Moral Ethical ISSUE- with a reptile store

Ok, so I will post first that I KNOW that having a store and being somewhat versed in all around general care of reptiles I will have to help consumers daily who i have been given no information, or bad information on how to care for things the bought from someone other than me. The problem is ultimately they did NOT seek out any information themselves about how to care for their new critter BEFORE they purchased it.

I KNOW THAT IS PART OF MY JOB. I do it all day every day. I feel like a robot Stuck on repeat.

But, here is my problem. I WILL NOT mention any names. But I KNOW a reptile store who is intentionally selling things just to make a buck and setting people up for total failure.

I will give just a few examples. I could list over a dozen, but youll get the general idea.

A few months ago they started advertising "buy from a breeder not a broker, we produce everything we sell". Completely not true, they produce less than 5% of what they sell. Its just a smear campaign.

They were selling ball pythons for $20. I got the same repeat story from 8 customers. There were 40-50 balls in a 20 long tank. They were told they were produced by them. All had hatched approx 4 weeks prior and all were eating frozen pinky mice. They were sold 10 gallon tanks, a infrared 50 watt a water bowl, a hide, and some sort of red chips from exxo terra. I dont sell exxo terra so I dont know the type.

The reoccurring problem obviously, feeding. None would eat. I personally saw 7 of these snakes. 4 were pre shed. I attempted to send them off with hoppers live and or live small sofurs. Only 1 ate. A sofur. I was able to track down the supplier who is an importer. He told me he sold them multiple w/c or f/r babies lots at $7 each, all were pre shed and pre feed. He could say with 100% certainty in all his years none would ever eat a frozen thawed pinky.2 customers were present during this speaker phone conversation.

Of the ones I know, only 1 is still alive and eating. ALL of the customers I helped had purchased these for their children. Thats 7 first time family herp owners whos kids went through this miserable ordeal. Those are 7 familys we probably lost from the hobby forever.

Same senerio with a group of imported adult sengal chameleons. They were purchased here in an ad that clearly stated fresh import adult sengals. They sold them for $20 each with 10 gallon tanks, a 75 watt infrared bulb and a compact 5.0 bulb. I meet 2 people who purchased these, they said they were told they produced these chameleons. I regrettable informed them after they told be day 4 the chams eyes were closed and falling off their SPIDER PLANT, that the survival rate was next to none. explained the benefits of screen enclosures and the white basking light needed. I did for them print the for sale ad on here to take with them to confront the seller.

Multiple people have asked me and argued with me about keeping snakes housed together, and of different species. The store displays a enclosure with 3 snakes. a retic and 2 burms, 11, 13, and 16 feet. None were raised together. One was recently aquired here about 4 months ago. The enclosure is 3' X 4' X 4'.

Today was the final straw, hence why I made this post. A customer brought in a dead emaciated nigerian uromastyx. The habitat was present. The man wanted to know what happened and what his daughter did wrong. It was purchased this weekend at that store. They were told the produced it. I most certainly was a W/C nigerian. 6" typical parasite thin, covered in scars. There were sold a 10 gallon tank, a 150 watt infrared bulb, a compact 5.0 bulb, a hide, and WALNUT HUSKS. They were told to get the tank to 120 degrees.They were feeding it romaine.

There is no need to get into long explanations of what ALL of the above husbandry is wrong. WAY wrong. We all know it. I believe they know it. Everything in their store is on aspen. They even have a black light room. Black lights on 14 hrs a day. axolatas, scorpions, and go figure this - cornsnakes? They are snake breeders. They dont know anything about lizards.Not enough to know most of us know what is a probable w/c and what is not. But they do know that most of these are fatal husbandry issues.

My problem is................I cant talk to these people. Thats not an option.There are no laws regulations here that cover any of these issues. They are a reptile store, not petco, I expect them to lead by example.I know I expect too much I am tired of cleaning up their messes. I am tired of dealing with their problems. I know its my job, and I want to help people. But it is getting to be too much. There is at least 1 issue of some sort a day. It is eating away at me. I am concerned one more crying child incident will set me over the edge and i will go there and say or do something I will later regret. The senseless killing of animals for a few bucks is sickening.

