I told someone they were a bad tort owner today! Oops

[mary t]

So I was shopping in a local outlet store today and found a cute little tortoise statue. While I was checking out the cashier started talking about my " turtle". I of course nicely corrected her that it was a tortoise. Well how do you know she ask, I explained and showed her. She looked at me a little puzzled and said well I have and African spur thigh and my boyfriend works at Petco. Which I replied- oh really- is his name****! She said yes, and I replied well I bet you keep your poor little tort in a dry glass house and feed it only romaine lettuce. When she looked at me with a surprised face. I commented yes, your boyfriend and I have already met and it's a shame that they allowed stores to sell pet and the sales people have no real knowledge of the well being for that pet. If you want to be a good sulcata owner you should really do some research and read about how they are really not supposed to be raised in those conditions And that your little guy need to be soaked and fed properly before he grows to be mis shaped or died from lack of proper care. I was so mad I wanted to follow her home just to take the baby from her... But on the plus side maybe she will read a little now and learn something new. I even wrote down a few websites for her to check out... Hopefully they don't check this one out to soon and see me venting about their improper care, but he really is a tool...

 

[DanaLachney]

RE: I told someone they eere a bad tort owner today! Oops

So I was shopping in a local outlet store today and found a cute little tortoise statue. While I was checking out the cashier started talking about my " turtle". I of course nicely corrected her that it was a tortoise. Well how do you know she ask, I explained and showed her. She looked at me a little puzzled and said well I have and African spur thigh and my boyfriend works at Petco. Which I replied- oh really- is his name****! She said yes, and I replied well I bet you keep your poor little tort in a dry glass house and feed it only romaine lettuce. When she looked at me with a surprised face. I commented yes, your boyfriend and I have already met and it's a shame that they allowed stores to sell pet and the sales people have no real knowledge of the well being for that pet. If you want to be a good sulcata owner you should really do some research and read about how they are really not supposed to be raised in those conditions And that your little guy need to be soaked and fed properly before he grows to be mis shaped or died from lack of proper care. I was so mad I wanted to follow her home just to take the baby from her... But on the plus side maybe she will read a little now and learn something new. I even wrote down a few websites for her to check out... Hopefully they don't check this one out to soon and see me venting about their improper care, but he really is a tool...

you should see my local pet store! Well I say local it's 30 miles from me but the next closest one is like an hour from me but anyway. This place is a DISASTER!!! I'm still fuming about the fact I asked for a UVB bulb and instead he sold me a regular daylight heat bulb!! It wasn't until the breeder I'm getting my torts from told me UV lights can't be incandescent that I realized the difference and checked the box it came in and sure enough no UV. Not only that they sold me a Plecoptera that died less than 24 hours later. And the store reeks of urine.

 

[Neal]

RE: I told someone they eere a bad tort owner today! Oops

I assume you have actually seen her tortoise in the conditions you described?

 

[jason g.]

RE: I told someone they eere a bad tort owner today! Oops

When I bought my tortoise it was in a fish tank with newspaper a heat lamp and I was told it was a desert tortoise that only got 13 to 18 inches. I'm so happy I found this forum.

 

[Blademr2]

RE: I told someone they eere a bad tort owner today! Oops

The pet shop at the local mall keeps them same way more or less.. on dry pellets with a plate for food. No source of water what so ever.. just want to rescue them, but it will just encourage them to get more

 

[mary t]

I assume you have actually seen her tortoise in the conditions you described?

When I originally went into Petco, this young (wouldn't call him a man) saw me looking at the hatchling they were selling and he strutted over and began telling me what great pets they were and how they needed very little care because they are dessert torts. He proudly showed me pictures of this horrible set up. I would have been impressed I guess or at least he wanted me to be but I had already found this sight and know more than him. So ya!

 

[Jacqui]

You know guys, please remember there is more then one way to raise a tortoise. I know this site is really currently leaning heavily towards the hydration thing, but folks can and do raise nice smooth, healthy animals the "dry" way, too.

A thought to the person who complained of no water dish... did you ever ask if they watered them after hours or in the backroom? I could see a store doing this because, what is the first thing a tortoise does when you give him a nice clean water dish? He poops in it right? A pet store would not want to have a poopy water dish. Think of all the complaints they would hear about that.

