Most of the people working at petstores see it as a paycheck. Its the biggest problem im faced with working at a petco. I work part-time, i may only be in 2 times a week, then not in for a week. In that week quite a bit can happen.
On the topic of calci-sand, small (well more like tiny) victory there. The leopard geckoes are now on white repti-sand. Its not much better then calci-sand, but it is a much finer grain. Not wuite the repti-carpet i've been asking for, but its a small step.
Typhanie, What part of VA is that petstore in?

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

People working at "Pet Store Inc." are often 16-18 yr old kids at their first job, just trying to get by and repeating what they're told... and remember they have little control over the animals' care. Better to try to educate than to be smug or frustrated with the employees. If the conditions/info are really harmful the best idea would be to write to corporate or ask for the number of a district manager and ask for changes to be made. Remember that many reptiles have only been successfully kept as pets in very recent years and that the knowledge is far from common. And if you don't agree with a company 's policies regarding their animal care, its probably best not to patronize their business, ever, for anything, and give their corporate office a call to let them know why. That's the only way things will ever change. This isn't directed at anyone in general, just seems like it needed to be said that there are positive ways of facilitating changes instead of just judging / complaining. We were all ignorant once. (**** I am still about some things)

Culpeper. This particular pet store has been there longer than I have, and when I moved to Culpeper about 8 years ago, everyone warned me not to buy any animals from that store because the animals were often in bad condition. They keep moving around from location to location - I presume because they aren't making much money and think that moving to a new location will fix that. But the store keeps plugging on, so some people must be buying from them.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

ill have to remember if im ever in to stop in, maybe "raise some hackles". lol.
I agree with semantic prison. The problem is these corporations really don't care.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

Absolutely! We regularly encourage "civil" interactions with pet store employees... this is just a place to vent.

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~~Steph

"This I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world." John Steinbeck

Yeah. Its the owners like Typh mentioned that we understand getting a bit "uncivil" with... Though it is best if you explain things nicely, give them a good chance, before you decide to really give them an earful.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

Ryan, have you ever watched the movie Mary Poppins? Remember one of her songs that goes like this, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down... in the most delightful way." Well, I've found that dealing with IGNORANT owners and pet store employees is sorta like that. Be nice, complement what they're doing right, build a relationship (if you can), and usually they'll come around.

I've told the story of the exotic pet store reptile manager that insisted the sulcatas' shells were normal (they were suffering from pyrammading), but over the course of several weeks of us talking he began to do research on his own, and realized that I was telling him the truth. It was patient and polite insistence that did the trick.

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~~Steph

"This I believe: That the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world." John Steinbeck

Well I do agree to some extent, if at all possible, i'd much rather convince the owner to come around, take beter care of there animals,
"Though it is best if you explain things nicely, give them a good chance"
(even if not for there sake as much as the animals sake)
But there really are people out there that could care less, know what there doing, know its wrong, and only want to make more profit. These are the people who sometimes need a bit more of a "push" to get to, even if that push is a tad bit uncivil (well in my opinion even if that "push" involves threats to report there actions to the humane society, animal rights groups, any other venue) Most states (and I beleive, the federal government) have laws about the minimum care expected of animals, even the store owners are expected to follow them, they rarely get reported, but you'd be suprised what enough letters and phone calls will get you, especially if you can get more people involved.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

I agree. Honey draws in more flies by far than vinegar. The problem is when you've got a really stubborn fly who doesn't seem to care. That's when you have to go and get the flyswatter.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

i found this site when I was looking for caresheets for my RES last year and when I told my mom I was getting a 55 gallon for him (he was in a 20 at 10 years old) we had the worst argument. She has always been fed the "he'll only grow as big as his habitat" lie. and told me "just because you read it on some website doesnt make it true" but I forgive her, because it's my money and my turtle. she doesnt like reptiles so I wont have to worry about trying to re-educate her sometime down the line. I tried to explain to her that the pet store was only interested in making money, but she just said, "fine waste your money" Poor dana, he was kept in a 10 gal with only a bowl of water for 7 years. when I got him I put him in a 20 and set it up a little better. god that 10 gal stank. he grew a few inches when I put him in the 20 but he hasnt grown since I put im in the 55. he's 12 years old and only about 7 inches carpace length

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I'm full of useless facts to know and say!

~Chelsea~

To see a world in a grain of sand
And Heaven in a wildflower
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour...