Adopt?

Jan A

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I appreciate all the input. Thank you!

Another question, Do your tortoises interact in anyway with you? Is there an attachment you begin to feel with your tortoise? Is it mutual?

Part of my anxiety (I think) has to do with this. The complex care with a creature that will never connect and always want to be free or at least in an enclosure bigger than what I’m providing.
I think everyone's right about bonding with a tort--it's different from dogs & cats. But there are a lot of examples of special relations with their torts like Zola'sMom, Ray's Opo, Maggie3fan's Bob or her Mary Knobbins or Snoopy'sMom who rescued a sulcata. Or follow Jamie Shefield's threads on his largely rescue torts.

Part of it is the owner & part of it is the tort. It may take a short time or much, much longer time.

What you cannot deny is they are utterly fascinating creatures who will frustrate you, destroy anything they dislike, make a mess, refuse to eat the stuff good for them & generally give you anxiety & then turn around & do something utterly hysterical & look at you with this smiling face as if to say, "gotcha, didn't I?"
 

Lulabee247

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Durham
I think everyone's right about bonding with a tort--it's different from dogs & cats. But there are a lot of examples of special relations with their torts like Zola'sMom, Ray's Opo, Maggie3fan's Bob or her Mary Knobbins or Snoopy'sMom who rescued a sulcata. Or follow Jamie Shefield's threads on his largely rescue torts.

Part of it is the owner & part of it is the tort. It may take a short time or much, much longer time.

What you cannot deny is they are utterly fascinating creatures who will frustrate you, destroy anything they dislike, make a mess, refuse to eat the stuff good for them & generally give you anxiety & then turn around & do something utterly hysterical & look at you with this smiling face as if to say, "gotcha, didn't I?"
Totally 100% ?
 

nicoleann2214

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NY
I think everyone's right about bonding with a tort--it's different from dogs & cats. But there are a lot of examples of special relations with their torts like Zola'sMom, Ray's Opo, Maggie3fan's Bob or her Mary Knobbins or Snoopy'sMom who rescued a sulcata. Or follow Jamie Shefield's threads on his largely rescue torts.

Part of it is the owner & part of it is the tort. It may take a short time or much, much longer time.

What you cannot deny is they are utterly fascinating creatures who will frustrate you, destroy anything they dislike, make a mess, refuse to eat the stuff good for them & generally give you anxiety & then turn around & do something utterly hysterical & look at you with this smiling face as if to say, "gotcha, didn't I?"
Couldn’t have said it any better!!!
 

Pamelaann

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Apr 20, 2016
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My little Herman tortoise Tiny is a hoot. When I call him he comes out of his hide and comes right to me. He will follow me around like a little puppy. Sooooo cute. This is his enclosure.
 

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zolasmum

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I appreciate all the input. Thank you!

Another question, Do your tortoises interact in anyway with you? Is there an attachment you begin to feel with your tortoise? Is it mutual?

Part of my anxiety (I think) has to do with this. The complex care with a creature that will never connect and always want to be free or at least in an enclosure bigger than what I’m providing.
One of the wonderful rewards of having a tortoise is that, all being well, you will have a little companion for many years - maybe for the rest of your life. Having a dog or cat leads to that agonising awareness that one day they won't be there any more - very painful.
And over all those years you can build up a closeness with your tortoise which can be a source of great comfort and happiness.
Angie
 

SarahB

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Holland mi
One of the wonderful rewards of having a tortoise is that, all being well, you will have a little companion for many years - maybe for the rest of your life. Having a dog or cat leads to that agonising awareness that one day they won't be there any more - very painful.
And over all those years you can build up a closeness with your tortoise which can be a source of great comfort and happiness.
Angie
 

Krista S

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Aug 4, 2019
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Location (City and/or State)
Saskatchewan
I appreciate all the input. Thank you!

Another question, Do your tortoises interact in anyway with you? Is there an attachment you begin to feel with your tortoise? Is it mutual?

