I think he is just having a hard time right now. I'm sure the move was exhausting and ontop of that he is trying to find his feet. If you check his previous videos he talks about what all is going on and why he doesn't have a concrete living situation. But also he just kinda talks like that he doesn't sound too off lol
As a former petsmart employee, the care of the animals solely relies on the individual employee. We’re all paid the same, yet some put the hard work into their daily care while others do the bare minimum. The management unfortunately usually puts customer service above the care of the animals. One of the reasons I left was because I could not handle seeing the neglect and the lack of care.
Same here! All of the snakes were always freezing and skinny and I used to take the time to handle them to ensure they had human contact and also to warm them up! I had to literally do it in secret though or else the managers would get mad at me for handling them. Absolute bs. We weren’t allowed to handle the spiders or scorpions to see how their personality was to tell customers. All the animals in the new arrival room were neglected and left in basically a janitors closet and there was such little storage the hamsters were always together, even if they were an aggressive species, and they always got into fights. I used to go in there on my lunch break and handle the animals to calm them down and give them contact with people. We were supposed to check and clean/care for all of the animals in 30 min and that happened twice a day. That’s how much interaction they wanted them to have w people 🙄
Totally agree. I currently work at Petsmart and thankfully all of our employees are experienced and very caring with our animals & offer REAL AND CORRECT info to our customers. Our management also allows us to refuse service to people we do not think will properly take care of the animal :)
Currently still working at petsmart and have been for 2 years, and you are absolutely right. I've personally try my hardest to make the animals there feel more comfortable. Like buying kale and other vegetables for the Beardies and tortoises. But I've trained some absolute idiots. One who thought it was OK to feed the snakes crickets... Like WHAT?! Also the "training" you go through on the computer before you start the job is 99% based on taking care of the customer. There's no knowledge base for any animals we sell, and like you've seen in the video, the so called "care guides" are lacking to say the least.
current petsmart employee halfway through my two week notice.. can vouch for this + i tell every single customer that these guides are entirely inaccurate and need to be avoided
as a former petsmart pet care associate, i had homemade care guides to give to ‘pet parents’ since the petsmart branded ones were always at least a bit off. the worst experience i had was when my manager didn’t allow me to refuse a sale because they wanted to keep a ball python in a 10 gallon and power feed it.
Dang. When I worked at Pet Smart we had a strict rule where we couldn't give anyone any sort of written info. Felt so bad doing sales knowing whatever I said they wouldn't remember or follow.
8131, That's a terrible policy. 😱 This is why I don't argue that Petsmart is problematic even though my own store does things very well. Some managers definitely value the bottom line over the health of the animals.
HeppyPeppy, I also give out hand written stuff 👍 I generally use the provided book but go over it with the customer and mark with a sharpie all the things that need to be changed. They seem to absorb the information better with this method.
Also working at petsmart, and they would kill me if I tried to give them an alternative care sheet. It’s viewed as putting the Corp in a bad light. All I can do is suggest certain youtubers to look up themselves
May be working at petsmart soon and I'm nervous about this. I know basic care since I do have experience with few reptiles but I also know that they encourage you too tell the customers wrong information so you can make more sales. Scary to know that they care more about money than the health of animals
Yes you can, just let them starve for medium, smash it in the head with a rock for fast, and just take care for them, giving what they need and make them happy for slow (highly recommended speed)
When I got my corn snake from Petsmart (I know now not to support buying reptiles from there, but I didn’t back then) I was lucky and the worker I talked with was pretty knowledgeable on snakes. She specifically told me to ignore information in their guides about feeding outside enclosures and to avoid heat rocks :).
King snake or the king sort of title for snakes means that they commonly prey on other snakes. So the king snake as well as a King cobra will eat other snakes as a part of their diet.
The ability to eat something does not mean it should automatically be a part of its diet. Humans can safely drink alcohol, but it is not in any way healthy for us.
It means they can eat other snakes, not that they have to. Rodents will work just fine, and will probably be much cheaper and easier to find. I don’t think most people have a steady supply of frozen snakes to thaw for their king snake.
@Daniel Wright and Anya so glad you commented. Kingsnakes indeed are named that because in the wild their diet consists primarily on other snakes including venomous ones. Kingsnakes are big eaters and will also eat frogs, lizards etc. etc. They do just fine in captivity eating rodents as you guys mentioned.
They don’t even know how to take care of them , let alone follow a care guide 🤡, And what is messed up is that they tell people that aren’t educated an what animal there getting and just say a bunch of Random stuff 🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️. Want is also sad is that people Believe what the pets store employees have to say in stead of researching on there own and gathering info . Sometimes I have to educated my friends because there not meeting up to the expectations that there animal needs , and Most of the time I don’t even own that animal they have 🧏🏼♀️🧏🏼♀️🧏🏼♀️. PLS DO YOUR RESEARCH ON YOUR ANIMALS PLS GIVE YOUR PET THE BEST LIFE YOU CAN GIVE THEM AND ALWAYS GO OVER EXPECTATION :)
I feel so bad for getting my hamster from there I wish I didn’t after I learned about rodent mills even though rats and mice are feeder animals a lot of the time I still feel they should have quality of live.
The "king" in a snakes name normally means it feasts on other snakes, I heard once (so king cobra etc.). Not sure if it goes for other animals the same, i think it does
All king species cobra or colubrid eat other snakes and can handle snake venom that's why they can't be with other snakes, even breeding can be tragic for the snake
I just love watching Alex calmly tear apart PetSmart's care guides while simultaneously providing reliable and correct information on how to properly care for reptiles.
It’s cause they are babies who don’t “have as strong solitary instincts@, and don’t physically have enough room to house all the babies individually. They give too much stock with not enough places to put them.
So do the locally owned stores usually. Babies are more vulnerable and are less bothered by sharing space. Keep in mind that every pet store, local owned or chain, is housing temporarily.
I really wish my store would sell thermostats... In my opinion it's the number one essential item for MOST specialty pets and should be more widely available.
Northern climates with heat sources running can become very dry in a home. We have humidifier on the furnace itself, but many don't. I mist my corn snake when I mist my geckos.
I live in Vegas. All my colubrids have humid hides and are on eco earth/cypress mulch blend. I usually mist a third of the enclosure twice a week for a bump and they always have the humid hide as an option.
I'm pretty sure king snakes are known as king snakes because they eat other snakes. I know that California Kings eat Rattle snakes, so at least some are probably immune to some venom as well.
