# Am I really moving out of SoCal????



## Team Gomberg (May 13, 2014)

TFOer's... There is such a *long* story to this but you guys are only getting the Reader's Digest version.

Well, we are 99% sure that the family is moving up to Oregon in the next month or 2. As a SoCal girl my whole life with a plan to never _EVER_ leave, I've had knots in my stomach over what to do with the torts. My long term goal was to breed the leopards and continue on the hot and humid education path.....all while living in CA. But Oregon? Oh man. I know some of you guys living in the cold states do it...but it's not as easy. _(btw, I've never been in snow... ever.....unless the bubble snow at Disneyland counts. oh man what am I in for?)_

I know my 3 legged CDT, Luke Skywalker can't go. Man, that guy has really stolen my heart. He is something special and I'm a total sap getting teary eyes as I type this up just thinking about it.

And then there is the group of leopards. If we were moving up there under "different conditions" I'd consider taking the whole group and investing to make it work.... But I can't.

The good news is, I'll be able to take at least one, Levi my first leopard. I can take his insulated heated house and find a way to make the space for him...but that's it. Man! This is _soooo_ not what I ever expected to happen!!! 
Ugh, it just dawned on me, I'd be moving before the CTTC OC Show in August which means I'd miss that, too! After all my hard work in preparing presentation material.. oy..

Man, this is hard... I recently bought a brand new baby leo, too...

Maybe the SoCal weather can move up north with me??? It'll make things a lot easier and I can continue living in flip flops.


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## mike taylor (May 13, 2014)

Sorry you will have to give up your tortoises . But there's a lot of good keepers here on the forum you can give them to . The plus side of that you will see them grow and know who and how they are being kept .


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## Millerlite (May 13, 2014)

Man, that's always tough but life always seems to throw curve balls. Oregon I hear is very nice maybe you can get more insite on weather and stuff from members from Oregon


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## leigti (May 13, 2014)

What part of Oregon? There are several different climates in Oregon, not just the rain! So maybe you'll be able to keep more of your tortoises then you're thinking.


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## Team Gomberg (May 13, 2014)

Yes, TFO members will be who I consider for new homes.

Southern Oregon. The main reason I can only take 1 is not so much weather based as it is we are moving in with extended family. Don't know for how long or what will come next. 

We believe a lot of good will come from this move....but the change in tort direction is the hard part.. :/


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## bouaboua (May 13, 2014)

Southern Oregon are not bad at all. It is not Washington like where Cowboy Ken lives. I have a friend who lives about an hour north of California border have very nice weather, Not much snow in the winter but it is different from year to year. 

Bast wish to you and your family and torts you may continue to have. You never know what will happen after you settle down.


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## Elohi (May 13, 2014)

Oh Heather, I can only imagine how you're feeling right now. Such a big move is tough with and without torts. Big hugs!! 


Elohi(Earth)


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## Tom (May 13, 2014)

I don't know the circumstances, but I'm really bummed for you and your tortoises. I hope that you and your family are all okay and that this is what is best for all.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 13, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> Southern Oregon are not bad at all. It is not Washington like where Cowboy Ken lives. I have a friend who lives about an hour north of California border have very nice weather, Not much snow in the winter but it is different from year to year.
> 
> Bast wish to you and your family and torts you may continue to have. You never know what will happen after you settle down.



bouaboua... Cowboy-Ken lives about 2 hours from me in Silverton Oregon, just east of our capitol, Salem.

Heather, it is NOT the end of the world. Something different I know, but you can still make the best of it...Oregon: No gangbangers, little traffic, NO SALES TAX, Southern Oregon has great weather. And you could come and meet Bob, now what more could you want then meeting Bob???!
Possibly you can foster out your favorite torts and get them back when you get in a better situation. just a thought. Please keep us posted on you situation...


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## bouaboua (May 13, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> bouaboua... Cowboy-Ken lives about 2 hours from me in Silverton Oregon, just east of our capitol, Salem.
> 
> Heather, it is NOT the end of the world. Something different I know, but you can still make the best of it...Oregon: No gangbangers, little traffic, NO SALES TAX, Southern Oregon has great weather. And you could come and meet Bob, now what more could you want then meeting Bob???!
> Possibly you can foster out your favorite torts and get them back when you get in a better situation. just a thought. Please keep us posted on you situation...



