Holly'sMom
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2016
- Messages
- 136
I've always been under the impression tortoises sold under 4inches in a pet store was illegal. A friend ended up buying a leopard tortoise that is 2.5 inches at best (I'd actually called the week before asking the owners in they had any small 4-5in leopards, was told they may have 1, she got the only one they had. They are not breeders). Anyways my friend posted pics on FB of a tiny leopard in an aquarium full of hay red lights and a lot more "NOOOOOO" issues. I contacted her immediately! She fixed the issues along with researching and ready/using care guides from here. She was given a HAND WRITTEN care sheet on note book paper missing info on humidity, soaking, temps, etc and most of all SALMONELLA (never mentioned in the store to her either) something she needed to know when purchasing a pet for her children at a pet store. They also originally tried to sell her a sully hatchling but she recognized the name from my posts and knew it would become large, this was down played w the leopard. The store has a rep for selling sick animals and not proper care I never believed it until this as I've always had a good relationship with them w my "exotic animals". Long story short a 2-2.5 inch leopard was sold to a Mom of 4 who had no clue and over paid by hundreds only to have the tortoise die 2 days ago. and yes she should have researched before but she did correct everything w in a 24 HR period and did soaks from the day one. She's a mess over this and it had become a good part of her life (especially since we constantly sent messages and pics daily dreaming of breeding and making a leocata lol) but again my point ARE PET STORES allowed to sell hatchlings or tortoises under 4inches- we've found a good bit of law's stating NO but then I know they're sold online and in other pet stores( again I searched around to find the stores selling ).
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=1240.62
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=1240.62