FREE tortoise posters BEWARE!

ZEROPILOT

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Without exception, whenever a tortoise owner posts that they want to give their tortoise to a good home, there are several....Sometimes as many as 6 or 7 brand spanking new members that respond. Usually having just joined. Most have never posted about anything but in response to other free tortoises, if at all.
These new members seem to be lurking in the shadows for just one thing: A free animal. For what purpose? Who knows!

It's impossible to know if these lurking members would keep the animals in question and have them kept happy and healthy for life, or if they are looking to re sell and make a buck. Personally, I would not respond to them.
It's very suspicious to me that so many people would not even have an introduction thread. Not even say "Hello" and just jump right into asking to take your tortoise.

My advice? Only deal with established members. Check the members other posts and look for other posts about trying to get other free tortoises. Ask MANY questions about their tortoise habitats and experience and respond to NO ONE that is making their first post asking you to give them your tortoise.
Good luck in finding your tortoise a new home.
 

itiswhatitis

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Without exception, whenever a tortoise owner posts that they want to give their tortoise to a good home, there are several....Sometimes as many as 6 or 7 brand spanking new members that respond. Usually having just joined. Most have never posted about anything but in response to other free tortoises, if at all.
These new members seem to be lurking in the shadows for just one thing: A free animal. For what purpose? Who knows!

It's impossible to know if these lurking members would keep the animals in question and have them kept happy and healthy for life, or if they are looking to re sell and make a buck. Personally, I would not respond to them.
It's very suspicious to me that so many people would not even have an introduction thread. Not even say "Hello" and just jump right into asking to take your tortoise.

My advice? Only deal with established members. Check the members other posts and look for other posts about trying to get other free tortoises. Ask MANY questions about their tortoise habitats and experience and respond to NO ONE that is making their first post asking you to give them your tortoise.
Good luck in finding your tortoise a new home.


I was just asking Yvonne about this yesterday. I haven't been a member that long but I've been around long enough to see a new person pop up as soon as somethings free !!!!
 

Yvonne G

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Can't post in the forum market place at all until at least have 25-30 post ?

No, the rule is a new member can't make a "for sale" ad unless they've made 100 posts. But there are no restrictions for people answering the "adoption" ads.
 

Yvonne G

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But we're saying perhaps there should be.

It would be very interesting to actually know the percentage of those just in it for a free animal against how many of them are actually good guys. We can't punish the real ones for the sake of the few. But I'm not disagreeing with any of you. It bugs me too that these folks seem to be in the woodwork and only pop out when a freebie becomes available.
 

wellington

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Let's just hope the one adopting out takes the responsibility to place the tortoise in a good and hopefully forever home. Same as those selling a tortoise or any animal. Be responsible and check out the person interested.
 

JoesMum

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But we're saying perhaps there should be.
It wouldn't work. They would simply use PM to enquire.

It really does have to be a case of donor beware.

Are the "for sale" and "adoption" forums indexed @Josh @Yvonne G? (That means can the search engines like Google see them?) It might be worth moving them to a non-indexed members only area to deter people signing up in this way.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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It wouldn't work. They would simply use PM to enquire.

It really does have to be a case of donor beware.

Are the "for sale" and "adoption" forums indexed @Josh @Yvonne G? (That means can the search engines like Google see them?) It might be worth moving them to a non-indexed members only area to deter people signing up in this way.
Many new members don't know how to PM.
Others wouldn't think of it perhaps.
But it is a point.
If we see a post, we can react.
If it's PM we'd never even know.
Bet this happens anyway, sometimes.
 

Gillian M

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Many new members don't know how to PM.
Others wouldn't think of it perhaps.
But it is a point.
If we see a post, we can react.
If it's PM we'd never even know.
Bet this happens anyway, sometimes.
It may be true that new members do not know how to send PMs but they eventually learn.
 

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