To the new people of the forum!

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Hope everything is okay now.
Merry Christmas! :):<3::tort:
I've been blessed for 12 years. No problems except a slightly elongated beak. I somehow must have done a few things right. I'm only learning what those things are since finding tfo and my mistakes also. Merry Christmas to you also. He's eating great. Am making a few changes from info found on this forum. Hopefully...another 12 years. Thanks for your encouragement.
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
I've been blessed for 12 years. No problems except a slightly elongated beak. I somehow must have done a few things right. I'm only learning what those things are since finding tfo and my mistakes also. Merry Christmas to you also. He's eating great. Am making a few changes from info found on this forum. Hopefully...another 12 years. Thanks for your encouragement.
Good luck!
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Good luck!
Thanks. I do have a tool though. Kinda like a dremal but it files human fingernails.IT won't file my skin. I've tried it. Wish I could talk my favorite exotic vet into his first beak trim on my tortoise and...
 

Gillian M

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
15,417
Location (City and/or State)
Jordan
Thanks. I do have a tool though. Kinda like a dremal but it files human fingernails.IT won't file my skin. I've tried it. Wish I could talk my favorite exotic vet into his first beak trim on my tortoise and...
Gosh!
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Our city needs a reptile vet. He would make a good one. What is still scaring me too death is holding my darling Saphire's jaw and head long enough and not hurt him. I'm working on a plan. In the meantime he's eating and the other stuff...
 

Unkapunka

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
240
Location (City and/or State)
Osage City
I hope I'm not stepping on toes here, but I just wanted to share my thoughts to everyone new to the forum wanting help as well as those who don't need help. I'm a new member and a first time tortoise owner. I've been following this forum for about a year now. I read and read and read and still continue to read every bit of info I can. That's because I want to make sure my little guy has the best I can possibly give him. I debated for months and months going back and forth on whether or not I should get a tortoise especially a large species. This was primarily due to all the conflicting information o read outside this forum and within this forum. What I mean by that last part is that there are a few members that I know of who are exhibits and who do their husbandry with very different techniques and ideas both with great results due to many many years of research etc. I bring this up because I have heard a million times that I shouldn't get one because I live in Indiana and the weather is rather unpredictable and harsh in the winter. This had caused all the internal battling that I had, but with the help of this forum I had made my decision and at that moment I became committed, responsible, and obligated for the hatchlings life before I even got one. As I stated above I had been researching and reading for almost a year. I'm not an expert by any men's nor will I ever claim to be. All, the knowledge I gained us been from all the members of this forum and their experiences. Well, good for you Drew. I'm happy for you.

The purpose of this post is to share my thoughts about people being new to the forum, tortoise/turtle husbandry, or whatever your case is. So, let's get to it. I have read many threads, countless threads, where new people have gotten on here and have wanted help. Nothing that isn't new; however, a lot of what I read is new people getting offended by the excited and very experienced members of this forum. One thread that pops out the most is that this member has posted some inquiries about placing a mirror in his enclosure and wanted everyone's thoughts in accordance to the info he had provided. In short, an expert gave some inights and thoughts into the matter. The OP gets very upset and responds by lashing out at the expert.
This is just one example of the many times me purple have taken offense to sound advice.

So, my thoughts now. If you're new seeking help, advice, etc please take a few things in consideration on this forum.

1. There are EXPERTS on this forum. These people will help you and answer all your questions; however, for the sake of the animal they may respond in ways tat may seem harsh or in ways that may seem as though they are attacking you.

I assure you that they are not. Lol at it this way. If you were a doctor working on a patient and an intern comes in and requests information on how to care for the patient in whatever condition and you as the doctor understand the lack of experience and the value of the patients life you most likely will give the intern the information in a very precise, adamant, and assertive way. The intern may not agree or like how he/she received the information and may possibly feel attacked, but that intern needs to understand that no matter what the doctors goal is to make sure that the patient gets the best care with the most updated and correct information as possible.

Keep in mind that when coming here or anywhere for that matter and asking for help on the care of a living creature tat three person helping you has only the best intentions and most of all the understanding of the importance of your little guys health in giving you the help you have sought out here.

So, don't take their responses personally. That's one ignorant and two taking away from the important issue at hand. Your little guy!

2. If you got an issue with a response from a member I would suggest messaging them politely and let them know "Hey, your reply/post seemed to be somewhat aggressive towards me. (Or however you perceive it)." And work it out tat way instead of lashing out through posts. Or contact a moderator.

3. Debate if you must, but why argue with an expert. I love a good debate and I'm willing to do it constructively. Both sides are more likely to learn from each other of respect and integrity is intact . Everyone, I this forum regardless of experience still learns from each other. So, don't have to like every ounce of feedback, advice, etc. And if you find something you don't agree with, like, or whatever that's fine. You don't have to But again there are extremely experienced people on this forum who do not have to take the time to share their knowledge or help us. They do this because they care about the animal and the people taking care of them. So, keep the respect for these members, yourself, and your little guy.

Just some insight for everyone.
 

Tim Carlisle

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Nov 13, 2017
Messages
2,560
Location (City and/or State)
Cincinnati, OH
Hello everyone...Im spanking new in this forum n Im loving all the info I can absorb...please feel free to share all ur knowledge with me ...and may all the tortoise power be with all of us.:)
The collective knowledge of the forum members is unlike anything you will see from any other source. I once thought it would be a good idea to write a book on the information one could compile for this forum alone. What I soon learned is that writing a book would be an act of futility, as new information and experiences too dynamic to ever incorporate into static print. Even some of the more seasoned tortoise keepers here stand to learn more from others' experiences. I've been raising turtles and torts for many years and learn something new or different every time I visit the forum. There are so many members that have aided me and I am repressed to call them all out, but I would like to throw a special "thank you" to @Tom whose advice and direction to me has been beyond measure. @Tom : thanks for all you do bud!
 

Alphakenc

Member
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
48
Location (City and/or State)
Love island
The collective knowledge of the forum members is unlike anything you will see from any other source. I once thought it would be a good idea to write a book on the information one could compile for this forum alone. What I soon learned is that writing a book would be an act of futility, as new information and experiences too dynamic to ever incorporate into static print. Even some of the more seasoned tortoise keepers here stand to learn more from others' experiences. I've been raising turtles and torts for many years and learn something new or different every time I visit the forum. There are so many members that have aided me and I am repressed to call them all out, but I would like to throw a special "thank you" to @Tom whose advice and direction to me has been beyond measure. @Tom : thanks for all you do bud!
Ahh thank u for the info n much appreciated to be with all the great members in this forum:)
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
The collective knowledge of the forum members is unlike anything you will see from any other source. I once thought it would be a good idea to write a book on the information one could compile for this forum alone. What I soon learned is that writing a book would be an act of futility, as new information and experiences too dynamic to ever incorporate into static print. Even some of the more seasoned tortoise keepers here stand to learn more from others' experiences. I've been raising turtles and torts for many years and learn something new or different every time I visit the forum. There are so many members that have aided me and I am repressed to call them all out, but I would like to throw a special "thank you" to @Tom whose advice and direction to me has been beyond measure. @Tom : thanks for all you do bud!
That is so true. I'm so glad I found this site. I learn something new everyday.
 
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