Advice? - pet store

[user 13028]

I have just popped into a local pet store - (running low on food again and my ARC order isnt coming til next week...) AND

In one of their tanks, they have a small Blue tongue lizard. Now, i live in nsw where pet stores cannot sell these let alone have them on premesis without appropriate permits...

The lizard has no heat spot, in an unheated tank, with a single fluro globe at the top of the tank (almost 2ft deep)
Now i dont keep lizards, so i am no expert, but this doesnt look right to me.
AND lizard doesnt look very happy

I asked the people in the pet store about it, and at first all i got was a vague "it belongs to so-and-so i think..."

But eventually i was told it was handed in by somebody....
and they are considering what to do with it or who to give it to...




Am i over-reacting, or should i have said something more?

 

[reptilegirl_jordan]

should have just told them he needs more heat and doesnt look happy

 

[Auzlizardking]

Well I guess cats and dogs can't get it in there.
Keep a eye on it and if it is there to long I guess call NPWS or get them to hand it over to WIRES

 

[coz666]

it maybe running a heatmat or cable which is more than capable of heating him. also the uv tube should be enough if its in a small enclosure. but ....... so many places dont have the correct stuff cos they dont know what they are doing.
but it is warm enough to not run heating at the moment .

 

[Jason]

i dont see any reason for concern. there story may be bogus but i (working in a pet shop) often have have people coming in with blueis etc they caught down the road and i argue to release them and often they do want to leave them with us. So if there story is legit the right thing will be done. It is not worth it to a business pet shop or otherwise to lose there license to sell animals etc over one blue tongue... my point is that it is unlikely that it would be there for an other eason for what they have said.

As for the husbandry, if its small a 2ft tank is fine and its under UV... no heat needed really considering they are native to the climate and i highly doubt that its under 30 anyway... in this heat most of my heat sources have been switched off cause there is just know need.

If you are generally concerned just give them a call, offer them some advice and se what is happening.

 

[user 13028]

well, as i said, i may well have been over-reacting.

The shop was very well airconditioned, so the place was cool... not any where near 30. No heat mat, but i cant be sure whether the animal had only been there 10 minutes or not, either.

And i wouldnt really offer advice, seeing that i am not a lizard keeper myself. Blind leading the blind.
And i would never forgive myself if i gave the wrong advice without knowing better and did it harm.
(this is one thing i do hold against some petstore workers. Some people who dont realise the impact of incorrect advice)
**NB To offset this - equally you meet some amazingly skilled/knowing individuals. (they most often seem to be the ones who keep the species they advise on and sell)

 

[bulionz]

hey there was a guy down here that had a hatchling beardie in his pet shop but he was a tool more then a w*****R

 

[BJC-787]

in nsw it is ileagle to sell them or even have them on the premesis full stop, there is no licence or permits that they can get to have them.
i too work in a pet shop and if some one comes in with an injured reptile i give them wires number and tell them to ring them.

 

[user 13028]

The Blue-tongue is still in the pet store, i dropped in today.

They have a sign up saying "lizard not for sale".
But its still been 3 days, the lizard doenst belong to anybody.

And, as Casho_b stated, its illegal to even have them in the store!
I cant really say anything too harsh because the store owners are nice (while not particularly knowing... they work hard to learn what they can, and give me discounts...)
They obviously think they are doing the right thing...

 

[FAY]

Everny, if the pet shop is in NSW, it doesn't hurt just to let them know the rules of having reptiles on the premises Just sorta start with " maybe you are not aware etc'....

 

[AUSGECKO]

Just say to them "I really like your store and wouldn`t want to see you get in trouble and that is why im telling you, but did you realise that what your doing is illegal?"
It may be an honest mistake and they don`t realise.

 

[mysnakesau]

Blue tongues don't really require extra heating. When I worked for local wildlife park they had no heat or lights on their blue tongues and they thrived very well. Now and then they would swap places with ones on display where they then got some natural lighting but apart from being messier than others, the blueys seem to be less maintenance as far as requirements.

Where is the pet store? Is it just over the border, therefore just make it into QLD to be allowed to have the reptiles?