Unacceptable Husbandry in Shop!!!

[davy89]

There is a pet shop near me which has a strong emphasis on reptiles, dedicating a separate section of the shop to reptiles alone. It isn't a large chain store, and it isn't a family run shop, it's kind of in the middle. But it has a good reputation in the area, and "prides" itself on being a top notch pet shop.

But something I've noticed recently and that really annoys me is the actual enclosures for the reptiles. The vivs they are in are no larger than 1foot x 1 1/2foot, and they are very overcrowded.

One of the vivs has 3 leopard tortoises in it, small enough fellas, but they are in with about 15 little gecko's of some sort.

Another viv has 3 leopards, 2 horsefields and 2 greeks. They hardly have the room to move, but surely they shouldn't be mixed in with each other? And these are in a 1FOOT x 1 1/2FOOT VIV, imagine how small that is?

And the one which annoys me most is a 4foot x 2foot viv which has in it 2 FULLY GROWN REDFOOTS, a fully grown hermanns, a leopard thats about 7 inches long and two tiny 3 inch leopards. The redfoots and hermanns are basically sitting on the little leopards, and there's no doubt that one of them is going to end up seriously hurt.

Am I wrong to be feeling really pi**ed off at this? I really want to say something but I don't know what I'd say, I'd probably end up going off on one at the staff. Can anything be done?

 

[bllauben]

Couldn't you turn them into the humane society or humane law enforcement for being cruely confined? I am pretty sure there are laws against such situations like that. I am pretty sure that each critter must be able to have his/her own space and be able to turn around once and lay down comfortably.

Yes, you are right to be ticked off. Don't take it in your own hands. Contact the local humane society or humane law enforcement to see what they say first.

Good luck and keep us posted please!

--Beth

 

[Yvonne G]

I doubt they'll make any changes you suggest, however if you offer suggestions with humility and not accusations, they are more likely to listen to you. It sounds like they have a space issue. You might suggest that putting all the redfoots in one spot, and the leopards in another means they could set them up more like they would be in nature. That would make prettier pictures and sell them better.

 

[dmmj]

If you decide to say something always be nice rather than mean or arrogant, also complain to the owner, the staff probably has little to nothing to do on how they are kept.

 

[Laura]

Print out info and take it to them or write a letter and mail the info. In person or annonymously if you cant hold your temper..
They may have no clue and just need education. they need to know what it looks like to the general public.

 

[Tom]

also complain to the owner, the staff probably has little to nothing to do on how they are kept.

Often, its quite the opposite in the situation that was described. The management and owners at the shops where I worked had no clue how to set anything up and had me and another guy do it. When someone came in and had questions, the managers always passed the customers off to us.

And no, davy89, those species should not be mixed, ever.

The small cages are fine if they are moving the inventory. Not ideal, but good enough if the animals are only there temporarily until they sell. Its not the way I'd do it, but I wouldn't call it cruel.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Print out a couple of care sheets and take them with you. Talk calmly and quietly and explain how over crowded they are and how bad that looks to the public. Explain how the small Leos are going to get injured. Talk nicely to them all the while remembering that you are doing it for the tortoises. Be sure to explain how mixing species is bad and can make each other sick. Be prepared when you go in there knowing exactly what you want to say. Explain how each species has certain pathogens that could make the other species sick...