I know alot more of you are far more even tempered and level headed than me. What would you do? How would you deal with the customers? How would you deal with this store? This cant just keep continuing, its gone on for about 6 months now, I cant just ignore it while animals die.

Thanks in advance for your advice

I'm assuming that the reason speaking to the person(s) responsible isn't an option is because your employment would be jeopardized?

OH NO I own my store. I dont want to name sling because I dont want to appear like I am doing a smear campaign like they are. They have a general dislike for me and would like to see me out of the business, simply because they want to be the only guy in town I was here first, and am here to stay. They numerous attempts to do hideous things to my business have come and gone to no avail. Other than to annoy me

We are wayyyyyyyy beyond talking about anything.I am the last person they would speak to. I highly doubt they can look me in my face after some of the things they have attempted to do to me.

My guess would be that it's someone who posted negatively about her in her most recent boi thread. Seems to be her SOP. The drama will probably be dragged here now.

No, it is not someone who posted in that thread..................

Can we focus on the issues and not the "who"?

Seriously?

In fact it is not someone who has posted here having anything to do with me.

I have a few thoughts, detailed below. But, I think you should approach this situation from the perspective of increasing your business (especially as an education center), rather than taking down the other place.

1. Post a sign prominently at the front of your store stating that customers should educate themselves via reputable resources BEFORE buying a new pet of any kind, no matter where the purchase is made. Make a short, bullet-pointed list of reputable resources, list the name and phone number of the closest reptile vet, and stock some good books yourself. Note that you have been approached many times recently with ill or dying animals that got that way through improper care, and while you are happy to help if you can, knowledge and preparation are the best preventative. Maybe make a flier to give out to these people with information about local reptile vets and good sources for care information. Treat this as an opportunity to increase your business; when these folks come in, make them want to come back. Sell them a book about their animals. Show them how a healthy animal of that species looks and is maintained. Sell them the supplies to set up a proper habitat.

2. You're a creative business person; maybe set up designated hours, or appointments, for these folks to come in so you or someone else can spend the time with them. I wouldn't even get into "yeah, I get a lot of this from that place;" just show them the difference and help them make the right choice. Post a sign on the front door asking folks with ill animals to make an appointment, or ask them to meet you around the back; this notifies people that you can help but won't endanger your animals.

3. Finally, have you tried calling animal control or a similar authority? Cruelty is cruelty, plain and simple. This place is probably advising its customers to keep the animals the same way it does itself. You should get a knowledgeable third party (local, respected breeder maybe) to go along with the AC or other person to point out all the husbandry and health problems of the store's stock, if present (since AC can be relied upon not to know about appropriate reptile management).

That's all I got. Good luck!

I actually do have al ost all this covered. Except for the back door or apt. Idea.

There are big signs about things to consider before purchasing a reptile, we have a 4 page info packet we hand out. How much space do you have, how much money can you spend, what type of foods are you equipped to feed, why to do when your childs loses interest, etc. It has I fo on the top 5 suitable strters and why. Top 5 worst and why

we have 2 vets in our area, there info is also posted an regularly distributed.

We don't allow "pets" to be brought in, and wild caughts is a big no no. I regularly have a customer aski g me to come look in their car. I make a case by case judgement on what can come in. For example if a snake has eyecaps and that's why it "won't eat" I bri g it in to show them how to remove them.

Legally we can not give vetrinary advice. I am not a vet, I frequently have opinions, but I can only refer people to a vet.

I never bad mouth the other guy. Silently in my head. I just apologize that they have had a bad experience and move on to what I may be able to do to help.

There are no regulations for reptiles here. Scraps will only respond I'd it is a illegal animal. No "cruilty" complaints are addressed.