Need to vent, how MAD would you be??

Sorry you went on a wild goose chase (wild chameleon chase?) without any good results. I can see how that would be frustrating and disappointing. Maybe they rotate some of the reptiles and it wasn't the chameleons' turn to be on display? I don't know. I hope the rest of your trip went well even though that part was disappointing.

My DH loves reptiles so we sometimes end up going to pet stores that sell snakes, lizzards, frogs and other exotic pets (no dogs or cats at these stores). They often have chameleons there. Maybe there is a pet store like that somewhere near where you live that you could go visit.
 
First of all, I want to say that I'm very sorry that you made this trip but didn't get to see your favorite animal :( I can only imagine how frustrating that must be.

I work at the zoo in the behavior department, the same department that puts on that sea lion show that you saw. We are in fact listed at the back of the map on the entertainment schedule, so I'm sorry you missed the whole show :sad2:

I'm not defending the zoo at all, in fact, I quite agree with you. Just last week we had to deal with an angry guest that came to the zoo just to see a toucan. She was an artist and wanted to sit and draw the toucan. Well, the zoo has three toucans, I work with them, but they are not kept on exhibit for the public because we use them for our education programs and shows. She said that she saw the toucan listed on the website and therefore it should be on exhibit for the public, and I completely agree. I'm guessing this is the same case with your chameleon. If we have them, they must be off exhibit.

I did want to take time to explain that there are HUNDREDS of zoo employees at the zoo and we often work with one set of animals only, so while you may have been asking zoo employees, if they weren't specifically with the reptile unit, the truth is we honestly don't have much idea of what is going on in other departments. The best we can do is try to call that department, which is what it sounds like that nice bird keeper was willing to do. It's just a very large zoo and while it might be frustrating for you as a guest, the truth is that the zoo is just too large and has too many animals for the employees that aren't involved with those animals to know their whereabouts. I get at least 10 questions a day like yours and I don't want to give any misinformation, which is why I always just say "I'm sorry, I work with ____", which might sound flippant, but it is the truth.

I absolutely think you were right about contacting them, which is what we recommended to the "toucan lady" as well. The people that run the website are kind of out of touch with the zoo itself and we have had to contact them many times because they have printed the wrong information about our shows. Ideally, if an animal is not on exhibit, the website could mention that fact to avoid situations like yours and the one we had to deal last week with the toucan.

Again, I'm sorry you had this experience.
 

Okay... I did some research on our website after my first post and under the reptiles that we DO have on exhibit, it says "See Them: San Diego Zoo" in the right-hand column. Under chameleons, it does NOT say that, which leads me to believe that we do not have them on grounds. There is no way someone just seeing the site for the first time would know that, and again, it's worth contacting the zoo about because that is in fact quite confusing. They shouldn't be listed at all if we don't have them.
 
Oh, hello San Diego Zoo employee! Thanks for the information. Sounds like we're not alone then. There really needs to be a central "Information" kiosk to answer questions - or find answers - make a phone call, whatever. Barnes and Noble has it, the SDZoo really needs it!

Perhaps a partial solution to this happening would be some sort of sign out in front (before you shell out the entry fee), stating what animals are "in residence and on display" today. Some sort of wooden sign (would fit in better than a marquis or something electronic) with wood slats to place in the rows.

In the Reptile House today ....
XXX
XXX
XXX, etc

The zoo does have a central information desk, but it is 1) staffed with volunteers (not paid employees) and 2) doesn't have access to that type of information. If a guest asks them is something on exhibit, they have to call us at our separate departments and ask. Usually it works but in your case it looks like it didn't.

In your case, a marquis wouldn't have helped, because you would have already driven from Anaheim and wasted the gas anyway :guilty: What we suggested to "the toucan lady", and what I suggest to you before you go anywhere, is if you're going somewhere for one specific reason, you should call the place and confirm that it is there/open/available and not just go off of a website. This would apply for a ride at Disneyland, a product at a store, or an animal at the zoo. If you call guest services, they can, again, contact the department and ask if we have something and save you the heartbreak.