.Oregon: No gangbangers, little traffic, NO SALES TAX,...........................And to meet Bob: priceless! ! ! ! ! 

This is a great motivation to move.....


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## dmmj (May 13, 2014)

Wait if we move to OR we get to meet bob? Well I guess I am moving. I would see about fostering before giving up hope.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 13, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> .Oregon: No gangbangers, little traffic, NO SALES TAX,...........................And to meet Bob: priceless! ! ! ! !
> 
> This is a great motivation to move.....


See? I thought so too lol haha


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## Maggie Cummings (May 13, 2014)

dmmj said:


> Wait if we move to OR we get to meet bob? Well I guess I am moving. I would see about fostering before giving up hope.


Well, Cap't I'll put the coffee on...


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## Josh (May 13, 2014)

Maybe this is your calling to start the OTTC ?!


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## LolaMyLove (May 13, 2014)

...and you can't pump your own gas anymore! Gotta love that one.


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## LolaMyLove (May 13, 2014)

its an awesome place and you will adapt faster then you think


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## Jacqui (May 13, 2014)

It won't be as bad as you think. ... and snow is awesome!


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## lynnedit (May 13, 2014)

Southern Oregon is gorgeous! West of the Cascades is moist and rainier. East of the Cascades is drier, overall. 
A lot of people retire to Medford, Jacksonville, and Ashland. Do you know which city in Southern Oregon you might be moving to?

I agree with dmmj, think about fostering?

We're not such bad folk up here (OK, I am Southern Washington, but we rub shoulders with Oregon)....


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## Team Gomberg (May 13, 2014)

Thanks everyone. It's an interesting turn of events for sure... 

We are only at 99%..so there is a slight chance w will stay, but we decided to head down this new path and if the opportunity remains, we will be making the move. My husband has family there, so that would help with the transition but I'm still not sure what to expect...there are a lot of unknowns. 
I have to break the news to my CTTC club on Friday. That will be hard... I've had so much fun as the VP! 

I'll keep you guys posted for sure! And Levi for sure will stay with me....just need to decide what to do about the others...a juvenile male, juvenile female and 2 hatchlings temp sexed for female. (although I think 1 is male/1 is female based on tail habits and behaviors)

We've just started to tell people this news today...


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## lynnedit (May 13, 2014)

Well it is really difficult when you have to give something up to get something else... :/


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## Team Gomberg (May 13, 2014)

I want to have my cake and eat it too...is that so bad? Lol

In all honesty, we'd really welcome the change and are pretty excited about it...it's the tort aspect that makes my stomach turn... It's not the SoCal paradise I expected to live in forever and keep the torts in.


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## dmmj (May 13, 2014)

Me to wonka, me to.


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## Team Gomberg (May 13, 2014)

That movie is a favorite of ours. just watched it today, too!


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (May 13, 2014)

Well you got a lot of advice ( and I don't thick you need more ) but I wish you the best ! Have the best tort day possible .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum


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## Yvonne G (May 14, 2014)

When my turtle partner, Will, moved from Fresno to Philadelphia I took care of all his turtles and tortoises until he was able to have me send them to him.

Would something like that work for you? I would be willing to foster your leopards until you can get your own place.


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## kathyth (May 14, 2014)

Heather..... As a CTTC Chino pal, I am really going to miss you! I hate it!
For you and your family, I'm thrilled for you! It sounds like a move to a beautiful place, with quality people. Should be a nice place to raise the boy's.
Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.
See you Friday.


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## Team Gomberg (May 14, 2014)

Thanks everyone. 

My husband and I are talking about the foster option for the leopards...I'll let you guys know when we decide what to do!


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## featherator (May 14, 2014)

Yay foster them with Yvonne! I would be more than willing also but Yvonne won't cry when its' time to give them back. lol

I was born and raised in Oregon. Moved here 10 years ago. You will love it and it's beautiful!!! Such a great place for families.


