so what got u hooked on torts?

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skittles1

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I had never considered having torts or turtles for pets. Untill that is one day over 6 years ago. I was in a theme park where they often bring animals out to visit with guests. I can still remember my first encounter with a keeper walking a redfoot down the walkway. The tortoise swung his head toward a group of bushes, the keeper looked down and said "hey skittles , you be good now" as if on que the tortoise looked right up at her. It was like a dog responding to a master. I stopped to talk to the keeper about this little guy cause there was obviously more then met the eye to this relationship. I found out these guys (some of them ) really like the attention, that they liked walks and exploring new things. This little redfoot actually seemed to pick people out that had gathered arround to go see or meet. They had real personalities which I had never considered before. As I spent more time there I noticed how much the golopogos tortoise enjoyed visits from the zoo campers (kids that learn what it's like to be zoo keepers). One male in particular was very freindly with the kids and always approached them with his head stretched way out for a neck rub, and a carrot from the pocket of the keeper didn't hurt either. The other tortoises would often gather arround the kids too, but this one male never missed his chance. Sometimes he would even walk up to the fence so guests could pet him. Although their loud mating rituals almost cured me of my new found love, lol I decided to see if there were smaller more appropriate tortoises for someone like me to own. I definately did not want one that I needed a crane to get to the vet. I decided I did not want to mess with live food. And so eventually my research led me to the little russian. Perfect size, easy to feed, and in general living down here easy to get all the sunshine they need. Now just how hooked am I? ohh I got it bad. Even after two years of ownership I am constantly looking for new ways to improve their living quarters.
For instance we house hunting. LOL we found this house with a pool tile through out and a fire place. BUT I was attracted to the screened porch with a small doggie door. I looked out the brick patio on the outside and back at the doggie door and of course the nice space I could set up an indoor enclosure in the screen area. My husband saw me looking hard and tells the relator this is the one we will put an offer in on. She says because of a doggie door? My husband says oh yeah I can already see what she is thinking. She's thinking an nice big enclosure outside with sand and dirt built up to the doggie door and a nice big enclosure in here, filled of course with smooth river rock so her tortoises can come and go at will. I can just see her now sitting in her patio chair enjoying the torts and thinking they have so much space now maybe it's time to add some more to the herd. LOL He was exactly right! the only thing better then my kids and torts is a hubby who understands me. True story guys. And we are currently waiting to see if our offer on the house is going to get accepted.
 

Yvonne G

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When my grown son came home from being in the service, got his own place with a couple box turtles and a tortoise, then eventually got a rottweiler puppy, he asked me if I would take in the turtles and tortoise because he couldn't make the pup leave them alone. I took them, did my research (no computer in those days), bought many, many books and now I have a little over 100 turtles and tortoises!! I still have that very first tortoise and one of the box turtles.

Yvonne
 

skittles1

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OMH over a hundred?? Wow I hope I am not that addicted, I might not have such an understanding hubby!!!! LOl I love these little guys and I mother over them alot. Now my dog (ofcourse she is a really old dog) thinks they are disgusting. But it doesn't matter I still keep their outdoor area locked down and a heavy lid on the indoor tub, just in case she gets a hankering.
I really love the big guys, but I need to stick with what I know I can handle. I am only planning on adding one or two more females to my group, but no babies though.
 

skittles1

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I currently have two. One male skittles and one female bigmamma. how about u?
 

Jacqui

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First off, that is a wonderful story! :) It's true, nothing beats having an understanding husband when you become involved with shelled critters. :D I have had a husband of each type, so I know. :D The current one comes home from being on the road driving a truck to help me with the current project for them as how "his free time" is spent. ;)

For me, my love affair started as a small child also at a zoo. Of course my appetite had already been whetted by the earlier baby red eared slider craze.
Growing up we had a lot of free time on our hands and not a lot of money. Lucky for me there was a free zoo about 8 blocks away.

The zoo is no longer housed there, thank goodness because it was actually an awful place. Plain cement cubicles, heavy black metal bars, little light, lots of smell, ect.., In one of the back corners was a little even darker room...the reptile room. Raised on a wooden floor maybe 6' by 6' were two Galapagos tortoises. In my creative mind they were living dinosaurs and so very fascinating to watch. Even now I can still see their eyes in my mind.

After the troubles with keeping the RES, I never really thought about "owning" a tortoise. A found box turtle on the road and my son's continuing love of reptiles lead me to checking out pet stores and a reptile club. Thus the serious addiction began.

As for those torts who started it all, years after I met them, the entire zoo was moved a block further back. They got a large outside lot and an inside area that alone was probably twice the size of their old one. Unfortunately it was in the kid's petting area. Between goats and kids climbing on them all day, the zoo decided they needed a real home. Supposedly, the got shipped maybe to CA. Nobody at the zoo ever seems to be able to track them down for sure.
 

old4x4

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Speed and lifespan. I hate losing pets (lost an cat 3 weeks ago at 10 yrs old) I like to watch him tooling around the back yard in the summer and in his enclosure the other times of the year. He won't climb trees like my iguana has done (and that was a pain!!)
 
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