Wow.... I just read every single post in this thread and I am just in tears. What you have described I see and deal with every day. I am a seasonal field biologist, and in the off season (winter) i do odd jobs to pay the bills.
This winter the owner of one of those "chain" pet stores asked me to come work for him. He knew my background, and wanted somebody who knew what the heck they were doing. So I'm giving it a shot. Its so frustrating to nurse an animal so carefully for days, and then have it die just because some moron who's there on your day off didn't mist them or turn the heat lamps on.
A couple people have been terminated for this.
But its not all bad, because my boss trusts me, even though he doesn't know a lot about herps. If i talk to a customer and don't feel like they are experienced enough, I will not sell them a reptile. I flat refuse to sell iguanas to inexperienced people. And the boss backs me up 100%.
Its a two edged sword. It would be better if everything was routed through private breeders, I so wish it was. But its nice to see a glimmer of hope, even in "commercial" chain stores.
Threaded Mode