A Heaping Handful of Righteous Ire

[ladysprite]

Someday, when the last pet store in the world has been burned to the ground, I will gather together every child who has ever suffered and lost a pet from their callous and mercenary attitude, and we will dance the hokey-pokey on the store's ashes as we sow the earth with salt.

I have had it up to my eyebrows with pet store puppies dripping with mange and kennel cough and worms. I am fed up with half-starved lizards and rats with pneumonia. And yesterday, euthanizing a bird that had only been out of the store for five days because it was too sick to move, too weak to perch, and so emaciated that I could use it's keel as a cheese knife - the third bird in this situation within the past three months - it took all of my willpower and then some to avoid marching down to the pet store myself and unleashing my wrath on the manager there.

I am a nonviolent person. I have no intentions of beating him black and blue, though that does hold a certain appeal right now. All I want to do is grab him by the ear, march him back to the clinic, and sit him down in front of the four-year-old boy who was sobbing his heart out and asking me if his bird was dying because he was bad. And Mister Marvelous Pet Store Manager can explain to this child that no, he was a good boy, and the bird was just dying because the store didn't care, and knew they could turn a profit anyway. I'm sure that'll make the kid feel much better.

The store's involvement ends when the animal leaves the door. They don't have to deal with the frustration and the heartbreak and the pain that comes when people get attatched to an animal that winds up in ICU less than a week later. They graciously offer to take the animal back and give them a new one - they don't understand, I guess, the difference between a living creature and a slipcover. And this is why slipcovers should be sold in chain stores, and living creatures shouldn't.

Meanwhile, I mop up their messes, and I call their managers, and I tell them about the problems. And they recite the carefully-worded statements they're given from on-high, pointing out that since I didn't see the animal when it was sold, I can't prove that it was sold in that condition, and no formal action can be taken. And I sit, and I seethe, and then I move on to my next appointment and hope that maybe at least now there's one more family that will never buy from a pet store again.

Damnit.

Comments

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

That said, what if when the time comes Sandra would like an iguana (not my first pick because of some of the bacteria they carry) or a bird? Are there safe, sane, non-abusive environments to buy or rescue such animals from?

Completely aside from the bacteria issue, iguanas are quite possibly the worst pet species in existence. They have insanely specific and intense habitat requirements, they're nearly impossible to feed properly, they die at the drop of a hat, and if they live they get big enough that they require not just a cage but an entire room of their own. If she wants a lizard, get her a skink.

As for where to get a good reptile or bird, ask your local exotics vet. If they can't recommend someone, look around for a decent breeder. If you do have to get one from a pet store, look at their habitats - make sure they're clean, and not overcrowded. Make sure the animals look healthy - bright, clear eyes, no feces stuck on them, not too skinny. Feathers should lie flat, scales should be colorful and clear. And take your new critter to a vet within 24 hours of adopting it. Also, before you buy the thing, talk to a vet about it's habitat requirements - most of what the pet store will tell you is wrong. (If you do want an exotic, I'd be more than happy to talk with you about finding the right critter, and figuring out it's habitat and diet....)

[cadhla.livejournal.com]

I can't agree with that assessment of iguanas. Burmese pythons are possibly the worst pet in existence -- and I say this as a woman who has had and loved them dearly in the past. Iguanas, for all their failings, also have their advantages. Of all the commonly kept 'pet' reptiles, iguanas are the most genuinely affectionate. They have personality. Adult iguanas are capable of being some of the sweetest, most loving creatures I've ever shared space with.

Yes, I do iguana rescue. Yes, I would happily ban sales of iguanas in standard pet stores, because the way they are treated and the size at which they are sold is horrific. This said...

Is Sandra willing to settle for a second-hand iguana? There are rescue organizations around the country, and most of them will let you meet the lizards before you choose one to take home. Adult iguanas require more space than infants, but infants become adults, and this lets you skip the lizard teenage years (not always fun). If you really want a baby, look for your nearest vivarium -- here in California, the East Bay Vivarium and Hoffman's Reptiles fill that nitch, selling happy, healthy, well-socialized little herps to people that meet their standards.

Don't write off the iguana just because he takes up space.

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

Don't write off the iguana just because he takes up space.

I don't write them off just because they take up space. I write them off because, for any but the most experienced herp owner, they're extraordinarily difficult to handle.

A dedicated, experienced reptile owner and handler can take good care of an iguana, yes. And for those owners, they're incredibly rewarding pets. They're friendly, social, and beautiful. But for inexperienced owners, the demands of space, temperature gradients, humidity, lighting, UV balance, diet, supplementation, and hygiene are nearly impossible to juggle. The average lifespan of iguanas in the wild is over 20 years; in captivity it's about 8 months.

There are starter-lizards that are much easier to handle, and in my experience equally rewarding. Once a person has some experience, then if they want to jump into the commitment of owning an iguana, it might be worth trying.

[faithwallis.livejournal.com]

With that answer, I think my answer to iguana or "exotics" is a huge NOOOOOOO.

I don't like them. Sorry, know they're a member of the species of Earth too, but just don't like them. Birds, iguanas, etc just don't have the ...um...hate using this term..."durability with children" that something somewhat mammalian does.

Hopefully, we can get her to deal with the fact it will be a dog or a cat or nothing. Hubby and I have grown up with dogs and want to wait until the kid is out of "love them to death...almost literally" mode. He remembers their beagle almost getting strangled to death when he'd hug her and doesn't want that to happen to an animal we bring here.

Any recommendation on age when bringing a pet into a home is appropriate? We don't plan on having any more children and Sandra will be 2 on May 1.

What do you recommend parents do to acclimate both the pet to the kid and the kid to the pet, age group wise?

I know this sounds silly, but would you mind writing a post about kids and animals and what is appropriate behaviour and what parents need to be aware of.

OR, would you recommend some books on the subject?

Thanks!
Faith

[matildalucet.livejournal.com]

My mom's rule of thumb was no crawling kids and preferably only one creature to "potty train" at once. I'm not sure if that was for her sake or the pup's though. I seem to remember wanting to trade in my youngest brother for a dog, but I've gotten over it.

[cadhla.livejournal.com]

When she hits the age wherein she's making 'wanna pet' noises and you've judged her able to handle them, you may want to consider a rat.

Rats are more social, friendlier, and generally more durable than hamsters (which I refer to as 'goldfish with teeth'). If properly handled and socialized, they can be incredibly sweet, affectionate companions with a very good grasp of appropriate behaviour. I would never recommend a hamster for a child; I recommend rats all the time.

Also, most areas have 'ratteries' -- private breeders who keep their rats as socialized and healthy as possible. A little research before purchase can get you a small, healthy, happy caged companion animal.