Silliest T advice you've ever heard at a pet store

[kurisute_hasu]

"You know they're dead when they flip over on their backs. Nothing to do then but flush them."

Uhg. This makes me want to vomit....:wall:

 

[galeogirl]

I think the funniest I heard was that I could make a "really neat tank" by putting Avics in with some P. imperators. I mean, "they're all from the rainforest, right?"

 

[dukegarda]

I bought both of my roseas from pet stores here in Canada. I like to think of myself as rescuing them. However, I have to say, pet stores have some of the worst set ups. Cotton in the water dish, (I used to do that, then I learned better.) Bark Chips... I even did that, then I learned better.

Do you see a trend? Not only where the Ts housed poorly, I was given the wrong information on how to care for them... some people might go get a tarantula for their son, and get misinformed about how to set up the enclosure, or when to feed them, or what is dead, and what is not.

I talked to this lady, and she wants to get her son a Tarantula. He loves spiders and all, at the age of 6. (Reminds me of running around the school yard collecting ants into a jar as I did at that age. Poor poor ants. Anyways, I told her a few things, the basics, soil, temperature, feeding habits. And for as long as her son doesn't stick his hands in the enclosure she should get one for him.

Then she started talking to me about what she heard from petshop owners... ...my jaw dropped, and I just told her to forget that crap.

 

[Vaul]

I think I have encountered someone worthy of the title of 'Pet Shop Plank'. It concerned uricating hairs. The conversation is sorta etched on my mind.

Me: "I am always careful with the new world species, I'm developing a bit of a reaction to them"
Petshop Plank: "How? I don't know anyone who has any problem with Red Knees*" (I dont know my T's aswell as scorpions, but it was the strangest B. smithi I have ever seen!)
Me: "They can be quite the hair kickers, so I'll give them a miss. Lets see the bird eaters"
Petshop Plank: "You must be mistaken. I have kept reptiles like these for much longer than you. They are fine."

Obviously I didn't buy, because last time I checked Tarantulas weren't reptiles.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Yes we have pet inspectors in the USA. Tarantulas just aren't at the top of the list. Apparently you can't neglect a tarantula like you can a dog or a cat.

what can i say

That they're just invertebrates?? And shouldn't automatically be subjected to the requirements of dogs and cats? Or reptiles??

-Sean

 

[DrAce]

UK/US Pet Shop Laws

In the UK:
The Pet Animals Act 1951
The Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended in 1983) protects the welfare of animals sold as pets. The Act requires any person keeping a pet shop to be licensed by the local authority. Before granting a licence the local authority must be satisfied that the animals are kept in accommodation that is both suitable and clean; that they are supplied with appropriate food and drink; and are adequately protected from disease and fire. The local authority may attach any conditions to the licence, may inspect the licensed premises at all reasonable times and may refuse a licence if the conditions at the premises are unsatisfactory or if the terms of the licence are not being complied with.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the law in this area and anyone who has reason to believe that a pet shop is keeping animals in inadequate conditions should raise the matter with the local authority who will decide what action to take within the range of its powers.

Under s.2 pets cannot be sold in the street, including on barrows and markets.

In the USA:
http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ddusretailpetstores.htm#II
...Currently, there is no federal law which covers all retail pet stores. The Animal Welfare Act (“AWA”) is a federal law which specifies who may possess and sell certain types of animals and the minimum standards of care for these regulated animals. The AWA does not cover birds, rats, mice, and cold-blooded animals such as reptiles, fish, and amphibians. Furthermore, the AWA specifically excludes retail pet stores from its purview of protection.

...There are fifteen states that do not have any laws regulating retail pet stores...For example, Alabama does not regulate retail pet stores. Yet, if a retail pet store employee in Alabama “intentionally or recklessly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment or subjects any animal in his custody to cruel neglect” and is found guilty of such an act, she would be charged with a Class B Misdemeanor.

Etc.

Basically, Phil, both countries have dealt with it in the same way. The central government has pushed the job to a lower level. In the UK, it's gone to the city. In the USA, the job has gone to the state. Certainly, the S.P.C.A. are active in the US. Also, it's not clear in the UK if a tarantula breeder would be considered a pet seller. Or if the RSPCA would get involved.

