Ellie933
Member
I have ALWAYS loved animals- you name it, I begged my parents for it. We have always had dogs and cats- Molly, Aveeva, Pete, Rupert, and Annie. My parents also occasionally gave in to my relentless requests for pets, so we had smaller animals like gerbils, rats, fish (I don't even want to think about how many poor fish I killed in my attempts to care for them at a young age), and even hermit crabs! I believe that my sweet hermit crabs are a primary reason that my darling Pebble and I didn't meet for so long. I wanted hermit crabs so very badly, and I checked out every book in my local library and school library on how to care for them. I read them all and finally in the summer of (probably) 2013, I was able to convince my parents to let me get them. Unfortunately, we bought all the equipment and followed the directions that the PET STORE gave us... I'm sure you see where this is going. I like to believe that my hermit crabs had a nice life with me, but they lived only a mere 3 years. I was devastated, and my parents decided that we should "Stick to mammals", because we knew how to care for them.
Now, my Russian Tortoise, Pebble, is clearly not a mammal.
Even more than any other pet, I have always desperately wanted a turtle or tortoise. They have always just been so interesting to me! (I am even doing a conservation project with the Alabama red-bellied cooter for my Girl Scout Gold Award- but that's a different story.)
Every time we went to the zoo, I ran to the reptile section. Any time we went to the pet store, I made my way to the tortoises to stare at them (which probably freaked them out). And when my older cousin got two Sulcata hatchlings- boy was I jealous... and fascinated.
My parent's main concern was my responsibility, and they consequently were not that open to getting 10-year-old me a pet that wasn't within their care wheelhouse. I was devastated, and I begged my Mom to reconsider. This begging went on for a few months in the beautiful year of 2018, until my Mom finally gave in... in her own way.
She told me that if I could take complete care of my cat Aveeva, and our two dogs Rupert and Annie, that I could get a tortoise. Needless to say, I was ecstatic! Finally, the pet of my dreams! A scaled friend to lie in the sun with on warm summer days! We could bask together in the warmth and let the sun hit our faces- I would finally have a darling little tortoise friend to call my own!
Alas, we looked into it. My Mom and I realized just how much work tortoises took, and how much care they required. We looked into the ethical issues of wild-caught reptiles, and all the equipment they needed, and my sweet mother got dejavu from the hermit crabs. She called of the deal, and apologized that she had offered it without thinking. I was so upset, and my Dad got me a tortoise plushie to make up for it. While softer than a tortoise, it wasn't the same. Cute note though, the plushie is approximately the size Pebble will be as an adult. (Picture of plushie below)
I understood her resoning though, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt the precious tortoises. So I resigned myself to admiring them from afar, longing to have my own to love and care for.
This seemingly unatatinable dream continued for years, until October 1st, 2022.
We went to a pet store 30 minutes away from our house to get my younger sister's gifted education class their class pet. Which is a super cute axolotyl named Muddy Buddy! While we were there, I took to my usual practice of going to stare at the tortoises, which on that specific day captive-bred Sulcata tortoise hatchlings. One of them clumsily waddled itself right over to me, and all of the longing for a tortoise of my own came rushing back and practically slapped me in the face. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I started crying when the baby crawled towards me. It was just so sweet! (Video link below- it was too cute not to share!)
On the car ride home my mom said to my sister and I, "We are NOT getting another pet, but there were so many cool animals in there! if you could choose one pet in the whole store, which would it be?"
My sister's response was the miniature pigs we saw, and my response was the baby tortoise.
My mom seemed surprised (not sure why) that I had chosen the tortoise, and made the offhand remark that since I had a job and was making my own money now, and because I was doing so well in high school, that maybe I could get a tortoise.
This took me totally by surprise! She had always been so adamant that reptiles wouldn't work for our family! I was so surprised! I didn't want to push it, so I tried to act cool, but I was overwhelmed with joy!
I went home and started to research different breeds of tortoises- their sizes, care needs, beginner-friendly-ness, temperments, etc.
I finally decided that a Russian Tortoise would be the best fit for me.
However, I knew how much work they needed, and I didn't want my baby to be an impulse purchase. I looked into different breeders, substrates, enclosures, and made a definitive list of all I would need. I worked on saving enough money and I had been talking to the breeder about care.
The only concern: time.
I had so much going on, school, work, plays, community service, art club, drama club, girl scouts- would I have time to give a tortoise adequate care?
I took an entire month to mull it over. I tracked how much free-time I had each day vs. how much time I would need to take care of my tortoise, and I considered whether I would be able to give her the best life, or if someone else would.
After all, this wasn't about me, it was about my tortoise. It is foolish to think that tortoises are the right fit for everyone, and it would be selfish for me to get a tortoise if it wasn't what was best for her!
After much deliberation, I decided that I could provide the conditions needed. And I knew she wouldn't get the same love from anyone else.
It was this insane moment of "Oh my gosh, this could actually happen!".
Pebble wasn't just a wishful figment of my imagination, she was a real baby tortoise that trusted and loved me. It was so surreal, and taking care of her has been the most fulfilling experience of my life.
