I've brought 6 tortoises into my home off of Craigslist... 4 Russians and 2 Hingebacks.
The Russians all still live with me, I kept the Hingebacks until they were healthy and eating and then shipped them to people already working with breeding groups of, and more experience with, them.
I keep an eye on my local craigslist for tortoises, particularly the more esoteric or exotic types, so that I can keep them out of the hands of muttonheads and either invite them to join my creep or live with them a while and then move them along to someone better suited to long-term living with them.
This is all leading up to a listing I saw today for an Aldabra hatchling a few hours away from me. I initially assumed it was a scam but in texting with the guy I'm considering the possibility it's legit.
1) he answered my questions with knowledgeable responses about their feeding and care
2) when I asked him for a pic of the tortoise with a random item I'd picked, he seemed confused/amused, but sent the pic of his tortoise with a metal spoon within a minute
3) he asked me to call him to discuss the tortoise
I'm tempted to make the drive and get the tort, just to keep it out of the hands of someone who cannot actually take care of it, and then figure out who to move it along to within a year (before it gets huge).
Am I crazy, or stupid, or gullible, or all three?
Jamie
The Russians all still live with me, I kept the Hingebacks until they were healthy and eating and then shipped them to people already working with breeding groups of, and more experience with, them.
I keep an eye on my local craigslist for tortoises, particularly the more esoteric or exotic types, so that I can keep them out of the hands of muttonheads and either invite them to join my creep or live with them a while and then move them along to someone better suited to long-term living with them.
This is all leading up to a listing I saw today for an Aldabra hatchling a few hours away from me. I initially assumed it was a scam but in texting with the guy I'm considering the possibility it's legit.
1) he answered my questions with knowledgeable responses about their feeding and care
2) when I asked him for a pic of the tortoise with a random item I'd picked, he seemed confused/amused, but sent the pic of his tortoise with a metal spoon within a minute
3) he asked me to call him to discuss the tortoise
I'm tempted to make the drive and get the tort, just to keep it out of the hands of someone who cannot actually take care of it, and then figure out who to move it along to within a year (before it gets huge).
Am I crazy, or stupid, or gullible, or all three?
Jamie
