Petco Black Friday 50% off all Reptiles (that means tortoises!)

[Mgridgaway]

I know people don't have the best opinion of them, but as they have for the past 2 years, Petco will be selling all reptiles for 50% off on Black Friday. I bought Harper (my oldest Redfoot) 2 years ago at such a sale, and, after a little TLC and treatment for very minor shell rot, she is now the friendliest and most approachable tortoise in my entire herd. Stock usually varies, but count on either Russian or Greeks being there. I've only seen Redfoots the one time I went, so you may want to call ahead or scope the place out a few days before.

I remember getting there around 9am and the people looked at me liked I was a little nuts for coming in so early to buy a tortoise. I was practically the only one there.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Thanks for the tip. Open-open-open, LOL! : )

 

[StarSapphire22]

The Fargo Petco currently has Russians and Redfoots...however we were told a few months ago that Petco would stop carrying Redfoots as a company (not sure why) then all of a sudden 250 were distributed around to stores around the country and we were told this was the last of them. My store got 3, and they are adorable little goofs. So this will be your last chance to get a redfoot from Petco.

Not all Petcos take bad care of their animals. I really wish people on here would stop bashing the company as a whole...if you had a bad experience at a department store because one sales associate didn't know their stuff, you'd complain about that associate or your store, not the company. Many of Petco's associates are just as passionate about animals as you are, and not all of them are rude and ignorant, or neglect their animals. Other than being cramped and having the "fruity pebbles" available (they never eat them anyways), ours are pretty happy and well cared for. They get soaks three times a week, have clean cages, water available, a variety of fresh veggies every day, humidity for the redfoots, calcium...all that stuff we do for our torts on a regular basis. If they're sick/hurt they get taken to the vet. And not all torts are wild caught, either. Depends on your store and their distributor.

Just my two cents.

 

[wellington]

The Fargo Petco currently has Russians and Redfoots...however we were told a few months ago that Petco would stop carrying Redfoots as a company (not sure why) then all of a sudden 250 were distributed around to stores around the country and we were told this was the last of them. My store got 3, and they are adorable little goofs. So this will be your last chance to get a redfoot from Petco.

Not all Petcos take bad care of their animals. I really wish people on here would stop bashing the company as a whole...if you had a bad experience at a department store because one sales associate didn't know their stuff, you'd complain about that associate or your store, not the company. Many of Petco's associates are just as passionate about animals as you are, and not all of them are rude and ignorant, or neglect their animals. Other than being cramped and having the "fruity pebbles" available (they never eat them anyways), ours are pretty happy and well cared for. They get soaks three times a week, have clean cages, water available, a variety of fresh veggies every day, humidity for the redfoots, calcium...all that stuff we do for our torts on a regular basis. If they're sick/hurt they get taken to the vet. And not all torts are wild caught, either. Depends on your store and their distributor.

Just my two cents.

If every Petco had an employee,that was on here like you, they probably wouldn't be so bad. The one by me isn't bad with their animals. They carry Russians only as far as torts go. Never more the. Three in the enclosure. I don't like the water dish, but they aren't babies. However, pet stores have gotten a bad rap for years and years and it's usually deserved

 

[Mgridgaway]

The Reptile Lady at the Petco I bought Harper from was decently knowledgeable about reptiles (she was even caring for some neglected Iguanas), but it was clear that she wasn't well versed in tortoises. I do trust the Redfoots were taken care of, though you could tell that they weren't in optimal conditions and were dehydrated. Harper took at least a week to get to the point where she could open her eyes on her own (her lids would get somewhat dried together).

I remember being worried about her getting sick, but as I said before, Harper ended up being a wonderful addition. I couldn't have asked for a friendlier tort.

And Jessica, thanks for clarifying about the Redfoots. The only time I ever saw them in stock was when I got Harper. I've visited several since, but can never seem to find them. Must...resist...calling to see if they have any in stock...!

 

[StarSapphire22]

We set up our habitats, feeding guidelines, etc. based (mostly) on the word of one vet, who also helps create the animal care training modules. But if the info is old and outdated, and he's not keeping up on cutting edge stuff...well then employees who don't keep those species and bother doing homework on it are taught outdated info. It's not even that many employees are "lazy" or "don't care" but that the company is teaching them outdated information which they then pass on to the customer. Our store encourages us to do "homework" in our free time, we check out the books we sell in a library system too. And if I learn something and a coworker learns a different method, we talk about it and learn about it. We can even submit care suggestions to corporate. There's lots of wrong ways to care for an animal, but there's also no 100% right way. Animal husbandry for many species is constantly changing and evolving, and I don't think many animal lovers realize all the zillion things we already have to learn about and care for as an employee...keeping on the cutting edge of all the animals is physically impossible. My brain feels ready to melt most days already. Most of us have a few animals we specialize in, a few we know mostly about, the basics about some, and then there's usually one or two we know pretty much nothing about. We get help from our coworkers when there's an animal we aren't too sure about, or aren't sure about a question's answer. For instance, people come to me for torts and goldfish and bettas, because those are my specialties, and I've put in lots of time with their husbandry and biology and anatomy and all that jazz. I feel comfortable selling snakes, freshwater fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, mice, ferrets, and turtles for all but the most advanced questions. I know the basics for most of the other reptiles and birds. I know nothing about saltwater fish and scorpions. But that's ok because we have someone who's a saltwater goddess, and another who's a snake nut, and someone with 5 ferrets, etc. etc. Most store's failings aren't because they don't care or are ignorant, but because they don't play to their team's strengths and admit their weakness and ask for help. If you have a question about corals, I will honestly tell you I don't know and find someone for you who does. If know one working knows, which happens once in a while, we'll try to look it up for you, point you towards a reliable resource, or tell you when our saltwater person works next. When a store associate gives you bad information, it's slightly because the company teaches old info, but mostly because that person can't or won't ask for help and admit they don't know.