Now my childish dreams are a reality, we bask together ouside on the warm days, I sit next to her enclosure with a warm mug of camomile tea and a blanket on the cool days, and she lets me pat her sweet little head. She is about 10 months old now, and I couldn't be more proud of her. I love her so so much, and I am so glad that I have found this forum so that I can chronicle her adventures and get advice when needed.
TL;DR I have always wanted a tortoise but I thought I'd never have one. Finally after much hard work I have a healthy happy Russian named Pebble.
Now, my Russian Tortoise, Pebble, is clearly not a mammal.
Even more than any other pet, I have always desperately wanted a turtle or tortoise. They have always just been so interesting to me! (I am even doing a conservation project with the Alabama red-bellied cooter for my Girl Scout Gold Award- but that's a different story.)
Every time we went to the zoo, I ran to the reptile section. Any time we went to the pet store, I made my way to the tortoises to stare at them (which probably freaked them out). And when my older cousin got two Sulcata hatchlings- boy was I jealous... and fascinated.
My parent's main concern was my responsibility, and they consequently were not that open to getting 10-year-old me a pet that wasn't within their care wheelhouse. I was devastated, and I begged my Mom to reconsider. This begging went on for a few months in the beautiful year of 2018, until my Mom finally gave in... in her own way.
She told me that if I could take complete care of my cat Aveeva, and our two dogs Rupert and Annie, that I could get a tortoise. Needless to say, I was ecstatic! Finally, the pet of my dreams! A scaled friend to lie in the sun with on warm summer days! We could bask together in the warmth and let the sun hit our faces- I would finally have a darling little tortoise friend to call my own!
Alas, we looked into it. My Mom and I realized just how much work tortoises took, and how much care they required. We looked into the ethical issues of wild-caught reptiles, and all the equipment they needed, and my sweet mother got dejavu from the hermit crabs. She called of the deal, and apologized that she had offered it without thinking. I was so upset, and my Dad got me a tortoise plushie to make up for it. While softer than a tortoise, it wasn't the same. Cute note though, the plushie is approximately the size Pebble will be as an adult. (Picture of plushie below)
I understood her resoning though, and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt the precious tortoises. So I resigned myself to admiring them from afar, longing to have my own to love and care for.
This seemingly unatatinable dream continued for years, until October 1st, 2022.
We went to a pet store 30 minutes away from our house to get my younger sister's gifted education class their class pet. Which is a super cute axolotyl named Muddy Buddy! While we were there, I took to my usual practice of going to stare at the tortoises, which on that specific day captive-bred Sulcata tortoise hatchlings. One of them clumsily waddled itself right over to me, and all of the longing for a tortoise of my own came rushing back and practically slapped me in the face. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I started crying when the baby crawled towards me. It was just so sweet! (Video link below- it was too cute not to share!)
On the car ride home my mom said to my sister and I, "We are NOT getting another pet, but there were so many cool animals in there! if you could choose one pet in the whole store, which would it be?"
My sister's response was the miniature pigs we saw, and my response was the baby tortoise.
My mom seemed surprised (not sure why) that I had chosen the tortoise, and made the offhand remark that since I had a job and was making my own money now, and because I was doing so well in high school, that maybe I could get a tortoise.
This took me totally by surprise! She had always been so adamant that reptiles wouldn't work for our family! I was so surprised! I didn't want to push it, so I tried to act cool, but I was overwhelmed with joy!
I went home and started to research different breeds of tortoises- their sizes, care needs, beginner-friendly-ness, temperments, etc.
I finally decided that a Russian Tortoise would be the best fit for me.
However, I knew how much work they needed, and I didn't want my baby to be an impulse purchase. I looked into different breeders, substrates, enclosures, and made a definitive list of all I would need. I worked on saving enough money and I had been talking to the breeder about care.
The only concern: time.
I had so much going on, school, work, plays, community service, art club, drama club, girl scouts- would I have time to give a tortoise adequate care?
I took an entire month to mull it over. I tracked how much free-time I had each day vs. how much time I would need to take care of my tortoise, and I considered whether I would be able to give her the best life, or if someone else would.
After all, this wasn't about me, it was about my tortoise. It is foolish to think that tortoises are the right fit for everyone, and it would be selfish for me to get a tortoise if it wasn't what was best for her!
After much deliberation, I decided that I could provide the conditions needed. And I knew she wouldn't get the same love from anyone else.
It was this insane moment of "Oh my gosh, this could actually happen!".
Pebble wasn't just a wishful figment of my imagination, she was a real baby tortoise that trusted and loved me. It was so surreal, and taking care of her has been the most fulfilling experience of my life.
Now my childish dreams are a reality, we bask together ouside on the warm days, I sit next to her enclosure with a warm mug of camomile tea and a blanket on the cool days, and she lets me pat her sweet little head. She is about 10 months old now, and I couldn't be more proud of her. I love her so so much, and I am so glad that I have found this forum so that I can chronicle her adventures and get advice when needed.
TL;DR I have always wanted a tortoise but I thought I'd never have one. Finally after much hard work I have a healthy happy Russian named Pebble.