As I said in my earlier post, this has really been an ongoing problem since I've been at the zoo. The people that run that website are not even physically located at the zoo, and they rely on others to give them information, not the keepers/trainers themselves, which leads to things being printed/published that aren't quite correct. Again, PLEASE feel comfortable in your decision to write them because if there were better communication between them and us, we wouldn't have to deal with unhappy guests, and you wouldn't have to be an unhappy guest in the first place!
 
Hmmm, I'm not finding that. Here's where I started ...
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/index.php

Clicked on "Exhibits" (at top); then on map "Discovery Outpost"; then "Reptile House", then on right side "Explore the Exhibit"/Animal Profile/Reptiles ... and then there on the left side "CHAMELEONS".
:confused3:confused3:confused3


Yeah, so if you go to this link: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/a-reptiles.html

You'll see all the animals listed on the right. Click on some of the ones that I know we have, like the Komodo Dragon or Galapagos Tortoise. In the bottom of the orange box on the right it says "See Them: San Diego Zoo".

If you click on the Chameleon, in that orange box, it doesn't say anything about where you can see them, which I guess is their way of saying that we don't have them currently on exhibit.
 
I understand why you are upset. My kid also loves chameleons and has drawn about 400 pictures of them and I woldn't want him to feel the same way. I'm sure while Splash is down, Cityhall is getting a pile of complaints about it.


In the future consider two sayings that should prepare you for avoiding these circumstances again.

It's not the destination it's the journey.
If you set your heart on something, your setting yourself up for heart break.
 
Here's the situation ...

We were in California January 17-24 for our first ever DLR vacation. I've been planning and saving for it for months. We knew we wanted to spend most of our vacation at DLR, but decided that this was our chance to also go to the San Diego Zoo and see chameleons.

My DS is and has been into chameleons for years and years. Most animal school projects have been about chameleons - we've made chameleons out of clay, plaster of paris, construction paper and pipe cleaners. This kid is chameleon crazy. Chameleons have also been the main characters of many a bedtime story - both made up verbally and read from "real" books.

We have been to many zoos all over the country and none of them have had chameleons. So, when I was planning our January 2011 vacation to California, I looked up the San Diego Zoo and, lo and behold, their website said they had chameleons! Yippee! We took the day off from DLR (a sacrifice in itself!), made the drive, shelled out the $160 entry and went to the zoo.

First stop: reptile house to see the chameleons. Walked around and around, hmmm, no chameleons. Let's ask someone. Okay, did that. Was told ... they are back behind "this area". Okay, looked and did not see any chameleons. Asked another employee and she said, no, back in the "caves" (and pointed in a general direction). Okay, we'll check that out. Well, on the way to the "caves", we got sidetracked and watched the end of a show with sea lions and dogs. It was cute, but it would have been nice to have a show schedule on the map so we could have see all of it. Oh, well, no biggie. Got sidetracked again - there was no line for the tram (evidently there is usually a line), so we took the tram across the park (which was the highlight of the day - LOVE the tram). At this point, I really wasn't too concerned, I KNEW they had chameleons, we had plenty of time, and we would find them.

If you've been to the San Diego Zoo, you know how big the place is. If you are at the back end of the zoo (where the tram lands), you might as well work your way down and see lots of other animals - most of which we have seen before, other than the koala. This is exactly what we did, keeping in mind that we needed to get back to those caves in the reptile area. We saw probably 1/2 of the zoo and ended up back in reptileland. Walked through all of the caves; no chameleons. Asked another employee - "Hmmm, chameleons, seems to me they were moved to the petting zoo". OK, well this is getting to be a pain, but didn't let on my feeling with DS because he was too excited to see his favorite animal of all time - the chameleon. OFF to the petting zoo we go! Along the way, we see an more-official looking employee and decided to ask this person. Hmmm, chameleons? No, I'm sorry, I work with the birds, but hey, wait a minute, my good friend works with the reptiles, let me call her. Wonderful! Now we're getting somewhere!

When she couldn't get ahold of her friend that works with the reptiles, she called her AT HOME to ask about the chameleons. This was certainly above and beyond and we GREATLY appreciated it. Hmmm, bad news, no chameleons.

