- Joined
- Sep 26, 2011
- Messages
- 29
I do see a huge problem with people selling turtles and tortoises under 4 inches--reputable breeders to hobbyists, fine, but not in stores.
Why? Because people see these tiny little turtles sold for a couple of bucks and assume that they'll never grow, and most of the people who sell them that small in shops are more interested in making money than in ensuring that the animals receive adequate care.
I work at a chain pet store (yes, I don't like them either, but it's the only place that would hire me in this economy). Every day we have multiple people come in who have just purchased tiny red eared sliders--usually from China town, but occasionally from breeders online. They always, without fail, regardless of where they got them, believe that the turtles will not grow and will require $5 to $20 worth of supplies to properly take care of them. This is seriously twenty-five people a week in one pet store, that's approximately sixty-five turtles each week. How many pet stores are there nation wide?
I take the time to gently explain to them the truth of the situation, that these little turtles could grow up to thirteen inches, that they need a basking bulb and a UVB bulb, that without proper heat the food will literally rot in their guts and can lead to death, that the little pellet food is really not good and they'll need a varied diet, that the absolute minimum housing required is a forty gallon aquarium, etc. Without fail, 9 times out of 10, they'll still walk out with nothing more than a 10 gallon and some pellets, maybe a floating platform. Some claim that they'll get better set ups for them within a few months, others are in complete denial and believe that I'm lieing to them in order to trick them in to spending money.
I know a large part of this is personal responsibility, that you should never buy a pet before researching their care. But that's why I'm still okay with them being available through reputable breeders--less chance of impulse buys if you don't see them while picking up dog food or acting the tourist in China Town.
Think about it though, imagine that you have never seen an adult mastiff, you walk into a shop in China Town and there are twenty or thirty little dogs in boxes. How cute! Dogs are so small and can stay in boxes, they must not require much to take care of, and anyways, there's no way something that small and cheap can live more than a year (they're only $5 and you are kind of familiar with hamsters). Would you believe it when someone tells you that these tiny dogs are really just puppies and will grow to be well over 100lbs? Remember you've never seen an adult mastiff or any other adult dog (except maybe once in a zoo, but that had to be some bizarre and exotic specimen).
I'm all for the individual's rights and responsible pet ownership, but when these tiny turtles are available for almost nothing in random shops where people see them living in horrible conditions it creates nothing other than unwittingly abusive owners. I really wish this law was enforced more thoroughly (though not by culling the babies).
Why? Because people see these tiny little turtles sold for a couple of bucks and assume that they'll never grow, and most of the people who sell them that small in shops are more interested in making money than in ensuring that the animals receive adequate care.
I work at a chain pet store (yes, I don't like them either, but it's the only place that would hire me in this economy). Every day we have multiple people come in who have just purchased tiny red eared sliders--usually from China town, but occasionally from breeders online. They always, without fail, regardless of where they got them, believe that the turtles will not grow and will require $5 to $20 worth of supplies to properly take care of them. This is seriously twenty-five people a week in one pet store, that's approximately sixty-five turtles each week. How many pet stores are there nation wide?
I take the time to gently explain to them the truth of the situation, that these little turtles could grow up to thirteen inches, that they need a basking bulb and a UVB bulb, that without proper heat the food will literally rot in their guts and can lead to death, that the little pellet food is really not good and they'll need a varied diet, that the absolute minimum housing required is a forty gallon aquarium, etc. Without fail, 9 times out of 10, they'll still walk out with nothing more than a 10 gallon and some pellets, maybe a floating platform. Some claim that they'll get better set ups for them within a few months, others are in complete denial and believe that I'm lieing to them in order to trick them in to spending money.
I know a large part of this is personal responsibility, that you should never buy a pet before researching their care. But that's why I'm still okay with them being available through reputable breeders--less chance of impulse buys if you don't see them while picking up dog food or acting the tourist in China Town.
Think about it though, imagine that you have never seen an adult mastiff, you walk into a shop in China Town and there are twenty or thirty little dogs in boxes. How cute! Dogs are so small and can stay in boxes, they must not require much to take care of, and anyways, there's no way something that small and cheap can live more than a year (they're only $5 and you are kind of familiar with hamsters). Would you believe it when someone tells you that these tiny dogs are really just puppies and will grow to be well over 100lbs? Remember you've never seen an adult mastiff or any other adult dog (except maybe once in a zoo, but that had to be some bizarre and exotic specimen).
I'm all for the individual's rights and responsible pet ownership, but when these tiny turtles are available for almost nothing in random shops where people see them living in horrible conditions it creates nothing other than unwittingly abusive owners. I really wish this law was enforced more thoroughly (though not by culling the babies).
