Petsmart and petco

[russiantortoiselover1]

Petsmart and petco have male and female torts together and they don't know it! I got a "male" from a store specially (it was in a different county) so I could breed it with my femAle but I toke one look and knew it was a female I toke it to a reptile person who knew a lot about Russians just to confirm it was a female. Since then I have read every website about tortoise gender there is and visited the pet stores and they have males and females together!!!!

 

[Spn785]

Well, you should never trust a Pet store, especially not Petsmart and Petco when it comes to tortoises and turtles. I am not surprised that they are housing them together, and they probably don't know that there could be problems with housing males and females (or just any two Russians) together.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you're alluding to the fact that males pester the females all the time, it really doesn't seem to work that way in a pet store. Don't know why.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Petco employees aren't allowed to tell costumers whether or not reptiles are males are females unless the are clearly marked that way, and russian tortoises are not. Employees HAVE to tell costumers that they can't tell and to have a vet check it out if they really want to know.

They can get in trouble for trying to tell you genders.

 

[GBtortoises]

If you're alluding to the fact that males pester the females all the time, it really doesn't seem to work that way in a pet store. Don't know why.

I think that is because they are generally kept in small areas, sometimes overcrowded, in lower light and kept cooler than normal. Rarely do you see them being very active at all. At least in any Petco or PetSmart that I've ever visited.

 

[LRTortoises]

Right now Petco in Little Rock has 5 Russians all male. They have them listed at 99.99 but the reptile department person said they can't move them so would sell them for 70. Maybe even 60. They have had them all in individual small 20 gallon tanks for over 3 months. I gotta say they look fairly healthy. Poop looks good, are fairly active, and feel heavy. Clear eyes. I just don't want any more males. I already have one male.

 

[russiantortoiselover1]

Well the ones where I live have males and females. I've checked with a reptile guy who knew a lot about torts and I think he knew what he was doing but it's nice to know that some ppl do It right

 

[Eloise's mommy]

When I bought Eloise (from Petsmart) she was on sale if I had my pet perks card. During my conversation with the sales man (not a good source of information at all) he devulged that she and her "cell" mate had only arrived a couple days prior...they were both huddled under the hidey log which was barely big enough for the two of them and they kept the temps at highest in the basking/feeding/water spot of the 10 gal tank was 80 degrees with a "Night time" light always on at the other end and temps also near 80 but not quite....He sold me a 10 gallon tank to take home one of those desert kits...I had to go back the next day to retrieve a cuttlebone, UV lights, and Timothy hay.....a week later I went to the hardware store for a 54 gallon rubbermaid tote and back to the pet store for Coconut coir and instead of play sand I got a reptile sand that has crushed walnut (hope it's okay). Finally Eloise is happy has room to roam and is pooping solid poops....I will never ever get any sort of info from petsmart again!! additionally as soon as I can find a better petstore I will never shop there for anything Eloise related again....dog food maybe I don't have any dog food questions though.

 

[LRTortoises]

I buy most of my pet supplies from amazon.

 

[Tom]

If I'm understanding correctly, you are upset because they had the males and females together. What's wrong with keeping the males and females together in a pet store setting until they sell?

 

[Eloise's mommy]

If I'm understanding correctly, you are upset because they had the males and females together. What's wrong with keeping the males and females together in a pet store setting until they sell?

Tom I think the problem is that they got a female while seeking a male......Petsmart is especially low on toroise knowledge...I find the lack of knowledge kind of unprofessional and scarey there are a lot of people who do not do their own reserch or reach out to these types of online communities to expand their knowledge of their new pets...I'm sure torts all over sold from petsmart are living in repti bark up to their ears that stuff is icky and gets stuck between their neck and shell....point being they don't know sexes and they don't even know appropriate diet or substrate very unprofessional. had I not done research I'm not sure Eloise would have made it through the last 2 weeks with me.

