What should I do?

I recently went to my local pet shop to buy some crickets and mealworms and of course had to look at the animals! I was looking at their reptiles and noticed a sign for a leopard gecko and it was on a small plastic critter keeper. They are using aquarium rocks (like you put in fishtanks) as a substrate. The container itself looks like it used to house fish or something and just looks kind of dirty. It didn't seem to have much water and didn't have any crickets (all the other reptiles did). There was NO hide what-so-ever...not a single place for it to try and hide. It was curled up in a corner and was really bony looking. It just doesn't look good. They are asking almost $50 for it!

I want to call and complain, see if there isn't anything I can do. I was thinking of maybe talking to them and seeing if they'd at least let me take it to fatten it up a little, get it a little healthier looking. What would be a good way to go about that? I don't want to seem rude, but at the same time, something needs to be done. I want to be as nice as possible about this! What should I do?

Are the employees pretty receptable to comments? Are they at least nice? I would approach it like, "You know I see you guys are selling leos. I've had them for some time and haven't seen anyone use fish gravel for a substrate. Where did you hear to do that? And how long have you had him? I feed mine ---- this many times a week. Mine is so fat I dust his food with calcium powder and all my friends say he's such a sweet gecko."

Don't offer to take him because you could end up being in a bind if he dies and you were suppose to return him.

You could always mail them a care sheet if you aren't so bold as to confront them. Highlight the important parts that they are missing. At least then they won't know it was you and you can continue to buy crickets from them.