OMFG the level of neglect amazes me!

[Wuntu Menny]

Pet store rant of the week:

For those of you from Calgary and area, I'm sure you're familiar with it. For liability reasons, I'll call them "Riverbottom Terrariums".

I just stopped in to see if the latest copy of Reptiles had arrived yet and to survey the specimens for sale. Things had been slowly improving there lately as some more knowledgeable folks had been looking after the herps. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly I might add, they are no longer emloyed there.

I see a blue tongue skink that has endured several mite infestations in the past now suffering from some sort of respiratory malady. Mucous encrusting one nostril, virtually constant sneezing, and mouth breathing to boot. It also had some sort of material encrusted around one ear opening almost totally occluding it.

Then I look in the cage holding the frog eyed geckos. Hmm, that one in the front appears to have been dead for a long time. It was completely dessicated and decomposing, basically a skeleton with skin draped over it. Nice display!! When brought to the attention of the staff, she hollers to her subordinate to "cleanup in aisle one!" He responds that he noticed that the other day.
Uh huh...

I hang a left to view the new "wall of death". (They used to have a different area that held this title, but after rearranging the layout its now on the opposite side of the room. Look at all the pretty little leopard geckos! My, they haven't really grown at all since they were purchased at the show, have they? At this point, I should probably tell you that these gex were obtained at a price so low you can't even imagine. Most of them are marked up 1000% or better! No, that figure is not an exaggeration.

Anyhoo, these poor animals are packed 10-12 to a cage with no more floor space than a 2.5 gal tank on a variety of substrates. Most notably aspen shavings, orchid bark, and fine sand. These are all juvenile gex and they're being fed free range with grossly oversized crix. I watch as one particularly emaciated gecko attempts to choke down a cricket nearly twice the size of his head. His tail is so thin I can count the vertebrae and his tiny belly is concave. In the next compartment is a specimen on bark with a fat, distended belly and almost nothing left of his tail. I wonder how much bark will be removed from his gut at the necropsy.

I bring this to the attention of the same indifferent primate and she gives me "I'll keep that in mind" in the most condescending, snide tone of voice you can imagine. It took every ounce of self control not to put her through a wall at that point.

I've railed about these guys in the past, both to receptive forum readers as well as the authorities, to no avail. I'm done with them now. I've given them too many chances in the past and they've failed miserably every time. I absolutely will not set foot in this establishment again and will advise others to do the same. All I can do now is hope a meteor drops on them as soon as possible, it appears to be the only solution.

WM

and capitalists keep on sucking you money

[Invictus]

Originally posted by Wuntu Menny
Things had been slowly improving there lately as some more knowledgeable folks had been looking after the herps. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly I might add, they are no longer emloyed there.

Hmmmmm...... not that I know who these 2 people might be, but.... let's just say I very much ummm... relate to this story.

"those 2 people" we'll call them, were fishing out about 2 dead animals PER DAY in that mite infested outhouse. Those 2 people cared enough about the herps to spend a little bit of extra time cleaning them, urging the owner to get more enclosures on the go especially for the gex, and were literally ready to liquidate the ENTIRE stock of gex, just to get them out of there. But, as you said, things were slowly improving. Until "those 2 people" got unceremoniously dismissed, (not to mention basically accused of stealing herps) and told that they were "just not fitting into the mold that they wanted." I'll tell you what the mold is - it's growing inside the Skink's lungs as we speak.

Added to which, let's talk about the FIVE BOAS, ranging from 3 to 7 feet, that share ONE enclosure.

Added to which also, let's talk about the BCI that's been quarantined in the back because he's suffering from liver diease. Let's talk about the king snake they have in the back that is in an aquarium that is in the midst of chemical fumes, a leaky roof, and a water purifier that gives off what smells like raw lead. And don't even get me started about the fact that when they import wild caught specimens (which is 90% of their business) there is ZERO quarantining.

"Those two people" gave it an honest effort, and weren't really expecting a single thing to change, but at least while they were there, the herps were clean, and the humidity lovers were misted.

"Those two people" are currently looking for ways to provide Calgary and area herp enthusiasts with an alternative to Riverbottom Terrariums. They are looking for rat suppliers, even in the states, and are considering getting into wholesaleing crickets as well. I also urge ANYONE in the Calgary area to stay away from this mite infested outhouse, and take your business to a place that actually gives a damn about the herps. (Pretty soon that will be "Those two people's" house.)

"Those two" wish to thank you for your vote of confidence, Lowell. They tried.

[Bartman]

the place sounds like a herp concentration camp....just sick

[Reptiles4ever]

isnt there anything we can do

[Wuntu Menny]

We've been trying for years, but until we can convince officials to incorporate herps under the same umbrella as the rest of the "pets" out there, we're S.O.L.