WHAT??????? As grateful as we were that she made the call, I was LIVID that we were sent on wild goose chases earlier on ... and then they didn't even have them???? What?? They were on the website and we made the trip, took the time and spent the money primarily for this reason!!! Though I was livid inside, I did all I could to contain it and not let on so much with my son, knowing he was devastated.

DS was on the verge of tears when I left him with my DH and other DS to visit the Customer Service area, where upon my arrival, I let them know of our great disappointed (I'm pretty sure my voice quivered) and filled out a complaint form, along with my contact information and email address. This was 2 weeks ago. They gave me their card and said that if I had anything else to say, I could contact them again.

I have yet to hear anything from them and they still have chameleons on their website!! Good golly, wouldn't you think by now they would have at least taken them off the website??

I fully expected that I would have an email from them when I got home from vacation - stating their apologies and offering to somehow make some kind of amends. Perhaps a partial refund, heck, even a stuffed chameleon for my son would be "something".

When I was in the Customer Service area, the manager came out of his office and asked how long we were going to be in the area (just that day, we had plans for DLR again the next day). I have a feeling he was going to offer 2nd day reduced/or free tickets for the zoo. No thanks. We didn't see the whole zoo, but by the time we found out there were no chameleons, we had lost that zoo-loving feeling and it was over, even if there was more time left.

So, how mad or disappointed would you be??

If I don't hear from them in the next couple of days, I will be sending an email. Maybe they don't take things seriously unless people complain more than just the day they were there?

Thanks for letting me vent. That's part of the healing process right there. :goodvibes

Did the lack of chameleons ruin your entire zoo trip? The San Diego Zoo seems like an amazing place and I can't imagine that you weren't able to find other things to enjoy as well. I do understand the disappointment, but I reallllllly hope that it wasn't so upsetting that you found no joy.

If your son loves chameleons so much, why not buy him one? Most pet stores have them, plus they're pretty easy to care for and not expensive at all.
 
Did the lack of chameleons ruin your entire zoo trip? The San Diego Zoo seems like an amazing place and I can't imagine that you weren't able to find other things to enjoy as well.

Just FWIW, the zoo is *beyond* huge. And there's not much shade. And there are hills, lots and lots of hills.

Even on a GOOD day, when you're seeing animals that are out and happy, you can easily get so exhausted that it starts to suck the fun out of the day.

So to want to see one animal specifically, to be told where to go, to go there, to be told another place, go there, etc etc, you're walking miles (probably literally) only to NOT see the animal you wanted to see. And even if you see the jaguar, the pandas, if you come across the tigers being fed, etc etc, you're still on your quest, and you're not touring in an efficient manner (if such a thing is possible in such a sprawling place).

I'm sure they were just so tired and worn out that it made it all that much worse.


ETA, our zoo, a relatively small one, has some pictures of animals they do not have and never have had. I can't help but think zoo sites are outsourced and some stock footage is being used (though our zoo has really fast updates, so the info being given to them is fairly decent). Since I'm familiar with our zoo it hasn't messed with a trip, but it does bug me!
 
I understand your need to vent, but in the general scheme of things I don't think I would be too mad -- disappointment happens and we have to learn to live with it. People aren't perfect and we need to understand that.

Of course, I would never have gone to see any chameleons because I can't stand snakes so never would have been near "reptile-land" to begin with!

I like the idea someone had about the pet store--your DS could probably get much more up close and personal with his fave there. And did you see the Pascal stuffed animal when you were at DLR (my new favorite character!)
 
Ugh! I feel for you! We went to the SD Zoo a couple of years ago - luckily with no must-see-animals...we hated it. Too crowded, too many hills, animals too spread out. Highlights of the days were snake-neck turtles and koalas. We have a tiny zoo here in Tucson, but we have been to the Denver Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, and Louisville Zoo (even in 100-degree temp w/80% humidity, we thought it was better than the SD Zoo) - we enjoyed all of the rest of them and plan on doing each again, but not so with the SD Zoo. So, coming for one animal - being sent everywhere looking for it, and then finding that they didn't have it would really be disappointing. I couldn't imagine why they would have animals on their website that they didn't have (though our zoo sells postcards of animals that they don't have, but I don't think that's the same thing...).:sad2:
 












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