How did you start liking turtles ?

[jblandon]

Hi, I recently made a post in my blog (https://www.detortugas.org/blog). about how i started liking turtles since my childhood thanks to 4 turtles.

My brothers (4 brothers) and i named them as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and then all started with a lot of fun trying to find them when they hide inside the ground and went out in the rain.


For the complete blog post you can check it on:

https://www.detortugas.org/blog/las-tortugas-ninja-de-mi-infancia/

How did you start liking turtles?

 

[Tom]

This is how I started. That is me and my Dad in 1975.

 

[jblandon]

Wow really beautiful picture.
Thank you for your reply and story Tom !

 

[KarenSoCal]

When I was a kid in PA, we used to find box turtles and snappers all the time, in the grass or crossing a road. I liked them, but never tried keeping one.
Then last year, a friend with 2 DT's moved out of state, and wanted me to take them. I knew nothing, so started researching. With knowledge came respect and fascination. I took one of hers, and love him dearly.

 

[lisa127]

When I was a kid box turtles were very common in petstores. My brother had one in the early to middle 1970s. Thats when I fell in love. I used to tell people I wanted to be a turtle trainer when I grew up....lol.

 

[cpgfarms]

My uncle bought one a couple years ago and from then I became interested. I started watching anything I could TV, Youtube, Documentaries then I went to books and when I felt confident I could take care of one I went to a Sulcata then a Redfoot. I am currently trying to get two more of the same to get pairs going. I am also looking to get some leopards and when the time comes well maybe an Aldabra (I wish ). I'm trying to build a conservation farm when I am able to buy my own home and have some more resources but little by little it'll become a reality.

 

[KBeam]

This is how I started. That is me and my Dad in 1975.
View attachment 247647

How funny! About the same time, I was about three, we were vacationing in Mexico and they had giant tortoises you could ride and feed. Not a sound practice for sure, but I’ve been hooked ever since!

 

[jblandon]

When I was a kid box turtles were very common in petstores. My brother had one in the early to middle 1970s. Thats when I fell in love. I used to tell people I wanted to be a turtle trainer when I grew up....lol.

I wanted to train my turtles too !

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It just happened.
When I was younger. I remember being turned off by a cute young woman that kept box turtles. They stunk. I couldn't get over it.
Then years later someone gave me a couple of Redfoot tortoises that they couldn't take care of. I had no idea, either. It was before the internet. But they grew on me.
The cute woman found someone else.
Now my place smelled like tortoise poo....

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I started liking turtles / tortoises around the age of 8.... almost by necessity. I was allergic to dogs / cats, and really wanted a pet. Girl at school brought in a baby painted turtle for a science fair project or something, and agreed to let me have it when her project was done. Been hooked ever since. Now I have 2 torts, a painted turtle, 3 dogs and 4 cats. Which reminds me.... anyone looking to adopt a cat? I'm running a special. Buy one get 3 for free. lol

 

[EllieMay]

I grew up on lake Gladewater and my dad used to run nets and trot lines to catch catfish and sell. He would also catch a lot of turtles which are a nuisance to fishermen and usually means certain death. I was about 8 and secretly built a “ turtle pen” and hid it in the marsh. I would sneak out and run dads nets just to remove the turtles and put them in my secret pen. I would log each turtle in a diary and paint a letter or a number on its shell. Before long, I had a huge collection of red ears, logger heads, etc and had went through the alphabet twice over before my mother found my pen. She released everyone of them. I cried for days and dad was furious about the whole thing. Everysince, my family has made turtle farmer jokes at me

 

[daniellenc]

I grew up catching turtles in the woods behind my house. I just always liked them but never kept one until my son begged for a tortoise last year. I was like why do you want a tortoise our back yard is full of box turtles? But he wanted his own inside. Now I’m obsessed and boot out the box turtles that love to munch all his food.

 

[Big Charlie]

It just happened.
When I was younger. I remember being turned off by a cute young woman that kept box turtles. They stunk. I couldn't get over it.
Then years later someone gave me a couple of Redfoot tortoises that they couldn't take care of. I had no idea, either. It was before the internet. But they grew on me.
The cute woman found someone else.
Now my place smelled like tortoise poo....

I thought I wanted a box turtle. I went to the pet store, picked one up and it pooped on me. That disgusted me. Then I saw the cute tiny sulcata hatchlings. They were being kept relatively dry compared to the box turtles, and I took one home. Every day I love seeing that dinosaur roaming my yard. It never gets old.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I found a baby mud turtle on the playground in preschool and was hooked ever since. Used to catch them in the canals in south Florida growing up. I was known as "TurtleTodd"

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

This is how I started. That is me and my Dad in 1975.
View attachment 247647

~ That's awesome......same here.......

 

[LoonyLovegood]

Growing up my mum wouldn't let us have dogs or cats because she kept a clean house. So I'd also find critters and bring them home for a few days. Thus started my love for turtles and tortoises ♡

 

[south12_9]

Way back in high school the kid that I use to get my Pot off of had a RES that he never took care of on the floor ( the tank was on the floor) & one day I went over there to get a little something something... And told him I want a $10 bag & that turtle.. Well I was 15 years old at that time and now I'm 40 and 7 aquatic turtles leader... Here we are and my 2 little girls know more about turtle's & Tortoises then I do...

 

[TammyJ]

Growing up in Jamaica I used to see the baby RES's all the time for sale in the pet shops. I persuaded my parents to let me have 2, and had those for quite a few years before they expired for lack of proper care (I was very young and did not know I was not doing right by them). Then when I got to about 13 years old a relative brought me a Jamaican slider from his property in the country, quite a large pond turtle which I named Nebuchudnezzar after the bible character. I promptly gave Neb a home in my brother's exotic fish tank and he was so very happy there that he immediately ate all the fish. My brother has never forgiven me. I had Neb for a long time and then one day I took him back to the same pond he was found in and released him and it felt so good! Born Free, etc. etc. Well since then I have loved turtles and tortoises (and lizards and snakes!!!) and I have another Jamaican pond turtle female, a rescued young male and two Redfoot tortoises.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

I always had a love for all creatures born with it i guess and people gave me lots of different ones. Then in my teens a class mate found a baby sulcata walking down the road and it ended up with me and Ive been in love ever seance