my neighber

[kingtortugatron]

my neighber just showed me their 10 year old three toed box turtle and its TERRIBLE the keep it in a ten gallon tank with just a uvb lamp and two 3 inch high dishes one for water and the food dish has just pellets and last it was fake plastic grass i was gonna say something but didnt which i regret so i need some advice on how to aproach her of her mistakes

 

[Lyn W]

my neighber just showed me their 10 year old three toed box turtle and its TERRIBLE the keep it in a ten gallon tank with just a uvb lamp and two 3 inch high dishes one for water and the food dish has just pellets and last it was fake plastic grass i was gonna say something but didnt which i regret so i need some advice on how to aproach her of her mistakes

What a shame! Tell her about the forum and how much it has helped you give the correct care for your tort. If you pm me an email address I will send you a flyer I made to distribute to pet shops and vets in my area, you could give her that and say they would find it useful etc. There is an example of it and another Heather did on

://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/tf-posters-flyers.126098/page-2
At least then you would have done everything possible - short of offering to buy it.
Or what about inviting them in to see your set up?

 

[Yvonne G]

You definitely don't want to come down on her, or she'll shut you out. Find a good care sheet and offer it to her. bring her to your house and show her your habitat.

 

[wellington]

Great advice given. Also you could say it in an excited way, like omg, you should read some of the great new findings on tortoises and Turtles that is available on this forum I joined. Print out a Boxie caresheets and say, I took it upon myself to print the Bixie info for you. Then try mentioning the changes that could be made to better the life of the turtle. If they start saying things like it's too expensive, etc, offer to take him off their hands. Feel them out as you go along and if things are going good, keep offering advice. If things seem to go bad, keep going, but lighten it up more.
Good luck, try, but don't expect a big change. I can hear them say something like, well we've had him for ten years and he seems fine.

 

[kingtortugatron]

ill tell her tommorow and tell you guys how it goes

 

[Ferretinmyshoes]

I can hear them say something like, well we've had him for ten years and he seems fine.

Sadly I hear this all the time as a reptile veterinarian. But a few years down the line that turtle will be dying. They are amazing survivors although it's to their detriment rather than their benefit in these cases. Like others have said you have to be positive and enthusiastic to get them to listen. If they feel like you're accusing them of poor care (when it's the darn truth) they'll get defensive and shut down. I like to share the joys of turtle ownership with things like "no one thinks reptiles have much personality but they really do don't they!" and "their little faces always look like they're smiling" to bond a little. Then I show bad owners pictures of my turtles because "I just have to share" and immediately they start saying "wow look at that enclosure" or "they're so active and they're shell looks different than mine". Then you can go into why you have it set up that way, 'newer research' findings on turtle care (little white lies like that don't hurt) and how so many people are misinformed by pet shops about their care. Etc. In your case I'd start there and offer to print them some care stuff then either do it then or come back with it shortly so they don't feel like you just set it up because you have everything ready for them already. Then it will make it more like a natural flow of conversation than a prepared lecture.

 

[Ferretinmyshoes]

...or "they're so active and they're shell looks different than mine".

Ok I'm embarrassed...was going to say something different then left the wrong "they're" instead of changing it to "their". My bad and I can't edit my post anymore.

 

[dmmj]

I would probably be very bad in this situation. I would grab them by the head shove their head into the aquarium & say. How do you like it how do you like it how do you like it huh? Doesn't feel good does it?. would probably make a good news story though

 

[Mac1967]

Those pellets alone that they are giving him will probably kill him.

 

[terryo]

I guess I'm with you on this one David. I can't breathe just thinking about it. I know I couldn't be nice. I would like to lock them in the bathroom for 10 years and see how they like it. I won't tell you what I would do, as my post will only get deleted.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

ill tell her tommorow and tell you guys how it goes

If I knew you were local to me, I'd come over complete with neck collar on and have my daughter kick her arse for entertainment purposes only, honest, think of the fun.

 

[leigti]

If I knew you were local to me, I'd come over complete with neck collar on and have my daughter kick her arse for entertainment purposes only, honest, think of the fun.

You let your Daughter handle your light work?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

You let your Daughter handle your light work?

For her, it's fun. And as a medical professional, she can help them out afterwards …

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Here is my daughter from last nights fun… she can handle it.