PETCO situation.

[Running Elk]

Okay, this is not about a north American Box turtle. It's about an Asian box turtle. However, I mostly work with American Box Turtles and the species of sort of irrelevant to my post, as it's not a question regarding care of this animal. I know this section gets more traffic than the aquatic turtle section.

So I have 1 Indonesian box turtle, 1 gulf coast, 1 ornate, 2 three-toeds, and an eastern. I'm familiar with the care for all of them. I'm currently on vacation in Louisiana for a few weeks. I went in to PETCO to purchase frozen mice for a couple snakes I brought with me, and I of course went to check out the reptiles.

There was a poor little Cuora with a *huge* abscess around the ear. He was priced at $40, a surprisingly normal price for the animal (considering they sell normal Ball pythons for about 6x their actual value). I alerted the manager, as the animal needs treatment ASAP. It is probably from lack of humidity. The Indonesian Box Turtles are, like NA Box Turtles, fairly terrestrial, but also much more aquatic. They need space and maybe 50/50 land and water. This Cuora was being kept like a tortoise, with not even enough water to soak! When I alerted the manager he said he had been dumping the little guy in for hours with the RES turtles, and the abscess was from a bite from them. It was not, as there was no wound. He said the way to fix it was to keep dumping him in with the RES turtles that the manager claimed were being the little turtle! I said if he sold the sick animal at a discount, I'd just take him home and fix him myself -- but that I shouldn't pay full price for an animal that I'd have to pay for an immediate vet visit on. I was, of course, declined. I've contacted a rescue and corporate, but I'm just not sure how much any of that will do. The manager has a degree in herpetology apparently, and therefore thinks he cannot be wrong. Be was rather smug about believing that dunking this turtle with the RES turtles was the fix for the abscess, which is just ridiculous.

Here is the question. Do I just buy the little dude? If I buy him at full price, I'm supporting their negligence with my money, which they will use to replace him with another turtle that they will abuse. If I leave him, he will almost certainly die, or be bought by someone who won't know how to treat him. I feel like if I DON'T buy him, I'm leaving him to die. If I do, I'm supporting more abuse. Arggg....What do I do? My fiance and I have been thinking about him A LOT.

Please help -- I know people on here have faced a similar dilemma regarding a poor animal receiving bad treatment from a pet store.

 

[leigti]

Any tortoise I buy I would take to the vet. And I know people who have degrees that would make you think they know what they're talking about. But they don't. You obviously have the knowledge and you care. By the box turtle. Take care of it to the best of your ability and give it a good home.

 

[jaizei]

You not buying him isn't going to dissuade them from continuing on the way that they are. Buying him will give you a chance to effect change for him. Buy him, take tons of pictures and post them online. Name & shame.

 

[Yvonne G]

You would always wonder if you messed up by not buying the turtle. Buy it.

If I could have 'liked' Jaizei's post 10 times, I would have. Facebook the pictures and the receipts from the vet bills and name names!!! +100!!!!!

 

[TMartin510]

You definatley have a choice to make. I personally do not believe in petco at all. You should see the ones near me in cali and how they have there animals set up. I think Petco should just stop carrying reptiles and just sell supplies. I'm sure the manager doesn't care for them as much as he says especially how you describe him.

However this choice is up to you, I know what you meen about supporting it with money, but then again it's hard to leave that guy there under that support. I would say it depends how you feel, they probably will replace him/her with another, but we can only do our best to save the ones we can and hope another turtle/tort lover will come and save the next. I love box turtles so I hope you save him if you can! Please keep me updated

 

[Angel Carrion]

Call an animal rescue and maybe the cops. Tell them that you told the manager what was wrong and how to fix it and he refused to do anything you suggested and has continued to neglect the turtle to the point of dangerous illness and if it continues the turtle will die.

