tortoise and dog??

[immiexxo]

Hey everyone.

I have concerns about my tortoise and my nans dog. I am staying at my nans while I'm home from uni and when I first got my tortoise, I didn't want my dog anywhere near him dye to things I read about on the Internet. However my grandparents think the dog is their 'baby' and it can do no wrong. And they are constantly putting my tort right in front of her face so she can 'get used to it'

In all fairness the dog has been fine with Percy the tort, she sniffs him a lot and seems to 'protect' him in the way that she barks if he becomes stuck or gets into any difficulty in the garden and scares any birds or cats away when they come into the garden.

I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with the grandparents constantly letting the dog so near to the tort. I'm at work a lot and leave Percy in the garden in a run but by the time I'm home he's just walking freely in the garden with the dog and I couldn't forgive them if anything happened between them.

Any advice please on dogs and tortoises being together? Am I over reacting? Any stories on dogs and torts getting on/ bad things happening when they're together?

Thank youuuu

 

[leigti]

Do a search here on the forum about dogs and tortoises. It's very very sad. Print it out and let your grandparents read it. Everybody thinks that their dog would not hurt their tortoise until they do. And them sticking it in the dogs face will actually make it worse. This is a life and death situation for your tortoise, no exaggeration.

 

[wellington]

My advice would be to be nice, but stern and tell the GP that the tort is your pet, and your rules should be followed, as you would follow their rules with their dog. Then find some of the dog threads on here and have them read them. Let them know, that it's not smart to take a risk that will hurt an animal if not kill it. Plain and simple, it's your tortoise and they should respect your wishes as they would want you to respect theirs.

 

[Gillian M]

You'd better take care as a dog could hurt, if not KILL a tort, GOD forbid

And a warm welcome to the forum.

 

[immiexxo]

Do a search here on the forum about dogs and tortoises. It's very very sad. Print it out and let your grandparents read it.

I will definitely be doing this tomorrow, thank you!

 

[dmmj]

just do a search for dog attack. Everyone begins with my dog never paid any attention to the. tortoise until it did did. You're playing with fire

 

[Tom]

Read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-dog-story.45850/

The dog should not ever have access to the tortoise. By putting the tortoise in front of the dog, they are teaching the dog to get comfortable and familiar with the tortoise. They are also basically "offering" the tortoise to the dog. THe dog will eventually accept their offer.

It is only a question of time until your tortoise is mauled and permanently disfigured or killed. If this happens you will never forgive yourself and you will always wish you had done something to prevent it.

Do something to prevent it!!!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's not that dogs are mean. Some certainly are. But tortoises look like so many things that dogs like to chew on and apparently they also taste good.
Instinctual behavior can't be corrected or anticipated it seems.
And in most cases the dog does usually and eventually chew on the tortoise.

 

[immiexxo]

Read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-dog-story.45850/

The dog should not ever have access to the tortoise. By putting the tortoise in front of the dog, they are teaching the dog to get comfortable and familiar with the tortoise. They are also basically "offering" the tortoise to the dog. THe dog will eventually accept their offer.

It is only a question of time until your tortoise is mauled and permanently disfigured or killed. If this happens you will never forgive yourself and you will always wish you had done something to prevent it.

Do something to prevent it!!!

I read this before I posted as I was concerned. My grandparents just won't listen and keep saying the dog is fine. I'm so upset, I don't want to risk it at all. How would they feel if it was the dog in this position. They just won't listen. I don't want to keep my tortoise in my room all day or inside while I'm working but I can't trust them to leave him in his pen. I didn't live with them when I got him and have no where else to go for the next few weeks.
Any ideas on how to get them to listen? They won't have any of it!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Read to them these posts.

 

[immiexxo]

I'm going to show them this tomorrow but they'll still say 'no she won't do anything... she's fine.. bla bla'
It really is getting to me, I just think it's so unfair because if it was vice versa they'd do anything to ensure their pet is fine!
Very frustrating situation
Thank you for the advice x

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

How are you housing your tortoise while at your grandparents place? Is the enclosure dog proof -if not, can you not make it dog proof and then just ask your grandparents not to take your tortoise out of its enclosure?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Maybe someone with more computer skills than myself can give you some links from members that thought the same and now know better.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Temporarily even a crude wire cage might be a better short term answer.

 

[dmmj]

Read to them these posts.

sadly it won't sink in.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Temporarily even a crude wire cage might be a better short term answer.

The wire cage is for the dog right
Sorry love torts !

 

[immiexxo]

How are you housing your tortoise while at your grandparents place? Is the enclosure dog proof -if not, can you not make it dog proof and then just ask your grandparents not to take your tortoise out of its enclosure?

He has an indoor tortoise table that he sleeps in overnight and has a large run type enclosure that is dog proof if they'd stop opening it and letting the dog in! Literally the just won't listen because they think the dog isn't capable of doing any wrong but it's not a risk I'm willing to take.
I've even considered rehoming my tortoise because of how unreasonable they're being. They say they'll leave it so the dog can't get in and then ill come home from work and the dog is constantly around my tortoise and they've opened the enclosure!
Or they let my tortoise walk around the house which I'm really unhappy with as they also have my cousins and other guests walking about that may step on him, so as if the dog situation wasn't bad enough there's extra risk there. I've told them to leave him be but they pick him up and do as they please with him.
I really don't know what to do!

 

[immiexxo]

The wire cage is for the dog right
Sorry love torts !

It really should be!!

 

[Carol S]

Can you put a lock on the outside tortoise run? Also can you lock your bedroom door to keep relatives out your room so they do not have access to your tortoise?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Honestly, if they really won't listen and locking the tortoise run/your room isn't an option, I would consider finding a temporary home for your tortoise until your living situation changes (this is just short term, right?). If they aren't respecting your wishes to this great of a degree, I wouldn't feel comfortable keeping the animal in their home.