Does anyone "preserve" their tort or turtle after it passes away?

[Alan RF]

RE: Does anyone "preserve" their tort or turtle after it passes away?

It's upto the individual I guess and I would bury mine but this got me thinking about his shell.....does it break down?

 

[immayo]

got me thinking about his shell.....does it break down?

THIS..
I have my first little hatchling buried in my yard in a small plastic container with his picture on it and I have often wondered that same thing. Does the shell break down if buried? I have just always been curious.

 

[cherylim]

From what I understand, it would break down very, very slowly. So it WOULD need preserving properly, but it's going to be there long after the rest of the tortoise, along with the rest of the skeleton inside it.

 

[Nixxy]

Cremation or burial of my pets, for me.

I'd feel equally uncomfortable with doing such as I would having one of my cats or dogs that has passed stuffed, and kept in the living room. =/

 

[Benjamin]

I preserve any small turles in jars of alcohol and water. A few are stored in the freezer until I determine what to do with them. I used to cut many of them open to look inside. During my zoo days I would attend any necropsy I could. That is where I learned to open turtles on my own. I do bury most any larg animals these days.
I have a wood turtle shell on a table in my hallway. The matamata skull is very cool too, but I have that stored in a box with the rest of my collection.

 

[harris]

Hey Ben.... I still remember that big female yellowfoot you lost 20 yrs ago when you were just a young'un that you had in the freezer at the pet store!

 

[Alan RF]

RE: Does anyone "preserve" their tort or turtle after it passes away?

THIS..
I have my first little hatchling buried in my yard in a small plastic container with his picture on it and I have often wondered that same thing. Does the shell break down if buried? I have just always been curious.

Glad I'm not the only one! I presumed it would take longer than the rest of the body and the soil being moist would surely collapse the shell over time. it's a sad thought! I know the plastic container would probably give a longer time as they say plastic bags alone are still around over 40 years ago lol

 

[biochemnerd808]

RE: Does anyone "preserve" their tort or turtle after it passes away?

I think saving the shell would be kind of awesome. With any luck, my tortoises should out-live me, however.

I have no interest in keeping all the bones though, and certainly wouldn't want a freeze-dried tortoise collecting dust. But the shell? Totally!