# stupid idiot shop



## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

hi i am going have a rant 
am really pissed of with local rep shop any one from ips will know what they are like
last thursday me an dean went in to have a l.ook at the reps an buy some equipment, was looking at an albino cali kingsnake when i noticed that it's skin wasn't right at first i though it was a burn on a closer look realised it was scale rot, mentioned it to the guy working there an he said he had noticed it the last couple days told him i though it was scale rot but i will look into it for him, so came home did a bit of research found out how to help the snake, so today we went back i told him it was scale rot told him how to deal with it, he turned round an said "yeah i know i will put it out back" but he did nothing with the snake, he claims that it is about to go into shed an will see how it looks after, i said he needs to get it treated an into a clean viv with minimal interior an a paper towel substrate until it was cleared up an to lower the humidity slightly an he replied well i juat gave the whole viv a spray so its nice an moist now. thoughts going through my head "twat" he says he knows whats wrong an how to deal with it then does nothing, another thing i told him if he's not carefull the snake will get worse an possibly die, he turned round an said "u'll be surprised what state i have brought animals back from". i am very concerned for the welfare of not only the cali but all the reps kept there, there is always shit in the vivs, reps without water, crickets running around in snake vivs, the guys doesn't always clean out vivs when sold an animal before putting a new one in, today they had a new basilisk in he put it straight in with the ones that have been there for a couple months, there's a beardies who he things might have something wrong with still on display for sale, am very angry with the conditions they are kept in aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh not really sure wot to do they don't seem to appreciate any help we have offered them, don't want to go to the rspca as they are'nt exactly up on reptiles an we have know reptile support groups in suffolk if i had the money i would buy all the reps in order for them to get the treatment they need am so angry, am so glad i have vented know.


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## Rembrandt (Dec 29, 2006)

You can try contacting the RSPCA but they're resources are limited. Otherwise, stop supporting the shop by buying your stuff elsewhere... some good deals to be had online.


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## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

we are now stopping buy our stuff there don't buy from there often any way needed some faunariums, we go in there mainly to look in on the reptiles am just pissed of with them we ar going to be doing a reptile shop ourselves but untill then they will be selling these poor reptiles to people some who don't have clue, like for example a guy came in bought some stuff for his snake he baought the previous week then asked what sort of food the snake eats was disgusted that he was sold the snake without knowing anything about it, the guy working there has told me he's lost his interest in reptiles, just i feel the only reason they shop sells reptiles is because their fish supoplier has them like most aquariums that turn into reptiles.


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## CBR1100XX (Feb 19, 2006)

Just boycott them, or do what I do with my local and go in and hassle them every week, its kind of worked a bit with mine as i can be a bit intimidating but thats what they needed, now they know I am only there to point them in the right direction. :lol: 

Are you and dean still looking into getting a shop?


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## Rembrandt (Dec 29, 2006)

I went into a shop recently, that was really nicely turned out but was overrun with kids despte there being a sign on the door limiting the number fo kids to 2. More distubingly, one customer was smoking and some of the kids had some of the reps out to play with. When the manager finally asked me if I needed any help, i politely told him what I was after but would choose not to buy from himi due to the conditions in the shop. He was gob-smacked. I've kept my word and not gone back despte it being the most conveniently located for work.


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## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

yes we are we just need to get funding together and get a property we have made lots of contacts we really want to get this going an put the shop out of business they shouldn't be selling reptiles they know or care about


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## CBR1100XX (Feb 19, 2006)

trese said:


> yes we are we just need to get funding together and get a property we have made lots of contacts we really want to get this going an put the shop out of business they shouldn't be selling reptiles they know or care about


good luck, I will be doing something similar later on this year but more of a cash injection into rep equipment sales. :wink:


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

I know how you feel, the pet shop I get my two's food from shouldn't be allowed to carry livestock. The conditions of the lizards in there upsets me every time I go in.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

trese said:


> hi i am going have a rant
> am really pissed of with local rep shop any one from ips will know what they are like
> last thursday me an dean went in to have a l.ook at the reps an buy some equipment, was looking at an albino cali kingsnake when i noticed that it's skin wasn't right at first i though it was a burn on a closer look realised it was scale rot, mentioned it to the guy working there an he said he had noticed it the last couple days told him i though it was scale rot but i will look into it for him, so came home did a bit of research found out how to help the snake, so today we went back i told him it was scale rot told him how to deal with it, he turned round an said "yeah i know i will put it out back" but he did nothing with the snake, he claims that it is about to go into shed an will see how it looks after, i said he needs to get it treated an into a clean viv with minimal interior an a paper towel substrate until it was cleared up an to lower the humidity slightly an he replied well i juat gave the whole viv a spray so its nice an moist now. thoughts going through my head "twat" he says he knows whats wrong an how to deal with it then does nothing, another thing i told him if he's not carefull the snake will get worse an possibly die, he turned round an said "u'll be surprised what state i have brought animals back from". i am very concerned for the welfare of not only the cali but all the reps kept there, there is always shit in the vivs, reps without water, crickets running around in snake vivs, the guys doesn't always clean out vivs when sold an animal before putting a new one in, today they had a new basilisk in he put it straight in with the ones that have been there for a couple months, there's a beardies who he things might have something wrong with still on display for sale, am very angry with the conditions they are kept in aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh not really sure wot to do they don't seem to appreciate any help we have offered them, don't want to go to the rspca as they are'nt exactly up on reptiles an we have know reptile support groups in suffolk if i had the money i would buy all the reps in order for them to get the treatment they need am so angry, am so glad i have vented know.


Hi

Have you a phone number for this shop


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

yes...BUT the owner does not liek to be told anything and the young lad who is the "rep boy" is an air head...

may i give an example from yesterday that worries me..but this isnt just thier fault more tha manufactruer who i cannot track down online [any help would be great]
as many may know... uvb.... 500= high, anything more is bad, uvb tubes give crap..like 100 on contact and 10 at 12 inches..right they dont know anything about uv amounts etc but they have this new MERCURY VAPOUR BULB in i was lookin at it and the brand is "hobby" who i hadnt heard of before... on the box it has a small chart showing that at 30cm it gives of 2000 uw cm2, 1000 at 60cm and 500 at 90cm [3 foot] so one would assume its to be used no closer than 3 foot..like the zoo bulbs....
BUT it doesnt say that on the box...... nor inside... nor does it say what it gives off after 90cm..which makes no sense atall right?
i tried to tell them how odd it is and ask if they knew if it was a missprint etc and they were like"dunno, been sellin lots though"
i voiced my concern explaining exactly how uv worked etc and amounts in natural sun etc and they were just like "yeh im sure its fine or they wouldnt make it" i was like..true.. but if its true on the box then its meant to be used 3 foot above the viv but it makes no sens ethat it doesnt say how much it gives off after that" 
they basically kicked me outa the shop lol... the bosses face.... could kill a rhino.. :S

anyway, they are thick to be honest and it sad..but its HOBBY who have cocked up.... but i cant find them online was gona email them and find out whats goin on but cant find them but if they are zoo bulbs and are being used at normal distance then we have a problem... 


I would just have expected them to say "oh..gosh il ring the wholesaler and get it sorted out" but NO.


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

basically...they will know it is us...cos nooone else who goes there knows anything about reps or what they do wrong..atleast not that we are aware...however is possible.

also... we ned to buy our mice etc from there.

I WILL ONLY give details of this shop if something can really be done...


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

You know i hate that shop....


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Im from ips and am there when im not at uni. Im pritty sure i know where you mean, and i havnt brought anything from them in about 2 yrs now; buy everything online. Have gone in a few times to look at reps but have straight out refused to buy from them after seeing a few incidents. 

If its the same shop the way they treat there mammels is even worse, was in there once a few years back where a mother was simply buying mice for her son and me being me got chatting. The women (worker) was trying to milk them for everything, pointing out only the most expensive stuff saying it has to have this, this and this. So of course i intervined and after a little discussion with the parent managed to save her a few pounds and tell her how to actually look after (not that its really that hard lol tho she hadnt got a clue). The woman who ran it looked like she was fuming lol was priceless. 

Let me know where and when you get you're shop running as i would love to come be nosey hehe.

hugs
Jay

P.S. if you get the shop up anytime soon and want a hand im after a part time job to get some funds. However would only be available over summer, xmas, easter due to uni. It's always worth trying to get a job especially with reps hehe.


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## baldygit (Dec 31, 2005)

Just do what i do,dont go in there,dont buy livefoods from them or any rep equipment,once there is no market they wont continue selling reps.
Ipswich is a very small town with a limited market,i actually used to supply this shop with reptiles about 8 years ago when i was a wholesaler /importer,he used to phone me up with the order then send a taxi over with the cash to collect the animals,he never asked for advice on keeping etc ,but used to order once a month so he was selling or killing them :roll: 
I have been in there twice since ,cages are to small and not heated correctly,last time was a year ago and saw a yemen in a tiny cube viv,
that was it, :twisted: i dont go in any more ,if we all do this i am sure he will get the message.
Do we also still have that pratt still at Stonham Barns as well aint been there for a couple of years ? :lol:


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## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

hey yep stonham are no better but the reps are in a slightly better condition we don't really buy from the other rep shop much unless we really really have to i tend to go in to have alook at the reps might pop in tomoz as i have day off to see if he has done anything with the cali if not i might go crazy it really got to me yesterday so i can't wait to get our shop up an running an put them out of business


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

Hi all.
I would just like to add that i actually think stonham barnes [abbey reptiles] are a lot better than viking aquatics as far as the condition they keep thier reptiles in, and they know quite a bit about them to which is handy.
Having said that the owner is very much a know it all, and a spitefull one at that.
When i first got back in touch with them when we had bought our beardie viv and viking sold the beardie we had reserved I rang up after re-finding his number after ten years to ask if he had any beardies in.. transcript roughly as follows.