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## naturalman91 (May 14, 2014)

Southern Oregon weather is perfect tort weather in the summer it's currently in the 90s and has been for almost a month now I live about a hour away from.the California border and I'm the whole time I've been here I've never seen more the 1 inch of snow I wish you and your family the best of luck on the move


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## Maggie Cummings (May 14, 2014)

Reminder...There's a lot of us keeping torts successfully here, you just have to stay on top of things and do things a little differently. It is about 90 degrees today, everybody is out side. Winter for tort keeping can be different, but fresh UVB bulbs keep them happy, you *CAN* do it! This is not a death sentence, but a new adventure. I would gladly help foster your young Leos, and so will my sister...there ya go!


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## N2TORTS (May 14, 2014)

YOU WHAAAATTTT?????????????


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## bouaboua (May 14, 2014)

N2TORTS said:


> YOU WHAAAATTTT?????????????


Jeff: You are so far behind on the current events now.....LOL.


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## Team Gomberg (May 14, 2014)

Ya, I'm feeling confident that I can house Levi successfully up there.. But we are weighing the options of fostering. 
We will know 100% by June 1st if we will make the move... So I'll have decided by then what to do with the other Leopards.

@N2TORTS Jeff, I'll send you a message.. You'll get an inside scoop!


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 18, 2014)

Heather,
When Karen and I moved to our home here at the ranch, I had to step down from being the president of the Oregon Herpetological Society. I was the elected pres for 6 years and during those years I helped turn the tide to a thriving organization. I feel for you in that regard. I felt I was leaving all my true friends and family. Now, 7 years later, I'm considering creating a central Oregon chapter of the Society. 
When We moved here, I had but one tortoise, LaFawnda. She was a sad, mistreated sulcata of ten years old that weighed in at an outstanding 2 lbs. all her life she had been raised in a snake rack system without any light, let alone proper lights. LaFawnda passed away about six years ago. Now I have here at the ranch 23 tortoises all living healthy, happy lives. I tell you this to make it abundantly clear that it can be done. 
I'm guessing Medford, right? The snow isn't really an issue. When it's said on average we get 7" of snow, that's not all at once. It may take 5 snowfalls to reach an annual amount of that 7". 
Send me an email. We can talk. It will all be just fine. You will see. The two of you will get to your own place sooner than you realize and you will have your tortoises back home.


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 19, 2014)

Forgot all about Roseburg.


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## Team Gomberg (May 19, 2014)

Hey @Cowboy_Ken ! I got your email. Thanks for wanting to give me some Oregon pointers 

As I look into the weather specific to where I'll be going, I have no doubt that I'll be able to provide comfortable living for my Leopard, Levi. He'll have some temporary living quarters that would be smaller than I'd like, but again it's only going to be temporary. 

I'm fairly certain I wont take the other 4 leopards nor choose the foster option. There is just so much going on with this possible situation and thinking about a long term breeding group of tortoises in a place I've never been to...it just adds to my weight load. 

Nothing is concrete yet, we are taking it one day at a time while we figure out what to do. But I'll keep you guys posted.


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## Team Gomberg (May 19, 2014)

Hmm...thinking out loud here. 

If I took both Levi (juvi male) and Summer (juvi female) technically they could share the same space...right? I'm not a fan of the pair dynamics or small living spaces....but maybe it wont be too bad as a temporary (however long that turns out to be) situation. 
Then in the future as things settle, I could acquire a 2nd female and have a trio of leos??? 

Even though I have a possible female hatchling...I couldn't take her, I don't think. Cuz she can't be housed with the juvi's. Or maybe somehow I can??? oy, my head hurts....


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## kathyth (May 19, 2014)

I would add Summer to the list of moving torts! With your knkwledge and dedication, you can make it work.
Maybe somehow you can take the hatchling. 
Do you have any idea the space you will have where you are moving? It might be much easier than you are anticipating.
My guess is that you could pull it off, Heather!
Just keep thinking.......


