Comments regarding concern

[RMTrescue]

Hello everyone. We’d like to thank everyone for their welcomes towards our rescue. We’d just like to bring some things to the light that we’ve received multiple less than friendly reply’s towards.

1. We cannot change the elevation of the area we live in. We are called Rocky Mountain Tortoise Rescue we are not located in the mountains. Actually about 4 hours east of the mountains.

2. We cannot change Alberta’s climate. Yes we have harsh winters and not the greatest climate. Of course we’d love for our tortoises to live outside all year. However that’s not possible. All of the tortoises in our care live in indoor temperature and humidity controlled enclosures from About mid September to the end of April.

3. All of our tortoises are rehomed under strict non breeding contracts

4. We are not running a tortoise smuggling ring behind our rescue and the amount of people who have messaged us accusing us of this is ridiculous.

We want the absolute best for the tortoises in our area and have even paid a multiple thousands of dollars into taking tortoises out of terrible conditions.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I think you are doing a great job, wherever you are.!

 

[JasonThornton]

I hope you didn't take my post as negative, I was just curious, not really concerned. I live in Florida, and we take the sun for granted

 

[RMTrescue]

I hope you didn't take my post as negative, I was just curious, not really concerned. I live in Florida, and we take the sun for granted

No wasn’t you had a lot of private messages that were really rude.

 

[Yvonne G]

I guess some people don't look at the big picture. There obviously was a need for a turtle/tortoise rescue in your area years ago or you wouldn't have undertaken the project. That's how it was here with me. I had no thought of becoming a rescue, but there was a need and no one else was doing it.

So keep up the good work. And don't let the naysayers get to you.

 

[Minority2]

Now I'm getting curious.

1. How much indoor space do you have to work with?

2. How big is your current operation? Number of large, medium, and small species of turtles.

The monthly lighting and heating bills must be astronomical to house so many different species all indoors not to mention the challenge of procuring a large supply of foods in a colder region, foods that are balanced enough for the different species of specimens you house.

3. How are you able to accomplish that? I'm sure some new members that live in colder regions would also be interested in knowing.

 

[Yvonne G]

I can't speak for RMTR, but here at my rescue, I try to adopt them out within 2 weeks. Since they're a RESCUE, and not a REFUGE, I'm assuming they also adopt them out as soon as they find good homes.

 

[RMTrescue]

Now I'm getting curious.

1. How much indoor space do you have to work with?

2. How big is your current operation? Number of large, medium, and small species of turtles.

The monthly lighting and heating bills must be astronomical to house so many different species all indoors not to mention the challenge of procuring a large supply of foods in a colder region, foods that are balanced enough for the different species of specimens you house.

3. How are you able to accomplish that? I'm sure some new members that live in colder regions would also be interested in knowing.

1. I have a two story industrial shop and a heated Quonset. It’s on our farm. I have housed some larger torts in our barn

2. I have my 4 personal tortoises. And currently am housing 11 additional tortoises/turtle. 4 redfoots, 2 sulcata, 3 Russian, 1 Herman’s and a box turtle. Due to living on a fairly large farm our electricity bill is not effected substantially. We grow most of our food in doors so it’s mostly self sustaining. We could comfortably house a total of 25 tortoises and in an emergency could make space for more.

3. Honestly it started out really small now it’s grown to what it is today. We all hold full time jobs as well. We just spend all our our spare time on tortoises. It’s a passion now.

All of the tortoises stay in our care until they are vet checked and healthy and are able to find the perfect homes.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Tropical Fish, enough said. No one keeps their fish in the lake out back.

 

[wellington]

So sorry you got nasty messages. Not sure what those people are thinking.
I think it's funny how so many are concerned about a tortoise in the cold north. They don't have any concerns when they are selling them to us though.
With the space and money, any tortoise can be housed any place.
Keep up the good work, obviously it's needed.

 

[RMTrescue]

So sorry you got nasty messages. Not sure what those people are thinking.
I think it's funny how so many are concerned about a tortoise in the cold north. They don't have any concerns when they are selling them to us though.
With the space and money, any tortoise can be housed any place.
Keep up the good work, obviously it's needed.

Well and it’s not like I live in my igloo and ride my polar bear to work. Yes it’s cold in the winter but anything is manageable.

 

[wellington]

Well and it’s not like I live in my igloo and ride my polar bear to work. Yes it’s cold in the winter but anything is manageable.

The riding the polar bear would be kinda cool though lol.

 

[RMTrescue]

The riding the polar bear would be kinda cool though lol.

Definitely lol

 

[Minority2]

So sorry you got nasty messages. Not sure what those people are thinking.
I think it's funny how so many are concerned about a tortoise in the cold north. They don't have any concerns when they are selling them to us though.
With the space and money, any tortoise can be housed any place.
Keep up the good work, obviously it's needed.

People that have had bad experiences with shady sellers that masquerade as rescues and "reputable" breeders may consider recently known rescue operations as questionable. And rather than taking the effort in learning more about them, they may choose to instead bombard them with hate mail in an attempt to scare them away and or prevent them from advertising/operating in this forum. This impatient way of conducting themselves could have also been one the reasons why some of these people were possibly victims of these scams to begin with.