I agree with every single thing you said in this video, I’ve had my ball python for like a year and a half and all the tips you give have helped it thrive
I actually work at a Petsmart. Currently watching this on my lunch actually. I started working here 3 years ago and knew NOTHING about reptiles. Then started feeling bad when I was put in the “petcare” department bc I was selling things I knew nothing about. So I went home everyday and did extensive research on everything we carry. Now I no quite a bit about reptiles and actually am very much hated at my store bc I use out refuse to sell policy constantly bc we in general don’t take care of our animals how they should be cared for. Which is very annoying. But luckily we hold them for a short amount of time and I can guilt trip people into buying them and giving proper care. Our supplier is much better now. Obviously as a mass supplier it def isn’t the best and still wouldn’t recommend buying from big stores. But it’s too late for that knowing how big petsmart and petcos are now. I actually rehabilitate sick animals that people bring in alllll the time bc of false care tips . I have 3 chameleons that are my personal pets that are now 3 and 4 and 2 years old. Lots of cresties and Leo geckos. 2 ball pythons and 3 corn snakes. All of those have come in the store when I first started pretty ill and were just going to be put down. They are my best friends and I spend every paycheck on them. Animals are about the only thing left on the world that are pure and they deserve the best. Just can’t believe I haven’t been fired yet bc the standards here are torture for my morals lol
To be honest, my ball Python was from a petsmart, but I never followed their care guide. I did all my research from other sources. Petsmart really isn’t the go to place for extensive reptile information.
Phaint yeah.... at the time though my mistake was not seeking breeders or at the very least a reptile specific pet store. But I felt that I had done enough research to properly care for a ball Python and sure enough my boy is doing very well. Since then I have never bought another animal from there. I don’t trust them with up to date and extensive care info.
My boy is from Petsmart,.... I know better now! But he is such a gentle snake. He loves being held and he will wait for me to take the lid off and he will come right to me and go up my arm to hang around my shoulder. I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s over ever bit me once in three years and I think I scared him by accident when he did.
I have a class pet and it's a corn snake. He is really aggressive because he was never handled but it's past the point of fixing. That's ok though. He is also an adult and burrows on cold days.
These Conglom-O pet stores suck so vacuously so thx for the quick vid. Been watching ur channel for two years since I inherited my Royale rescue and finding you helped me as a starting point for learning about his needs quickly. Hes a finicky eater like many and that was expected but I see him drink nearly every evening when he comes out and his tank is well ventilated while maintaining about 55-60% humidity here in AZ.
I love how alex trashes on petsmart employees, but a bunch of us watch this channel bc we love him 😂 But honestly those of us who care and know a thing or two about reptiles never use those trash care guides. I personally recommend this channel, snake discovery, and victoria raechel to curious customers so that they are well informed on the animal they want.
@@stroopwafelfalafel If we all kept reptiles mostly correct, I'd be voting to have our rights as reptile owners taken away. Care for these animals should be 10/10 plus reaching higher.
@@infamousinferno2506 I think that’s a little harsh. The animals will survive, which is the actual bare minimum to keeping a pet (though I’m not defending mistreatment of animals at all) and I think if you’re starting out, which is what these pamphlets are for, then they’re pretty good. As someone who’s had her first snake for almost a year, it’s way more stressful trying to figure out how to do things right when the internet is so full of negative people trashing on others for even trying.
I have a corn snake and a ball python. (both in separate tanks of course!) I got the corn snake from a breeder last year and your video about setting up a corn snake tank was super helpful! Same with the ball python. I do my own research on TH-cam and different pages before heading to the pet store, then pick up what I need.
I work at a petsmart. I can say that the employees aren’t all experts but based on how I have been trained I do my best to care for all of the animals we have. It may not be the best possible options, but we are trained a certain way and expected to abide by the given regulations. I aspire to be a veterinarian and am attending college for it so I make great strides to learn about all animals, especially reptiles because I have never owned one. I know from my time working with petsmart that we will try to deter customers away from buying animals if they don’t seem prepared enough or if they will tire of the animal too quickly. I watch TH-cam channels such as yours to understand what animals should be receiving care and maintenance wise.
I work at Pet Smart as a pet care associate (aka I take care of the animals), and actually recently got a ball python from there (the biggest one we have had in a long time). Your videos are so helpful! It always helps me recommend people the CORRECT way to care for their animals. I have always liked reptiles, and definitely appreciate all of the information you work to share with everyone. (My ball python is named Pretzel, in case anyone is curious c:)
Come on, Alex. The picture in the corn snake guide *clearly* featured a premium Petsmart Rootin’ Tootin’ Southwest Adventure tank background, which snakes definitely care about. “Are these the same pictures?” he asks. Psssshhhhhhhhhhhhttt.
Did he not already post this? I swear I’ve heard him say all of this before, the food bowl, pooping, hiding comments I’ve heard him say before I thought I’ve seen this whole am I going crazy lol
Wait I figured it out lol Tyler rugge posted a review of the Petsmart ball python care guide 2 weeks ago and they said pretty much the same things. I thought I was going insane
I would be interested in seeing one of your videos in which you call Petsmart with questions but specifically ask for a reptile specialist and/or the specialty pet lead.
I like my local Petco there's a lot of snake people there which is unusual but neat they even take the time to handle and hang out with the baby boop noodles
whoever disliked this video i would like to say that Alex is CORRECTING the guides not hating on petsmart. he wants to help people who are thinking of getting a pet reptile. i understand you probably work at petsmart and dont like him talking smack about where you work but you guys can help make a difference by doing better at keeping reptiles and making more good pet stores. i am only 11 but i hope someone sees this and helps make a difference.
And they’ve started redesigning their shops to bring in more kids and customer that doesn’t give rabbits and such any privacy to hide, nor space to move (clear walls and interactive exhibits etc) which stresses them out so much - I don’t know how they’ve been approved. There are some videos that explain it very well . (Though i disclaim that their leopard gecko care things were really good)
Idk bud, I work at petsmart as a dog trainer, and while I don't work in pet care, I'm with them virtually all the time when I'm not teaching a class. A lot of the people that work there are in school to be vets and the people in pet care personally own and care for the reptiles they care for in store. They name the animals they come in for, recognize when they're unwell and pull them off the store floor to care for them before they go back out, and actively worry about who they go home with and will refuse a sale if they feel the need. Of course, it'll vary by store so use your best judgement, but all of the people at my Petsmart in pet care have prior experience with animals and even then, had to train and learn in online class about the animals they keep at the store. Petco, on the other hand, is a different story.