 

[dmmj]

I woild laugh at this if it wasn't so sad. I would do two things buy it and be preparef to pay full price. But tell the so called ezpert that if no discount that you will go on social mwdia about how they treat their animals

 

[TMartin510]

As much as it would be great to see Petco punished for this world wide as a company. I don't think they will budge with threats. Especially since it's just a manager that gets paid crappy by petco and is a reason he probably doesn't care as sad as it is and no matter what you should always care about aninmals, it's cruel. I've seen petco with torts and snakes in cages no lighting just crappy small crowded cages. Hoping a young kid will come in and get his family to buy one. Even with all the supplies they sell, which isn't much ether. They still are too greedy to use there equipment to help the reptiles they sell. It's sad and I really do hope they go out of buisness one day.

 

[leigti]

I woild laugh at this if it wasn't so sad. I would do two things buy it and be preparef to pay full price. But tell the so called ezpert that if no discount that you will go on social mwdia about how they treat their animals

What he said. But even if you do pay full price still go to social media and corporate.

 

[dmmj]

I agree either way name and shane

 

[Len B]

Isn't it a Petco policy nationwide that you get a 14 day health guarantee on turtles and tortoises with a free vet visit of their choice if necessary ? I have bought several female Russian tortoises from different Petcos in Maryland and Virginia and have gotten this guarantee in both states. Never needed a vet visit so don't really know how it works, but get it in writing with each purchase.

 

[TMartin510]

I've been to Maryland and love it there, as your probably right that not all of them are horrible. I guess It just depends, but for my area if you seen it I'm sure you would agree that even with the policy it's still horrible to put the animals through that kind of care.

 

[Running Elk]

Well I guess I will look into getting the little guy tomorrow then. :/ I am so sad that they treat their animals this way.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Well I guess I will look into getting the little guy tomorrow then. :/ I am so sad that they treat their animals this way.

Are you going to call the humane society of that county or another such place? I would really suggest it. Animal cruelty is now a felony in the US so the cops should actually be of some use for once.
Doing something like I suggest is a good way for it to get out there that Petco's customers are not going to stand by and watch as they neglect and abuse the animals they're trying to sell for profit.

 

[Blondeangel]

Just wanted to chime in and state not all petcos are terrible and not all managers hate their jobs, think they know it all or just don't care. I'm a manager at one for many years and I assure you any injury or illness in my store is seen by a vet. I have also adopted out animals with "imperfections" or that were vet treated for half the price even free to the right home. If you feel strongly about the situation call customer service. I assure you those calls make it to the stores. Note to customer service you want a general manager call back or even district manager call back. If there is a sick or injured animal in the store they are required to see a vet within 24 hours of when the problem is discovered. Also petcos guarantee was extended from 14 to 30 days.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Just wanted to chime in and state not all petcos are terrible and not all managers hate their jobs, think they know it all or just don't care. I'm a manager at one for many years and I assure you any injury or illness in my store is seen by a vet. I have also adopted out animals with "imperfections" or that were vet treated for half the price even free to the right home. If you feel strongly about the situation call customer service. I assure you those calls make it to the stores. Note to customer service you want a general manager call back or even district manager call back. If there is a sick or injured animal in the store they are required to see a vet within 24 hours of when the problem is discovered. Also petcos guarantee was extended from 14 to 30 days.

The Petco I go to takes any and all animals to the vet if someone informs them something is wrong or if they catch it themselves. Hamsters, mice, rats, ferrets, snakes, birds, torts, all the animals.
I was taking in my 3toed because of bloody nasal discharge and ended up walking in with the assistant manager of the Petco I go to. She had a hermann's tort with her because he stopped eating. I was pleasantly surprised that what I had heard about this Petco was true and ended up talking about it with the vet I saw that day. She said that specific Petco brings in at least one animal a day most of the time and they're very diligent about follow ups and following the directions for medicine etc. She then said it's awesome to see one like that, but then deal with the other two Petco's in the area that don't give a crap. Only reason she knows that is because they have accounts with my vet, but almost never bring an animal in and if they do, they just want the cheapest fix or end up saying "naw, if it's gonna take all that then forget it" and leave without treating the animal. She said the only time that one even comes in is when they've gotten a bunch of complaints about the state of their animals.
That's why I only shop at the one Petco that cares. I don't go to any of the other Petco's. I try not to go to any if I can get what I need elsewhere, but sometimes I'm on a time constraint or can't find it anywhere else.

