Another Petco horror story - Where Responsible Reptile Keepers Connect!

Botis · #1 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 11:45 PM

So I bought 1.1 small rats from Petco last Monday. I noticed that the male had a slight sneeze by Tuesday, but didnt think much of it. By Thursday I had to quarantine him because he was sneezing blood and had a dark crust around his eyes.

I brought him back to Petco today for a refund, during which time I was accused of negligence, malnourishment, etc, etc. I told them that either they, or their supplier had the rats in a dirty cage and the urine concentration caused them to get sick. This was shrugged off as nonsense.

So I get my exchange rat, and check it out one last time at the register to make sure hes healthy.

Guess what? The new stud had crust around his eyes and blood crust on his nostrils. Needless to say I was ticked off at this point, and the dumbass at the register was pretty embarrased.

I got a full refund (darn right) and went to a local family owned pet store where I received a perfectly healthy stud and two healthy small rats for feeders.

Not the first time Ive had a diseased purchase there, Petco=Garbage here.

Discuss.

Botis · #2 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 11:55 PM

Oh, as a side note I'd also like to mention that their selling a common BCI as a BCC for $170!! I paid $100 for mine when it was 6 days old from a friend. The PetHell fake BCC looks extremely unhealthy. It has at least one lair of retained eye caps at no more then about 1 month old and its entire body was lying motionless in its bowl of water the whole 20 minutes I was there exchanging rats in PetHell

HaloedSatan · #3 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 11:55 PM

You mean to say that you got an animal from petco and it wasnt in good health? NO WAY! (dripping sarcasm) Youre not the first, nor the last to post something about the poor health of an animal from a major pet store.

Johnny Utah · #4 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 11:59 PM

It seems like something majored has happened at the Petcos in California. I remember when they were horrible. But lately when I pop into one, they seem to be taking pretty decent care of their critters.

AbsoluteApril · #5 (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Utah

It seems like something majored has happened at the Petcos in California. I remember when they were horrible. But lately when I pop into one, they seem to be taking pretty decent care of their critters.

I agree, I always go in expecting the worst based on past experiences but during the last 8 months or so, both Petcos I've gone into here in CA looked pretty darn good... no stuck sheds or malnourished reptiles, they actually all had water and looked healthy. I was amazed

I hope this is a trend that will continue into their other stores.

ssjsmits · #6 (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 12:50 AM

I've seen some improvement lately, but I avoid going there anyways.

Botis · #7 (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 03:53 AM

Well, Massachusetts hasn't improved at all. There was a loose bird flying around the rafters and personnel seemed quite oblivious, I even mentioned it to a CSR and he pretended not to hear me lol.

*edit* spelling

DavidD · #8 (**permalink**) 08-26-2008, 04:12 AM

They know nothing. They are a crappy bussiness. They have no right to own animals. They have given me the worst info. I have to get on my petcos case. Then they say im just a kids and know nothing

whitesnake77 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-29-2008, 05:03 AM

The Petco up here is pretty good for getting mice, but I definitely don't get mice at Petsmart anymore. The last two females I got for breeding from them went crazy... literally. I figured I would get a cute two colored mouse for variety, after a while, she started turning left-hand circles. At first, it was just ever so often, then that's all she could do. She couldn't go in a straight line anymore, much less make a right-hand turn. The second one was fine for a while, but then she got an ear infection that wouldn't go away. She started scratching her ear and wouldn't stop. I got meds from the vet, but it didn't help. I quarantined her, but she never got better. Petsmart tried to lay the blame on me because of the shavings she was in (fir), but none of my other mice had that problem. (Still have never had that problem.) I don't shop at Petsmart anymore.

Kaiyudsai · #10 (**permalink**) 09-29-2008, 08:30 PM

I don't know if it's just me....but for some reason I get really peeved when people try to sell BCI s as BCC s.........Sounds like PETCO....they suck.. I have seen it alot on Kingsnake too.....and asking BCC prices... What did Han Solo say???? Delusions of grandeur

Disclaimer::: This post was in no way meant to be offensive to BCI s or their owners....BCI s are snakes too... LOL