- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,331
Sorry guys I never noticed how far these post have gone . I will give a thorough response as soon as I get some time. I think I have this mystery figured out.
Have you ever seen this before? Not good
- Thread starter diamondbp
- Start date
I agree. PEACE
That's great. Can't wait to hear from you.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,331
Sorry for the delay guys. Life as a dealership finance manager gets crazy towards the end of the month.
So let me say first that I haven't had the priviledge of speaking with the customer who had the sick sulcata. I offered but haven't heard from them. All I know is that they purchased a pair roughly a month ago and one of the two is doing great while the other turned south very rapidly. After speaking with the pet store some more I really truly think this is an issue of a stressed baby contracting some bacteria from the petstore and the poor care expedited the infection.
The customers and store surely don't keep them to moist. The babies look wet simply because I told them to make sure they are hydrated because they looked very dry to her. So those pictures were taken fresh out of the warm soak the store worker just gave them. If you look closely you will see how the smooth growth that was previously coming in (from my care) was obviously not carried out because of the drastic dip in the shell growth due to (likely) very dry dehyrated conditions.
The store said that out of the dozens of babies they have purchased from me in the past that this was the first issue of any tortoise customer.
Without typing for hours I will give a basic explanation of what I think is the cause. I suspect that the babies were very accustomed to soaking daily, being feed properly, and kept in ideal temps while in my care, and once they reached the hands of the customers that the care likely changed drastically. This "likely" change probably stressed the "less dominant" of the pair allowing the bacteria picked up by the pet store to grow and overtake the stressed hatchling with an already weakened immune system. Then that bacteria was placed back in the presence of another stressed baby in the store because of the poor care given in the store . So the "not as bad" hatchling was probably currently fighting the bacteria already in the enclosure at that store and the introduction of a super sick baby put both babies in an even worse condition. Now both are currently on their death beds.
I'm really disappointed in the store and told them that if they were going to buy any further hatchlings that I wanted to be the one to set up their tortoise enclosure in the store under the premise that it could not be used for any other reptiles.
I do want to say thanks for all the concern. I truly don't think it had anything to do with to moist of conditions, but rather a severe bacterial infection on very stressed hatchlings that is obviously contagious.
So let me say first that I haven't had the priviledge of speaking with the customer who had the sick sulcata. I offered but haven't heard from them. All I know is that they purchased a pair roughly a month ago and one of the two is doing great while the other turned south very rapidly. After speaking with the pet store some more I really truly think this is an issue of a stressed baby contracting some bacteria from the petstore and the poor care expedited the infection.
The customers and store surely don't keep them to moist. The babies look wet simply because I told them to make sure they are hydrated because they looked very dry to her. So those pictures were taken fresh out of the warm soak the store worker just gave them. If you look closely you will see how the smooth growth that was previously coming in (from my care) was obviously not carried out because of the drastic dip in the shell growth due to (likely) very dry dehyrated conditions.
The store said that out of the dozens of babies they have purchased from me in the past that this was the first issue of any tortoise customer.
Without typing for hours I will give a basic explanation of what I think is the cause. I suspect that the babies were very accustomed to soaking daily, being feed properly, and kept in ideal temps while in my care, and once they reached the hands of the customers that the care likely changed drastically. This "likely" change probably stressed the "less dominant" of the pair allowing the bacteria picked up by the pet store to grow and overtake the stressed hatchling with an already weakened immune system. Then that bacteria was placed back in the presence of another stressed baby in the store because of the poor care given in the store . So the "not as bad" hatchling was probably currently fighting the bacteria already in the enclosure at that store and the introduction of a super sick baby put both babies in an even worse condition. Now both are currently on their death beds.
I'm really disappointed in the store and told them that if they were going to buy any further hatchlings that I wanted to be the one to set up their tortoise enclosure in the store under the premise that it could not be used for any other reptiles.
I do want to say thanks for all the concern. I truly don't think it had anything to do with to moist of conditions, but rather a severe bacterial infection on very stressed hatchlings that is obviously contagious.
Thank you Diamond. I appreciate the update. I wish the customer would call you. I feel like we could get more milage out of this learning moment if we had some answers, but I understand the limitations here. I hope things work out better in the future.
Thank you for clearing this up to the best of your knowldege. It is a sad situation, poor things. Hopefully the store will take advantage of your help and knowledge. Good luck.
