petco tort enclosure problems?

[Michael Twohy]

So I went to petco for a mvb bulb, and I saw the tortoises, like usual. It never was a suitable habitat, and they used to have 2 torts, but now they have 4, and its too crowded. There's not even enough space for 1 tortoise to live in! There's are so many things wrong with it, wrong substrate, they're using cypress. Not enough room. It is clearly a cheamalean enclosure, it's tall and closed off at the top. It's glass, nothing stopping them from looking out. The enclosure is probably about 3x2 or so. And there's a little tortoise, smaller than the other ones that was getting pushed by a bigger one! So he/she (didn't look at tail) is getting harassed, and I feel so bad for the tortoises. I want to buy the little one, but I really can't. Most of all, I want them to make a new enclosure. I'm only 13 so I can't work there and take care of them better, but they do have an online chat. And I asked them once to put some more hiding spots once, and they did! So maybe I could ask them, but they might not want to spend the money to make a big enclosure. what should I do?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Although pet stores may not provide the best enclosures, keep in mind they are temporary living arrangements.

You can suggest they offer green leafy foods, a water source and the multiple hides (which you did) but keep in mind that limited space with multiple occupants isn't the worse thing they could face while in the store. It would be worse if the new owners put them in similar living conditions.
So, see if they would be interested in a care sheet that can be passed out to the new homes.
Even if the just the employees read it, they might be convicted and willing to share the correct set up info with the buyers.

 

[Yvonne G]

It might be helpful if you were to print out a good care sheet for the type of tortoises in the enclosure and present it to the manager.

Its great that you have an interest in how these animals are cared for, but keep in mind that after you offer helpful advice one time, there's really nothing more you can do. Be content that you have tried.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Petco/Petsmart won't be able to change care within their store. There are corporate guidelines they need to follow. Any requests like this would need to be sent to corporate, and any changes made would have to be company wide.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I agree with the caresheet, though. Even just a few to hand out at first.

 

[Michael Twohy]

It might be helpful if you were to print out a good care sheet for the type of tortoises in the enclosure and present it to the manager.

Its great that you have an interest in how these animals are cared for, but keep in mind that after you offer helpful advice one time, there's really nothing more you can do. Be content that you have tried.

Petco/Petsmart won't be able to change care within their store. There are corporate guidelines they need to follow. Any requests like this would need to be sent to corporate, and any changes made would have to be company wide.

I agree with the caresheet, though. Even just a few to hand out at first.

ok, thanks for the advise. i think they have some care-sheets, ill check next time. i know that petsmart has care-sheets, and they're accurate. so IF (not 100% sure) me and my dad made them a new enclosure out of wood that would be, maybe 8x16, would they take it? they have space for it, there is a big open area in the corner of the store

 

[Michael Twohy]

i dont know how it passed any laws of animal keeping, like food products are fda approved. its pretty much animal cruelty

 

[Michael Twohy]

Although pet stores may not provide the best enclosures, keep in mind they are temporary living arrangements.

You can suggest they offer green leafy foods, a water source and the multiple hides (which you did) but keep in mind that limited space with multiple occupants isn't the worse thing they could face while in the store. It would be worse if the new owners put them in similar living conditions.
So, see if they would be interested in a care sheet that can be passed out to the new homes.
Even if the just the employees read it, they might be convicted and willing to share the correct set up info with the buyers.

oh, and they did have lettuce (not the healthiest leafy green, but it works) and carrrot salad that they were eating. and a water dish

 

[lisa127]

Petco/Petsmart won't be able to change care within their store. There are corporate guidelines they need to follow. Any requests like this would need to be sent to corporate, and any changes made would have to be company wide.

Not always necessarily true. The baby/juvenile leopard geckos were being kept on calci sand. I talked to them about it. The next time I went in they were changed over to reptile carpet and have been on that ever since.

 

[Michael Twohy]

Not always necessarily true. The baby/juvenile leopard geckos were being kept on calci sand. I talked to them about it. The next time I went in they were changed over to reptile carpet and have been on that ever since.

so, they might be able to change SOME things? like the substrate? they could change over to coconut fiber mulch, thats what i have with my tortoise

 

[lisa127]

so, they might be able to change SOME things? like the substrate? they could change over to coconut fiber mulch, thats what i have with my tortoise

I don't know. What kind of torts are they? Lots of keepers use cypress mulch. I never have but I know lots do so I would think it's an acceptable substrate.

 

[Michael Twohy]

I don't know. What kind of torts are they? Lots of keepers use cypress mulch. I never have but I know lots do so I would think it's an acceptable substrate.

theyre russians

 

[StarSapphire22]

Not always necessarily true. The baby/juvenile leopard geckos were being kept on calci sand. I talked to them about it. The next time I went in they were changed over to reptile carpet and have been on that ever since.

Yes, but any time the animal care manager performed an audit (which is often) things will be changed to corporate standards. The sand changed because carpet is the corporate standard and the sand was wrong in the first place.

For instance when I used to work at Petco, we'd provide plenty of substrate for burrowing species...but corporate only wants enough to just cover the bottom (the thinnest layer possible without glass showing). We'd have to remove substrate for audits.

Building a table wouldn't work...corporate decides animal placement and housing must be approved.

 

[Michael Twohy]

Yes, but any time the animal care manager performed an audit (which is often) things will be changed to corporate standards. The sand changed because carpet is the corporate standard and the sand was wrong in the first place.

For instance when I used to work at Petco, we'd provide plenty of substrate for burrowing species...but corporate only wants enough to just cover the bottom (the thinnest layer possible without glass showing). We'd have to remove substrate for audits.

Building a table wouldn't work...corporate decides animal placement and housing must be approved.

hmm, so it would be useless to make a new enclosure? i dont understand (then again, im too young to work for a company, so i dont understand business very well), why would they move the tortoises back into a smaller enclosure when they have a huge one that isnt being used? of course, they dont have a huge enclosure, but im just saying, if me and my dad did make them one.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

6x16 is a very large enclosure to expect them to take. I don't think they would, even if it was smaller.

 

[Michael Twohy]

6x16 is a very large enclosure to expect them to take. I don't think they would, even if it was smaller.

no i said earlier that me and my dad could make it. but it would be a lot of work

 

[Abdulla6169]

no i said earlier that me and my dad could make it. but it would be a lot of work

Ask them first, maybe it won't fit inside the store

 

[Michael Twohy]

Ask them first, maybe it won't fit inside the store

ok, but it probably wont be right away cuz my dad has to clean his woodshop out and he has other projects. plus i have to build borris a tortoise table as well..... maybe in a few months

 

[Michael Twohy]

Ask them first, maybe it won't fit inside the store

anyways i would definitely ask them first!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

People buy animals from pet stores in part because they feel sorry for them. It is not in the interest of the store to make their animals look too comfortable. People get the impression that they can do a better job of care or that care is easy. If they thought the animals care was too specialized or that the animals were happy where they are, they wouldn't buy them.

There's more going on than this, but this is a factor. Bottom line is all stores sell stuff to make money, and every inch of space is devoted to that.