not being his part of the job. Typical heh.