Where to get tortoise tables?

[Brians Ark]

My dad owns a pet shop and i wanted to start selling tortoises. I was told that i could keep them in a wooden vivarium but then i was told that they are no good for tortoises so i wud have to get a tortoise table but i dont know where to get tortoise tables. Dose anyone here own a reptile/pet shop? What do you keep your tortoises in and what do you sell for the customers to keep them in. Thanks

[SiUK]

reptilekeeping.com sell tort tables

[markhill]

Originally Posted by Brians Ark

My dad owns a pet shop and i wanted to start selling tortoises. I was told that i could keep them in a wooden vivarium but then i was told that they are no good for tortoises so i wud have to get a tortoise table but i don't know where to get tortoise tables. Dose anyone here own a reptile/pet shop? What do you keep your tortoises in and what do you sell for the customers to keep them in. Thanks

I think most shops keep them in vivs other wise people could nick them from open topped tables, and shops generally sell vivs too as they cost more and the keeper can make more money.
Obviously not all shops are like this but every shop I've been in that have torts keep them in vivs.
Any reason why shops cant keep them on tables with a lockable mesh top?

[Esarosa]

no reason imo. though maybe mesh is easier to break through to steal the specimens?

see vivs as a temporary measure are used in most pet shops. Providing there isnt overcrowding,species are kept seperate, n are fed the correct diet. as a very TEMPORARY measure it may be ok. but of course i'd prefer tort tables.

Coast to coasts larger tortoises are in huge enclosures in th store.sort of like an aviary to give you an idea. N that seems to work very well


where to get tort tables = make your own is usually cheaper.. reptilekeeping sells them but is quite costly. http://kimbosreptileworld.co.uk/ < Is fantastic! ebay. erm there was another link that i saved on my bfs pc which i'll put up when he gets off his game lol

[Brat]

In Shirley Aquatics in Birmingham they have large Tortoise Tables with stands.

[wizzasmum]

Originally Posted by markhill

Any reason why shops cant keep them on tables with a lockable mesh top?

No reason whatsoever. Two of us visited a garden centre which had recently started to stock torts and had no idea of how wrong they had got it. After a couple of visits during which time leaflets and care sheets were prepared the garden centre used their largest rabbit cage, bolted it to the counter and locked the clasps shut. They were surprised to actually see he difference in the torts behaviour following this change and different feeding regime. No m ore climbing the sides for hours and then disappearing for days on end through stress - simple!

[Meko]

Originally Posted by markhill

I think most shops keep them in vivs other wise people could nick them from open topped tables, and shops generally sell vivs too as they cost more and the keeper can make more money.
Obviously not all shops are like this but every shop I've been in that have torts keep them in vivs.
Any reason why shops cant keep them on tables with a lockable mesh top?

probably because of the turnover. With a tort table all they can keep in there is a tortoise but as a viv would normally be part of a stack they can keep anything else in there when there are no torts.
If they take up 20% of their shop space with tort tables then that's 20% less space for stock when they have no torts in.

[peaches]

I've seen the rabbit cages used lately and I think they are great, especially for torts in shops where theft is a main issue.

[Athravan]

As a pet shop I use large rabbit cages that your dad should be able to get from his wholesaler - they have as much floor space as a 3 x 2 pretty much, but have the wire top. You can suspend both UVB and basking from the wire tops and the tray is deep enough to fill at least 4" with topsoil or your chosen substrate. It may not be big enough for any permanent solution but in a pet shop, it is a basic tortoise table with the ability for all the correct lighting that people cannot stick their hands in and steal the tortoise. You can even put a padlock on the opening grill if worried about leaving it unattended.

Ours also go out most days it's possible as we have a garden out back, in which we have just used log rolls from B&Q to create a pen, with mesh over the top for security.

It will look something like this;

[Drummerkid]

Most Pet shops keep their tortoises in Viv's but this is not right. They should be kept in tort tables. It can be expensive to buy tort tables so like me, you can build your own. My Dad picked up some scrap wood and we got building. You might want but a wooden frame with wire mesh over the top to stop children (and Burgulars) from touching your torts.

Just out of intrest, where are you buying them from