phebe121
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,098
Glad you rescued one im sorry for the others i hate that about pet stores its all about the money not health
How hear breaking but how wonderful that YOU saved that tortoise!!! This happens probably so much more than we even know. I NEVER knew that Russians were WC from Petco & Petsmat. How is this true? Just curious? I've read this on the forum quite a bit.
Agreed. I don't like the idea of buying animals from a pet shop but I couldn't just leave her there to slowly decline.It's actually a truly disgusting thing. Google it and you'll see the deplorable conditions these tortoises endure after being snatched from the wild. This is one reason we try to get people not to buy from pet stores. Saving one is different, but planning on buying one from them only makes room and demand for another.
Good thing you rescued her! Glad she's home now.
I can speak from fact, that they are indeed WC (unless there's one that was surrendered to the shop as I see with RES all the time...) I got my Franklin at Petco and aside from the poor food choices and ramp bowl they were in pretty good care and shape, I didn't know because of that that it was a big deal not to get them from petstores. So soon after finding this site (which was a week or so after getting him) I emailed petco corporate and asked where the tortoises came from because I wanted to be completely aware of Franklin's past. Let me see if I can find the email I saved a copy of:How hear breaking but how wonderful that YOU saved that tortoise!!! This happens probably so much more than we even know. I NEVER knew that Russians were WC from Petco & Petsmat. How is this true? Just curious? I've read this on the forum quite a bit.
Oh WOW...that is shocking!!! I would of never known! Thank you for sharing this with me.I can speak from fact, that they are indeed WC (unless there's one that was surrendered to the shop as I see with RES all the time...) I got my Franklin at Petco and aside from the poor food choices and ramp bowl they were in pretty good care and shape, I didn't know because of that that it was a big deal not to get them from petstores. So soon after finding this site (which was a week or so after getting him) I emailed petco corporate and asked where the tortoises came from because I wanted to be completely aware of Franklin's past. Let me see if I can find the email I saved a copy of:
Thank you for contacting Petco.
We are glad to know that your pet is healthy and doing well. Our Russian tortoise came from Asia, Uzbekystan and Kyrgyzstan. Please follow the link below for your reference. You can also contact your local Petco store for further inquiry.
I've never personally had a problem with Petco, Local or corporate, so its a shame that one was that poor to them.
Truly sad...It's actually a truly disgusting thing. Google it and you'll see the deplorable conditions these tortoises endure after being snatched from the wild. This is one reason we try to get people not to buy from pet stores. Saving one is different, but planning on buying one from them only makes room and demand for another.
Good thing you rescued her! Glad she's home now.
The kid who helped me just kept saying "oh my gosh I'm so sorry". He was pretty much horrified but clueless. The manager really wasn't all that apologetic. she just said "oh I'll take care of it". Unbelievable! the district manager seem to be a little bit more concerned but that was probably just lipservice. He said he would check into the matter. We'll see about that. I went by Petco earlier today just to look and the tortoises were in pretty much the same condition. There were only three left in the tank so it's the same three that were there last week. They looked terrible.Thank you for saving the little girl. I can't believe two of the tortoises were dead.
What did the manager and the employees say? I'm very eager to know.
The kid who helped me just kept saying "oh my gosh I'm so sorry". He was pretty much horrified but clueless. The manager really wasn't all that apologetic. she just said "oh I'll take care of it". Unbelievable! the district manager seem to be a little bit more concerned but that was probably just lipservice. He said he would check into the matter. We'll see about that. I went by Petco earlier today just to look and the tortoises were in pretty much the same condition. There were only three left in the tank so it's the same three that were there last week. They looked terrible.
How damn sad!!!!! I went to petsmart today to grab moss. I looked at the Russian tortoise that was in a 10 gallon tank... Maybe a wee bigger but I don't even have the words to say to think of how he was living the life to be snatched from the wild to iceberg lettuce & kale I think it was in such a small home that SUCKED!!!! He looked miserable as they always do, it's very heartbreaking to even look at these animals in such conditions on top of knowing what's happening everyday at every large chain pet storeThe kid who helped me just kept saying "oh my gosh I'm so sorry". He was pretty much horrified but clueless. The manager really wasn't all that apologetic. she just said "oh I'll take care of it". Unbelievable! the district manager seem to be a little bit more concerned but that was probably just lipservice. He said he would check into the matter. We'll see about that. I went by Petco earlier today just to look and the tortoises were in pretty much the same condition. There were only three left in the tank so it's the same three that were there last week. They looked terrible.
No problem, just spreading the knowledge with proof I had laying around.Oh WOW...that is shocking!!! I would of never known! Thank you for sharing this with me.
I don't anticipate an end to importing WC torts anytime soon so, The biggest issue I have with large chain pet stores is uneducated staff. The stores should have the responsibility to learn and teach proper husbandry of the livestock they carry. All the conditions you describe at your Petco are the same as mine but the fact that there were Two dead torts that had been that way a MINIMUM of 24 hours (the odor was very very strong) tells me that even though they had fresh food and water, the animals in the tank had not been inspected. Now I don't expect a complete physical of each animal but when one feeds and waters a tank, one should make sure all animals in that tank are doing well. If they discover a sick or injured animal, that employee/store should have the responsibility to try to correct the situation. That's all I'm saying.No problem, just spreading the knowledge with proof I had laying around.
Honestly I just can't get myself to condemn stores at all. I know some keep them poor, mine hasn't, in fact I've even looked in once and once was eating as looked up and just intently watched me as I looked at him (kinda like my Nank does now) They may be stressed and not given the best but the ones at mine have never looked miserable. Mine have always had water (the ramp bowl yes but never like full full) they've always had food in the plate (yeah maybe not the best diet but its temporary... basically us trying to live off yummy fast food) they've always had a log to hide in... even if they couldn't all fit they did have something. The substrate isn't very deep but they've always had eco-earth, that's good. Over the years I've seen several plants go in and out, one of the vine like plants and several different types of the fake store plants. I'm not saying they live in like a palace, but its a temporary place, not to say they're destined to go to great caring homes (since some don't) but from there its not on the store.
I don't know, just felt like the stores deserved some defending, not yours but the corporation in general, since not all are bad, in fact I remember a few stories of members talking with them and getting them to feed good foods. My petco now even carries Mazuri.
I think I'll be alive when the end to WC tort sales come, but as of right now theres just not enough CB breeders in the US, and I know many take in WC ones to vary up the gene pool.I don't anticipate an end to importing WC torts anytime soon so, The biggest issue I have with large chain pet stores is uneducated staff. The stores should have the responsibility to learn and teach proper husbandry of the livestock they carry. All the conditions you describe at your Petco are the same as mine but the fact that there were Two dead torts that had been that way a MINIMUM of 24 hours (the odor was very very strong) tells me that even though they had fresh food and water, the animals in the tank had not been inspected. Now I don't expect a complete physical of each animal but when one feeds and waters a tank, one should make sure all animals in that tank are doing well. If they discover a sick or injured animal, that employee/store should have the responsibility to try to correct the situation. That's all I'm saying.
Thirty years ago, I managed a small "mom and pop" pet store. We had dogs cats fish reptiles and birds. Education about the needs and requirements of the different animals was a requirement to work there. Everyone got on the job training
The large pet stores are really just in business to sell supplies. The livestock the carry is just a sideline. Again, this is all just my opinion and there will always be good pet stores that are the exception. That is all