Being suspicious of another is perfectly understandable, considering how majorly crooked the pet industry really is. Their decisions on acting and the methods they choose however, would certainly not be approved.

@RMTrescue
Please feel free to report any messages you feel have crossed the line to the admin and moderators of this forum.

 

[Jacqui]

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I read your very first thread. My mind read the Rocky Mountain part and jumped to Colorado. Lol

Sorry you have gotten negative comments, but because of that you have given us even more knowledge of your rescue, which is great to learn.

 

[RMTrescue]

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I read your very first thread. My mind read the Rocky Mountain part and jumped to Colorado. Lol

Sorry you have gotten negative comments, but because of that you have given us even more knowledge of your rescue, which is great to learn.

Just out of curiosity why did Colorado disappoint you?

 

[Joma]

Hello everyone. We’d like to thank everyone for their welcomes towards our rescue. We’d just like to bring some things to the light that we’ve received multiple less than friendly reply’s towards.

1. We cannot change the elevation of the area we live in. We are called Rocky Mountain Tortoise Rescue we are not located in the mountains. Actually about 4 hours east of the mountains.

2. We cannot change Alberta’s climate. Yes we have harsh winters and not the greatest climate. Of course we’d love for our tortoises to live outside all year. However that’s not possible. All of the tortoises in our care live in indoor temperature and humidity controlled enclosures from About mid September to the end of April.

3. All of our tortoises are rehomed under strict non breeding contracts

4. We are not running a tortoise smuggling ring behind our rescue and the amount of people who have messaged us accusing us of this is ridiculous.

We want the absolute best for the tortoises in our area and have even paid a multiple thousands of dollars into taking tortoises out of terrible conditions.

A FYI for those concerned about tortoises residing in Alberta's supposed "cold north"......many places in the supposed "warmer south" are just as intermittently cold for as long as Alberta is cold during the winter months, and yet good homes are still provided. You can't keep tortoises in Alberta but you can keep them in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico.....?!

If people are asking questions or offering information on this forum it may be a good idea to consider that they have a genuine interest in the well-being of their dependants and to orient your initial response in that direction so as not to dissuade them from learning or sharing. Those with less than optimal intentions or ideas will make themselves apparent soon enough.

 

[RMTrescue]

A FYI for those concerned about tortoises residing in Alberta's supposed "cold north"......many places in the supposed "warmer south" are just as intermittently cold for as long as Alberta is cold during the winter months, and yet good homes are still provided. You can't keep tortoises in Alberta but you can keep them in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico.....?!

If people are asking questions or offering information on this forum it may be a good idea to consider that they have a genuine interest in the well-being of their dependants and to orient your initial response in that direction so as not to dissuade them from learning or sharing. Those with less than optimal intentions or ideas will make themselves apparent soon enough.

I’m not trying to dissuade them from asking questions I’m answering the frequent ones I get. The problem I have with the cold weather thing is me alone is not going to stop the selling of tortoises in Alberta or Canada for that matter. If I didn’t end up with the ones that get surrendered to me they would likely end up forsake on kijiji where anyone could end up with them. By taking the time to educate the people who reside near me I am helping ensure that more of the hatchlings that are sold at breeders around me are going to better homes. By discouraging people to buy tortoises just means the people I haven’t reached will end up with them in the long run. It will never stop the sale of tortoises.

And the people who think I can just pick up everything and move as if customs and laws don’t apply to me or that I don’t have family or a career here as well just need to think about what they’d think and feel if people messaged them a bunch telling them to up and move. That’s not being constructive or educational in my opinion.

 

[Joma]

I’m not trying to dissuade them from asking questions I’m answering the frequent ones I get. The problem I have with the cold weather thing is me alone is not going to stop the selling of tortoises in Alberta or Canada for that matter. If I didn’t end up with the ones that get surrendered to me they would likely end up forsake on kijiji where anyone could end up with them. By taking the time to educate the people who reside near me I am helping ensure that more of the hatchlings that are sold at breeders around me are going to better homes. By discouraging people to buy tortoises just means the people I haven’t reached will end up with them in the long run. It will never stop the sale of tortoises.

And the people who think I can just pick up everything and move as if customs and laws don’t apply to me or that I don’t have family or a career here as well just need to think about what they’d think and feel if people messaged them a bunch telling them to up and move. That’s not being constructive or educational in my opinion.

Humm. Perhaps we misunderstood each other. My comment was intended to address the fact that you seemed to have been sent negative comments after your original post. I was trying to suggest to those who had sent those negative comments to you, that you, and other new members of the forum, be given the benefit of the doubt re. good intentions rather than being responded to negatively.

I am a duo citizen and have lived near where you are located so my comment about AB was intended to point out that tortoises residing in AB would not fare worse than those in other places if their caretakers are conscientious. I shared this because it seemed from your post that you had bought some flack for keeping tortoises in AB?

Anyhow, I was trying to support you but perhaps my comments were not clear enough lol.

 

[Jacqui]

Just out of curiosity why did Colorado disappoint you?

Because CO is near me