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Can we all email PetCo corporate office to try to change things?

A

AnnieO

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I'm not trying to beat a dead horse...

I've talked over and over again at the local PetCo stores. Most of the Reptile Specialists claim their hands are tied. There is no reason they cannot use repti-carpet or such, except they have to have their geckos on Calci-sand because the company they purchase their leos from (Gourmet Rodent) sponsors & recommends its use...plus, they won't allow a wet hide because they are unsightly. At one point daily misting was recommended...that's right, lets give the little boogers an RI - that's got to be better than lost toes! I have tried to contact Chris Nord & Nettie Pedro (for my local PetCo district), and they simply refuse; as it is not in the plan-o-gram. Perhaps if enough of us emailed corporate as outraged costumers or breeders, we could help them see the light on proper Leo care.

Have you gotten together a lot of people together to try this before? I know one email here or there doesn't work, but mass should open their eyes.

If you can consider this, please go to www.petco.com and email them your frustration...I didn't want to present a pre-typed message to email them because I thought they would take it more seriously if they were individual different messages.

Thanks for your consideration.
 
People need to stop buying there leos there.And once they see they are not selling them they will stop selling them.You will never change the way they keep them.

And for the record i use calcium carbonate on all my leos with no problems.The stuff i use is a feed suplement for baby cows.Not the stuff from the pet store.
 
Petco as a corporation doesn't function in a manner that will cause this course of action to have much of an impact.

First of all, decisions centered around which items can be used in habitats, which animals to carry, how many to carry and even to some degree what to price them at are made by someone known as a "Companion Animal Coordinator" they are essentially regional management which has responsibility for livestock. They set regional and district policies about employee training, housing, vet visits and animal care, act as a buyer who approves local orders and chooses which animals to push in a given store. This is the person you need to talk to.

Secondly, while playsand would be better than calcisand because of the size and shape of the grains, impaction is FAR less likely to be an issue than loss of toes with that repticarpet (CRAP PRODUCT) and given the nature of the carpet (dense microfibers) it's a breeding ground for bacteria. It's not economically sound to dispose of the carpet between shipments and reusing it makes even the minimal idea of quaranteen that they do practice an absolute waste of time. If by some bizzare chance you manage to convince the companion animal coordinator to switch to cage carpeting, I want their name and telephone number so I can call them and verbally abuse them for being an idiot. You won't get them to switch to butcher paper or newsprint, it would have an impact on sales... So out of the avliable substrates and the potential risk associated with each, why would you encourage the use of the one which has the greatest chances of a negative impact on the animal's health? Sand impaction, while technically possible, is rare. Loss of toes (or worse) to semifrayed repticarpet and the spread of bacteria is common. The choice seems pretty obvious to me which one should be avoided.
 
Off Topic (Sorry Seamus :)

And for the record i use calcium carbonate on all my leos with no problems.
Click to expand...

Jodi what is the name of the calcium you use? I am thinking of trying some different things with my leos next year and was curious. Thanks!:)
 
Kelli, Fre Flow made by Iowa lime stone Co. Pink and brown 50 lb bag.Tony G and i have 15 years useing this with all great results.
The one down side it is dusty.
 
Annie, thanks for the link!
This is what I sent them.

Im really getting sick and tired of seeing dead and dying baby leopard geckos in your C.D.A. Idaho store, it's disgusting and shows a total lack of interest in the animals that are in your care. Who ever is in charge of your "live" animals should check out this store and correct the problem!
Overton Pratt

Im sure it won't help....but ya never know?
 
Well now I am concerned. After the post about repticarpet I have to wonder if my leos are safe. I used to use Reptilite sand and was basically berated for it.. so I switched. I refuse to use newspaper because it isn't natural, but now I hear repticarpet breeds bacteria... sheesh, what's a responsible owner to do?
 
You shouldn't of been berated for it, but such things happen

I personally use Tile. There's been a lot of posts on KS about it and some people have beautiful set ups with it.

I won't bother advertising the benefits of it here unless someone asks.
 
