A Nice Story

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
A relative bought a hatchling tortoise at a pet store in 1953 and gave the baby to Virginia and her husband, who live in Fresno. Once "Freddie" was big enough to live outside he lived in Virginia's backyard. He was a happy tortoise, roaming the yard, eating weeds, plants and grass, with the occasional veggie treat from Virginia.

Each winter Virginia would box Freddie up and put him on a shelf in the garage.

Fast forward to last week when I received a phone call. It was Virginia who had read a blurb about me and my turtle rescue in the paper several years ago, cut it out and had it pinned on her refrigerator. She told me that she and her husband are now in their mid nineties and were getting ready to move to a senior care facility, and would I be interested in taking their tortoise. When I learned Freddie is a Texas tortoise, I told her I would be happy to take in her tortoise.

Freddie came to me yesterday in his hibernation box:

Texas Tortoise Freddie a.jpg

Texas Tortoise Freddie b.jpg

It's very cold and windy today, so Freddie is too cold to be sociable:

Texas Tortoise Freddie c.jpg

Texas Tortoise Freddie d.jpg

Texas Tortoise Freddie e.jpg

Freddie was a hatchling in 1953, which makes him sixty eight years old today. It's not very often you get to meet a tortoise that old. I'm hoping Freddie will live here with me until I have to pass him on the the next care taker when I'm in my 90s!
 

Yorkiemomma

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2019
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Pueblo
A relative bought a hatchling tortoise at a pet store in 1953 and gave the baby to Virginia and her husband, who live in Fresno. Once "Freddie" was big enough to live outside he lived in Virginia's backyard. He was a happy tortoise, roaming the yard, eating weeds, plants and grass, with the occasional veggie treat from Virginia.

Each winter Virginia would box Freddie up and put him on a shelf in the garage.

Fast forward to last week when I received a phone call. It was Virginia who had read a blurb about me and my turtle rescue in the paper several years ago, cut it out and had it pinned on her refrigerator. She told me that she and her husband are now in their mid nineties and were getting ready to move to a senior care facility, and would I be interested in taking their tortoise. When I learned Freddie is a Texas tortoise, I told her I would be happy to take in her tortoise.

Freddie came to me yesterday in his hibernation box:

View attachment 334465

View attachment 334466

It's very cold and windy today, so Freddie is too cold to be sociable:

View attachment 334467

View attachment 334468

View attachment 334469

Freddie was a hatchling in 1953, which makes him sixty eight years old today. It's not very often you get to meet a tortoise that old. I'm hoping Freddie will live here with me until I have to pass him on the the next care taker when I'm in my 90s!
Awesome
 

LadeeJae

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2021
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Victorville
A relative bought a hatchling tortoise at a pet store in 1953 and gave the baby to Virginia and her husband, who live in Fresno. Once "Freddie" was big enough to live outside he lived in Virginia's backyard. He was a happy tortoise, roaming the yard, eating weeds, plants and grass, with the occasional veggie treat from Virginia.

Each winter Virginia would box Freddie up and put him on a shelf in the garage.

Fast forward to last week when I received a phone call. It was Virginia who had read a blurb about me and my turtle rescue in the paper several years ago, cut it out and had it pinned on her refrigerator. She told me that she and her husband are now in their mid nineties and were getting ready to move to a senior care facility, and would I be interested in taking their tortoise. When I learned Freddie is a Texas tortoise, I told her I would be happy to take in her tortoise.

Freddie came to me yesterday in his hibernation box:

View attachment 334465

View attachment 334466

It's very cold and windy today, so Freddie is too cold to be sociable:

View attachment 334467

View attachment 334468

View attachment 334469

Freddie was a hatchling in 1953, which makes him sixty eight years old today. It's not very often you get to meet a tortoise that old. I'm hoping Freddie will live here with me until I have to pass him on the the next care taker when I'm in my 90s!
My mother in law was gifted a Desert tortoise many years back. He's about 65 years old or so now? He's very social and will come when you call him! He loves my weiner dog! When we visit, they go everywhere together! I know that's looked down upon, but you'd have to know my dog to know he's never bit or hurt anything in his life and George is bigger than him, haha!
 

jaxblueflash

New Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
1
Location (City and/or State)
University Place, Washington
A relative bought a hatchling tortoise at a pet store in 1953 and gave the baby to Virginia and her husband, who live in Fresno. Once "Freddie" was big enough to live outside he lived in Virginia's backyard. He was a happy tortoise, roaming the yard, eating weeds, plants and grass, with the occasional veggie treat from Virginia.

Each winter Virginia would box Freddie up and put him on a shelf in the garage.

Fast forward to last week when I received a phone call. It was Virginia who had read a blurb about me and my turtle rescue in the paper several years ago, cut it out and had it pinned on her refrigerator. She told me that she and her husband are now in their mid nineties and were getting ready to move to a senior care facility, and would I be interested in taking their tortoise. When I learned Freddie is a Texas tortoise, I told her I would be happy to take in her tortoise.

Freddie came to me yesterday in his hibernation box:

View attachment 334465

View attachment 334466

It's very cold and windy today, so Freddie is too cold to be sociable:

View attachment 334467

View attachment 334468

View attachment 334469

Freddie was a hatchling in 1953, which makes him sixty eight years old today. It's not very often you get to meet a tortoise that old. I'm hoping Freddie will live here with me until I have to pass him on the the next care taker when I'm in my 90s!
That is amazing!
 
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