Right now, the government is too busy listening to the knee jerk reactionaries that are attempting to have all exotics banned to even consider providing them with equal rights. I say simply stay away from these places, take your business elsewhere, and hurt them the only way they feel it: financially. If its no longer profitable for them to exploit the animals in this fashion, hopefully they will abandon the enterprise.

WM

[SerpentLust]

God that's sick...makes me really want to start up with private breeding and such, although that will have to wait a few years for me *pout*

It sickens me how low people really are sometimes.

Jenn

[Neo]

thats the reason why i only go to pet stores for supplies. a pet store over here has an enclosure for leos w/ one hide in the center under a heat lamp also in the center housing leos and fat tailed geckos. i try not to imagine all the fighting those 2 species definately undergo every night.

[Wilma]

Thats so sad... man, I just want to love my geckos and thank god they aren't in a situation like that! I have to admit I was always a primarly mammal enthusiast before a few years ago... now I have a nice little collection of reptiles and love them. Even though they may not get attached to you like cats, dogs, rats, etc. they suffer and my heart goes out to all of them. I went to one store recently where, I wish I knew the type of lizard... but they had it housed with "her baby" who was about 800% SMALLER and I was told "there hasn't been a problem yet" , and the poor geckos housed 20 to a ten gallon enclosure on sand with one hide and a dish of water... so many tailess leos!
*sigh* I WISH the authorities would take a better interest in the welfare of animals.

[Invictus]

What would be really nice (and this is wishful thinking, I know) is if all of the local breeders who sell their stock to the Mite Pit would begin refusing to send their herps into hell. But, I suppose business is business, and if someone wants to buy your herps, well... who's going to say no to money? But once a disease rips through that place (and with all the WC stuff in there, it WILL, it's only a matter of time), it would be nice if there were no one around to replenish their stock.

[Neo]

someone should rob the store and leave a hate note in the cash register

[CDN-Cresties]

Invictus has a very good point, breeders must stop selling their offspring to places such as these.

-Steve-

[JeffT]

Good point Invictus, if people would put lives before cash then maby it WOULD go out of business. Ive been there several times and its not at the top of my list either. I also know who these "two people" are and it's good they're trying to turn things around.

Jeff

[Invictus]

Jeff - You must read the post, young lad. These "two people" were unfairly dismissed because "things weren't getting done." Now I fear very little, if anything, will change. We have to hit them where it counts - and make sure their reptile division is no longer profitable.

[ChristinaM]

Unfortunately this is not the only place that does that. I wish it didn't exist, but it does.

I had the unfortunate experience of being subjected to this ***** as well.

This is what happened, copied from a post I made on a diffrent board. It was after the St.Jacobs show.


****very descriptive post....graphic....sad.....****

First off, I will not be mentionning any names.

Slight history about me, I am a fish addict. There is one store in
the city that I will buy from, if I can't get it here. It is NOT a
big chain store. I've always been happy with my fishies from there,
and love most of the staff. I often go in to just browse if I happen
to be in that neighbourhood.

It is also where I got my first dragon.

Yesterday, I was in that neighbourhood dropping off a friend after an
out of town reptile show. So of course, needing to feed my addiction
I stopped in.

Walked in, and walked down the reptile aisle to get towards the
fishies. Of course I always look at the herps while I'm there.
Strolled towards the beardies and they had 2 adults in. Pretty nice
looking, although in need of some water and weight gain.

The babies are below them (yes seperated from the others). I glance
down to look. Usually it is a nice site. Not this time. First thing I
see on a quick glance is a really dark, shrunken baby. HUH?????? I
squat and look closer. OMG!!!!!!!! It was so dark because it was
dead. It's was so skinny, the bones were showing. It did NOT look
like it just died. Looked like it was there for at least a day.
Looking around the cage, more dead. One baby had this HUGELY bloated
tummy, eyes slightly open, dead. Another skinny one, I thought dead
too but it moved very slightly. Then the kicker. I was watching one
baby who was moving a bit, as I watched it, the movement were NOT
normal. He started to convulse, twitch....I wanted to tear my eyes
away but I swear that dragon was watching me. Just about to get up,
he convulsed once more and lay still. He died right in front of my
eyes.

Got up, looked for the fish guy who I know the best, and he asked if
I needed any fish, I said no but your bearded dragons some are dead.
He was astounded and stepped away from a bunch of other customers to
check. He was as disgusted as I was. He is very prideful in his fish,
the reptile corner is not his corner. I told him my disgust, and he
agreed. Got the reptile girl, who removed all the babies. 6 babies 3
were dead, 2 were dying, 1 seemed ok. As she walked off with them,
she said to the fish guy, it was the mealworms. Someone fed them
mealworms and they chewed through their stomachs.

I walked out of the store, tears rolling down my face.

They was tons of mealworms in the tank. TONS. There was feces
composed entirely of mealworms, nowhere near properly digested. A
tankful of unnessecary death.
I have never felt as awful, as disgusted (I felt like vomitting).

I have only read about things like this. I never expected to ever see
them.