Part of my anxiety (I think) has to do with this. The complex care with a creature that will never connect and always want to be free or at least in an enclosure bigger than what I’m providing.
I have a 2 year old Hermann’s tortoise and I definitely have a strong bond with him. It was almost instant that he stole my heart and had me wrapped around his finger…errr paw? ? He lives indoors year round and reacts to me every time I walk into his room and sometimes he reacts so enthusiastically that it still blows my mind. Before having my little guy, I had no idea how much personality a little tortoise could have. He always comes right over and often extends his little neck for a chin or head scratch and when he’s had enough he will use his little paw to move my finger away…or if he’s feeling feisty he’ll try and bite my finger lol. He makes me laugh everyday and has brought me so much joy. If you put in the work, I know you’ll be able to build a connection with the tortoise you’ve taken in. Thanks for taking him our of a bad situation, by the way! It will take time and patience, but caring for a tortoise is deeply rewarding. I’d love to see a picture of your tortoise if you’re comfortable sharing.

Welcome to the forum @SarahB ? We are happy to have you here and hope that you’ll stick around. We are here to help and guide in any way you need.
 

zolasmum

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Thank you for that! What kind of tortoise do you have
We have a Hermanns tortoise called Zola - he is 21, and we have had him since he was one. he has enriched our lives so much, and he has become more and more precious as the years go by. When he first came to us, his shell was split above his neck -we think he was stepped on - and he probably had internal injuries too. There was very little advice available 20 years ago, especially in the UK, where we don't have any wild tortoises, but we found out what we could, and spent a lot of time hand-feeding him. He became a strong healthy little boy, and the hand feeding may well have strengthened our relationship with him.
We recently met an elderly lady who was given her tortoise for her seventh birthday - she was probably in her 80s
now but he is still going strong !! Imagine having a little tortoise friend for almost your whole life !
I hope you will feel able to keep your little little chap - the people here are always ready to help and advise, and I am sure he would flourish under your care,and that he would be a rewarding companion.
Angie
 

SarahB

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Holland mi
We have a Hermanns tortoise called Zola - he is 21, and we have had him since he was one. he has enriched our lives so much, and he has become more and more precious as the years go by. When he first came to us, his shell was split above his neck -we think he was stepped on - and he probably had internal injuries too. There was very little advice available 20 years ago, especially in the UK, where we don't have any wild tortoises, but we found out what we could, and spent a lot of time hand-feeding him. He became a strong healthy little boy, and the hand feeding may well have strengthened our relationship with him.
We recently met an elderly lady who was given her tortoise for her seventh birthday - she was probably in her 80s
now but he is still going strong !! Imagine having a little tortoise friend for almost your whole life !
I hope you will feel able to keep your little little chap - the people here are always ready to help and advise, and I am sure he would flourish under your care,and that he would be a rewarding companion.
Angie
Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Very touching about your Zola and the bond you have with him. Love hearing that he is “precious” to you. Also the elderly woman you met, that’s incredible.

Just curious, with the recommended huge enclosures, are you able to keep Zola in a part of the house where he’s around people?

I have this tortoise in our home office. Since I’m keeping him for now I’m wondering if this is ok? Would more stimulation be better? I thought of maybe having a smaller enclosure in the living room. Kind of a “enrichment” area if you will.

I guess for me, having a little creatures and keeping it in another room doesn’t feel right. Another thing I should have given more thought to I guess.

I’d love your thoughts.
 

zolasmum

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Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Very touching about your Zola and the bond you have with him. Love hearing that he is “precious” to you. Also the elderly woman you met, that’s incredible.

Just curious, with the recommended huge enclosures, are you able to keep Zola in a part of the house where he’s around people?

I have this tortoise in our home office. Since I’m keeping him for now I’m wondering if this is ok? Would more stimulation be better? I thought of maybe having a smaller enclosure in the living room. Kind of a “enrichment” area if you will.

I guess for me, having a little creatures and keeping it in another room doesn’t feel right. Another thing I should have given more thought to I guess.

