Please, please, take the time to fully research why it occured, how it could have been treated, and how to prevent such things in the future.
It saddens me when I see someone with a sick or injured tortoise. What saddens me even more is that when the tortoise passes, often the owner is more worried about how and where to aquire another, than why their tortoise died, and what could have been done to prevent it.
It is all about learning from your mistakes. We have all made them. Some of us have paid dearly for them. When we offer advice, it is simply because we do not want to see you go through the same heartache. Above all, we do not like to see the tortoises suffer.
I am not at all implying that those that have lost a friend were negligent or purposefully harmful. I am simply asking that those who have a tort that passes stop, and reflect. Ask yourself, "Why did this happen, and how can I keep it from happening to my next tortoise?" BEFORE you bring your new pet home.
My first tortoise died tragically. I had him for ten years. He was my buddy (at least on my end, lol.) At 12 years old I spent time every day preparing his food. My oldest daughter was only a toddler when he died, but she, at 8 now, remembers me taking care of Gomer.
I had built him an outdoor garden that I thought was safe. It was not safe enough.
One night a predator got into Gomers garden and killed him. I won't go into details, but it was horrible. I found his body the next morning, and sat, in my yard, rocking back and forth and sobbing uncontrollably.
I made my big mistake, and it cost my sweet little boy his life.
It was 5 years, FIVE YEARS, before another tortoise came into my home. Not because I did not want one, not because I could not buy one, but because I WOULD not. I was determined never to make the same mistakes again that I had made with Gomer. I spent a lot of time researching and compiling information, which eventually led me to build my website.
All I ask is please, do your homework. Accept the advice given with an open mind. There are a lot of people out there that know what they are doing with tortoise care, but there are also plenty that *think* they do. A person that has cared for torts for twenty years has experience, but if they have never IMPROVED or CHANGED their methods somewhat along with changes in medical, environmental, and dietary information, then they are, in my mind, no better than a newbie.
There are people that hand out bad information, and the person informing you could be a student of that school, too.
Most of all, if you ask a question, expect an answer. If it does not agree with what you have already learned, instead of arguing, research. See what others have to say about the same advice.
Take the time to be sure that your family members, present and future, live the most fulfilling lives possible.
Tortoises are some of the most ancient creatures on earth, and with even only mediocre care, most of our pets will outlive us by many, MANY years. Don't they deserve more respect and regard for their lives?
Kristina
It saddens me when I see someone with a sick or injured tortoise. What saddens me even more is that when the tortoise passes, often the owner is more worried about how and where to aquire another, than why their tortoise died, and what could have been done to prevent it.
It is all about learning from your mistakes. We have all made them. Some of us have paid dearly for them. When we offer advice, it is simply because we do not want to see you go through the same heartache. Above all, we do not like to see the tortoises suffer.
I am not at all implying that those that have lost a friend were negligent or purposefully harmful. I am simply asking that those who have a tort that passes stop, and reflect. Ask yourself, "Why did this happen, and how can I keep it from happening to my next tortoise?" BEFORE you bring your new pet home.
My first tortoise died tragically. I had him for ten years. He was my buddy (at least on my end, lol.) At 12 years old I spent time every day preparing his food. My oldest daughter was only a toddler when he died, but she, at 8 now, remembers me taking care of Gomer.
I had built him an outdoor garden that I thought was safe. It was not safe enough.
One night a predator got into Gomers garden and killed him. I won't go into details, but it was horrible. I found his body the next morning, and sat, in my yard, rocking back and forth and sobbing uncontrollably.
I made my big mistake, and it cost my sweet little boy his life.
It was 5 years, FIVE YEARS, before another tortoise came into my home. Not because I did not want one, not because I could not buy one, but because I WOULD not. I was determined never to make the same mistakes again that I had made with Gomer. I spent a lot of time researching and compiling information, which eventually led me to build my website.
All I ask is please, do your homework. Accept the advice given with an open mind. There are a lot of people out there that know what they are doing with tortoise care, but there are also plenty that *think* they do. A person that has cared for torts for twenty years has experience, but if they have never IMPROVED or CHANGED their methods somewhat along with changes in medical, environmental, and dietary information, then they are, in my mind, no better than a newbie.
There are people that hand out bad information, and the person informing you could be a student of that school, too.
Most of all, if you ask a question, expect an answer. If it does not agree with what you have already learned, instead of arguing, research. See what others have to say about the same advice.
Take the time to be sure that your family members, present and future, live the most fulfilling lives possible.
Tortoises are some of the most ancient creatures on earth, and with even only mediocre care, most of our pets will outlive us by many, MANY years. Don't they deserve more respect and regard for their lives?
Kristina
