Re: OK -a possible solution to the petstore controversies

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Posted by Muffins Mom on May 13, 2001 at 11:25:20:

In Reply to: Re: OK -a possible solution to the petstore controversies posted by xta on May 11, 2001 at 15:51:44:

I totally agree with this idea. Making the prices 200 bucks a pop would definitly curb the impulse buying. I admit, I bought my little water dragon ( Muffin ) on a whim. She looked so sick and skinny I couldn't let her sit in that petstore and wither away. I brought her home in the box they threw her in and set up home in a VERY small tank. Then I started to read....and read....and read...now she's in a 75 gallon cage ( a much larger one will be purchased in a couple months ), fat, happy, and spoiled rotten ( I had to drive 20 min back into town the other day just because she decided she didn't want to eat worms I bought her...she wanted crickets instead. LOL ) Anyway, the point being, I think people like me are few and far between...those of us who bought our little guys at a spur of them moment, then took the time to actually learn what our lizards need, and provide it for them. I paid 34 bucks for her...the iggys they had there were around 12 dollars ( she was in a cage with them and some basalisks ). I have now spent well over 1000 bucks on her ( vet, food, home, extra things in three months )...I can only imagine what happens to those lizards who go home with small children and thier parents who have no idea what it costs to care for these animals in the long run...the solution won't be simple. I think we need to start small, and work our way from there. Petstores need to be carefully monitored and regulated on the care that they give these animals first...you've all seen them...several differnt species in the tanks together, dead or dying lizards left for days, small enclousures, poor diet...I actually spent a half hour talking to one of thier potenital customers on how to care for an anole...the guy at the reptile center had no clue....and anoles are a far cry from water dragons and iggy's. People who work in petstores should be REQUIRED to know what thier talking about...I honestly think that they are the ones that need to hold a herp license...anyway...enough rambling on my part....everyone here has fantastic ideas...now if we can just get the word out....

: Those are some viable ideas, but I still think charging $200 per iguana would solve a lot of problems.

: This would:
: Keep most impulse buyers and children from purchasing them.

: Keep petstores from carrying as many.

: Hopefully encourage petstores to take better care of them because they would no longer be a throw away pet.

: Encourage people to gain more knowledge on caring for these pets that would cost more to replace.

: Probably discourage most people except TRUE iguana lovers from buying them in the first place.

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: I totally agree with this idea. Making the prices 200 bucks a pop would definitly curb the impulse buying. I admit, I bought my little water dragon ( Muffin ) on a whim. She looked so sick and skinny I couldn't let her sit in that petstore and wither away. I brought her home in the box they threw her in and set up home in a VERY small tank. Then I started to read....and read....and read...now she's in a 75 gallon cage ( a much larger one will be purchased in a couple months ), fat, happy, and spoiled rotten ( I had to drive 20 min back into town the other day just because she decided she didn't want to eat worms I bought her...she wanted crickets instead. LOL ) Anyway, the point being, I think people like me are few and far between...those of us who bought our little guys at a spur of them moment, then took the time to actually learn what our lizards need, and provide it for them. I paid 34 bucks for her...the iggys they had there were around 12 dollars ( she was in a cage with them and some basalisks ). I have now spent well over 1000 bucks on her ( vet, food, home, extra things in three months )...I can only imagine what happens to those lizards who go home with small children and thier parents who have no idea what it costs to care for these animals in the long run...the solution won't be simple. I think we need to start small, and work our way from there. Petstores need to be carefully monitored and regulated on the care that they give these animals first...you've all seen them...several differnt species in the tanks together, dead or dying lizards left for days, small enclousures, poor diet...I actually spent a half hour talking to one of thier potenital customers on how to care for an anole...the guy at the reptile center had no clue....and anoles are a far cry from water dragons and iggy's. People who work in petstores should be REQUIRED to know what thier talking about...I honestly think that they are the ones that need to hold a herp license...anyway...enough rambling on my part....everyone here has fantastic ideas...now if we can just get the word out.... : : Those are some viable ideas, but I still think charging $200 per iguana would solve a lot of problems. : : This would: : : Keep most impulse buyers and children from purchasing them. : : Keep petstores from carrying as many. : : Hopefully encourage petstores to take better care of them because they would no longer be a throw away pet. : : Encourage people to gain more knowledge on caring for these pets that would cost more to replace. : : Probably discourage most people except TRUE iguana lovers from buying them in the first place.

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