General Care Discussion :: Who got their Turtle from pet store

[virusspawn]

Well the title says it who got their turt from store
and it is still alive and healthy

And how frequently have yall gone to the vet?

[e-akers]

My oldest RES, Koopa, came from our local petstore [possibly the only petstore I can have any respect for]. She's about seven now and is healthy as can be [as far as one can tell, of course]. Koopa hasn't been to the vet since she was with me, although I do need to get her there for a general examination.

[kornygerm]

First one came from a Flea Market and the second one i brought her from a city fair,but by a petstore local.

[Lauriebeth83]

I got my turtle from petsmart. I've only had him for about 3 months now but so far i've been lucky. I've had no major problems and so far he seems pretty healthy.

[Tenodera]

I got Serra from Big Al's in richmond and I must be EXTREMELY lucky since she is very healthy and has no health problems.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Turtles from pet stores are usually very sick since half, if not most the time, the idiots who run the store have no idea how to properly take care of these animals.

Adopting, and buying from good, reputable pet stores, or breeders online is the way to go (though there are some that you should stay away from, anyone buying from a breeder online MUST try to do a little background check on the person/company) places like www.turtletimes.com/forums and www.turtleforum.com have forums about breeders and peoples experience with some of them, if you got ripped off, scammed, animal arrived severely unhealthy, or dead, post about it and warn people not to buy from them, this helps people when they are deciding which breeder to buy from, 'the good, the bad and the ugly'

However, whenever looking for a Red-eared slider, adoption is THE best way to go since the species that most of us on this forum keep our considered 'cockroaches' to the rest of the turtle community.

[megcornell]

There are 2 ways to help ensure you have a healthy turtle. The first, and the easiest to control is the set up. If your last turtle died, I would make sure the set up is right, do you have a decent size tank, good filtration, a heater, and the right basking lamps? If not, it's imperative to get a good set up before buying a new turtle. Also, you need to clean the tank well before re using it. Many people on here use white vinegar to clean with because it doesn't have harmful effects like bleach.
Secondly, whereever you get your turtle from you should examine it. Make sure it's eyes are clear and that it's relatively active. I think it's also a good sign in a hatchling if you see signs of growth between the scutes. Hatchlings are pretty delicate and sometimes you just get one that is sick unfortunately. Turtles can hide illness well so it's harder to detect a sick turtle than a cat or dog. I think xsavingssaturday's suggestion to adopt a turtle is wonderful! There are so many good turtles who need a safe home and that way you're not giving business to less respectable places.
If i get another turtle, I personally would adopt one.

[virusspawn]

i have a 10 gallon tank a pretty good filter, a heater which keeps water at 80 degrees, i ordered a uvb light and plan on installing before i get a turtle,

And i have an idea
How bout i get the turtle the day the store gets a new shipment, so they arent impacted that much by the stores bad environemnt

How does RI develop?

[Threepwood]

RI can develop a lot of different ways.

Water that is too cool, or too dirty. Cold air or any kind of drafts or breezes around the tank. Being around other infected turtles.

Keep in mind that it's not the coolness itself that would directly cause the RI, but rather the way in which it decreases the turtle's immune system.

Here's a page I just found that you might be interested in: http://www.turtlecare.net/cold.htm .

[virusspawn]

my friend also has a turtle that he suspects has RI but sometimes the turtles active and sometimes he lethargic, its wierd.

I think imma shop around and go to many pet shops and check out their environment and stuff

And what do u think about the idea of getting a turtle when they get a new shipment

[Tenodera]

Bad idea. Pet stores usually buy from the cheapest breeders which usually turn out to be the worst. Why are you against adopting? There are a lot of poor unwanted red-ear sliders out there...With all those unwanted adults they must have SOME babies, healthy ones, too

[virusspawn]

im not against adopting, its just im looking for a 1-1 1/2 inch turt
and im not sure they have the place in houston

[Threepwood]

my friend also has a turtle that he suspects has RI but sometimes the turtles active and sometimes he lethargic, its wierd.

If you check around these forums, you'll find a lot of distress topics in which a turtle is ill and the owner is seeking help. Then, say, the owner returns to tell everyone that their turtle has suddenly become active again and every thing's fine.

The thing is, not long after that, the topic creator returns once more to inform everyone that their turtle is dead. I've seen it at least a few times while searching through the forums.

Point being, symptoms may come and go, and just because a turtle appears miraculously better after suffering an illness, that doesn't mean it is better. They're good at "hiding" their illness, if you will.

[megcornell]

You do realize that your set up is really too small for a turtle right? That 1-2 inch turtle will grow to 4 inches in just the first year, so that 10 gallon tank will not last long at all. You should update your set up before buying a new turtle. Otherwise regardless of how healthy the turtle is when you get it it will face health and wellness issues from being in too small a tank.
And, if you are so concerned with illness you would really do better to adopt a little larger of a turtle, I personally feel they're a little more stable than their 1-2 inch counterparts.
Also, I saw in your older posts that you were handling your hatchling a lot the first week you got it. To be blunt, that's way way too stressful for a baby turtle. Turtles really are not hands on pets, especially when they're so young and so new. Intense stress can lead to health issues and can complicate existing ones so you really want to try and make the turtle's transition as easy as possible.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Definitley know what your getting yourself into. Meg makes a good point.