Almost all hermit crabs are wild caught. The producers break the shells and put them in painted shell, which are toxic to the crabs. Most hermit crabs only live a couple years in captivity, even if they live a lot longer in the wild.
I own 3 hermit crabs that are in a 120 gallon tank. They get fresh food and a variety of things to entertain them. I adopted them from somebody who couldnt keep them, and I have since spoiled them
Me who just got my first Leopard gecko from PetCo: oh no I hope Kiwi doesn’t die... Kiwi the gecko: *stuffing his face with mealworms and living his best life climbing around on his cave and log*
Add On: the lady who got my leopard gecko out of the tank and into a box for me to take home actually said she has two leopard geckos at home and she gave me some good tips about what they like, how to actually set up a tank, and how to properly handle them and bond with them! She was very helpful and it was great that I found someone who knew something
I was at Petsmart and I saw a employee trying to sell this man a hamster with the tiniest critter trail cage imaginable. I walked out of the store so mad 😡
Yeah, I mean, petsmart is horrible about the care of ANY animal, including reptiles, but the hamster care made standard by these pet stores is just SO bad
Morgan Heffernan I’m not limping or Petsmart’s together. I do know that there are some good ones out there but my local Petsmart is not a good Petsmart and has very low quality care for their animals.
Yeah but half the people who go into to petsmart to buy a hamster really only want a “cheap” animal, even if you recommend a aquarium the majority of the time they don’t wanna pay that much for a 12$ hamster.
I will say, for my beardie when I have to buy him feeder insects from a pet store, I always go with petco because their feeders are so much higher in quality than petsmart. Petsmarts feeders are always all shriveled up and usually about 1/4 of them are dead. That rarely happens at petco for me.
A new reptile shop moved into my town. they have ball pythons in 10 gallon tanks with no hides but plenty of decor for them to hide in and one water bowl. They are about 1 month old. They have 2 1 month old ball pythons in a 10 gallon tank with coconut fiber substrate, one water bowl, no hides but plenty of decor to hide in, and one water bowl. They are selling them for $75 each.
Me and my girlfriend went and bought 2 beardies a leopard gecko and a ball python from pet smart, the care guides are pretty far off but we bought from there because we wanted to give them I better home, we felt bad for them living in such a place, love the vids keep it up
@@technoraptor7778 ... I mean, it is. Some ball python care videos neglect specifics about tanks or don’t go into substrate (I spent years researching before I got my snake and I’m still trying to nail down that lol), and a lot are contradictory. So this covering the tank, heat sources, temps, feeding, and general life information does in fact make it more complete.
Its the basics...so I guess...but him saying that snakes don't really drink water and you don't always need a water dish. Not the best advice..they do need access to clean drinking water always. And glass enclosures are terrible at holding humidity.. aspen molds easy...didn't say anything about quarantineing the animals which is important. There are just tons better in depth videos out there easily. Snake discovery..wickens wicked reptiles..clients reptiles..ect.
“Y-Yeah, I’m gonna name it Jerry. :))” Me: *Watches Soul* “Obviously if you come back every week to get a Jerry, they’re gonna catch on.” Me: Name it Terry.
While not all locations do this well, in theory, a Petsmart will have employed a number of Petcare Associates who specialize in reptiles. I say this as I am one of them. I've been doing it for 6 years and absolutely love assisting people with their advanced reptile care needs. ✌️ You should ALWAYS double check the info provided by ANYONE. With that in mind, there is no harm in getting a variety of opinions and perspectives. No one person has all the answers.
Live in the 'middle of Arizona' windows aren't open but it's drafty. Even here we don't really struggle with keeping humidity up with our corn. Coconut fibers do wonders. We'll occasionally spray her down when she's blue, but other than that coconut tends to hold humidity in well.
The main reason those stores don't sell feeder rats and mice is because they sell rats and mice as pets and they aren't meant to be feeders. They also do sell frozen feeders, but they will not sell live in that manner.
I sincerely have no interest in snake content... I just enjoy you so much, that I watch anyways. Your dry humor is exactly what I need in my life 🥲 #favyoutuber
I worked at an exotic pet clinic and I was surprised when I found out that the nearby Petsmart and Petco used our clinic for all their non-cat/dog animals. The majority of the animals that we saw were reptiles, with the top 3 being ball pythons, geckos and chameleons. There was a while where nearly all the ball pythons petsmart was getting in had the same issues. I can't remember the actual diagnose but it was basically "this snake can't turn itself over", reminded me of a vestibular disorder.
Just got my first corn snake today!! I made sure to give her a few inches of substrate so she has the option to burrow if she wants to. I love her so much already. I can’t wait to watch her grow.
I use a little bit of aspen and mostly coco fiber for my corn snake. It helps keep the shape of the tunnels that she makes. But I suppose that reptibark could also do the same thing.
Pro tip on foggers, because they're delicate. Only use distilled water. Plug it into a timer, and don't allow it to run for more than 30 minutes at a time to keep the motor from burning out. Also, it's petsmart who doesn't sell live as feeders, and who keep their BPs on aspen. As a Petco employee, it's so weird when people come to me with vet questions. I can probably answer them but I'm still telling them to speak to their exotic vet and then I give them a list of the local vets who don't suck. I don't want that responsibility, lol.
I wish you were able to see the pet care guides we had a few years back. They recently revised it and it went from 6 panels to 4 and they changed and messed up SO MUCH INFO. I actually keep a copy of the old ones 🤔🤔 maybe I should send you some.
I usually don't see my snakes drink, but once I found a ball python who had been lost for about 6 months and she sat at the bowl gulping for a good 5 minutes
you should do a basic setup for various pets. :) it would help alot of first time owners out alot, and also help insure the safety of our scaely family. love the content, hope you and the girlfriend are safe.
Unboxings need a return great videos bro and I know your moving rn but hopefully when you get settled in soon they can start making a return bring back the reptiles to the reptile channel
@Mason I'm not as well versed with BP morphs as I am with leopard geckos and kings but appears to be pastel from what I have determined. Nothing crazy rare but I fell in love with her inquisitive attitude and how silly she was being
Ive been using coconut fiber for my corn snake for 2 years and i spot clean every week with a full clean every 6 months and it works perfectly fine, I feed him in a feeding box instead of feeding him in the enclosure and that lets me clean while he eats so it's efficient. I spray the enclosure a little but he has a moisture box that i keep really damp so he can go in there to cool down or shed. The feeding box works for me I think because I try to keep him as calm as possible and i make sure he sees food as the thing being in the tongs, not my hand, so like he's pretty good with the way i do things. Corn snakes just kinda vibe with whatever as long as temp is 80-90 and they have water
my baby corn snake does what your rat snake shadow does too. He avoids the warm side, which is normally around 80 degrees. but that may be cause his favorite hiding places are there xD
The only reason I feed my snakes in a separate container is because I use feeding day as a semi-deep clean day. While they eat their food, I take that time to remove all the decorations to find any extra waste and stuff that I might have missed from simple spot cleaning.