Don't forget "NOTHING" It's totaly natural and comes in one color (clear).

here's a picture
 
Overton, I put in my order weeks ago, and I haven't gotten it yet. I'm sure UPS kept my whole shipment of Nothing for themselves...
 
I know its wrong but...

Within about 2-3 weeks I will be rescuing a PetCo gecko. I know lots of people hate petco but I am going to give this gecko a chance! I'll post pics when I get him/her. I'm thinking this one could be a hypo or even a super hypo! Let me know what you think.
 
Jeff!..............It's right in front of you...see?
No over there, a little to your left!...yea!! right there !!


Grant, Yea.............ya better hurry,
I think the life span of a petco Leo....is only about three weeks!:(
 
Within about 2-3 weeks I will be rescuing a PetCo gecko
Click to expand...

You mean... you're BUYING a Petco gecko? Yeah, there's a difference. Buying every sick reptile in the world does not constitute a rescue, it only means you are supporting the places that sell these animals.

Way to go! Might as well get a cape.
 
BTW - if you guys want to change things... Why don't you try starting at the source of the problems, I.E. Gourmet Rodent? Maybe they should stop sending day old Leos to all the Petcos in the US, and maybe they should check their colonies for communicable disease??
 
Agreed!

Well said. Its simply a matter of supply and demand. Alot of bleeding hearts go along way in filling the pockets of Corporate America!

STOP THE INSANITY!:(
 
True

The only reason I mentioned repti-carpet is because news paper and such is out of the question, obviously, but the carpet can be washed frequently. If washed frequently, it would not have time to harbor much bacteria. At least I would think that would be the case. If I am wrong, then the lessor of the evils must become acceptable. Many PetCo's have washers and dryers right in the store because of their grooming department.

Christopher Nord and Nettie Pedro are the Companion Animal Coordinators for the particular PetCo district I was referring to. All I know is that when a friend of mine started working there, the Leos were all near death, very skinny tail, etc. She put them on carpet (off the calci-sand) and most of the then current Leos turned around and all the newly aquired babies grew fat. She even put in wet hides to reduce shedding problems. Well, she had forgotten to remove the hides & switch substrates before Chris Nord came through, and they were ordered to remove all hides ands switch back to calci-sand. Almost immidiately sand was found in the stool...nearly the whole stool was made up of sand. She is in the process of switching things back, but will get fired if she the CAC sees that she is going against plan-gram and PetCo P&P too many times. Having to do these quick change outs is acceptable to the manager as long as it is done so the CAC doesn't find out. This is rediculous.

Maybe the carpet doesn't work for everybody, but it has made a world of difference for her. The Leos are now fat and healthy. Isn't that what matters?
 
yes, that is a problem, but

PetCo only uses the sand because Gourmet Rodent sponsors it...
So, should it be that we all email Gourmet Rodent as well so that they will quit pushing it on PetCo?? A rep from Gourmet rodent says they use it too...I have to wonder about that....if they do, it sure isn't the same stuff that is marketed.
 
I just got this e-mail

from petco
John Winfrey wrote:

> Hi Overton,
>
> Thank you for your e-mail. I am very concerned to hear about your comments of our Couer D'Alene store. We take animal care issues at our stores very very seriously. I am going to pass along your comments to the General Manager of the store along with our Regional Companion Animal Coordinator, who makes sure that all of PETCO's animal care policies and procedures are followed to the letter. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to let us know about this problem and I assure you that we resolve any animal care issues immediately. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Winfrey
> Customer Satisfaction Coordinator
> PETCO ANIMAL SUPPLIES INC.
> (888) 824-7257 x 3028
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:eek:[email protected]]
> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 11:11 PM
> To: 2. Animal Issues
> Subject: Animal Inquiries or Comments
>
> Overton Pratt
>
> Sandpoint ID,
>
>
>
> Im really getting sick and tired of seeing dead and dying baby leopard geckos in your C.D.A. Idaho store, it's disgusting and shows a total lack of interest in the animals that are in your care. Who ever is in charge of your "live" animals should check out this store and correct the problem!
>
> Overton Pratt
>
> [email protected]
 
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