 

[TMartin510]

Just wanted to chime in and state not all petcos are terrible and not all managers hate their jobs, think they know it all or just don't care. I'm a manager at one for many years and I assure you any injury or illness in my store is seen by a vet. I have also adopted out animals with "imperfections" or that were vet treated for half the price even free to the right home. If you feel strongly about the situation call customer service. I assure you those calls make it to the stores. Note to customer service you want a general manager call back or even district manager call back. If there is a sick or injured animal in the store they are required to see a vet within 24 hours of when the problem is discovered. Also petcos guarantee was extended from 14 to 30 days.

I'm so glad to hear that there are good petcos and managers that care, as always there are always good around. But Petco in genral should make sure everyone of them follows there guidelines or makes check ups on the situations just to make sure everythings ok with the animals. When I went to the ones near me, the hamsters birds cats for adoption were fine, still they don't get alot of room for what the size has to offer. However the one near me, well two of them don't keep there reptiles in suitable areas with the equipement needed. And when I get back I'm going back to check and see how they are doing now or if anything has changed and I will take your advice and raise concern. I'm sure alot of What petco does depends on who they hire, and sounds like you got your store in check. I wish you ran the ones down here.

 

[Blondeangel]

Okay, this is not about a north American Box turtle. It's about an Asian box turtle. However, I mostly work with American Box Turtles and the species of sort of irrelevant to my post, as it's not a question regarding care of this animal. I know this section gets more traffic than the aquatic turtle section.

So I have 1 Indonesian box turtle, 1 gulf coast, 1 ornate, 2 three-toeds, and an eastern. I'm familiar with the care for all of them. I'm currently on vacation in Louisiana for a few weeks. I went in to PETCO to purchase frozen mice for a couple snakes I brought with me, and I of course went to check out the reptiles.

There was a poor little Cuora with a *huge* abscess around the ear. He was priced at $40, a surprisingly normal price for the animal (considering they sell normal Ball pythons for about 6x their actual value). I alerted the manager, as the animal needs treatment ASAP. It is probably from lack of humidity. The Indonesian Box Turtles are, like NA Box Turtles, fairly terrestrial, but also much more aquatic. They need space and maybe 50/50 land and water. This Cuora was being kept like a tortoise, with not even enough water to soak! When I alerted the manager he said he had been dumping the little guy in for hours with the RES turtles, and the abscess was from a bite from them. It was not, as there was no wound. He said the way to fix it was to keep dumping him in with the RES turtles that the manager claimed were being the little turtle! I said if he sold the sick animal at a discount, I'd just take him home and fix him myself -- but that I shouldn't pay full price for an animal that I'd have to pay for an immediate vet visit on. I was, of course, declined. I've contacted a rescue and corporate, but I'm just not sure how much any of that will do. The manager has a degree in herpetology apparently, and therefore thinks he cannot be wrong. Be was rather smug about believing that dunking this turtle with the RES turtles was the fix for the abscess, which is just ridiculous.

Here is the question. Do I just buy the little dude? If I buy him at full price, I'm supporting their negligence with my money, which they will use to replace him with another turtle that they will abuse. If I leave him, he will almost certainly die, or be bought by someone who won't know how to treat him. I feel like if I DON'T buy him, I'm leaving him to die. If I do, I'm supporting more abuse. Arggg....What do I do? My fiance and I have been thinking about him A LOT.

Please help -- I know people on here have faced a similar dilemma regarding a poor animal receiving bad treatment from a pet store.

Any progress in getting this turtle help and/or out of the store??

 

[Running Elk]

Sorry for not answering. I got the little turtle...he's doing well so far. A huge improvement.

 

[dmmj]

so do we get to see pictures or what? I think it is a rule of this forum