The habitats are designed as temporary enclosures that can maintain constant “brand-new” cleanliness, and easily view the animal you’re trying to purchase. That is why the habitats aren’t set up with every gadget and gizmo, it’s temporary. it all comes down to corporate wanting to maintain that pristine clean habitat that is easy to maintain while also running a retail store (cause it doesn’t matter if you’re busy taking care of animals, people will walk up to you all day long and request you assist them in another area of the store) and that takes a lot of time away when you have tons of mouths to feed and clean
yo i bought a snake from petsmart [i know i shouldnt have] but turns out they dont even know what they sell i bought what was supposed to be a basic fancy corn but was actually a hypo tessera morph- its wild man that kinda morph can cost up to 200$ when i just got mine for 60- i named him twiggy.
I had a customer a couple days ago who wanted to buy new fish. She told me a petsmart employee said it was okay to put 2 common goldfish in a 3 gallon tank.
If you are to adopt a snake from either petsmart or petco, i highly advise that you 1. read external care guides like recommended here and 2. check out which location has better care in your area, for me my petsmart had amazing care for ball pythons, i adopted one from there and she's a very happy healthy BP, my petco was very lackluster and snakes were visibly stressed, had stuck shed and all of the above.
Funny you say that about your rat snake. My Cali king is the same way. I usually only see him on the cool side of his enclosure, even after lowering the temp on his thermostat for his heat mat.
Heres a disappointed me watching my usual goherping video but this time after my mom rejects letting me use the freezer for frozen mice, therefore not letting me get a cornsnake
Sometimes a heat lamp may actually be needed for a ball python or other snake in addition to a heat mat with thermostat. I have a ceramic heat emitter above my ball python's bin as the air temperature in the bin was not warm enough without it since I cannot keep my apartment warm enough for the air to be 75+ in her enclosure otherwise. (my blood pressure drops severely when I get slightly too warm) That being said, I keep it on 24/7 and only really change the height during the summer when I leave my apartment so that way it doesn't get too hot. It is only a 60 W bulb and even if my apartment is 73 and I leave it as close as possible, her enclosure is still a safe temp, so I don't have a thermostat for the bulb. Dimming thermostats are way too expensive when the current bulb is safe without it.
I have got a job at petsense and at least they tell customers to do there own research before getting the animal. The only pets that we sell there is beardies, cats, bettas, and sometimes other reptiles like tortoises and tree frogs but those are rare with the expense that we have someone who knows how to take care.
Alex: reptiles don’t bark
Barking geckos: am I a joke to you?
i cant believe i scroll down to type this exact comment and its already done rip
@@Rainonychus lol
Tokay geckos who dont bark but just yell their own name:
I went to hear what they sound like and they sound like spongebob's squeaky boots
Firebelly toads bark very loud
You sound dead inside but look excited to talk about these.
I think he is just having a hard time right now. I'm sure the move was exhausting and ontop of that he is trying to find his feet. If you check his previous videos he talks about what all is going on and why he doesn't have a concrete living situation.
But also he just kinda talks like that he doesn't sound too off lol
Talking about your passion but dealing with misinformation is frustrating
@@technicaldifficulties368 yes. This is extremely accurate. Especially when your passion is worth millions to industry.
@@WaltRBuck
I sound like Goherp at work. 😅
@@nurrdy 0m
As a former petsmart employee, the care of the animals solely relies on the individual employee. We’re all paid the same, yet some put the hard work into their daily care while others do the bare minimum. The management unfortunately usually puts customer service above the care of the animals. One of the reasons I left was because I could not handle seeing the neglect and the lack of care.
That’s horrifying
Same here! All of the snakes were always freezing and skinny and I used to take the time to handle them to ensure they had human contact and also to warm them up! I had to literally do it in secret though or else the managers would get mad at me for handling them. Absolute bs. We weren’t allowed to handle the spiders or scorpions to see how their personality was to tell customers. All the animals in the new arrival room were neglected and left in basically a janitors closet and there was such little storage the hamsters were always together, even if they were an aggressive species, and they always got into fights. I used to go in there on my lunch break and handle the animals to calm them down and give them contact with people. We were supposed to check and clean/care for all of the animals in 30 min and that happened twice a day. That’s how much interaction they wanted them to have w people 🙄
Totally agree. I currently work at Petsmart and thankfully all of our employees are experienced and very caring with our animals & offer REAL AND CORRECT info to our customers. Our management also allows us to refuse service to people we do not think will properly take care of the animal :)
Currently still working at petsmart and have been for 2 years, and you are absolutely right. I've personally try my hardest to make the animals there feel more comfortable. Like buying kale and other vegetables for the Beardies and tortoises. But I've trained some absolute idiots. One who thought it was OK to feed the snakes crickets... Like WHAT?! Also the "training" you go through on the computer before you start the job is 99% based on taking care of the customer. There's no knowledge base for any animals we sell, and like you've seen in the video, the so called "care guides" are lacking to say the least.
current petsmart employee halfway through my two week notice.. can vouch for this + i tell every single customer that these guides are entirely inaccurate and need to be avoided
as a former petsmart pet care associate, i had homemade care guides to give to ‘pet parents’ since the petsmart branded ones were always at least a bit off. the worst experience i had was when my manager didn’t allow me to refuse a sale because they wanted to keep a ball python in a 10 gallon and power feed it.
Dang. When I worked at Pet Smart we had a strict rule where we couldn't give anyone any sort of written info. Felt so bad doing sales knowing whatever I said they wouldn't remember or follow.
8131,
That's a terrible policy. 😱
This is why I don't argue that Petsmart is problematic even though my own store does things very well. Some managers definitely value the bottom line over the health of the animals.
HeppyPeppy,
I also give out hand written stuff 👍 I generally use the provided book but go over it with the customer and mark with a sharpie all the things that need to be changed. They seem to absorb the information better with this method.
