Hi! My name is Krista and I am in Arizona. About 4 years ago I adopted a Az Desert Tortoise. The women who gave her to me had a rescue. She told me the tortoise (who we named Mort (the tort)) had a recurrent respiratory infection, but currently had no symptoms. He lived in our backyard and we LOVED HIM! Two years later the respiratory infection came back so I took him to the vet. We got meds and found out he was a SHE, so she became Morticia. She was/is so friendly and came to the backdoor for food daily. Twice daily before hibernating. This winter her respiratory infection symptoms were active so she was in my bathroom in a enclosure all winter. About a month ago I realized she hadn't come to the backdoor in a few days. I got worried and kept looking in the backyard. We couldn't find her. I knocked on the neighbors doors looking for her. A neighbor a few doors down told me a tortoise had shown up at her door about 5 days before. She picked it up and it peed and kept it's head in it's shell so she figured it was wild. She put it in the desert next to the golf course down the street!!!!!! I have walked through there, looked under trees and bushes, called her name many times. There is no way I will find her. She could be anywhere. I put a sign on the mailbox, have posted in the community pages. I am so sad, mad, and angry! I am mad at myself and my husband that she got out, I am so mad at that lady that she just put her in greenbelt. I have lived in AZ my entire life and have never seen a tortoise in the wild. I just don't understand why she wouldn't knock on some doors, post, or ask around. Her son even owned a Sulcata for a long time! Anyway, it's my fault, I can't be mad at her. So that's my sad story. I still go out and look for her with the hope I will find her.
This all brings me to me currently reading and researching species of tortoises (I have been reading and stalking here for a few weeks). Prior to losing her I had been looking at getting a baby or two. Originally I had thought about a cherryhead, but now I am thinking maybe a Hermanns or a Leopard (I would not mix species if I got more then one). I don't want to feel like I am getting one to replace her. I can't replace her. I am such a animal lover and would have a small farm if I had the space and my husband would let me hahahha. If you are still reading and made it this far, thank you lol. I am going to be posting a lot and asking a lot of questions! Thank you for having me! <3
This all brings me to me currently reading and researching species of tortoises (I have been reading and stalking here for a few weeks). Prior to losing her I had been looking at getting a baby or two. Originally I had thought about a cherryhead, but now I am thinking maybe a Hermanns or a Leopard (I would not mix species if I got more then one). I don't want to feel like I am getting one to replace her. I can't replace her. I am such a animal lover and would have a small farm if I had the space and my husband would let me hahahha. If you are still reading and made it this far, thank you lol. I am going to be posting a lot and asking a lot of questions! Thank you for having me! <3
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