BUT it's also not really our job to educate you on how to care for your pet. We can definitely answer a few questions, tell you of our own experience, recommend/educate on products, give you care sheets, and point you towards good resources, but I shouldn't need to spend an hour with a customer telling them everything they need to know on tortoise care. It drives me nuts when I see a thread on here that says "I saw a super cute tort at Petco so I brought it home, and the associate told me everything wrong, and now my tort is ______ , and thank god I found this site" and then everyone jumps in and says "Oh yeah, never buy from Petco, they shouldn't even be in business anymore." Shame on the associate for not deferring to a more knowledgeable source, but more so, the customer shouldn't be impulse buying an animal they know nothing about, "winging it", and then blaming it on the store. RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP is the OWNER'S job, and not one you should be making an associate do for you. I saw cute torts at work. I read a book on mediterranean tortoises to see if they were really what I wanted. I found the book intriguing, so I went online to do more research...and I found this site. I researched husbandry, and different species, and responsible breeders. I set up a habitat in advance. I monitored my temps, etc. And then, and ONLY THEN, did I say I'm ready for my tort, let's bring one home.

There is definitely work to be done within chain pet stores, I won't deny it. And some people have genuinely had BAD experiences that is no one's fault but their store's/that associate's, and that is truly a shame. HOWEVER, I think Petco/Petsmart/etc. are much less to blame in many circumstances than people make them out to be. Completely blameless? Rarely. But also rarely 100% to blame.

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Sorry, that was a bit ranty. I've been needing to get that off my chest for a while.

Matt, I'm so glad you love your little Harper and that she's doing better in your care. You should totally check to see if your store has some in stock! You can't pass up 50% off, and last chance to get one at that price!

 

[AnnV]

I disagree. If one is selling an animal, then all info for care should be available from that source. Correct info, of course.

 

[StarSapphire22]

We provide caresheets instore and online. We sell books about many species of animals. There are more ways to get info other than an associate that, unfortunately, most prospective pet parents choose not to take advantage of. I don't believe we as a company can be blamed for a lack of responsible ownership on a pet parent's part.

I do agree that an associate should be available for questions, etc. as I stated in my earlier comment and firmly believe in quality customer service...and we should be knowledgeable about what we sell to the very best of our ability. But for a customer to rely on one associate as their sole source of info isnt practical or logical, and neither is blaming a company as a whole if that associate has gaps in their knowledge because that associate didn't utilize the resources provided to them.

 

[AustinASU]

I got my male pancake tortoise at petco at their 50% off sale about a year ago. He had tons of worms but they paid for all the vet bills to have him deformed simple fix with panacur

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Reckon I'll slide by and take a look.

 

[Saleama]

I disagree. If one is selling an animal, then all info for care should be available from that source. Correct info, of course.

You do realize the crippling cost of fully educating EVERY employee that passes through the revolving doors that most stores like this have would be passed onto the customer? Also, the benefit of educating those employees would be lost on people who do not listen or get tierd of doing the right thing and then try and blame the store or associate at the store for their problems. I have been in many Petco and Petsmart stores and there are times when the reptile person is there and times when they are not. It is part of running a business. Everyone needs to remember that these stores are there to make a profit, not get humane society awards. They do great work with fuzzy animals and with a little push from a more educated community, they will start doing better work with the scaley ones.

 

[Jacqui]

It's not the tortoises I have to worry about (unless there is a very old one or a huge female), but rather the bearded dragons or even that leopard gecko I was eyeing the last time in there.

I too have had great luck with animal bought there and our local staff takes good care of the animals.