I am sorry you all seem to have less then good pet stores, the ones in my area get good ratings from, and let's keep in mind...they are pet stores, not permanent housing.

 

[Tom]

I don't know anyone who has ever raised a smooth sulcata or leopard on rabbit pellets with no water dish. Not one single case ever in more than 20 years. Moreover, I question just how "dry" some of the others species are actually kept when they are raised in damp climates with moist substrates and humid hiding areas. Traditionally "non-desert" species are frequently raised smooth simply because they aren't kept in the "desert" conditions that induce pyramiding.

 

[jason g.]

I am sorry you all seem to have less then good pet stores, the ones in my area get good ratings from, and let's keep in mind...they are pet stores, not permanent housing.

This is true. The pet store I got mine from never has any animals for any length of time... other than some parrots but I don't think they are even for sale they are huge.lol

 

[Linzbragg]

When I bought my tortoise it was in a fish tank with newspaper a heat lamp and I was told it was a desert tortoise that only got 13 to 18 inches. I'm so happy I found this forum.

Mine was as well. This forum also saved my baby and gave me wonderful peace of mind.

---

This is true. The pet store I got mine from never has any animals for any length of time... other than some parrots but I don't think they are even for sale they are huge.lol

The Petcos close to me only del Russian torts (probably bc I live in the D.C. area) and I don't think they ever get sold. Idk anything about their care, but they're kept on moss with water and fruity pebbles looking food. I go in the store sometimes 2 times a week (for my cat, all tort products are bought online) and they are never walking around, only sleeping. They were even 50% off for Christmas; which is when I almost got one until I discovered the beautiful and large growing sulcata. I also always see ppl selling their Russians on Craigslist. Pet stores shouldn't be allowed to sell torts, I think.

 

[mary t]

The Petco here, Florida, gave me a care sheet about sulcatas that said they needed no water were dessert animals and ate pre packaged food. The young man that i spoke of in my first note also argued with me that a sulcata and an African spur thigh were not the same species.. I'm positive that these babies are never soaked or watered and sure that any poop in a water dish wouldn't worry them since they have a lot of dead fish floating in their tanks...

 

[Jacqui]

The Petco here, Florida, gave me a care sheet about sulcatas that said they needed no water were dessert animals and ate pre packaged food. The young man that i spoke of in my first note also argued with me that a sulcata and an African spur thigh were not the same species.. I'm positive that these babies are never soaked or watered and sure that any poop in a water dish wouldn't worry them since they have a lot of dead fish floating in their tanks...

Prepackaged foods would include Mazuri and we do have several members in here who do feed it. (I myself go for the fresh greens and just recently have started giving a little Mazuri). Well he is sorta right, he just got the African part of it wrong, as there are three tortoise species referred to as Spur thigh.

Don't get me wrong, I am very glad you shared some of the things you have learned with this couple. I am just thinking you and I have differing opinions on what makes somebody a "bad" keeper and I also have a bit more of an open mind to the fact there is more then one way to care for these guys.

 

[Neal]

...but folks can and do raise nice smooth, healthy animals the "dry" way, too.

This has been our experience. Back when we first got started we didn't provide humid hides or any means of elevating humidity. We just kept ours well hydrated and they grew smooth.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

...but folks can and do raise nice smooth, healthy animals the "dry" way, too.

This has been our experience.

 

[ada caro]

What a shame

 

[mary t]

Prepackaged foods would include Mazuri and we do have several members in here who do feed it. (I myself go for the fresh greens and just recently have started giving a little Mazuri). Well he is sorta right, he just got the African part of it wrong, as there are three tortoise species referred to as Spur thigh.

