# Taking The Tortoise To The Tark! (I mean park)



## Vitality (May 21, 2013)

I just took my little greek shelled guy to the park to let him roam the vast parks we have here in hawaii. I was wondering how many of my fellow tortoise parents do the same. 

Tortos is his name and running towards my car from the end of the park is his game... Hahaha


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## N2TORTS (May 21, 2013)

Just a reminder â€¦ when taking your torts to ANY public parks , 
***I would use caution ***
Generallyâ€¦ commercial weed killers and fertilizers are used , therefore could be a risk for your shelled buddy possibly ingesting any greens or flowers that have been sprayed~ 
JD~

Although sounds fun .. none-the-less.....


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## wellington (May 21, 2013)

I was going to say the same as Jeff N2TORTS. Although fun I'm sure, your really risking your torts life.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (May 21, 2013)

I took my Russian tortoise pair to a nearby nature park a few times the first year I got them. They did seem to find it interesting, although eventually they just wanted some rest. I haven't taken them back since then, though, because I think they just like to be in their own home territory. Anyway, here's the thread that shows them there:

"Photos of steppe tortoises on the steppe!"


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## Vitality (May 21, 2013)

he didn't seem to want to do anything but run back to my car haha


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## GeoTerraTestudo (May 21, 2013)

Vitality said:


> he didn't seem to want to do anything but run back to my car haha



Yeah, pretty exposed out there in the middle of a huge lawn. You have a Greek, right? How old is it? Tortoise like to have some cover available, especially very young ones.


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## Vitality (May 21, 2013)

4 years old. He's a speedy guy


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## GeoTerraTestudo (May 22, 2013)

Yeah, still pretty young. Greeks come from Mediterranean scrubland, so they prefer a mosaic of open areas where they can forage, and shrubby areas where they can hide if they want to. Younger tortoises are more vulnerable to predators, to they like to hide even more often than adults do.


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## Cutva (Jul 10, 2013)

I do the same thing just in Illinois!

Sent from my SCH-I510 using TortForum mobile app


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## HamletsMom (Aug 15, 2013)

I take Hammie for walks on sidewalks, and am VERY careful to make sure she(I think) doesn't graze along the way. But after contacting the township and finding that there are no fertilizers used in our parks except on sporting fields I take her to the park  , just keep her well away from the playing fields. Weed killers are banned in Ontario, and no pesticides are used in our city parks either. I just keep a sharp eye for weeds I'm not positive are safe, although truth be told she prefers to just truck along than eat. She can graze all day at home, lol. She seems to always end up in playground, showing herself off. The one child not crowded around is "her" boy. I think she loves the attn, never pulls back into shell, and when crowd disperses she goes to find another " unsuspecting victim", marches over, stops at their feet, looks up as if to say: " don't you SEE how pretty I am?". She also loves trucking around the beach. @ first I was constantly checking temp of sand to make sure it wasn't too hot, till I saw her go to edge of water, wriggle in and flip up some mud. Silly human. That also made me realize WHY the mud I've been providing in her outdoor pen goes untouched. Wrong type of mud for princess Ham.


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Aug 20, 2013)

I took Mo with me to the dog show. He has his own exercise pen (strategically placed on a patch of clover).

He seemed happy and active and ate like a piglet the entire weekend. 
An added bonus...he created alot of awareness and interested people. So I s able to educate and possible help find forever homes for torts in need in the future. Dog people are the best!!


Sandy in Oregon
.....................................................

No kids, no husband, just critters and I'm happy.


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