# TORTOISES FOR SALE ADS-MY OPINION-WHAT'S YOURS?



## wellington (May 31, 2012)

I think this is posted in the right place. If not, Mod., please correct it
There are always threads listing a tortoise for sale on some craigslist somewhere. The torts are usually in poor condition or in substandard housing. We always are asking for someone on TFO to save them. I have done it myself. However, what I also do, before asking for the tort to be saved, is send them as friendly a email as I can put together. Offering them some advice about the new ways that have been researched on raising tortoises and for them to check out TFO and to please pass the info onto the new owners of their torts. Being as kind and caring, as to not just tick them off. We all have to also remember. Most of us started out raising our tortoises wrong. Until of course we found TFO and all it's great wisdom. Most of us have pyramided tortoises. Some of our members may still be doing the wrong thing, just because they think they are right. I think if everyone who ask for these torts to be saved, would also take the time to send a kind, caring, helping hand email to the seller, maybe, just maybe we can not only educate and change the sellers idea of how to care for the tort, but we may also be reaching the torts new owners. To complain and do nothing, is really just complaining and changing nothing. Just my opinion and what I do. Anyone else have an opinion on this?


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## alben909 (May 31, 2012)

I totally agree with you


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## ascott (May 31, 2012)

Sounds good...also we need yo remember that all old ways are not bad...some yes but not all...

Also, there are a ton of different practices people use and they end up with beautiful healthy torts...so yes, sharing new practices is a good thing...as we all live in different parts of the world and so one method used in a particular place would not be beneficial in another....

As well as there are a variety of tort and turtle species...there are as many practices used...


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## wellington (May 31, 2012)

ascott said:


> Sounds good...also we need yo remember that all old ways are not bad...some yes but not all...
> 
> Also, there are a ton of different practices people use and they end up with beautiful healthy torts...so yes, sharing new practices is a good thing...as we all live in different parts of the world and so one method used in a particular place would not be beneficial in another....
> 
> As well as there are a variety of tort and turtle species...there are as many practices used...



I do totally agree. I mean it more as far as wrong substrate, such as cedar no water, tiny homes, things like that. I think everyone would agree, those things need to be in every way of raising a tortoise. I only really know two ways as far as first hand experience. The wrong way I learned from the breeder and the right way, for me, I learned from Tom. I have heard of some of the other ways, I believe Jacqui's , different torts I think from Tom and different way and still great results. Deans, i think, different, great results. I do try to educate the sellers more on the water situation, drinking/ soaking, food, those kind of things and that tortoises are suppose to be smooth, not pyramided. I try to push more checking out TFO and passing the correct info and TFO onto the new torts owners.


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## Tom (May 31, 2012)

ascott said:


> Sounds good...also we need yo remember that all old ways are not bad...some yes but not all...
> 
> Also, there are a ton of different practices people use and they end up with beautiful healthy torts...so yes, sharing new practices is a good thing...as we all live in different parts of the world and so one method used in a particular place would not be beneficial in another....
> 
> As well as there are a variety of tort and turtle species...there are as many practices used...



She's not talking about this sort of minutia. When you see these grotesquely pyramided tortoise, usually sulcatas, with their backs caved in from MBD, it is not a question of old way or new way, or all the different details for different species. It can be said without a doubt, in THESE cases, that they are doing it wrong. My hat is off to anyone raising a smooth healthy tortoise, whatever way they do it. But if the tortoise is clearly heavily pyramided and or showing obvious signs of MBD, the person needs to be educated. There are a million ways to go about it, but SOMETHING should be done. My beef is with the vets, pet stores and long term breeders who are telling these people how to do it this way. Helping one individual is great, but I feel it is much more effective (although also much more difficult) to shut this mis-information off at the source. Frankly, I try to help from every angle. No doubt I have upset some people along the way, but would it be better to do nothing? Eventually, more and more people will learn better methods. When they do, they might remember that person that had the audacity to tell them what they now have finally learned, years ago.


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## wellington (May 31, 2012)

Tom, I agree, I would love to hit the vets, breeders, pet stores, etc. However, most of them will not listen and like you said, harder to get to. The only way for now, I feel I can try to make a change, is hitting the craigslist, etc ads and either try to help the situation I see in the picture, or talk to them about checking out the great info on TFO. I can't go into all the right ways and all the wrong ways with them, they would never read the whole thing and then I just got deleted. I can just try to fix the situation at hand and hope they will check out the forum and learn something. I posted this thread, hoping more people would do the same. I have a hard time with people complaining but doing nothing. Sometimes, you can't do anything, most of the time you can. It takes minutes to send the seller a nice, polite, caring email to try and help a poorly kept tort. If any of you knew me. You would know how hard it is for me to write a suck up email. I am a right to the throat type person, from chicago and we are known for our f-bombs, i would make a sailor blush and don't get me mad. However, they won't listen/read those emails. If I get deleted before read, I helped no one, no tortoise. So for the sake of the Torts, I do what I have to, to get them to at least read my email, and I hope for the best after that.


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## ascott (May 31, 2012)

> I have a hard time with people complaining but doing nothing. Sometimes, you can't do anything, most of the time you can.



I 100% agree here...



> if the tortoise is clearly heavily pyramided and or showing obvious signs of MBD, the person needs to be educated. There are a million ways to go about it, but SOMETHING should be done.



I 100% agree here 2 

And the more we share with one another and share with new tort and turtle host hopefully there will be less horror stories...


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jun 3, 2012)

Tom said:


> When you see these grotesquely pyramided tortoise, usually sulcatas, with their backs caved in from MBD, it is not a question of old way or new way, or all the different details for different species. It can be said without a doubt, in THESE cases, that they are doing it wrong. My hat is off to anyone raising a smooth healthy tortoise, whatever way they do it. But if the tortoise is clearly heavily pyramided and or showing obvious signs of MBD, the person needs to be educated. There are a million ways to go about it, but SOMETHING should be done. My beef is with the vets, pet stores and long term breeders who are telling these people how to do it this way. Helping one individual is great, but I feel it is much more effective (although also much more difficult) to shut this mis-information off at the source. Frankly, I try to help from every angle. No doubt I have upset some people along the way, but would it be better to do nothing? Eventually, more and more people will learn better methods. When they do, they might remember that person that had the audacity to tell them what they now have finally learned, years ago.



Well said, Tom.






(Josh, we need our own "thumb's up" smiley)


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## wellington (Jun 4, 2012)

Another thread about a poorly kept tortoise on craigslist. I sent them an email to give them some education. I hope everyone that sees one of those ads will do the same. If you can't save the tortoise by getting it. Try improving it's life by kindly giving them some care advice.


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jun 4, 2012)

wellington said:


> Another thread about a poorly kept tortoise on craigslist. I sent them an email to give them some education. I hope everyone that sees one of those ads will do the same. If you can't save the tortoise by getting it. Try improving it's life by kindly giving them some care advice.



Can't see how it could possibly hurt!


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## 34KING18 (Jun 15, 2012)

Very true.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jun 16, 2012)




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