Don't get me wrong, on the advice of a lot on this forum, I have also started feed Willie a small amount of muzuri each week. I by no means know as much as a lot of people here. I rescued my tort and read new thing and ask new questions everyday. It's hard to describe in a limited amount of words about this couple. He was an arrogant boy by any means and she is clueless to anything but what " he says". And I'm well aware of all the different species but he was adamant. Definitely a young boy who didn't like the fact that a women knew more than him as well as a women questioning him. Just very ironic that I happen to bump in to the poor girl who has decided in life to partner with him.. Also, I am from Africa, I know of these torts in the wild. I am waiting on photos of the big guy that lived in a park a few houses away from me to share. I know these may not have been native to where I grew up but we had them all over the small town I lived in as well as a few other species of torts.. I guess I vented on the forum because I was so disgusted that I had in-counted a closed minded couple that , in my opinion, are the kind of owner That people like me end up rescuing there pet. Also, in a world of today the information is so readily available it scares me that it's not being utilized but then Again this is the teacher in me talking... Thanks for sharing and in my opinion that's why this forum is good because peoples opinions do differ and that's what helps those of us that are looking for information. We get to read, decide and make an educated guess as to what's best or our pet.

 

[bikerchicspain]

Well done you.

 

[MORTYtheTORTY]

You know guys, please remember there is more then one way to raise a tortoise. I know this site is really currently leaning heavily towards the hydration thing, but folks can and do raise nice smooth, healthy animals the "dry" way, too.

A thought to the person who complained of no water dish... did you ever ask if they watered them after hours or in the backroom? I could see a store doing this because, what is the first thing a tortoise does when you give him a nice clean water dish? He poops in it right? A pet store would not want to have a shitty water dish. Think of all the complaints they would hear about that.

I am sorry you all seem to have less then good pet stores, the ones in my area get good ratings from, and let's keep in mind...they are pet stores, not permanent housing.

Had me roll'n on the "poopy water dish" HAHAHA

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

So I was shopping in a local outlet store today and found a cute little tortoise statue. While I was checking out the cashier started talking about my " turtle". I of course nicely corrected her that it was a tortoise. Well how do you know she ask, I explained and showed her. She looked at me a little puzzled and said well I have and African spur thigh and my boyfriend works at Petco. Which I replied- oh really- is his name****! She said yes, and I replied well I bet you keep your poor little tort in a dry glass house and feed it only romaine lettuce. When she looked at me with a surprised face. I commented yes, your boyfriend and I have already met and it's a shame that they allowed stores to sell pet and the sales people have no real knowledge of the well being for that pet. If you want to be a good sulcata owner you should really do some research and read about how they are really not supposed to be raised in those conditions And that your little guy need to be soaked and fed properly before he grows to be mis shaped or died from lack of proper care. I was so mad I wanted to follow her home just to take the baby from her... But on the plus side maybe she will read a little now and learn something new. I even wrote down a few websites for her to check out... Hopefully they don't check this one out to soon and see me venting about their improper care, but he really is a tool...

Hmm. Well, I'm glad you told this person about how to improve the diet and habitat of her tortoise. However, I don't think it makes sense to correct people who call their tortoise a turtle. After all, a tortoise is a type of turtle. I call my tortoises "turtles" all the time, because that's what they are. They're not lizards, snakes, tuataras, crocodilians, or birds; they're members of a terrestrial, herbivorous family of turtles. It's like calling people "primates." It's not as precise as calling us "humans," because there are other types of primates out there, but it's not wrong, either.

 

[mary t]

Hmm. Well, I'm glad you told this person about how to improve the diet and habitat of her tortoise. However, I don't think it makes sense to correct people who call their tortoise a turtle. After all, a tortoise is a type of turtle. I call my tortoises "turtles" all the time, because that's what they are. They're not lizards, snakes, tuataras, crocodilians, or birds; they're members of a terrestrial, herbivorous family of turtles. It's like calling people "primates." It's not as precise as calling us "humans," because there are other types of primates out there, but it's not wrong, either.

I agree but.... In Florida turtles swim.. So if you don't assist In the educational process of by nothing else than a name they are likely to send the poor tort for a swim. My fathers neighbor has a 6 yrs old 50 pound male sulcata that successfully navigated the barriers and escapes a few times a year. Last summer my 75 yesr old father had to go knee deep into a lake to save him because some helpful person saw him in the front yard and returned him to the lake by getting their buddy to help throw him in because he kept walking away from the water. Trust me these particular people know no difference between turtle and tortoise. Just because things maybe the same it's not wrong to learn the correct name. I correct anyone and everyone that calls my Willie a turtle. If in my mind it saves one tort from taking a swim or teaches one person out there that there are different spices than I've done my job...