Me: Hiya [long intro..] do u have any baby beardies in at the mo?
Him: Well not babys NO [blunt, then couple second pause] Got some about 3 months old though...I wont EVER sell them after that cos its wrong.
Me: Right ok great, and roughly what kind of size are they?
Him: about 8 inches have you got your viv set up yet?
Me: yes got it couple days ago.
hIM: have you got uv?
ME er yeh repti glo 8
HIM : and wheres that?
Me: Hangin down from the top..
HIM: WELL THATS NO GOOD IS IT...SEE PPL LIKE YOU WHO BUY THESE THINGS AND WANDER WEHY THEY GO DOWN HILL
[RANT FOLLOWS]
Me: so i could just lower it by simply pulling the wires through a bit more couldnt i?
Him: yes but... 

Anyway you get the idea, he was a **** on the fone... so i went down there and let him know it was me [with a mate... who is kinda heavy]
and anyway he was nice and all.. but a bit scary ******* odd... but seemed to know his stuff... untill a second and third vivsit when u realise that he too is just blagging, he doesnt practice what he preaches, for instance he has 3 adult water dragons in a 3 foot viv yet when my mate wanted to buy a baby he told him " min 6x6x4 etc etc and the glass alone will cost you a grand i can get it for you"... lol think it was could my mate had just mentiuoned he was soon getting 1700 pound back and was asking for then when he has the cash.

But anyway, viking woulda said, yeh u prolly want a 4 footer, heatmat,and a 250w ceramic with clamp lamp thingy, cheers, bye done deal.

I would like to think that a lot of ppl from this area go to stonham instead of viking, those who know a bit i mean... we want to do our shop but it kind of relies on the assumption that we can get more trade than what viking aqautics currently have.

Anyway im finished now, trese wants to now go in town including in there and i really cant be arsed to go in there, still see them selling those dodogy mvb's they know nothing about and not say anything.

guys... can anywone help me with info on that bulb? [see my 2 posts above, first one in this thread]


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## Blazey (Apr 30, 2006)

only read the initial post. its the government who u are best off complaining to, they are the ones that give them their pet trade licence and u will more likely persuade them of the problems than the RSPCA. As for the filth, ring environmental health, that used to get the shop that i worked at worrying and made them clean up their rabbits that were really disgusting.


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

Got time now to write a more lengthy reply!! 
As ive said a million times Trese, i hate that shop. Talk about Abbey reptiles being rude, i asked the owner of vikings if they had any cresteds in (as i remember you telling me about out back) and he just was really blunt and said no. i asked if he could ever get subadults/adults in and same answer. no. i the simply asked where abouts his supplier was based and he got really rude saying he wouldnt tell me.

I actually had to say something the other day as they had a tiny leo in there that was in the same spot i'd seen it in 2 days before, and its leg was all funny and bent. he just said, ill have a look.

Stonham is 'ok'. The last time i went they had everything on what looked like woodshavings. but at least they have bigger cages and seem alot healthier. However, the owner is a knowitall as you said, kept telling me it was fine to mix all kinds of amphibians and when i told him about the problems .i.e toxins etc he just went off to get something from the backroom. He was actually advocating me to set up a tank with a load of different treefrogs, a horned frog (what is this guy on??) FBTs and salamanders! Idiot.

As ive said to you before Trese, ill be more than happy to lend a hand in the summer, you know to pm me. Had another idea, it'd be great to have somewhere i trust with holiday stay for my animals. Have you been to the one in felixstowe? theres one next to happi pets only tiny though. but ok conditions and a helpful guy if you need someones advice they only started up a little while ago so im sure they could help.


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

Hi all.
We went in town and popped in.
The cali with the scale rot was still in the dirty viv, on display for sale, having received no treatment or cleaning atall and looking worse.

Also the one baby beardie they have in thier right now is pretty much dead, head on the ground not moving.
I was sugesting things they could do about 5 days ago and everything i sugested from aDDING UV, CALCIUM, Better temps, generally having a good look at him etc got shot down, today he is looking really really bad.
Again the response was "we will put him in a hospital viv out back and keep an eye on him, hes been lethargic for a week"
They dont have hospital vivs and they dont look at him atall.