Also working at petsmart, and they would kill me if I tried to give them an alternative care sheet. It’s viewed as putting the Corp in a bad light. All I can do is suggest certain youtubers to look up themselves
May be working at petsmart soon and I'm nervous about this. I know basic care since I do have experience with few reptiles but I also know that they encourage you too tell the customers wrong information so you can make more sales. Scary to know that they care more about money than the health of animals
Alex: I CANNOT CONTROL THE SPEED AT WHICH REPTILES DIE
Yes you can, just let them starve for medium, smash it in the head with a rock for fast, and just take care for them, giving what they need and make them happy for slow (highly recommended speed)
@@DraguiDrakonial um wtf-
@@DraguiDrakonial that's some juicy, dark humor you got there bud. I dig
@@DraguiDrakonial r/cursedcomments
@Michael Jaramillo yo what happened
When I got my corn snake from Petsmart (I know now not to support buying reptiles from there, but I didn’t back then) I was lucky and the worker I talked with was pretty knowledgeable on snakes. She specifically told me to ignore information in their guides about feeding outside enclosures and to avoid heat rocks :).
I don't even give customers the care guides tbh.
Where should I get reptiles? cause I ain't got any other stores around me
@@Hekksksks you can order them
@@Hekksksks look for breeders near you or buy it online
@@Hekksksks get them from a pet store but check the reptile for any problems or other stuff, and do research
GoHerping DESTROYS PetSmart care guides with facts and logic
You again? You are everywhere!
you are subscribed to chandler''s wildlife
@@bigchunky4334 he is subbed to every reptile youtuber id say
Okay, frankly folks, if PetSmart knew how to give good advice then hypothetically, for the sake of argument, that would be epic.
King snake or the king sort of title for snakes means that they commonly prey on other snakes. So the king snake as well as a King cobra will eat other snakes as a part of their diet.
The ability to eat something does not mean it should automatically be a part of its diet. Humans can safely drink alcohol, but it is not in any way healthy for us.
It means they can eat other snakes, not that they have to. Rodents will work just fine, and will probably be much cheaper and easier to find. I don’t think most people have a steady supply of frozen snakes to thaw for their king snake.
@Daniel Wright and Anya so glad you commented. Kingsnakes indeed are named that because in the wild their diet consists primarily on other snakes including venomous ones. Kingsnakes are big eaters and will also eat frogs, lizards etc. etc. They do just fine in captivity eating rodents as you guys mentioned.
Petsmart can't even follow their own inaccurate care guide tho-
Yeah for real a PetSmart employee said to keep ball python’s lamp/heat mat temperature at 120 degrees 💀
@@simonaeaton2217 I really hope they don't have snakes...or any pet...
They don’t even know how to take care of them , let alone follow a care guide 🤡, And what is messed up is that they tell people that aren’t educated an what animal there getting and just say a bunch of Random stuff 🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️. Want is also sad is that people Believe what the pets store employees have to say in stead of researching on there own
and gathering info . Sometimes I have to educated my friends because there not meeting up to the expectations that there animal needs , and Most of the time I don’t even own that animal they have 🧏🏼♀️🧏🏼♀️🧏🏼♀️. PLS DO YOUR RESEARCH ON YOUR ANIMALS PLS GIVE YOUR PET THE BEST LIFE YOU CAN GIVE THEM AND ALWAYS GO OVER EXPECTATION :)
(Whilst listing ball python check liss)
"Food bowl. .... Food bowl?"
That made me laugh so hard
My BP has super bad aim so I give him a coco fiber mat like it's a plate
A lot of people say you sound “dead inside” and “depressed about adult life” but I really enjoy hearing your voice.
Yar har fiddly dee
petsmart bad
Ahah
They are absolute trash!!
Facts
I feel so bad for getting my hamster from there I wish I didn’t after I learned about rodent mills even though rats and mice are feeder animals a lot of the time I still feel they should have quality of live.
@@kategregorowicz8508 Me too:( We live and we learn though!😄
The "king" in a snakes name normally means it feasts on other snakes, I heard once (so king cobra etc.). Not sure if it goes for other animals the same, i think it does
All king species cobra or colubrid eat other snakes and can handle snake venom that's why they can't be with other snakes, even breeding can be tragic for the snake
I just love watching Alex calmly tear apart PetSmart's care guides while simultaneously providing reliable and correct information on how to properly care for reptiles.
The funny thing is that at pet smart they have like 5 ball pythons in one 20 gallon
Actually it’s more sad then funny
Mine has em in 40 gallon and usually have one
Mine keeps 3 in a 5 gallon.
It’s cause they are babies who don’t “have as strong solitary instincts@, and don’t physically have enough room to house all the babies individually. They give too much stock with not enough places to put them.
😧 in my pet store they only have 1 in the enclosure, at least on display...
No a petco or petsmart tho
So do the locally owned stores usually. Babies are more vulnerable and are less bothered by sharing space. Keep in mind that every pet store, local owned or chain, is housing temporarily.
I really wish my store would sell thermostats... In my opinion it's the number one essential item for MOST specialty pets and should be more widely available.
Northern climates with heat sources running can become very dry in a home. We have humidifier on the furnace itself, but many don't. I mist my corn snake when I mist my geckos.
I live in Vegas. All my colubrids have humid hides and are on eco earth/cypress mulch blend. I usually mist a third of the enclosure twice a week for a bump and they always have the humid hide as an option.
I'm pretty sure king snakes are known as king snakes because they eat other snakes. I know that California Kings eat Rattle snakes, so at least some are probably immune to some venom as well.
Go herping: don't buy from Petco or petsmart
Me who doesn't have any of those in my country: I see this as an absolute win
I agree with every single thing you said in this video, I’ve had my ball python for like a year and a half and all the tips you give have helped it thrive
I actually work at a Petsmart. Currently watching this on my lunch actually. I started working here 3 years ago and knew NOTHING about reptiles. Then started feeling bad when I was put in the “petcare” department bc I was selling things I knew nothing about. So I went home everyday and did extensive research on everything we carry. Now I no quite a bit about reptiles and actually am very much hated at my store bc I use out refuse to sell policy constantly bc we in general don’t take care of our animals how they should be cared for. Which is very annoying. But luckily we hold them for a short amount of time and I can guilt trip people into buying them and giving proper care. Our supplier is much better now. Obviously as a mass supplier it def isn’t the best and still wouldn’t recommend buying from big stores. But it’s too late for that knowing how big petsmart and petcos are now. I actually rehabilitate sick animals that people bring in alllll the time bc of false care tips . I have 3 chameleons that are my personal pets that are now 3 and 4 and 2 years old. Lots of cresties and Leo geckos. 2 ball pythons and 3 corn snakes. All of those have come in the store when I first started pretty ill and were just going to be put down. They are my best friends and I spend every paycheck on them. Animals are about the only thing left on the world that are pure and they deserve the best. Just can’t believe I haven’t been fired yet bc the standards here are torture for my morals lol
To be honest, my ball Python was from a petsmart, but I never followed their care guide. I did all my research from other sources. Petsmart really isn’t the go to place for extensive reptile information.
