Petstores need to learn

[CuTe*LIL*CaVy]

I did not really know where I should post this, so I just put it here. The other day, I was at the petstore, hoping to buy a breeders net for my tropical, freshwater fish. A breeders net is a square net, fitted around a plastic frame, you put the pregnant mother fish in them, and when they have their babies, take them out so they dont eat their children. Anyway, I could not find them, so I asked a petstore clerk if he could tell me where they were. He said "A breeders net? You mean this?" He held up a little green net, with a handle and all, used to just catch fish out of the tank. I said, "Never mind, I think I can find it myself. I will just keep looking." I found the net, and I saw a fish that I wanted. It was a molly (A molly is the breed of fish), With a long tale, and black and white spots. He (The clerk) bagged it up for me, then he pointed to the sticker with a picture of a catfish on the top, and said "Is this a catfish? I need to know the price." I just slumped my shoulders, and said, "Here, I will do it." I had to write the price, breed, and fish number on the bag myself! That just shows how good of a job the petstores do picking their employies!!!

[cavy-cool-crazy]

Sadly it's the same old story. A few pet stores actually bother to at least give their employees some basic training in the care of the animals they sell, but most don't. And it is always the animals who suffer.

Obviously in an ideal world pet stores wouldn't sell animals, but somehow I don't feel that it will happen any time in the near future. They should insist on training their employees in the care of the animals so that they don't pass on false information to beginners, above all else. And they should look after their animals better. And maybe find out a few home truths.

My grandmother loves fish. She's planning on buying a GhostFish - I can't remember the exact name of it; one that looks just like a ribbon. She's planning on buying a young one and adding it to her tank as the smaller fish she has die off. She has quite a few large tropical fish. They're very interesting to watch and the colours are just so beautiful.

[Percy's Mom]

It's so sad that for the most part, petstore employees know as little about the products they sell as they do about the animals. I'm sorry you had to do that clerk's job CLC.

[selfcollectionx]

What seems odd to me is that pet stores don't really sell that many types of animals. You'd think it'd be really simple to research the CORRECT care information to put on the sheet for those people who have made the wrong choice to buy at a pet store.

[chinnymom]

Unfortunately the truth in how much training the typical employee at a pet store gets is ZERO. I think I have mentioned before that yes I do work part time at Petsmart. I took the job in October of 2004 because I needed a job when I moved to the Columbia area as we had moved due to my boyfriend getting a better job opportunity. My first day of work there I was handed a product book and told to find each product that it mentioned. That was my training - thats it! I was on the floor that very same day bagging fish and having no idea the names, species, or prices of these fish. It is absolutely ridiculous! Since then I take extremely good care of the animals when I am there, but unfortunately I only work 15 - 20 hours a week. There is one other person that is real detailed in taking care of the animals aside from myself, but the other people are basically high schoolers and college kids that only care about doing the least amount of work to get by.
But the more time I spend on this site, the more I deplore pet stores, esp. chains like my employer. I don't buy anything from there except cat food, cat litter, and carefresh for the chins. I have my chin food shipped in bulk from a supplier in Texas (which is amazing cheaper coming from Texas than buying right down the street from me) and I started buying piggie food from oxbowhay.com. Luckily I have received a promotion and pay raise from my full time employer which is affording me the opportunity to hand in my resignation at Petsmart and leave it all behind.
But I just wanted to put in my two cents that not all of the pet store employees are bad. When I realized that was all the training I was going to receive, I started looking information up online so I would be better educated. I also welcome suggestions/information from the customers themselves. But people like me in those stores are few and far between. I've opened up in the mornings to find the piggies and birds without water, the cages (aquarium style cages might I add) in the sick room deplorable, and the "I don't care about the animals that much" attitude more prevailent than my naive self would have ever imagined in such a place. I've tried and know that I have made a difference to some of these animals, but I am only one person with 20 extra hours in a week. I can not be a part of this corporation any longer and am lucky to have a way out.
Oh and on a side note, I mentioned being a vegetarian to one of my co-workers there and he asked me "why was I a vegetarian?" and then stated "I don't love animals that much!"

[CuTe*LIL*CaVy]

I really dont know what to say, I guess all you can do is hope for the best for those poor little animals, and hope that they find a good home soon. I really dont want those poor things to have to stay in the petstores very long! By the way, I also have a chinchilla named Roxie. Are they not awsome animals!

[chinnymom]

They are just as cute as the piggies! So much personality! I have a male and female - Oliver and Olivia - which I keep separated as they are unaltered and rescues so I don't want them breeding. Olivia doesn't seem to mind, but I know Oliver wants to get with Olivia for obvious reasons. I couldn't live without chins or piggies at this point after having both!

[CuTe*LIL*CaVy]

I totally agree!