I think it's pretty normal if you're a hobbyist or just appreciate accuracy. I work at a pet store, in the reptile room. We have plenty of tortoises and turtles. We have breed specifics and scientific and common names posted on every tank, in the same position. It pissed me off to no end when a customer came in and said "Do you have turtles?" I, of course, showed them the turtles. They'd look around and read the tanks, and ask if I had any land turtles. This is when the issue popped up; do I correct them and risk them getting pissy and leaving or do I risk making myself look foolish and uneducated by calling them turtles as well? Which may not shoo off these customers, but perhaps the next one that overheard. So, it's infuriating to me, but anything customer related is pretty annoying, so it could just be me. You'd think someone willing to slap down hundreds of dollars down on a tortoise would've done some light reading first, though.
I probably would have just politely continued to answer their questions, but any time I need to refer to the creature I would use the correct name. I think people are calling them turtles on purpose because they hear it so much they begin to believe it must be correct. I guess maybe I would correct them, if I could find a gentle and polite way of doing so without seeming condescending.
Is it normal to be irritated when people use "turtle" not tortoise?
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I think it's pretty normal if you're a hobbyist or just appreciate accuracy. I work at a pet store, in the reptile room. We have plenty of tortoises and turtles. We have breed specifics and scientific and common names posted on every tank, in the same position. It pissed me off to no end when a customer came in and said "Do you have turtles?" I, of course, showed them the turtles. They'd look around and read the tanks, and ask if I had any land turtles. This is when the issue popped up; do I correct them and risk them getting pissy and leaving or do I risk making myself look foolish and uneducated by calling them turtles as well? Which may not shoo off these customers, but perhaps the next one that overheard. So, it's infuriating to me, but anything customer related is pretty annoying, so it could just be me. You'd think someone willing to slap down hundreds of dollars down on a tortoise would've done some light reading first, though.
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Hayze
9 years ago
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I probably would have just politely continued to answer their questions, but any time I need to refer to the creature I would use the correct name. I think people are calling them turtles on purpose because they hear it so much they begin to believe it must be correct. I guess maybe I would correct them, if I could find a gentle and polite way of doing so without seeming condescending.