Yeah but you still shouldn't buy reptiles from petsmart
Phaint yeah.... at the time though my mistake was not seeking breeders or at the very least a reptile specific pet store. But I felt that I had done enough research to properly care for a ball Python and sure enough my boy is doing very well. Since then I have never bought another animal from there. I don’t trust them with up to date and extensive care info.
My boy is from Petsmart,.... I know better now! But he is such a gentle snake. He loves being held and he will wait for me to take the lid off and he will come right to me and go up my arm to hang around my shoulder. I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s over ever bit me once in three years and I think I scared him by accident when he did.
I have a class pet and it's a corn snake. He is really aggressive because he was never handled but it's past the point of fixing. That's ok though. He is also an adult and burrows on cold days.
my school corn snake is the sweetest guy ever
These Conglom-O pet stores suck so vacuously so thx for the quick vid. Been watching ur channel for two years since I inherited my Royale rescue and finding you helped me as a starting point for learning about his needs quickly. Hes a finicky eater like many and that was expected but I see him drink nearly every evening when he comes out and his tank is well ventilated while maintaining about 55-60% humidity here in AZ.
I love how alex trashes on petsmart employees, but a bunch of us watch this channel bc we love him 😂 But honestly those of us who care and know a thing or two about reptiles never use those trash care guides. I personally recommend this channel, snake discovery, and victoria raechel to curious customers so that they are well informed on the animal they want.
Don’t even have to watch to know they did it wrong
He gave them 6/10 and 7.5/10. They were mostly correct.
@@stroopwafelfalafel If we all kept reptiles mostly correct, I'd be voting to have our rights as reptile owners taken away. Care for these animals should be 10/10 plus reaching higher.
@@infamousinferno2506 I think that’s a little harsh. The animals will survive, which is the actual bare minimum to keeping a pet (though I’m not defending mistreatment of animals at all) and I think if you’re starting out, which is what these pamphlets are for, then they’re pretty good. As someone who’s had her first snake for almost a year, it’s way more stressful trying to figure out how to do things right when the internet is so full of negative people trashing on others for even trying.
I have a corn snake and a ball python. (both in separate tanks of course!)
I got the corn snake from a breeder last year and your video about setting up a corn snake tank was super helpful!
Same with the ball python. I do my own research on TH-cam and different pages before heading to the pet store, then pick up what I need.
I work at a petsmart. I can say that the employees aren’t all experts but based on how I have been trained I do my best to care for all of the animals we have. It may not be the best possible options, but we are trained a certain way and expected to abide by the given regulations. I aspire to be a veterinarian and am attending college for it so I make great strides to learn about all animals, especially reptiles because I have never owned one. I know from my time working with petsmart that we will try to deter customers away from buying animals if they don’t seem prepared enough or if they will tire of the animal too quickly. I watch TH-cam channels such as yours to understand what animals should be receiving care and maintenance wise.
Yessss I want this to be a series, yessssssss
Your voice is so comforting for some reason
Hahaha you’re like... ‘I’m not the damn fates over here, how on earth do I know exactly how long something will live?’
I work at Pet Smart as a pet care associate (aka I take care of the animals), and actually recently got a ball python from there (the biggest one we have had in a long time). Your videos are so helpful! It always helps me recommend people the CORRECT way to care for their animals. I have always liked reptiles, and definitely appreciate all of the information you work to share with everyone.
(My ball python is named Pretzel, in case anyone is curious c:)
I don't have a reptile. I don't plan on getting a reptile. Still, I'm always here for it.
Alex: 'Just come in with a name, like Jerry.'
LMAOOOOOOO
Come on, Alex. The picture in the corn snake guide *clearly* featured a premium Petsmart Rootin’ Tootin’ Southwest Adventure tank background, which snakes definitely care about. “Are these the same pictures?” he asks. Psssshhhhhhhhhhhhttt.
Did he not already post this? I swear I’ve heard him say all of this before, the food bowl, pooping, hiding comments I’ve heard him say before I thought I’ve seen this whole am I going crazy lol
He reviewed the gecko guides
Wake up you're in a dream
Wait I figured it out lol Tyler rugge posted a review of the Petsmart ball python care guide 2 weeks ago and they said pretty much the same things. I thought I was going insane
It makes me happy when he shows a small detail of emotion😂
I would be interested in seeing one of your videos in which you call Petsmart with questions but specifically ask for a reptile specialist and/or the specialty pet lead.
I just got a corn snake yesterday
Congratulations!
Congrats
Nice!
I'm planning on getting one soon
Cool ! I got some too , if u have question GoHerping is good but like Snake Hunter no no
I made a unicorn care guide
Thanks Kim Jong-un 🙏
Hello son, how you doing
Thank gawd. I need to know how to take care of mine.
Asking how long a individual reptile is going to live is like looking at a person you know and asking how long they are going to live.
I like my local Petco there's a lot of snake people there which is unusual but neat they even take the time to handle and hang out with the baby boop noodles
whoever disliked this video i would like to say that Alex is CORRECTING the guides not hating on petsmart. he wants to help people who are thinking of getting a pet reptile. i understand you probably work at petsmart and dont like him talking smack about where you work but you guys can help make a difference by doing better at keeping reptiles and making more good pet stores. i am only 11 but i hope someone sees this and helps make a difference.
Jokes on you America, I live in the UK so I don't have to deal with Petsmart!
Just got pets at home instead
Pets at home is worse in some occasions...
Pets at home is especially bad with rodents like hamsters
@@thecoffeepug40 they can’t Evan keep fish alive
And they’ve started redesigning their shops to bring in more kids and customer that doesn’t give rabbits and such any privacy to hide, nor space to move (clear walls and interactive exhibits etc) which stresses them out so much - I don’t know how they’ve been approved. There are some videos that explain it very well . (Though i disclaim that their leopard gecko care things were really good)
When you realise that a ball python can be taller than you
(im 4'11-150cm)
I'm 5'3 and my bp is 4'3
Alizée Maton idk about balls but i’m 4’11 and my corn is about 5’11..
