Visit to Petco today

[Kristina]

We made a run to Petco today, they had some tanks on sale for $1 a gallon and I needed a specific size. (Got a heck of a deal on that!)

Anyway, they had two Russian tortoises, and they were marked 50% off. I asked if I could look at them, and was told that I was not allowed to handle them. I told her that I would flat out not buy an animal I was not allowed to inspect, but if she would hold it and turn it the way I wanted and let me touch it, I would settle for that.

One was a male, and looked to be in pretty good condition. It was the HUGE female that caught my eye, however. It ended up being a pretty sad inspection. Once she was out of the tank, I could see that she was in bad shape. She looked captive bred, but not well taken care of. The marginals looked like they were separating from the coastals, there was a deep groove between them, and the vertebral scutes were sunken in. The really bad part was that she peed, and it looked and smelled AWFUL. Also, her body was extremely puffy around the head and rear.

I advised her that the tortoise looked like it may be having kidney problems and needed a vet badly, and she said she would tell the person that managed that department (I know this person, but she was currently at lunch.)

I am planning on calling again tomorrow and speaking with her directly, she knows me well enough to know that I am not just blowing smoke when I say something like that.

Needless to say, I did not get her I felt so bad, but I just can't buy every charity case I come across. I have to take care of the animals I have now, and really don't have the extra for a vet visit right now. I really hope they get her to a vet and she gets the help she needs.

 

[dmmj]

If I understand petco's policy it will not see a vet it will die and they will send it back and get credit on another one. And it is unusual to see CB in petcos, they usually do not get a good deal on them. I do agree you can't rescue them all, even when you want to.

 

[Kristina]

Well, crap. Thanks for making me feel better, lol.

I don't go there often, it is a 2 hour trip for me. But I needed that aquarium, lol. (You will all see why when I get done with it

I was really shocked as well that she looked cb. She looked to pale and too terrible to be a wild caught, if that makes sense. The male definitely looked more like a "normal" Russian.

 

[Candy]

That is too bad and now I'm feeling bad for the little Russian too. Where in Michigan do you live I have relatives who live there. Too bad you didn't live closer to me in California because I have a 40 gallon aquarium in my garage.

 

[dmmj]

sorry to say but for petco it is simple economics it is not cost efficient to take one to a vet. make no mistake I am in no way pleased or happy at the situation either. Usually I don't like government interference but if it can be proven that a pet store is harming a pet through improper care can anything be done? I mean it is against the law to willfully mistreat animals right? even reptiles.

 

[Kristina]

That is too bad and now I'm feeling bad for the little Russian too. Where in Michigan do you live I have relatives who live there. Too bad you didn't live closer to me in California because I have a 40 gallon aquarium in my garage.

Funnily enough it was a 40 gal that I needed... but specifically a 40 gallon "breeder."

I live in Cadillac, about 50 miles south of Traverse City, in the northern part of the lower peninsula.

sorry to say but for petco it is simple economics it is not cost efficient to take one to a vet. make no mistake I am in no way pleased or happy at the situation either. Usually I don't like government interference but if it can be proven that a pet store is harming a pet through improper care can anything be done? I mean it is against the law to willfully mistreat animals right? even reptiles.

Technically, it is. However, because reptiles aren't furry or cuddly or cute, people just don't care. That is why I gravitated away from rescuing dogs and cats and specialize in reptiles. There are a lot of groups for dogs and cats, but none for reptiles. Sadly I am only one person and can only do so much

 

[ChiKat]

I can't even look at the animals when I go to Petco anymore, or I would end up bringing them all home. (Especially the feeder rats!) Too many emaciated leopard geckos too.
That's good that you know someone that works there- hopefully you can call and explain how critical it is for the poor thing to receive care.

Btw my mom's family lives in Cadillac (I think McBain actually, but I'm pretty sure it's somewhere around there.)

 

[Kristina]

If you realize that the town of McBain exists, then that means that you know someone that lives there, lol.

Unfortunately, I am one of the people that buys feeders rats. However, I have a CO2 chamber and gas them before they are fed to anything. They just go to sleep and don't feel a thing.

 

[Missy]

I must disagree that reptiles are not cute

 

[Kristina]

Ha ha, of course I disagree as well BUT, not everyone feels that way, unfortunately.

 

[Jacqui]

Funnily enough it was a 40 gal that I needed... but specifically a 40 gallon "breeder."

Hey, why didn't you get me a couple? I was thinking the $1 sale was off already?

 

[Kristina]

It was still going as far as yesterday... I would just give your local store a call and see what they have.

Oh, and get your own. I'm poor, lol.

 

[Jenilyn]

michigan peeps! woot!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

When I was a truck driver I used to go to pick up at Sara Lee and I think it was Petosky or a city with a name like that. What I remember is the trees. Miles and miles of dense trees with nothing else for miles. My very first delivery was from Seattle to Detroit, no trees, nothing but gangbangers there and the rule of that company was that female drivers were not allowed to spend the night in the Detroit city limits. I grew up in San Francisco so Detroit was nothing to me. But snow was another thing...The first snow storm I got caught up in was in Northern Michigan. That was where I learned, oh heck I can't think of what it's called now. Oh, lake effect snow it was I think...wasn't it? Give me gangbangers but no snow. I'll take a fight anytime but chaining up a 53' trailer is so much worse then standing up against gangbangers...

 

[Kristina]

Parts of Detroit can be nasty, but not all of it is bad. We go to concerts quite often at a venue called Harpo's on Harper Avenue. The neighborhood there leaves a bit to be desired for a country girl like me. Usually when I go down there we are in the outskirts, like Clarkston or Waterford, which is a lot different than inner city Detroit. Those that have never seen the true ghettos and projects cannot imagine what it is really like. Trash everywhere, every other house is burnt up, bullet holes, bars on the windows, the sounds, smells... It is a whole other world.

Petoskey is a bit north of me, I have been there many times. It is a beautiful city. The park in the center of town is amazing, and the shops are well worth walking around and visiting.

Lake effect is 100% correct The average snowfall in Petoskey is 117" per year. I receive 107". I am located right in the snow belt where all that snow falls, as well.

 

[Candy]

My relatives live in Flushing, Clarkston and Grand Blanc. We went to visit them a few years back.

 

[Candy]

I am getting so sick of posting stuff and that "error" sign comes up so I post it again and it shows the same post twice. I sure hope that Josh fixes this soon.

 

[ChiKat]

If you realize that the town of McBain exists, then that means that you know someone that lives there, lol.

haha several of my relatives live there. We usually go 2-3 times a year.

 

[Kristina]

Katie, you HAVE to get a hold of me next time you come up here!!! I have only met two other members of the forum face to face, and I would love to have you come visit McBain is too close for you to make up an excuse

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Went to a Petco Saturday and noticed that there was still a Redfoot in with the Russians...noticed this a week earlier and mentioned to the manager that these two species required very different accomodations, but it did no good, apparently...