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

[mctlong]

Eww! No!

Personally I wouldn't want the evidence of one of my failures staring at me accusingly.

Ditto.

 

[EricIvins]

Personally I wouldn't want the evidence of one of my failures staring at me accusingly. However, Large specimins in good condition would have a value to taxidermists.I would bet that a large attractive leopard could fetch $500, a big aldabra, certainly in the thousands.

I personally want those "failures" staring me in the face so I don't make them again........It is surprising how complacent any keeper can become untill the same thing happens again, and again, and again.......You think you know better, and things will be different "this time" untill you end up with another dead animal.......This can be said for alot of situations across the board.......

 

[mainey34]

I watched that video. I thought it was weird. I could not do that to something I cared so much for.

 

[Carol S]

I could not! I get very sad every time I see my tortoise's grave in the backyard. To see its empty shell and bones would be more than I could bear.

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

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

I would cry if I had to look at my dead baby Leopard's shell all the time. :'(

 

[greyshirt]

You keep pictures, why not the shell.

 

[Angi]

I had a nieghbor who offered me a Russian about 7 years ago. I declined and the tort got left in the sun and died. A couple years ago the same nieghbors lost ther house and left it a mess, so of course I had to go through the junk and check it out. Anyway I found the tort shell and was VERY creeped out. BTW- I now find homes for unwanted pets instead of just saying NO. I felt awful when that tortoise died.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I usually wind up giving most away, but I have had all sorts of shells over the years. I don't see anything wrong with it......

Ditto.

I have given some away to local science teachers. I've even sold some, (gasp)!

I've given a few skeletons away to area science teachers, myself...my daughter was dating a museum employee who had access to carnivorous beetles that'll clean a skeleton lickety split!, so it was easily done.

Otherwise, they get a burial, as befitting a beloved pet.

When my first Jennifer, who was previously my Grandfather's pet, passed after 19 years in my home, it was a gut-wrenching experience for me, as I loved her so much, much as I do my present 4.

 

[Tortus]

My mom came over and saw my tortoise for the first time yesterday. I always put off telling my parents about a new pet, because they just don't get it. "Why do you want that? What does it do? Etc...". If it's not a dog, it's not a pet.

Anyway, she commented on how "pretty" the shell was. Then she said if it dies, make sure I save the shell.

I was like, wow. I didn't expect that to be her response. Now I feel jinxed.

 

[Rambo]

Honesty, I would do this. In an unfortunate event that my tortoise dies (before I do lol) I would want to keep the shell as a reminder of all the experiences we had with each other, all of my memories of him would be in that shell. Kind of like cremating your pets. Of course I could never be able to do that myself and would have to pay someone else to do it.

 

[Tortus]

I thought if I ever were motivated to do this, I'd see if I can order some of those "carnivorous beetles" online. I know if I left mine in the yard like in that video some varmint would dig it up and carry it off. I have so many stray dogs, cats, opossums, etc in this yard at night it's pathetic.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

My mom came over and saw my tortoise for the first time yesterday. I always put off telling my parents about a new pet, because they just don't get it. "Why do you want that? What does it do? Etc...". If it's not a dog, it's not a pet.

Anyway, she commented on how "pretty" the shell was. Then she said if it dies, make sure I save the shell.

I was like, wow. I didn't expect that to be her response. Now I feel jinxed.

I expect she meant it as a compliment...not everyone thinks as we do.

 

[Thalatte]

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

I keep the skeletons of the more unusual pets I have but I don't do it the way the guy does as that would be sad and creepy. Instead I use the beetles. Dermistis? I ordered a small colony to help clean up cages and feeder colonies.

 

[cherylim]

I have plans to keep Emrys' shell if/when something happens to him, but it'll depend on what's possible.

I think keeping his shell would be a good way to remember him. You can't exactly keep a part of another animal without going through the whole taxidermy process which seems a little TOO freaky to me. I'd never do it myself, though. I've selected where Emrys will be buried or cremated in the event of his death - a local pet cemetery next to a lake that's one of my favourite places to sit and think. If they tell me they can easily preserve the shell whilst the rest of the body is cremated then I'll agree to that. If they can't give me the shell without being brutal with the rest of the body, then I'll do without the shell.

Obviously I hope it will be MANY years. Or, he'll outlive me.

 

[stephiiberrybean]

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

I have my horse in my room, cremated in a lovely engraved box (horse heads on sides and name on plaque on top), its a lovely thing to know he'll always be with me. He'll be buried with me too (all my horses will. Well Star, Berry and Jimbo unless Berry & Star out live me!)

I think, and hope, Squirt will be alive when I go but if she isn't I think we'd bury here somewhere special like we do with all the animals that aren't horses!

 

[ssha_miami]

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

If nothing wrong, I think I will die before my tort. Although now I am less than 30.....will they keep my body? Hang my skeleton on the wall?

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

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

If I kept my torts shell I think it would be too big to do any thing with it. Maybe I would donate my tort to a science place where I could visit it and remember him/her (still don't know). That way people can see his beautiful shell and learn a lot about him! I would just make sure I could see him all the time.

 

[Tortus]

If nothing wrong, I think I will die before my tort. Although now I am less than 30.....will they keep my body? Hang my skeleton on the wall?

That's one way of looking at it. Although some people do keep ashes of cremated loved ones. I'm not sure if anyone ever looks at the ashes or not.

 

[theelectraco]

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

I thought the video was going to be pretty gross from the comments but it wasnt bad. Id like to keep the shell, but I am not to keen on letting ny dead tort sit outside for weeks/months waiting to be eaten. I do have my ferret ashes in a little wooden box with a plaque with het.name and her pawprints on a ceramic little ornament.

 

[Shannon and Jason]

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

I thought the video was going to be pretty gross from the comments but it wasnt bad. Id like to keep the shell, but I am not to keen on letting ny dead tort sit outside for weeks/months waiting to be eaten. I do have my ferret ashes in a little wooden box with a plaque with het.name and her pawprints on a ceramic little ornament.

I also was expecting it to be really gross......wasn't nothing gory about it lol.....I don't see anything wrong with wanting to keep the shell. I can't say if I would or wouldn't right now for sure.