lushcious said:That's really surprising.. I mean, how hard is it to separate the lizards from the tortoises.. I suppose it's OK sometimes if it's just one tortoise and one lizard.
IMO, it's never okay to house lizards and tortoises together... Vastly different care requirements, the stress factor, the potential of them hurting each other (lizard attacking tortoise or tortoise biting lizard--either way), and, of course, the issue of parasite transfer, especially when keeping WC tortoises (as seen here) with something like bearded dragons, who are already very prone to carrying parasites in captivity (i.e. coccidia, a big concern in beardies).
Unfortunately, this isn't the only pet store that practices this awful cohabitation. I once came across a pet store in Pocatello, Idaho that houses iguanas, some 3 different subspecies of box turtle, and Russian tortoises all in one big cage. The water dish was way too high for the turtles & tortoises to get in, and it was full of iguana poop, anyway. The floor of the cage, which was something like 3x2 feet, was so covered in fake plants, food dishes, and that massive, tall water dish, that the 8 or so turtles/torts didn't even have room to walk. They at least had UVB... But that's not much consolation given the rest of the situation. I wish I'd said something.
As far as the Sulcatas are concerned, unfortunately, the new ways that are so highly recommended on this forum, that have garnered such great results, are still that--"New." Outside of this forum, most people are too set in the "old ways" of raising Sulcatas, and absolutely refuse to switch to such a drastically different care regime than what they're used to. So, the Sulcata enclosure doesn't surprise me much.. In fact, I'm more surprised that they even have a water dish and get soaked at all.
It would be absolutely wonderful if you can change their minds with the Sulcatas... You might be able to get somewhere by pointing out how stupid the "old way" is. Not in those words, mind you--I mean with logic. Like the fact that all animals need water, they aren't going to kill themselves by over-watering themselves, and then suggest a compromise: Ask him to start by offering a couple humid hides and a good water dish, then he can judge where to go from there based on his tortoises' behavior. It helps, too, if you can bring a couple caresheets... Tom's, for example, and I know AfricanTortoise.com touches on the importance of humidity/hydration--maybe enough to get across to the owner that it's not just you and this forum that believes the dry method is dangerous. If you can just get the change started, that alone is an accomplishment. Don't expect them to change their views on Sulcata care overnight, but if you can just get them on the right track... With a small addition of a humid hide, or a slight change in routine (more soaks)... It would be a start.
On the tortoise/lizard situation, and the overall sick animals/dirty store issue, it may take a visit from the authorities to get them to consider changing...