Does that give you a little more info? BOTH countries have similar regulations, but neither seems to out-law bad advice.

 

[Parahybana3590]

True, it is very sad. I'm usually a very honest person, but I didn't feel all that badly about not educating them. I asked if I could buy all their 'dead' ones for dissection. I pay $1 each and have bought 9 Ts like this: 2 P. murinus, 1. H. lividum, 3 A. avicularia, 1 G. rosea, 1. M. robustum, and 1 T. blondi.

I just called my local Petco and said "I just bought a pinktoe from you guys and now its on its back" just to see how they reacted when a T was molting and to my suprise the guy said "I wouldn't worry about it, its probably molting"

To be honest, I'm very pleased with his response.

 

[phil jones]

I just called my local Petco and said "I just bought a pinktoe from you guys and now its on its back" just to see how they reacted when a T was molting and to my suprise the guy said "I wouldn't worry about it, its probably molting"

To be honest, I'm very pleased with his response.

thats his job he should know ? where do they get their workers the idiots ( we call it the job center ) sorry if i am going off on one ( as we say ) but its makes me mad ==== phil

 

[Arachnobrian]

Big chain retail pet stores don't normally add Tarantulas to thier stock to actually sell them (if they do "bonus").

IMO - they bring one or two tarantulas in as stock for shock value, and to entertain the children of parents shopping for other items (common pet items), and therefore take no interest in learning proper husbandry, or correct names for that matter.

Which is why, I purchase my animals directly from people immersed within the hobby.

 

[LeilaNami]

Things like this make me so angry. As far as Petco is concerned, we have a corporate vet that makes the protocol for the habitats and care for all the animals and we have to follow it. It's not so bad until it comes to some reptiles and all of the inverts. None can have more than two inches of substrate and the tarantulas are on bark chips which I hate. Luckily they sell pretty fast so their not on it for too long. I looked in the A. seemani tank the other day and discovered him just beginning to molt. His humidity was really low because the lazy jerks I work with neglected to mist his cage but fortunately I brought it to their attention before he got too far in the molt and got stuck or started dropping legs. (Had that happen at the store before).

Has anyone noticed how women are more likely to take corrective advice than men? This IDIOT came in and was putting his emp scorpion and C. vittatus (scorp again) on sand. When I suggested something else and explained the reason why not to use sand and use the other substrate I just got
"Uh...that's ok...the big black one is the other I have so I'm going with the sand."

What? Is he high? He sounded like it

 

[ShadowBlade]

Things like this make me so angry. As far as Petco is concerned, we have a corporate vet that makes the protocol for the habitats and care for all the animals and we have to follow it. It's not so bad until it comes to some reptiles and all of the inverts.

Okay, lets calm down. And think this through. Not everyone in the world shares our love of T's. And the people that sell them, GET THEIR ADVICE FROM OTHER PEOPLE THEY THINK ARE RIGHT.
Sure, they don't delve into it much. But they're making enough money already, they sell something new, every petstore they see is how they're sold. Why change? Don't see PetCo going out of business 'cause they're losing some T's.

They can't just hire people that are knowledgable about T's. And they keep them in cheap, visible ways. Sure they don't know what they're doing, or talking about. It sells, and thats all they care about. They're invertebrates, not reptiles. You kill more invertebrates driving to the petstore, then die being flushed molting.

I don't mean to sound like I don't care, but we arachnofreaks can't expect everyone else in the world to care.

Has anyone noticed how women are more likely to take corrective advice than men?

Exactly the same reason we don't stop and ask for directions.

-Sean

 

[kyrga]

Oh I remember another one... after I had done some research and decided I definately had to have a T, I called around the local pet stores to see what they had, and one guy had a "Mexican redknee, for ONLY $95.99! That's the best price you'll find on one of these!" I asked if it was at least guaranteed to be a female at that price, to which he responded, "Actually it's a male. Their better though, more active."

