Turtle rant...

[krzr3000]

So i have a part time gig at a petco while im in college. We all know how that goes, but anyways...i can't say how many times someone has come in with a tiny RES or similar that they bought down south. I'm in CT where its illegal to sell turtles under 4".

I'm absolutely sick of them being sold to people with the impression that they can survive in a bowl and on a diet of raw meat. Its hard to get the point across to someone when that they need expensive equipment for the $5 turtle they just bought. Especially since "well they guy said...." its hard to change the perspective.

Usually i can at least get them to pick up a 10g and basking light. After telling them the risks of feeding raw meat, and about meta. bone disease.

I've never been to the places where they are being sold, but would love to have a word with the low lifes doing this...

 

[krzr3000]

And this doesn't help...how does this site get an ad in REPTILES magazine?

http://www.turtlesale.com/home/index.php?page=island-lagoons

 

[Gourami Swami]

Yes, I agree. Thanksfully most places in NY are responsible enough to educate people before they buy things like turtles. I was asked a hundred and one questions before I got mine.

 

[phantoms]

i worked at a store a few yrs ago and there were a few times when grandparents would come in with grand children and they would ask if we still sold those timy turtles the size of quarters and the bowl for only like 50 cents. i would quickly tell them that those little guys get quite big and the bowls were bowls of death. they didnt believe they got so big. one even told me that they died so quickly when she was little that she thought that was their lif span. id be like nope, those guys can live over 30 yrs and why dont you look at these. id then show her the turtle pit where we have adults not for sale. some had shell lengths over 9 inches! they were shocked, but now educated!

 

[estuary]

a LFS near me has probable 100 quarter size RES in 3 different tanks bin selling them since christmas now they are starting to get returns they now have four 6" turtles that the manager offered me for free knowing i keep turtles,
he informed me they will start custom orders only now and making agustments
to there indoor pond to acomidate the returns
turtles have been banned here for as long as i can remember
ban was lifted so these stores seen them as a cash crop
there are wild populations of RES do too being let go this is why they were banned in the first place
live and learn they will be banned again

 

[black&white]

I wanted a baby turtle and I did lots of research before i got mine but i bought it from turtle sale .com because it is also illegal to sale turtles under 4" here also, mines name is Yoda and he is now 5" and he is in a 55 gal long and i spent allot of money on this turtle, I see the reason for hating the sites non-informative manner but there is people out there that it has open doors to a new interest because they did things the right way and had fun doing it.

 

[popcorn1]

obviously you dont have to sell things for a living. there are people that have to do what ever it takes to put food on the table even if that includes selling a turtle to uninformed people. im pretty sure those sellers know a bowl isnt the best home for a turtle but what they want is for an uninformed customer to make an impulse buy which i dont frown too much upon on because they gotta make a living.

i dont support housing a turtle in a bowl or a small cage but i bought a small turtle before in one of the small plastic cages. luckily i fed him turtle food and did an ok job of raising him till he was like 6 inches and gave him away.

 

[krzr3000]

obviously you dont have to sell things for a living. there are people that have to do what ever it takes to put food on the table even if that includes selling a turtle to uninformed people. im pretty sure those sellers know a bowl isnt the best home for a turtle but what they want is for an uninformed customer to make an impulse buy which i dont frown too much upon on because they gotta make a living.

Owning a pet shop isn't something you just fall into due to "hard times." Its a choice, and if you choose to go that route, face the ridicule and consequences. Its not cool either way...and if turtles were banned and that hits a shop owner hard...i still cant find any sympathy.

 

[krzr3000]

double

 

[popcorn1]

well if was a pet store owner telling people its ok to house them in poor conditions then thats not right. i thought you were talking about people that sell those 2-3 inch turtles in plastic boxes with the handle. you see them at swap meets and chinatown or other places like those.