Other Turtle Discussion :: Purchase hatchlings over internet?

[NewTurtleMom]

I'm just curious, but has anyone ever purchased baby RES's over the internet, and if so, what site did they use and would they reccomend it?

[jenaero]

I'd have to recommend to you that you stick with Otis for a bit. If you do order another turt, there is a quarantine period of 90 days to make sure it's not carrying any parasites/illnesses that could be passed to Otis. For that, you'd need a second full setup. Do you have that? If so, there are several reputable online dealers. I can name one off the top of my head. He goes by TurtlePimp...I'll brb after I dig up his contact info.

[jenaero]

Duh..Imagine that.. it's http://www.turtlepimp.com/

Anyway, I've heard TONS of good things about him.

[NewTurtleMom]

Thanks. I'm going to keep that info handy. I doubt my husband will let me get another one right now, I'm just so damn mad about losing Miles, and the more I think about it the more upset/angry I get!!!!! I know it's ridiculous, he was just a turtle, but STILL....he was MINE! I don't have a second set up, nor do I want to get one now, but when I upgrade this tank I'll have this one plus a new one. Maybe then I can get another. I was just curious as to the success rate of ordering them through the net as opposed to buying them on-sight. How do they usually react when adding new one's with old one's? Will they attack each other or something? Are they very territorial? We do go to Florida every year to the same place and I've seen the turtles at this same souvenir shop every time, so maybe I'll just buy another one next year.

[jenaero]

Is that souvenir shop where you got your first 2? If so, I'd run screaming in the other direction instead of buying from them again.

The reaction really depends on the turtle. Some of them will fight. Some of them will live happily together for years, then for no apparent reason they'll fight. They are quite territorial..that's why the bigger the tank is, the better.

I think the only difference between ordering online and going to the pet store is that most online suppliers are breeders and they know the health and history of each animal. Most guarantee live arrival and will reimburse you if something happens to the turt in the first few weeks. Pet stores just order them, stick them in a tank and sell them without caring what happens after.

[NewTurtleMom]

Yep, that's the souvenir shop. They said that they kept them in a pond out back, but the last of them were in the tank inside (there were about 10 of them in a 10g tank). They told me that they had already sold about 20 of them that day alone and that they got their new shipments in on Friday's. I guess when (or if) the time for another one ever comes then I'll probably order one over the internet since they'll guarantee them.

Thanks for all of your advice!

[jezzell]

i got mine at www.turtlesale [not reputable].com. they were pretty easy to deal with. my sister got hers from there also. i got two-sophie and isabelle-but sophie died a few weeks after we got her(i blame the ups man). that's the only down fall. the ups man was bringing them in-i was watching for them-and comes walking up the was swinging the box in his hand like its a school book or something. i was like-dude, they're live!! i was pretty irate. my daughter wasn't too upset by the death, but she was not quite 3 and replied "daddy get me a new one?"(thought it was a toy that broke). my son cried so hard i cried with him, and had the epiphany that death is final. was really hard.

[NewTurtleMom]

That's what worries me, the shipping process. I mean, these little turtles are in a box all alone and someone could possibly (and probably is) tossing them around! Does the company guarantee live delivery or something?