 

[widowkeeper]

while looking at a local pet shops


i asked if i could pick one up. this was the reply. yes .they can only bite small curved things like crickets ,as long as i kept my palm flat it couldn't bite but to watch my fingers and be sure to face it away from them so if is runs it goes up your arm not to munch on your fingers


my worst experince was about 15 years ago when i asked for a price of the nameless, priceless, tarantulas that all looked to be half dead.. he replys 15$ and you will need...sand, heat rock , lights, cage....just to be a smartass i say what about a water dish? he says oh no...no water dish....they will drown .... just mist them every 1 to 2 weeks and clean the cage atleast once a week to get rid of any webbing ..... keep the temp above 90 like in the desert you know? thats why you need a really bright light.... then added that some get hair ulcers and lose all the hair off their butts and showed me one with the problem but it was ok that would go away when it moults needless to say i saved the four spiders they had and never went back there again

 

[Transylvania]

I went to a small privately-owned petstore a couple months ago and they had a rosea in a KK with barkchips and a sponge in the water dish and no shelter. So I explained to an employee that there's no need for a sponge and that he should at least provide a shelter for it for the time being. He responded with "Oh yeah, I meant to take that sponge out earlier..." Which sounded like either a big fat lie or pure laziness. I haven't gotten the chance to go back and check to see if he actually followed my advice, but I get the feeling that he didn't. Petstores follow each other, and if most stores are caring for them in the way that they do, the rest will follow. Inverts aren't high up on their list, because not many people buy them. But I'm more concerned about the buyers' knowledge than the sellers, since they'll obviously be keeping them longer.
Oh, and at another privately-owned petstore...
"The only tarantulas we sell are rosehairs, because they're not poisonous."

 

[BooyaTarantula]

I have been told numerous times by people in pet stores that the tarantula has been defanged and therefore is incapable of biting anyone. This was when I was around nine years old, and even then I knew better. The honest truth IMO is that when we see things we know to be completely wrong and unfair for the animal, it should be a priority to provide the proper information to the people administering the care. Good theory. Never works. It's sad that so many people respect living things so little that they can't even be bothered to make sure that they are getting the care they need. I will always be on the frontier of giving free advice in a friendly manner, and occasionally saving the odd T through the use of my wallet. Then venting my frustrations on the board...

 

[Transylvania]

I hate it so much when people ask me if my Ts are "de-fanged" or "de-venomed" It sounds like some made-up fantasy thing. Even if you could do it without harm to the T, I wouldn't. Why take away part of their natural beauty and the only weapon they've been equipped with (other than u.hairs, for NWs) for defense? (Unless you consider Avic. poo-shooting to be another alternative...) If someone's uncomfortable with the fangs then they need to find a new pet.

 

[rooster]

do you have pet shop inspectors in the u.s.a. as we have the r.s.p.c.a. and the p.d.s.a. and why is it that the shops seem to know not one way to keep a . t. yet they must have books on them why do they not read them to the shops your pet -t- is just $$$$$ in the bank for them :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: ==== phil

heck, the humane officers in my area have a hard time telling, let alone prosecuting abuse on cats and dogs. If you tried to get the humane officer to even consider that a T could be abused youd pretty much just get a "stupid look"

 

[chrispy]

How about when "a captive bred " rosie from Petsmart has an Immaculate conception , the advice from them was -- TO CRUSH THE EGGSAC. Not until the mention of a write up in a scientific journal on the miracle ,did they come clean and say it was wild caught. There was even an article about it in the Eureka Reporter.

 

[Meaningless End]

not that its not fun to rip on pet stores and stuff (most of them diserve it) but you guys have such a problom with it then why dont you get a part time job at one?

just grabing the tarantulas they have and splitting to never go back there again dosent solve much of a problom... talking to interested employees and asking if they want to learn a thing or two is probrably a better route

 

[AviculariaLover]

I'm searching the pet stores in my area once I get home from college to look for a part time job, in charge of a reptile/invert section. If anything I want to be there to discourage people from getting animals, oh how I'll grill them to ensure they're ready ;P