How does this makes sense?

[Grizzly]

Ok, a bit of a vent here and I could be completely wrong and I’m sure they are following the rules but here I go.
I went to my local Petsmart ( only fish store in my town. Have to drive 45 minutes to an hour north or south to get to a LFS) and seen they had red clawed crabs. I have a growing fahaka puffer and thought I would get a few to try for him to eat. They make me fill out a form for purchase and I asked is this normal? And she said yes just not for the fish cause they are just fish! And  I was jaw dropped that fish aren’t considered a pet to them but considering the dozens of dead fish in all there tanks I shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t shop there normally except for frozen fish food. The worker then asks me what size tank I have and I tell her they are going to be fed to my puffer so it really doesn’t matter. She says I will sell them to you but we’re not supposed to sell these as food. So I say next time I won’t say they are food then. 
I go to check out and the store manager stops me on the way out and says you know they sell frozen food to help wear down puffers teeth. I’m like yes I’m aware I have some . Mind you they don’t carry it there I have to drive 45 minutes to get it. Then the manager tells me they won’t be able to sell me the crabs any longer. 
Here is my position, why are feeder fish, feeder shrimp, crickets, and worms all ok to sell for feeding but crabs are not. If there is some law prohibiting them from doing it fine but it still makes No sense. Vent over but if I attempt to buy them again I won’t wear my co op sweatshirt with Murphy on it next time. Maybe they won’t remember me lol 

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/29/2022 at 10:36 AM, Grizzly said:

I went to my local Petsmart ( only fish store in my town. Have to drive 45 minutes to an hour north or south to get to a LFS) and seen they had red clawed crabs. I have a growing fahaka puffer and thought I would get a few to try for him to eat. They make me fill out a form for purchase and I asked is this normal? And she said yes just not for the fish cause they are just fish! And  I was jaw dropped that fish aren’t considered a pet to them but considering the dozens of dead fish in all there tanks I shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t shop there normally except for frozen fish food. The worker then asks me what size tank I have and I tell her they are going to be fed to my puffer so it really doesn’t matter. She says I will sell them to you but we’re not supposed to sell these as food. So I say next time I won’t say they are food then. 

Yes this is normal, and yes it is normal to have to fill out paperwork for "exotic" pets.  Lizards and other things it happens in case there is a disease issue and you need to be notified.

Secondly, YES OF COURSE it is common to not sell things intended to be kept as a pet for the sake of a life food.  They have ghost shrimp and feeder fish that are sold as intended for live foods. They have frozen foods.  They don't, and almost never sell puffers for freshwater.  Take that into consideration as to why they don't have options for live food for larger puffers available. 

Kind of like walking in to buy a hermit crab or a crayfish, then saying yeah I want to get 3-4 of them to fight.  It's not what is intended and the store has every right to not allow that purchase.

[The endler guy]

On 12/29/2022 at 1:36 PM, Grizzly said:

Ok, a bit of a vent here and I could be completely wrong and I’m sure they are following the rules but here I go.
I went to my local Petsmart ( only fish store in my town. Have to drive 45 minutes to an hour north or south to get to a LFS) and seen they had red clawed crabs. I have a growing fahaka puffer and thought I would get a few to try for him to eat. They make me fill out a form for purchase and I asked is this normal? And she said yes just not for the fish cause they are just fish! And  I was jaw dropped that fish aren’t considered a pet to them but considering the dozens of dead fish in all there tanks I shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t shop there normally except for frozen fish food. The worker then asks me what size tank I have and I tell her they are going to be fed to my puffer so it really doesn’t matter. She says I will sell them to you but we’re not supposed to sell these as food. So I say next time I won’t say they are food then. 
I go to check out and the store manager stops me on the way out and says you know they sell frozen food to help wear down puffers teeth. I’m like yes I’m aware I have some . Mind you they don’t carry it there I have to drive 45 minutes to get it. Then the manager tells me they won’t be able to sell me the crabs any longer. 
Here is my position, why are feeder fish, feeder shrimp, crickets, and worms all ok to sell for feeding but crabs are not. If there is some law prohibiting them from doing it fine but it still makes No sense. Vent over but if I attempt to buy them again I won’t wear my co op sweatshirt with Murphy on it next time. Maybe they won’t remember me lol 

They make you fill out a form when there is a high likely hood of getting a disease form them (I had to when i got adf, because salmonella, or ecoli)  

On 12/29/2022 at 1:36 PM, Grizzly said:

Ok, a bit of a vent here and I could be completely wrong and I’m sure they are following the rules but here I go.
I went to my local Petsmart ( only fish store in my town. Have to drive 45 minutes to an hour north or south to get to a LFS) and seen they had red clawed crabs. I have a growing fahaka puffer and thought I would get a few to try for him to eat. They make me fill out a form for purchase and I asked is this normal? And she said yes just not for the fish cause they are just fish! And  I was jaw dropped that fish aren’t considered a pet to them but considering the dozens of dead fish in all there tanks I shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t shop there normally except for frozen fish food. The worker then asks me what size tank I have and I tell her they are going to be fed to my puffer so it really doesn’t matter. She says I will sell them to you but we’re not supposed to sell these as food. So I say next time I won’t say they are food then. 
I go to check out and the store manager stops me on the way out and says you know they sell frozen food to help wear down puffers teeth. I’m like yes I’m aware I have some . Mind you they don’t carry it there I have to drive 45 minutes to get it. Then the manager tells me they won’t be able to sell me the crabs any longer. 
Here is my position, why are feeder fish, feeder shrimp, crickets, and worms all ok to sell for feeding but crabs are not. If there is some law prohibiting them from doing it fine but it still makes No sense. Vent over but if I attempt to buy them again I won’t wear my co op sweatshirt with Murphy on it next time. Maybe they won’t remember me lol 

One PetSmart wouldn’t sell me ghost shrimp because they thought I was going to feed

[Katherine]

Ours we have to fill out the form even for fish. They said it's a state law, I didn't have to fill it out for mystery snails though.

[The endler guy]

On 12/29/2022 at 4:57 PM, Katherine said:

Ours we have to fill out the form even for fish. They said it's a state law, I didn't have to fill it out for mystery snails though.

I mean no offense to snails but the only difference between them and rocks is one eats and moves 

[lefty o]

never give folks too much information.

[Patrick_G]

@Grizzly, I feel your frustration! Petsmart employees are generally helpful but some can be officious twits. 

[Pepere]

I can see it now,…

 

”In tonights news police crack down on a black market ring trafficking red clawed crabs being used to feed Puffer fish,  local grocery store offers live lobster instead….”