Wait omg ur right
5'3 here. It's ok, though. When the snek calls me short, I just taunt it with my arms and legs.
Im 5'5 and so is my ball python 😂
Idk bud, I work at petsmart as a dog trainer, and while I don't work in pet care, I'm with them virtually all the time when I'm not teaching a class. A lot of the people that work there are in school to be vets and the people in pet care personally own and care for the reptiles they care for in store. They name the animals they come in for, recognize when they're unwell and pull them off the store floor to care for them before they go back out, and actively worry about who they go home with and will refuse a sale if they feel the need. Of course, it'll vary by store so use your best judgement, but all of the people at my Petsmart in pet care have prior experience with animals and even then, had to train and learn in online class about the animals they keep at the store.
Petco, on the other hand, is a different story.
I always have the urge to correct their care guides. Especially the Hermit crab ones
The way they treat hermit crabs is horrible
Almost all hermit crabs are wild caught. The producers break the shells and put them in painted shell, which are toxic to the crabs. Most hermit crabs only live a couple years in captivity, even if they live a lot longer in the wild.
I own 3 hermit crabs that are in a 120 gallon tank. They get fresh food and a variety of things to entertain them. I adopted them from somebody who couldnt keep them, and I have since spoiled them
Me who just got my first Leopard gecko from PetCo: oh no I hope Kiwi doesn’t die...
Kiwi the gecko: *stuffing his face with mealworms and living his best life climbing around on his cave and log*
Add On: the lady who got my leopard gecko out of the tank and into a box for me to take home actually said she has two leopard geckos at home and she gave me some good tips about what they like, how to actually set up a tank, and how to properly handle them and bond with them! She was very helpful and it was great that I found someone who knew something
I was at Petsmart and I saw a employee trying to sell this man a hamster with the tiniest critter trail cage imaginable. I walked out of the store so mad 😡
Yeah, I mean, petsmart is horrible about the care of ANY animal, including reptiles, but the hamster care made standard by these pet stores is just SO bad
Don't lump all PetSmarts together. I work at one and we would NEVER suggest a critter trail cage. I actively discourage people from buying it.
Morgan Heffernan I’m not limping or Petsmart’s together. I do know that there are some good ones out there but my local Petsmart is not a good Petsmart and has very low quality care for their animals.
Yeah but half the people who go into to petsmart to buy a hamster really only want a “cheap” animal, even if you recommend a aquarium the majority of the time they don’t wanna pay that much for a 12$ hamster.
The man didn’t buy the hamster. He just heard what the lady said. But it still makes me mad that they are still spreading cruel information
All my Jerry's in the chat say "Oh God, he's back again RUN!!!!!!"
i have to get my manager. they told me to call them if someone is buying another "jerry"
I will say, for my beardie when I have to buy him feeder insects from a pet store, I always go with petco because their feeders are so much higher in quality than petsmart. Petsmarts feeders are always all shriveled up and usually about 1/4 of them are dead. That rarely happens at petco for me.
A new reptile shop moved into my town. they have ball pythons in 10 gallon tanks with no hides but plenty of decor for them to hide in and one water bowl. They are about 1 month old. They have 2 1 month old ball pythons in a 10 gallon tank with coconut fiber substrate, one water bowl, no hides but plenty of decor to hide in, and one water bowl. They are selling them for $75 each.
Me and my girlfriend went and bought 2 beardies a leopard gecko and a ball python from pet smart, the care guides are pretty far off but we bought from there because we wanted to give them I better home, we felt bad for them living in such a place, love the vids keep it up
This is a more complete guide to ball python care video then some vids dedicated to ball python care 😂
Not really
@@technoraptor7778 ... I mean, it is. Some ball python care videos neglect specifics about tanks or don’t go into substrate (I spent years researching before I got my snake and I’m still trying to nail down that lol), and a lot are contradictory. So this covering the tank, heat sources, temps, feeding, and general life information does in fact make it more complete.
Its the basics...so I guess...but him saying that snakes don't really drink water and you don't always need a water dish. Not the best advice..they do need access to clean drinking water always. And glass enclosures are terrible at holding humidity.. aspen molds easy...didn't say anything about quarantineing the animals which is important. There are just tons better in depth videos out there easily. Snake discovery..wickens wicked reptiles..clients reptiles..ect.
But I guess..there are some pretty bad videos too.
@@technoraptor7778 lols, i was making a joke. but ya, i agree with you.
lols, you just named most of my reptile u-tubers list. XD
“Y-Yeah, I’m gonna name it Jerry. :))”
Me: *Watches Soul*
“Obviously if you come back every week to get a Jerry, they’re gonna catch on.”
Me: Name it Terry.
I'm convinced my leo hasn't drank anything since I brought him home but it's been 3 years so he must but I've never seen it.....
"Reptiles don't bark...and reptiles...don't....have...bark"
*RUFF*
While not all locations do this well, in theory, a Petsmart will have employed a number of Petcare Associates who specialize in reptiles. I say this as I am one of them. I've been doing it for 6 years and absolutely love assisting people with their advanced reptile care needs. ✌️ You should ALWAYS double check the info provided by ANYONE. With that in mind, there is no harm in getting a variety of opinions and perspectives. No one person has all the answers.
Live in the 'middle of Arizona' windows aren't open but it's drafty. Even here we don't really struggle with keeping humidity up with our corn. Coconut fibers do wonders. We'll occasionally spray her down when she's blue, but other than that coconut tends to hold humidity in well.
The main reason those stores don't sell feeder rats and mice is because they sell rats and mice as pets and they aren't meant to be feeders. They also do sell frozen feeders, but they will not sell live in that manner.
I sincerely have no interest in snake content... I just enjoy you so much, that I watch anyways. Your dry humor is exactly what I need in my life 🥲 #favyoutuber
I worked at an exotic pet clinic and I was surprised when I found out that the nearby Petsmart and Petco used our clinic for all their non-cat/dog animals. The majority of the animals that we saw were reptiles, with the top 3 being ball pythons, geckos and chameleons. There was a while where nearly all the ball pythons petsmart was getting in had the same issues. I can't remember the actual diagnose but it was basically "this snake can't turn itself over", reminded me of a vestibular disorder.
I CANT, my ads for the video were all petsmart ads 🤣🤣
King of sarcasm 🤣 I love his videos!! 💯
Just got my first corn snake today!!
I made sure to give her a few inches of substrate so she has the option to burrow if she wants to.
