There are not very many of these so I am happy to share this story about one of my customers that just totally made my day! I generally get very annoyed very quickly with most people shopping at this commercialized pet store I work for... I am always nice though and my customer service is unbelievable but some people man.... it is very had to always be nice to idiots!
But this is not a rant! This is a happy feel good story!
So.... Being in Fl... we have lots of annoying laws... one of which (that I think is for more than just Fl.) Is that turtles with a shell diameter under 4 inches are illegal to sell. Of course some stores get around this law by selling them for educational purposes (Petco does not btw. At least not the one I work at) Well..the flea market sells those itty bitty size of a quarter baby turtles and to often we get people who come in and tell us they need a 5 gallon aquarium and a log for their turtle... when i tell them they need much more than that they tend to get pissy and tell me that the people at the flea market told them this is all they need and it wont out grow it's environment. I have to correct this BS ALL the time and more often than not the people walk away not believing me or simply not caring and planning on having their kids new little pet die anyways. I really do try to get them to do their research and I tell people all the time even if they don't get it from us they still need to get it. (I use this a lot with people who need UVB lights and don't know it... I know they are expensive and I tell them get it where you want, it's much cheaper online, just make sure you GET IT- they tend to end up getting from us either right then or after they research and check it out)
ANYWAYS
Last week this guy came in asking for some help with turtle stuff... as soon as he said they got two little turtles from the flea market I was ready for a bad day. But he started off by saying they got these little turtles and when he went home and researched it he found out that they need a lot more than what the person at the flea market told them. He asked me if it was true they wouldn't outgrow their environment because his research told him other wise. I told him of course it isn't true and how happy I was that he was starting to do research and to definitely continue that! I then proceeded to show him all sorts of different things he would need to keep them happy and healthy, educating him about the turtles at the same time. I assume they were yellow belly sliders or something similar but he didn't have em with him so I didn't know for sure. After about an hour of walking with this guy and his family, answering his questions and recommending different things he very happily left the store with $300 worth of stuff to keep his turtles happy for a while! he got a 29 gallon tank with a filter and everything else needed included UVB and heat lights! I told him he will need to upgrade the tank eventually but that size should last him for a while and he was happy about it. I also told him to keep an eye out for the next dollar per gallon sale as that is a great time to buy an upgrade tank! He was not at all upset about the cost and told me that he was grateful for my help and setting him on the right track!
A couple days later he came back in for some other miscellaneous products and and told me the turtles where much happier now with their new home! They are much more active and both are now eating well (one of them wasn't before). He is looking forward to seeing them grow into their 30's or more!
I was so very happy to hear this and SOOO so happy that he came in with at least a little research under his belt and let me help him and continued to do more research! I love it when people do the right thing!!
So yeah...just made my day so awesome and I really look forward to seeing him in again sometime to see how the turtles are doing, I think they will have a good long healthy life
But this is not a rant! This is a happy feel good story!
So.... Being in Fl... we have lots of annoying laws... one of which (that I think is for more than just Fl.) Is that turtles with a shell diameter under 4 inches are illegal to sell. Of course some stores get around this law by selling them for educational purposes (Petco does not btw. At least not the one I work at) Well..the flea market sells those itty bitty size of a quarter baby turtles and to often we get people who come in and tell us they need a 5 gallon aquarium and a log for their turtle... when i tell them they need much more than that they tend to get pissy and tell me that the people at the flea market told them this is all they need and it wont out grow it's environment. I have to correct this BS ALL the time and more often than not the people walk away not believing me or simply not caring and planning on having their kids new little pet die anyways. I really do try to get them to do their research and I tell people all the time even if they don't get it from us they still need to get it. (I use this a lot with people who need UVB lights and don't know it... I know they are expensive and I tell them get it where you want, it's much cheaper online, just make sure you GET IT- they tend to end up getting from us either right then or after they research and check it out)
ANYWAYS
Last week this guy came in asking for some help with turtle stuff... as soon as he said they got two little turtles from the flea market I was ready for a bad day. But he started off by saying they got these little turtles and when he went home and researched it he found out that they need a lot more than what the person at the flea market told them. He asked me if it was true they wouldn't outgrow their environment because his research told him other wise. I told him of course it isn't true and how happy I was that he was starting to do research and to definitely continue that! I then proceeded to show him all sorts of different things he would need to keep them happy and healthy, educating him about the turtles at the same time. I assume they were yellow belly sliders or something similar but he didn't have em with him so I didn't know for sure. After about an hour of walking with this guy and his family, answering his questions and recommending different things he very happily left the store with $300 worth of stuff to keep his turtles happy for a while! he got a 29 gallon tank with a filter and everything else needed included UVB and heat lights! I told him he will need to upgrade the tank eventually but that size should last him for a while and he was happy about it. I also told him to keep an eye out for the next dollar per gallon sale as that is a great time to buy an upgrade tank! He was not at all upset about the cost and told me that he was grateful for my help and setting him on the right track!
A couple days later he came back in for some other miscellaneous products and and told me the turtles where much happier now with their new home! They are much more active and both are now eating well (one of them wasn't before). He is looking forward to seeing them grow into their 30's or more!
I was so very happy to hear this and SOOO so happy that he came in with at least a little research under his belt and let me help him and continued to do more research! I love it when people do the right thing!!
So yeah...just made my day so awesome and I really look forward to seeing him in again sometime to see how the turtles are doing, I think they will have a good long healthy life