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## bigred (May 19, 2014)

Sorry to hear you might be moving away from So Cal. I think many of us would foster your torts until yo got your own place and they could be sent to you at a later time. You gotta take at least 2 or 3 leopards with you, are you going to have access to a garage where you are going


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## Team Gomberg (May 19, 2014)

No access to a garage and no yard. 

The whole family of 4 will be squeezing into 1 bedroom, in my MIL's house. We will be living out of a suitcase while all of our stuff will be in storage. 

I'll be able to set up a small closed chamber for housing and plan to take the tortoise out during the day for short periods...either in a hardware cloth covered wood frame, or with a balloon tied to serve as a tracker. I'm NOT a fan of perimeter-less roaming... Ugh.
This is all going to be temporary...just don't know exactly how long temporary is. 

Maybe I take Levi but find a foster for Summer and Olive,the "hopefully female" hatchling... 

Goodness....you guys have no idea how up and down all of this is! ?????
And as one who has never been easily stressed or worried, it's tiring!!


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 19, 2014)

I get it Heather. Tuesday I have doctor appointments but you should give me a call Wednesday.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 19, 2014)

Heather, I'd love to foster that hatchling for you if you want. Good care for free here...


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## dmmj (May 19, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> Heather, I'd love to foster that hatchling for you if you want. Good care for free here...


As long as bob does not eat it


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## Team Gomberg (May 21, 2014)

OK, we are making the plans for the move. 

I'll be taking Levi, Summer and Olive to Oregon. I'm hoping that Summer and Olive can be fostered while we make the transition. This way, I'll still have a _trio of leos_ and a future breeding group. My role in the tortoise world will change...but not disappear


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

Oh man.... craigslist people are crazy! Lol

I've decided to keep 4 of the Leopards. Thankfully, an awesome TFOer is helping me foster some of them while we transition 
This means that Bumble Bee is the only Leopard I need to rehome. I put an ad up on here and CL. People from CL don't like that I won't just "sell him to anyone"...I'm having to block people from my phone. Oh brother!


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## leigti (May 25, 2014)

I would cancel the craigslist ad and just let this forum find you a home for the Tortoise.


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## Elohi (May 25, 2014)

Craigslist is so full of creepers. Ugh!
Refresh my memory...who is bumble bee?


Elohi(Earth)


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

leigti said:


> I would cancel the craigslist ad and just let this forum find you a home for the Tortoise.


Done! Lol


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

He is my dry started, bumpy 2yr old male.


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## bouaboua (May 25, 2014)

CL.......It scare me too. I'm glad to help too.


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 25, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> Oh man.... craigslist people are crazy! Lol
> 
> I've decided to keep 4 of the Leopards. Thankfully, an awesome TFOer is helping me foster some of them while we transition
> This means that Bumble Bee is the only Leopard I need to rehome. I put an ad up on here and CL. People from CL don't like that I won't just "sell him to anyone"...I'm having to block people from my phone. Oh brother!


Umm Heather before you suggest I'm awesome, we should finalize all the details…LOL. 
And block numbers? I haven't called yet to give you a chance to block mine. 
In all reality, I'm very happy things are working out, and as before let me know what I can do so that you can keep Bumblebee and I will do what I can as an enabler.


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

Good news. I've been contacted by a TFOer   I've known her a while, met her in person and am confident she'd make a good home. 

We'll see


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

Silly Cowboy  

@maggie3fan is the awesome tort lover who would be helping me out.


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 25, 2014)

Team Gomberg said:


> Silly Cowboy
> 
> @maggie3fan is the awesome tort lover who would be helping me out.


I knew that. Just keeping myself entertained with my wit.


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## kathyth (May 25, 2014)

Good new's Heather!
I'm so glad you are able to keep most of your tortoises.
I still want to cry. I'm going to miss you!


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## dmmj (May 25, 2014)

Sounds like something maggie would do, unlike that meanie yvonne.


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## Team Gomberg (May 25, 2014)

Ya Cowboy, I knew that you knew... confused anyone? lol

I did the shout of so other TFOers would know how awesome she is. Yvonne offered to help too  such great sisters!!!


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