I love her so much already. I can’t wait to watch her grow.
I use a little bit of aspen and mostly coco fiber for my corn snake. It helps keep the shape of the tunnels that she makes. But I suppose that reptibark could also do the same thing.
@Ashlee Harvey I’ll keep that in mind when it comes to time to upgrade her!
" I'mma name it jerry" almost made me crack up in the mind of the night
Why yes I AM in the middle of Arizona, what the heck is a humidity?
Pro tip on foggers, because they're delicate. Only use distilled water. Plug it into a timer, and don't allow it to run for more than 30 minutes at a time to keep the motor from burning out.
Also, it's petsmart who doesn't sell live as feeders, and who keep their BPs on aspen.
As a Petco employee, it's so weird when people come to me with vet questions. I can probably answer them but I'm still telling them to speak to their exotic vet and then I give them a list of the local vets who don't suck. I don't want that responsibility, lol.
I love your water comment 🤣 I’ve had my BP for three years and I’ve probably seen him drink like five times 🤣.
King snakes are called that because they sometimes eat other snakes in the wild
I wish you were able to see the pet care guides we had a few years back. They recently revised it and it went from 6 panels to 4 and they changed and messed up SO MUCH INFO. I actually keep a copy of the old ones 🤔🤔 maybe I should send you some.
My ball pythons pooping schedule is every 2 weeks, almost to the day. He gets fed once a week.
I usually don't see my snakes drink, but once I found a ball python who had been lost for about 6 months and she sat at the bowl gulping for a good 5 minutes
you should do a basic setup for various pets. :) it would help alot of first time owners out alot, and also help insure the safety of our scaely family. love the content, hope you and the girlfriend are safe.
Unboxings need a return great videos bro and I know your moving rn but hopefully when you get settled in soon they can start making a return bring back the reptiles to the reptile channel
Hi I love your videos very helpful for keeping my reptiles!
You should do a video about crypto (stick tail) in Leo’s
You should do a video comparing zoo meds bearded dragon care to pet smarts care guide
Just got a ball yesterday
Congratulations!
@@kategregorowicz8508 thanks
@Mason I'm not as well versed with BP morphs as I am with leopard geckos and kings but appears to be pastel from what I have determined. Nothing crazy rare but I fell in love with her inquisitive attitude and how silly she was being
What kind? Football, basketball...
Mine dropped too!
Ive been using coconut fiber for my corn snake for 2 years and i spot clean every week with a full clean every 6 months and it works perfectly fine, I feed him in a feeding box instead of feeding him in the enclosure and that lets me clean while he eats so it's efficient. I spray the enclosure a little but he has a moisture box that i keep really damp so he can go in there to cool down or shed. The feeding box works for me I think because I try to keep him as calm as possible and i make sure he sees food as the thing being in the tongs, not my hand, so like he's pretty good with the way i do things. Corn snakes just kinda vibe with whatever as long as temp is 80-90 and they have water
Good to see their reptile guides are a bit more accurate than their small animal guides
bruh i love how they say milksnakes and kingsnakes like bruh milksnakes r a type of kingsnake
my baby corn snake does what your rat snake shadow does too. He avoids the warm side, which is normally around 80 degrees. but that may be cause his favorite hiding places are there xD
When he said that bigger ball pythons can eat pretty big rodents youtube autocorrected it to pretty big fruits. 7:28
For corn snakes would they like to have a hook on the side of the tank as a perch?
The only reason I feed my snakes in a separate container is because I use feeding day as a semi-deep clean day. While they eat their food, I take that time to remove all the decorations to find any extra waste and stuff that I might have missed from simple spot cleaning.
I still recommend feeding inside the enclosure, moving to feed is completely unnecessary and can potentially risk regurgitation.
The habitats are designed as temporary enclosures that can maintain constant “brand-new” cleanliness, and easily view the animal you’re trying to purchase. That is why the habitats aren’t set up with every gadget and gizmo, it’s temporary. it all comes down to corporate wanting to maintain that pristine clean habitat that is easy to maintain while also running a retail store (cause it doesn’t matter if you’re busy taking care of animals, people will walk up to you all day long and request you assist them in another area of the store) and that takes a lot of time away when you have tons of mouths to feed and clean
yo i bought a snake from petsmart [i know i shouldnt have] but turns out they dont even know what they sell i bought what was supposed to be a basic fancy corn but was actually a hypo tessera morph- its wild man that kinda morph can cost up to 200$ when i just got mine for 60- i named him twiggy.
He was like I’m done with this ✌🏻😑
I had a customer a couple days ago who wanted to buy new fish. She told me a petsmart employee said it was okay to put 2 common goldfish in a 3 gallon tank.
@Mason I guess they do? Can't believe someone told this poor woman that, but she was not happy with what I told her lol
Dumb asses
there are more in the petsmarts, at least here. this was a cool series, hoping for potential continuation.
If you are to adopt a snake from either petsmart or petco, i highly advise that you 1. read external care guides like recommended here and 2. check out which location has better care in your area, for me my petsmart had amazing care for ball pythons, i adopted one from there and she's a very happy healthy BP, my petco was very lackluster and snakes were visibly stressed, had stuck shed and all of the above.
From what I've heard, Kingsnakes are called kings because they eat other snakes as part of their diet.
Funny you say that about your rat snake. My Cali king is the same way. I usually only see him on the cool side of his enclosure, even after lowering the temp on his thermostat for his heat mat.
Heres a disappointed me watching my usual goherping video but this time after my mom rejects letting me use the freezer for frozen mice, therefore not letting me get a cornsnake
Sometimes a heat lamp may actually be needed for a ball python or other snake in addition to a heat mat with thermostat. I have a ceramic heat emitter above my ball python's bin as the air temperature in the bin was not warm enough without it since I cannot keep my apartment warm enough for the air to be 75+ in her enclosure otherwise. (my blood pressure drops severely when I get slightly too warm)
That being said, I keep it on 24/7 and only really change the height during the summer when I leave my apartment so that way it doesn't get too hot. It is only a 60 W bulb and even if my apartment is 73 and I leave it as close as possible, her enclosure is still a safe temp, so I don't have a thermostat for the bulb. Dimming thermostats are way too expensive when the current bulb is safe without it.
I have got a job at petsense and at least they tell customers to do there own research before getting the animal. The only pets that we sell there is beardies, cats, bettas, and sometimes other reptiles like tortoises and tree frogs but those are rare with the expense that we have someone who knows how to take care.
I was that one working at petco that loves reptiles. As well as every other pet.