 

[Wherethetortiroam]

Well, you should never trust a Pet store, especially not Petsmart and Petco when it comes to tortoises and turtles. I am not surprised that they are housing them together, and they probably don't know that there could be problems with housing males and females (or just any two Russians) together.

That's whee I got my Tutsie five yeas ago? What's wrong with petsmart/petco?

I thought you could house Torti together as long as they wee the same species and. Sex?

 

[obviouslyray]

Ive been looking here for advice on where to buy my first tortoise and came across this, I went to a store called Pet Club (much like the previously mentioned stores), and now wondering is there a reason I should avoid buying a single tort from places like this? Would I be better off a tort from one of the recommended websites here for risk of poor diet or health?

 

[Jacqui]

Ive been looking here for advice on where to buy my first tortoise and came across this, I went to a store called Pet Club (much like the previously mentioned stores), and now wondering is there a reason I should avoid buying a single tort from places like this? Would I be better off a tort from one of the recommended websites here for risk of poor diet or health?

No if the animal looks healthy, there is no reason not to buy it. When buying from one of the sites advertised here, you often won't even see the animal your buying. Many of them also get their stock from the same basic place as the pet stores talked about. They may or may not get better attention and care once they reach this country. Just no guarantee no matter where you get your tortoise. The only diference would be if you were shopping and wanting a young CB (captive bred) tortoise. Just my opinion on the issue.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Petsmart, Petco, Petland, Petsupplies plus, Pet centers, all the same. Not a single one of the has a right to keep tortoises, as they never know a thing. It really should be illegal. Of the over dozens of pet stores I've been to...there is no exception. Terrible health, terrible husbandry.

 

[ssha_miami]

I buy most of my pet supplies from amazon.

Amazon is expensive, I bought from reptilesupply.com

 

[Spn785]

Well, you should never trust a Pet store, especially not Petsmart and Petco when it comes to tortoises and turtles. I am not surprised that they are housing them together, and they probably don't know that there could be problems with housing males and females (or just any two Russians) together.

That's whee I got my Tutsie five yeas ago? What's wrong with petsmart/petco?

I thought you could house Torti together as long as they wee the same species and. Sex?

It isn't that you shouldn't buy tortoises from them, though that is a debatable topic, it is that you shouldn't trust the information they give you.

 

[circus girl]

my tort came from one of these stores. a reptile breeder(my sons girlfriend) gave him to me. I asked for no help from the store and instead did my own research,found and friended another tort owner. his tort is 19. the cherry on my cake of the day was to find this forum. back to skippy. he was healthy, active and ate well from my yard(no pellets). he is thriving! i agree that if the tort is healthy buy it and save it from a worse life.

 

[Jacqui]

Petsmart, Petco, Petland, Petsupplies plus, Pet centers, all the same. Not a single one of the has a right to keep tortoises, as they never know a thing. It really should be illegal. Of the over dozens of pet stores I've been to...there is no exception. Terrible health, terrible husbandry.

Not my personal experience with the chain stores I have gone too. Not only in my own local area, but at ones all across the USA. I think each person needs to take each one and look at them as individuals, not to make blanket statements. I have met some very well educated folks in some of those petstores that would fit in here rather nicely among our more experienced keepers and nobody would spot them.

 

[RedfootsRule]

Petsmart, Petco, Petland, Petsupplies plus, Pet centers, all the same. Not a single one of the has a right to keep tortoises, as they never know a thing. It really should be illegal. Of the over dozens of pet stores I've been to...there is no exception. Terrible health, terrible husbandry.

Not my personal experience with the chain stores I have gone too. Not only in my own local area, but at ones all across the USA. I think each person needs to take each one and look at them as individuals, not to make blanket statements. I have met some very well educated folks in some of those petstores that would fit in here rather nicely among our more experienced keepers and nobody would spot them.

It depends on where you are, I suppose. The ones in Florida I've been to are the "Sulcatas get all the water they need from the lettuce they eat!".