I’d love your thoughts.
Hello Sarah -Zola has a double glazed heated conservatory (a small room size) with his lamps, food etc.and a couple of wicker armchairs for us, also other things to climb on etc, and several strings of coloured lights, and
various things on the floor to entertain him. This leads off our living-room, which has sliding glass doors into the conservatory, so we can see him (and him us) pretty much all the time. We have a narrow plank of wood blocking him from getting into the living room,but low enough for us to step over easily. We don't have him loose in the living room, but bring him through in the evening to sit on my lap while watching t.v. and go to sleep.
Then he is taken into a largish crate, in a sort of nest of soft toys and towels - this is in an area close to the bedrooms, so if there were an emergency, he would be there for us to grab quickly. In the mornings, my husband takes him out of his crate, which wakes him up, brings him to say hello to me, and puts him under his lamp to warm up.
As for your little one - what's his name?- I think your idea of an enrichment area is a very good idea, as long as it is well fenced off from the rest of the room, so you can see what he is doing, and give him attention. I think it would be a good way to study his behaviour and find out what works best, over time. I agree it isn't fair keeping him separately constantly, but letting him run about freely in a room where there are places he could get stuck or strangled by a wire etc isn't good either.
We don't have a lot of space either, but have learned by trial and error and Zola seems content
Best wishes
Angie
 

SarahB

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Holland mi
Hello Sarah -Zola has a double glazed heated conservatory (a small room size) with his lamps, food etc.and a couple of wicker armchairs for us, also other things to climb on etc, and several strings of coloured lights, and
various things on the floor to entertain him. This leads off our living-room, which has sliding glass doors into the conservatory, so we can see him (and him us) pretty much all the time. We have a narrow plank of wood blocking him from getting into the living room,but low enough for us to step over easily. We don't have him loose in the living room, but bring him through in the evening to sit on my lap while watching t.v. and go to sleep.
Then he is taken into a largish crate, in a sort of nest of soft toys and towels - this is in an area close to the bedrooms, so if there were an emergency, he would be there for us to grab quickly. In the mornings, my husband takes him out of his crate, which wakes him up, brings him to say hello to me, and puts him under his lamp to warm up.
As for your little one - what's his name?- I think your idea of an enrichment area is a very good idea, as long as it is well fenced off from the rest of the room, so you can see what he is doing, and give him attention. I think it would be a good way to study his behaviour and find out what works best, over time. I agree it isn't fair keeping him separately constantly, but letting him run about freely in a room where there are places he could get stuck or strangled by a wire etc isn't good either.
We don't have a lot of space either, but have learned by trial and error and Zola seems content
Best wishes
Angie
His name is Tuck (I think). Sounds like your guy is pretty lucky. A conservatory!

Trial and error is a good way to think about this. Right now though, I go in often and sit with him. My fingers are crossed that I’ll be able to have two indoor enclosures and he’ll be content part of the day in something smaller.

Again thank you for sharing! I’d love to see a picture too!
 

SarahB

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Holland mi
I have a 2 year old Hermann’s tortoise and I definitely have a strong bond with him. It was almost instant that he stole my heart and had me wrapped around his finger…errr paw? ? He lives indoors year round and reacts to me every time I walk into his room and sometimes he reacts so enthusiastically that it still blows my mind. Before having my little guy, I had no idea how much personality a little tortoise could have. He always comes right over and often extends his little neck for a chin or head scratch and when he’s had enough he will use his little paw to move my finger away…or if he’s feeling feisty he’ll try and bite my finger lol. He makes me laugh everyday and has brought me so much joy. If you put in the work, I know you’ll be able to build a connection with the tortoise you’ve taken in. Thanks for taking him our of a bad situation, by the way! It will take time and patience, but caring for a tortoise is deeply rewarding. I’d love to see a picture of your tortoise if you’re comfortable sharing.

Welcome to the forum @SarahB ? We are happy to have you here and hope that you’ll stick around. We are here to help and guide in any way you need.
 

SarahB

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Location (City and/or State)
Holland mi
You can see his beak is horribly overgrown. He has an appointment with the vet next Monday.
 

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zolasmum

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His name is Tuck (I think). Sounds like your guy is pretty lucky. A conservatory!

Trial and error is a good way to think about this. Right now though, I go in often and sit with him. My fingers are crossed that I’ll be able to have two indoor enclosures and he’ll be content part of the day in something smaller.

Again thank you for sharing! I’d love to see a picture too!
You said you would like to see a photo of Zola - here is a composite one my husband put together - The original was taken at Fowey, a fishing village along the coast, two years ago. ( you can't see the split on his shell much from the side)
The tortoise on the left was Zola at somewhere between 1 and 2 years old, and on the right, between 2 and 3.
The sizes are not to scale, but it shows how he has changed !
It was great to see Tuck's photo - once his beak is trimmed he will a lot happier, I should think.
Angie
growing-up_sm.jpg
 

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