Another [decent, older] bloke that works there said he had been tellin them hes not right but he gets told to stay in the fish section... he's not too happy you can tell.

Think its time to do something now....


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

thats the problem, people like them dont just not know things... they wont listen! wither that or they just dont care. Is there no1 you can report them to?


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

im not sure.. i honestly aint sure atall.
I mean anyone who doesnt know anything about reptiles wont or atleast may not see a problem with the place... 
the rspca, only going on what im told arent atall interested and i dont know of anyone else...


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Surly there must be somthing we can do.....

Anyone that knows anything about reptiles can see the state of that shop, there must be some way of getting it closed down. 

What about going straight to the people that give out pet shop liscense's surly if they checked and saw the state they would close them down.

just a thought
Jay


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## Titch1980 (Mar 6, 2006)

what about everyone on here that lives near or uses the shop or whatever all go in at once, armed with loads of caresheets etc, and try and get him to take the advice,if he refuses point blank not to then threaten him with his license ot rspca or whatever????
just an idea


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

ive been afraid to go in there the past couple of days.. if that kingsnake is still in that viv untreated for its scale rot or thatbaby beardie has died im afraid ill have to bash ricky up... and then maybe worse...
ill osrt it.. just need a couple days to be SURE i know wot im doin


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## Titch1980 (Mar 6, 2006)

any news on this???


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## trese (Oct 2, 2006)

hi yeah we went back in on tuesday an they had the cali out back having a tamodine bath and the baby beardie is also out back in a "hospital viv" the guy said it was still a bit trippy but hopefully it will be ok,m the shop in general looked a little tidier an some of the vivs looked cleaner,


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Wonder if its got anything to do with DEFRA calling him with the RSPCA and The local council licensing authority


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

come again?

not got a problem whatever happened but would love to know as they are acting oddly "clean" still not good but went in there on way home from work [4-30-5;50pm i was chattin lol] and they had just moved the 4 juvi green basiliscks from a 18 inch viv to a 4 foot.. huge improvement.. altho still 3 amles and one female but anyway..and he was "cleaning out a viv" not a single viv has been cleaned out.. even when swapping current resident to new one etc, in..er..a year id imagine..certainly not cince last april.

Would really love to know whats going on if you have info please as id also like to know if they have any idea how the hole thing come about etc as i am gettin odd vibes...friendly... but odd.. like they are a tad nervous.. i thought they were just getting nervous of me mentioning so much..

cheers..eagerly await a reply.

Dean


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

DeanThorpe said:


> come again?
> 
> not got a problem whatever happened but would love to know as they are acting oddly "clean" still not good but went in there on way home from work [4-30-5;50pm i was chattin lol] and they had just moved the 4 juvi green basiliscks from a 18 inch viv to a 4 foot.. huge improvement.. altho still 3 amles and one female but anyway..and he was "cleaning out a viv" not a single viv has been cleaned out.. even when swapping current resident to new one etc, in..er..a year id imagine..certainly not cince last april.
> 
> ...


I meant he had a call from defra yesterday with a threat of a visit


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

would just like to add that Me and trese are very apreciative of anything and everything anyone here has done to help out on this one.

Trese just mentioned that the beardies in there had veg yesterday... they NEVER give them veg.. i have begged them too and they have always told me its unecesary etc... 
so its obvious the right ppl got through to them which is great and im very gratefull.. but still would really love to know exactly how it came about if possible.

If i had to guess... i would guess whatever happened happened sometime between wednesday last week [10th] and tuesday past [16th] as when we went in thier wed night things were very bad BUT ricky was off and andrew the owner was being less arsy when we were poointing out the beardies problems [the one that couldnt hold its head up] and when we went in this tuesday an obvious improvement had taken place.

Thanks

Dean


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## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

oh, only yesterday?
oh ok well looks liek they took our own advice finally on the kingsnake and beardie then.. and today the defra call must have promted him to get the other vivs cleaned.


thanks, i am assuming that you know this then that you gave them the tip off to do so? it is appreciated, and now we know who to contact if theres future problems.

Thanks mate.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

DeanThorpe said:


> oh, only yesterday?
> oh ok well looks liek they took our own advice finally on the kingsnake and beardie then.. and today the defra call must have promted him to get the other vivs cleaned.
> 
> 
> ...


thats awsome, thats hope they keep it that way and keep improving the conditions. 

Jay


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

Pet shops that dont take the proper care of their livestock dont deserve to be in business and completely [email protected]@s me off, My brother works in the livestock dept at defra and he knows everyone else so i can always call him.. Half the time he only has to say that he will be paying avisit to make them get their act together


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