Hi From Sarasota, FL

Jan A

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Joined
Jan 9, 2021
Messages
1,808
Location (City and/or State)
Boulder, CO
New to the forum, looking forward to learning a lot before getting my pets! Been a long time since I kept tortoises.
Welcome from Oklahoma. Lots going on. You will enjoy, so don't be shy. We love photos!!
 

KarenSoCal

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Tortoise Club
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Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Hello, and welcome to TFO!

So you've had torts before? What species? Depending on how long ago many things in their husbandry have radically changed.

Here are our 2 main care sheets that cover most torts' care. Maybe you know exactly what species you want. If not, these should help you know what they require.


 

jwr0201

Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
53
Location (City and/or State)
Sarasota, FL
Well... Years ago (about 50) as a young kid here in Florida, I caught and kept Gopher tortoises. Then, they were certainly not threatened or endangered and no license was required. Gophers were very easy to keep, acclimated readily and became quite interactive. We would keep them for a few months and release them back into the wild in the areas we found them. Never had issues with them eating and upon release, they nearly always began foraging in short order.
Sadly, now it is quite rare to see a Gopher tortoise, due to unbridled development and severe habitat loss. Unfortunately, their unique habit of burrowing has resulted in near complete losses of populations in areas of housing development.
Now, I'm off to learn and then get a different species!
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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10 Year Member!
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A Land Far Away...
Glad you are joining us! I was lucky enough to see a gopher in my travels. What types are you thinking about?
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Like that - Redfoot Wrangler! Good forum!
If you don't mind, I may be asking you for info when I am ready to pull the trigger and get a tortoise.
RR
Not only do I not mind, I'll gladly send you my phone number in a PM when you are ready.
 

jeff kushner

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Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
2,688
Location (City and/or State)
North of Annapolis
Another old guy! Welcome!! Yeah, things everywhere are very different from when we were kids...in the 60's. (Ouch, hurts everytime).

You will be amazed by the sheer talent here on this forum if you remain humble. I was pretty floored last year and I'm not impressed with simply organization and superfluous BS...my way of saying the content here is above all others, period. Read the sheets and sticky's and you will learn. There are folks here helping to preserve the very last of some species...this is where some of those people you read about with the various zoos & conservation efforts, have posted their work, guys with colonies of species in beautifully natural enclosures...it's pretty cool.

I took my family to Disney, era 1995 and found a huge tortoise roaming, I brought it home and we kept in in the garden townhouse we rented, till it "left it's mark" 12' long, all the way down the hallway and wife gave me "the look" telling me to let it go. You know, the look, that you don't argue with.....

How come women all seem to be able to produce "the look"....a discussion for another day I suppose.....I mean, it wasn't in "the parent book" we told our kids about....


Anyway, enjoy JW!
 

jwr0201

Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
53
Location (City and/or State)
Sarasota, FL
Yeah - I'm a silver haired holdout boomer that doesn't know how to grow up. Have a t-shirt that says 'Still Plays With Cars'. Need one that says "Still Plays With Tortoises' !! :tort::tort::tort:
 
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