I Got a Sick Hatchling from Tortoiseshack.com

[shellysmom]

Hi Everyone,

I've been having nightmares about tortoiseshack.com. I've been laying awake at night, wondering if selling a sick baby like poor Tebow is the exception or the rule for this company? Anyway, a few days ago, I decided to get some first-hand experience. I bought a baby Hermann from them. Sure enough, it arrived sick. It won't eat. It hardly ever opens its eyes. It just lays around all the time. She barely moves. I've got a vet appointment set for Monday with the area's best reptile vet, but I really don't have much hope that she will survive. I'm in the process of trying everything everyone suggested for Tebow, in terms of getting nutrients in her little body. It seems like with these tiny guys though, once they are on the downhill slope, it's really hard to get them back...

Anyway, if you or someone you know has received a sick chelonian from tortoiseshack.com or turtleshack.com, please feel free to send me a PM sharing your story. If I hear from enough people, I will probably move forward with a request for a welfare check at their facilities. Frankly, I don't care if they have a live arrival or 7-day health guarantee on their animals. From what I've read, it can take weeks for a sick hatchling to finally succumb and die. I don't really want my $200 back either, I just want them to stop selling sick babies to people. And, if they can't manage that much, then they should probably get into another line of work.

Anyway, if you are looking to buy a turtle or tortoise, please buy from a local, small-scale, reputable breeder. Or, better yet, search Craig's List for those who need to be rescued from the hands of people who have no idea what they're doing.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this with the forum. Thanks...

 

[Angi]

I am so sad for you. I don't know what you mean by welfare check, but I hope you get you cost and vet cost back. If this is a common practice of theirs I wish you luck at stopping them.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Two out of two you've bought were sickly? That bears close scrutiny!

 

[Paige Lewis]

Really sad to hear about your poorly little tort, how is he/she doing? Let us know how the vet appointment goes.

 

[yagyujubei]

This is only my observation from the little I have seen on this forum, and it certainly isn't meant as any sort of personal attack, but your motives come into question for me. It seems that you may have some agenda which you haven't revealed yet. It certainly may be that I am seeing smoke where there is none, and if that's the case, I apologise. I guess what I'm asking is this - Why are you involving yourself in this against this particular seller?

 

[rachael]

I think shes involving her self because she bought 2 torties and they were both sick?

Maybe Im reading it wrong?

 

[coreyc]

The way I read it was Tebow was one then she bought a baby Hermann from them also.

 

[Robert]

Didn't Tebow belong to TebowHammer? Are TebowHammer and Shellysmom related? I'm confused.

Either way, good luck with your Hermann. hopefully he will recover and enjoy a long life!

 

[shellysmom]

This is only my observation from the little I have seen on this forum, and it certainly isn't meant as any sort of personal attack, but your motives come into question for me. It seems that you may have some agenda which you haven't revealed yet. It certainly may be that I am seeing smoke where there is none, and if that's the case, I apologise. I guess what I'm asking is this - Why are you involving yourself in this against this particular seller?

Hi Everyone, sorry for the confusion. I am not the person who bought Tebow, but after hearing stories from a few people about how the torts they received from tortoiseshack.com were sick and died, I decided to look into it a little further. Some of you may think it's not my place, or that I"m wasting my time, so be it. However, in my experience working for various animal organizations, when a large company is selling animals to make money, and the animals are not in good shape, it usually means they have extremely poor husbandry practices.

Take for example, Petland. I don't know how they are still in business, but they are notorious for selling puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting customers, and only after the people get their new puppies home do they realize there is something horribly wrong with them. I don't know how many of you have ever seen a puppy mill, but I have. Cages filled with feces, sickly animals, dirty or no water, moldy food, etc. Poor husbandry to say the least.

Well, I don't know how tortoiseshack.com operates its breeding program(s), but if a certain number of all the animals they are selling are sick, it means they are doing something wrong. I'm not trying to hide an agenda. My agenda is to help animals that may be suffering. That's it. I have also mentioned before that I'm a wildlife biologist. I really believe that if people are raising wild animals in captivity that they should be treated extremely well. They certainly didn't ask to be born just so they could be sold and kept as pets by people who may or may not take proper care of them. If a company is exploiting animals for profit, and they are not properly caring for the animals, then their business practices should be examined. That's all.

 

[dmarcus]

Very well said, I agree with you 100%.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

How long have you had the hatchling? It is my understanding that hatchlings sleep a lot and that it can take a few day's for a tortoise to get comfortable in a new environment. Please let us know what the vet say's and if you like the vet then please add it to the TFO vet list so other's in your area can utilize their expertise as well. Best of luck.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

You could post a review in the Vendors Section here on TFO and on the BOI at Faurna Classifieds.

 

[shellysmom]

My baby tort just died. We had her almost a month, and she never really started eating on her own. We tried everything we could to help, but we just couldn't make her well.

 

[dmarcus]

I am so very sorry she did not make it!!!

 

[Tom]

I wonder if it is something as simple as them using florescent coil bulbs and burning the little torts eyes. Could be the chronic dehydration thing too. Obviously there is some problem that needs to be dealt with. It is possible that the only way to deal with it is inform everyone of the facts. If any one has bout a tort from them only to have it arrive sick and then die shortly thereafter, I certainly would want to know about it.

 

[shellysmom]

Tom, yes, I have a feeling she was severely dehydrated when she arrived. She never really showed signs of a serious infection, like Tebow, but she definitely never acted like a normal, healthy baby. I think I'll just contact the company and find out if they have any idea that so many of their babies they send out don't make it. Maybe it IS something a simple as improving lighting or hydration... If so, that would be fantastic because it's a relatively easy fix. I'll let y'all know what they say.

 

[african cake queen]

hello, very sorry for your loss, its so upseting, we get attached. i think you had a bad feeling before you got the tort, and you were right. i don't like slamming anyone, but i have had a nightmare getting the torts. they are now healthly & happy.(maybe too happy)'lol' but i will only buy from a good breeder. no more ordering or shows. seems most shows only have wc pancakes but thats another story. i am very sorry you lost your little guy. lindy

 

[FLVenom]

hello, very sorry for your loss, its so upseting, we get attached. i think you had a bad feeling before you got the tort, and you were right. i don't like slamming anyone, but i have had a nightmare getting the torts. they are now healthly & happy.(maybe too happy)'lol' but i will only buy from a good breeder. no more ordering or shows. seems most shows only have wc pancakes but thats another story. i am very sorry you lost your little guy. lindy

It's a shame when people sell animals they obviously shouldn't. But on the flipside, calling in a "welfare check" on them or their facility could start another PETA or HSUS attack on the herpetoculture community. Maybe contacting their local Fish and Wildlife department would be a more appropriate way to go.