Deformed female Russian in PetSmart

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ReptileBuddies

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I go to Petsmart because in rocheser they don't normally carry tortoises (the petco does)...but yesterdy they had two Russians for sale. The female has a huge dent in the top of her shell that runs down the back..it made me so sad. I talked to the sales lady and asked that the manager call me if they were willing to decrease her price due to her deformity (haven't gotten a call). What should I do??? :(
 

terracolson

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Call get the store managers hours and show up in front of her.
then if she says no, ask how can they sell a deformed animal at full price.
then ask for the district manager
keep going
 

Angi

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Get in touch with the head of PR. Ask if it is their policy to sell deformed animals. Tell them this animal need special care and you are knowledgable enough to care for it.
 

GBtortoises

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If this is a wild caught Russian tortoise, which presumably it is if it's being sold at PetSmart or Petco, then the "deformity" most likely happened while the tortoise was still in the wild unless there are obvious signs that it was a recent injury. Could have been an ijury that the tortoise incured during growth or a birth deformity.

I could understand asking them if they would sell it for less because it has what most would consider an undesirable cosmetic/physical injury. But they really don't have to honor your request at all. Most likely that is how they received the animal and they paid their full price for it when they did.

I disagree with calling everyone in on the carpet (sales people, store managers, district managers, CEO's, shareholders, etc...). All to demand that they sell you their animal at a reduced price because it has a deformity that probably occured in nature. It's probably doubtful that the animal needs any special care at all if it has lived this long with the deformity. I can't imagine how a crease down the back of the carapace warrants any special care for any reason. Does it impede feeding, walking, expelling wastes or anything at all? Doubtful. Based on the fact that the tortoise has made it this far it's doubtful that it's "suffering" because of this deformity.

The only thing that you're doing by making demands in this situation is pissing people off which will probably result in you not getting what you want.

Your first idea was the best, simply ask them if they will sell it at a reduced price because of the deformity. If they don't call you back in a few days, stop in again and ask in person. If possible find out when the manager is working and stop into the store then and ask the manager.
 

ReptileBuddies

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Thanks for your replies! I'll be going back in on Saturday and hopefully I'll be able to talk to the manager about this little tort. If they aren't willing to sell at a reduced price then I can't get her simply because she'll be needing to go the vet and I'm not rich....yet lol. When I held her she was very very light and had liquid stools so I'm expecting that there could be other problems as well. Its really hard seeing an animal in less than perfect conditions, as everyone on here knows, but buying from the pet stores isn't going to do anything but help the one tort. :(
Oh and they did say that they believed she came in with the deformity (she did cause its obviously an old problem) and they claim that the torts are CB (even I can tell they are not and I'm not that experienced!!). The one lady I talked to said that the deformity was definately caused by a calcium deficiency....probably total BS on her part (she said she didn't have any pets...).
 

GBtortoises

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If the tortoise has loose stool and is light weight you may already be purchasing a paper weight and not a tortoise.
You said it yourself and I completely agree: It is hard seeing an animal in conditions like that, but by purchasing it you are simply lining the stores pockets and encouraging them to buy more tortoises and keep them in the same conditions. Most likely those next tortoises, even if they are semi-healthy by the time they get to the shop, will be put right into the same enclosure, with the same substrate in it as the sick one. It won't be long before they are in the same condition unless the enclosure is completely changed and sterilized. The cycle continues unless the store becomes better educated.
 
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