 

[DixieParadise]

I like what StarSapphire is saying. If we educate ourselves and make distinct intelligent decisions on pet ownership the quality and care should not totally fall back on the seller. Although the PetCo and PetSmart are not breeders it does not mean that they do not have or give out poor information. I don't see anyone here blaming ZooMed for bad light design, just the store that sold it to them. I will be going to PetCo for Black Friday to pick up a few things and yes I will check the tortoise inventory while I am there. Thanks for the heads up

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

I bought my two Greeks at PetSmart and as I learned from TFO after my totally impulsive purchase, my babies were not acclimating very well at all, they were shell shocked, I kid you not, I let staff know and told them I had learned so much from TFO. They wanted me to bring them back, but I did not. I bought them and I would deal with them being not well with being in the USA, thank you very much. As I researched about their travels, I understood. Plucked from the desert, into a truck, to the broker in Jordan, to dealer in Egypt, to a box, to a plane, airport to distribution center, to the store. Hell. Of course, they were freaked out. But as I learned, I shared with the associates and we all learned. I know some of them love this site and refer new tortoise keepers to it when they sell tortoises for now on. It was a win-win-win. Love my little Wabi and Sabi. But they did put me thru a lot of grief for about 2 months. Every day I thought they would be dead. But with soaks and a lot of good info on temps and habitat needs, and patience, my babies are rocking now! I have not one regret. And I am grateful that this species I did not even know about until I bought them, Greeks? not from Greece? huh?, found their long journey from their desert home (sorry babies) to my home and garden. We are all happy and they are thriving. : )

 

[stinax182]

whether or not the tortoises are taken care of the fact remains that they (pet stores) get their inventory from the wild! that's what i feel we should not encourage. especially with the number of amazing breeders and the fact that most tortoise species breed very well in captivity....i mean, who doesn't want a baby tortoise?! don't answer that, i know there are people who look for adult tortoises but everyone knows there are just as many older torts available for adoption than hatchlings.

it only takes one employee to read an updated book to educate themselves on what pets they sell and then properly take care of them but one thing they can't change is the tiny aquariums they always put 4 tortoises in! i understand that you can't have one enclosure for each tort but that's not their fault ): pet stores are just not equipped to sell tortoises, i believe. nothing wrong with that but i wish they would realize that and just give up.

 

[Mgridgaway]

Not entirely true. Russians are wild caught, not sure about greeks, but redfoots are farm raised.

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Update: Bad news if you're a redfoot lover in MD. Called 6 different stores in central MD and 2 in DE and none of them had any

Probably for the better. I can't resist!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Not entirely true. Russians are wild caught, not sure about greeks, but redfoots are farm raised.

Recently discovered that "farm raised" means that wild caught females laid eggs before being sold and the eggs hatched...

But it, until recently, was a convenient loophole to sell a wild-caught 4+" tortoise while getting around CITES regulations, until the authorities caught on (which is why it's a good idea to buy up any young adults you want now, because the authorities ARE catching on!)...

Kinda doubt that many of the redfoots are really farm-raised either...takes a while (2+ years) to get 'em up to 4+", which cuts into the profits in a BIG way.

 

[Mgridgaway]

It's a little dodgy, true, but when you consider the morbidity rates of redfoots hatched in the wild vs farmed (which are surely lower), I'm mostly ok with the trade off.

For the record, my captive bred hatchling hit 4" in a year, and I wouldn't consider him abnormally large. Also consider that they often fudge length requirements. I regularly see tortoises less than 4" sold because they don't measure SCL.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

It's a little dodgy, true, but when you consider the morbidity rates of redfoots hatched in the wild vs farmed (which are surely lower), I'm mostly ok with the trade off.

For the record, my captive bred hatchling hit 4" in a year, and I wouldn't consider him abnormally large. Also consider that they often fudge length requirements. I regularly see tortoises less than 4" sold because they don't measure SCL.

OTOH, let's look at the bottom-line: a tortoise sold at a petshop for $125 cost that petshop chain's buyer probably less than $30, bought "in bulk" from the jobber/warehouse (often in Florida), who bought a bunch from a guy in the home country for maybe $1-5 per, tops, from the folks who actually gather the tortoises up, for maybe $0.25 or so per...then the in-country buyer stores them stacked 6-8 deep in crates, with no food or water, until he gets an order from the jobber, and this may take some months, and, sadly, some/many die...then, the crate makes it to the US jobber, whereupon they go through the crates, separating the healthier-looking tortoises to sell, and throwing away dead and sickly ones, and the jobbers do as little as possible to keep the survivors healthy, until they make it to the petstore, hich may or may not take good care of 'em, so some more die (eating further into the profits), which is why they're often in poor shape by the time we buy 'em, months later.

OTOH, were they farm raised, while eliminating a couple of the middle men, to be competitive with "wild caughts", they still probably go to the jobbers for $5-10 per, then sold to the petstore chains for $30...not a lot of profit for "farm-raising" tortoises for a year or more, other than the very rare and/or expensive ones, which you're not going to find at PetsMart or PetCo.

Ask some of the tort breeders here...they're really NOT in it for the $$$!

 

[stinax182]

that's disgusting. and that's exactly why a tortoise should never be bought from a pet store. you may be saving that particular one, but there is one waiting right behind it. supply and demand. i just with they'd stick to the simpler pets...


i bet a good percentage of the people who bought a tortoise at a pet store didn't go there thinking that. because they saw the tort (everyone falls in love with torts!) they then bought it. that usually (not always!) results in the uneducated, MISinformed owners that loose interest after awhile because they didn't know what they were getting themselves into.