Craziest thing a pet store has ever told you?

[Silverfang]

Oh you don't need a big tank, that will just stress him out, you see in nature they live in clongs... *insert image of tiny shape, way way way less than 1g*.

I say heater and she just turns away.

[vaygirl]

That heater thing seems to be prevalent. I had the fish chick at Petco tell me that heaters were killing my fish when I told her I'd lost one and asked if I should replace the heater because I thought it was a bacterial infection. She was mad too. She rolled her eyes at me when I told her all my bettas had them and had been fine for over a year. But another time she told me the only way she could get her bettas to live longer then a month was by changing their water monthly and only feeding them weekly. O.O

[Bombalurina]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

I've heard that rats CAN be kept alone as long as you handle them a lot and give them lots of attention.

http://www.nfrs.org/company.html
http://www.rmca.org/Resources/apair.txt

These two articles are the best essays I've ever read explaining why you should always keep rats in pairs or groups. :)

[BellasMomma]

When i bought my Betta Violet just over a month ago i was misinformed and went home with a bowl that was maybe .5 gallons (smart petsmart guy!!!) then after joining this site i decided to go to a 10 gallon for my lady. went back to petsmart not wanting any help from them but couldnt find the tank i had done research on online so i asked if they had it... they did, it was in the back. when the guy (different guy) brought it out for me he asked me what fish i had and i told him a female Betta. he then tells me that my Betta will most likely die in a tank that big because they like SMALL SHALLOW BOWLS. i just said o ok well i want this tank. (not wanting to get into it with him) he then said well if u have to get this tank dont use the heater. they dont like fake heat but to put the tank outside every morning and bring it back in every night. i started laughing and was like yer funnie. and he was all no seriously they can tell the difference from the heat from the sun and from a heater. again i laughed HONESTLY thinking he was kidding. realizing he wasnt i said and how do u expect someone to move a 10 gallon tank filled with water everyday and wont us living in las vegas (summer days get to 120 degrees and we r still having 90 degree days in october) boil my fish... i ended up just walking out with my tank and the heater it came with in totally disbelief. i will take the advice from this website over a pet store employee ANYDAY!

[ksage505]

Originally Posted by BellasMomma

he then tells me that my Betta will most likely die in a tank that big because they like SMALL SHALLOW BOWLS. i just said o ok well i want this tank. (not wanting to get into it with him) he then said well if u have to get this tank dont use the heater. they dont like fake heat but to put the tank outside every morning and bring it back in every night. i started laughing and was like yer funnie. and he was all no seriously they can tell the difference from the heat from the sun and from a heater.

....I would love to know how they come up with these things in the first place. I don't understand why anyone would think any living creature would be comfortable spending its life in a container that it can barely turn around in.

[Micho]

I was recommended a Pleco for my 10g due to my algae issues and I knew Plecos grew huge seeing how there ARE huge. Do Plecos even eat algae?!

Also the man at my LPS recommended a Bala Shark for my boyfriend's 20g, I cringed and steered my boyfriend's attention to getting just the tank for today.

[Pitluvs]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

I've heard that rats CAN be kept alone as long as you handle them a lot and give them lots of attention.

Sadly, there are misconceptions with every animal. Rats cannot live alone, and those who seem too aggressive to live with other rats is a hormone issue. Those rats need to be spayed or neutered and introduced to another rat in stages. Biggest mistake people make is wrong introductions. I have had sucess with many lone rats, except one whom needed a neuters to be nice. I've had rats for 10 years, been on forums for all of those years too :)

People who usually say their rat is fine because they are with it xx hours a day are usually lying about that LOL I always say.... Are you willing to lick your rat? Snuggle in the hammock every nap time? If no, get a pair lol

Having a single rat is like a betta living in a 0.5g tank with no plants or space to hide on a window sil with no heater. Sure they survive but its not what they need to thrive and be happy :)

You can see why the pet store doesn't like me too much.

Originally Posted by Bombalurina

http://www.nfrs.org/company.html
http://www.rmca.org/Resources/apair.txt

These two articles are the best essays I've ever read explaining why you should always keep rats in pairs or groups. :)

Thank you :)

[RobotFrog]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

I've heard that rats CAN be kept alone as long as you handle them a lot and give them lots of attention.

They can be, and alot of people have success with it. But they need a TON of interaction, they're such social creatures. If I don't give Max a few hours of attention + time running around in his ball (he likes to terrorize the cats in it - supervised of course!) he gets antsy and starts gnawing on his cage. But I feel like no matter how much time I spend with him, having a ratty friend would be much more fun. I used to have 4 girls together, and I loved just watching them play and groom one another and snuggle up for naps.

[Pitluvs]

Originally Posted by RobotFrog

They can be, and alot of people have success with it. But they need a TON of interaction, they're such social creatures. If I don't give Max a few hours of attention + time running around in his ball (he likes to terrorize the cats in it - supervised of course!) he gets antsy and starts gnawing on his cage. But I feel like no matter how much time I spend with him, having a ratty friend would be much more fun. I used to have 4 girls together, and I loved just watching them play and groom one another and snuggle up for naps.

The only reason I am posting this is because I don't want others thinking this is acceptable with owning rats. Please do not promote single rats as a acceptable thing, its not. I cannot stress enough that rats need to be in pairs. What you do with Max is your business but we rat people would prefer if new owners get rats in pairs or do proper introductions to have rats in pairs. I have owned over 150 rats in the last 10 years and only one could not be introduced without a neuter. its hard sometimes with month of work but every rat can be in a pair when done properly. I don't mean to turn this into a debate but if anyone is reading this and is new to rats, I do not want them to get the wrong impression on proper care :(

[RobotFrog]

I'm in no way promoting keeping solitary rats...he is the only one I've kept that way and it kills me to do so. Even after neutering he is distressed just by the presence of another rat, I need to keep my other boys in a separate room. I have no idea why. I've had him for almost 2 years.
I've had rats since I was very young, and I always always ALWAYS make sure there are 2+ to a cage. Even if you're with your rat 24/7 it's not enough to replace the companionship of their own kind.
I'm sorry if it seemed like I thought it was ok, I know it isn't, but that's the only option for him.