Our Adventures and findings of the local Petco\'s

[rainbowlishiss]

As I'm sure all of you have heard different horror stories of Petco's and PetSmarts through out the US. I wanted to share my adventures today. This is how it all started.. Last weekend on one of our trips to the petstores to pick up odds and ends you need, we found they had Tegu's on sale.. But what they didn't realize was these were RED TEGU's. They were on sale for $44.99.. So instead of trusting our instinct we came home and looked them up to make sure we knew what they truely were. They were definately RED's.. Not the advertised Black and White that they thought they were.

Yesterday, we decide to go back and pick up one or two. Of course they only had one left when we got there, and we took it to the counter and proceeded to purchase it. One of the guys says, "hold on, I need to ask the manager the SKU number, because these aren't normals there more expensive." So the manager tells the guy, " No its Corporates fault and we are selling them for the price advertised." We smiled, payed the lady and out we went. Feeling rather smug about ourselves at this point.

We came home and started thinking about it. And decided, we wanted to get atleast one more, to hopefully come up with a pair. So that brings us to today.

We made a round trip of 6 different Petco's. And what we saw was just disheartening. In atleast 4 of the 6 stores. There were dead lizards in there cages. Those that were still alive, were barely hanging on. I saw green iguana's that had just bones and skin, no muscles. A rock iguana that was so dehydrated it wouldn't open its eyes, very shallow breathing. Ball Pythons in with the Red tails in one mass pile-o-snakes. There was no heat in a majority of the cages, and those that had some, refused to move for fear they wouldn't get it again.

If I owned a house, I would have taken the whole fricken store home with me. I was so upset. We did end up bring home another 3 red tegu's.. One of the red's we are calling RUNT.. there is barely any meat on his/her little legs.. We are going to see about getting him/her back up to the weight it should be at.

So I'm composing an email to send to Petco Corporation and tell them about the different stores in my area. Which ones couldn't even pass an inspection if there life depended on it. Man I wish someone could do a surprise inspection on these places.

I took a picture of "Runt" so you guys could see the poor thing.. When we picked her up, she wouldn't even open her eyes, we got her home, in her new enviorment..and the first thing they all did.. was drink tell they were full.


[addsig]

	Iguana Iguana

[Dr.Oviparous]

That's great you got a good deal! it's usually the other way around, most petstaores sell blacks when they are marked and priced for the more expensive black and whites. make sure to get them all checked by a reputable vet! a lot of tegus are imported, and come with parasites! are you housing them all togeather? this could cause problems, especially during feeding! have fun with them, and spend a lot of time with 'em too, if these are your first tegus, congrats!, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them! look in the "misc lizards" forum, there are a couple of good tegu posts there! -Juggalo
[addsig]

[mirabelasunshine]

Here's a little privileged info for ya. The chairman, president, and CEO of Petco is a Mr. Brian Devine. You can get his attention by writing to him at home, PO Box 1305 Rancho Santa Fe CA 92067, or calling him on the phone (619)756-9953

Have fun, everybody!
[addsig]

[Dr.Oviparous]

That's crazy! how did you come across that? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[rainbowlishiss]

Oh yes, Inquiring minds want to know!!

Mirabela.. how did you find that kind of information out??? Or is that your little secret?? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Either way I'm sure I can give him some very valuable information.. Not that he probably hasn't heard any of it before.. But thank you very much.

You always hope you can make some kind of difference, even if its just to have them a slap on the hand and let them know that SOMEONE is watching..

It never hurts to try.
[addsig]

[CaptainHowdy]

well, the tegus you brought home certainly are lucky...[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
just wondering, are you quarantening the tegus you got from different locations?
anyway way to take care of petco's ignorance and bring home some great lizards....I hope runt makes it, but with you taking care of him/her, I'm sure she will! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I love reds...i love the big jowels the adult males get..and they're so intelligent!
good luck Rainbow..[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[addsig]

[kogoz]

I'm gonna write to him and tell him what I think of his company [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[kogoz]

One time at a petco in SLC i saw them feeding their iggys crickets (speeling please help) and african fat tils with leosnot 5to menshon the balls with boas. I was mad grrr [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_evil.gif[/img]
[addsig]

	Iguana Iguana

[mirabelasunshine]

Well, I can't tell you how I know this guy's info in particular. That's kinda ticklish. But generally speaking, here's one way -- there are probably easier ways -- you find this kind of thing out: first, go to a stock trading site -- etrade, that kind of thing, if you have an account; if you don't, create a fictional "papertrading" (play money) account with Stocksquest (part of the Thinkquest educational library, a very amazing simulated trading program created and kept up by high school students and quite worthwhile in its own right). Go to 'buy stocks,' go to 'get quote,' look up the ticker symbol of the company you're interested in, and then choose the 'profile' option. A company profile will give you all the usual stock quote info -- p/e ratio, volatility, volume, a graph, debt ratio, etc. -- as well as a little blurb put out by the company explaining what they do, a few analysts' recommendations, and info on the upper executives. You'll usually know by company location what metro area you can find them in; then proceed with an ordinary 411-type people search. Most of the scumballs who direct American-based multinational corporations and all their nefarious dealings across the world -- sweatshop slavery, political murder, torture, theft of land from indigenous occupants, and, yes, abuse of captive animals -- aren't even all that well hidden. They are out there. Bury them in mail.
[addsig]

[LdyDrgn]

Why, Mirabela....I think I love you!! hehehehe [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[bewSi]

I ran across some info as well..

Principal : Don Cowan, President
Phone Number: (88 583-6044
Type-of-Business Classification: Pet Shops/Pet Supplies

It also seems the Better Business Bureau has had numerous complaints about PetCO around the country. I'm sure with enough push and shove something can be done [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[Rolento]

I can't even tell you how many times I've complained to the GMs at our local Petcos. I remember one time in particular, they had 2 baby RTBs in the same viv as a mid-size terrantula. Well, the plexi seperating the 2 halves of the tank had come loose, and the spider was sharing the same tank space as the baby RTBs.... *sigh*
[addsig]

[Alicewave]

For another Petco story, click here: Politics of Petco


[addsig]