VENT "He's just a turtle"

AnimalLady

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How many times has someone said this to you and you want to smack them upside their heads?

No, NO he's not just a "turtle", he's a fking TORTOISE to start with and he kicks ***. This is my normal response and then I get on with my day. Today I had to deal with a guy I work with who's normally obnoxious but especially so today. He claims that you cant do anything with a "turtle" and they should not be considered pets. I'm not great with conflict so I smile and nod, pretty much ignoring him, finally when he wouldn't stop, I calmly told him to shut the fk up. That did it... but man, its annoying how many people say this!

What do you tell them when they say crap like this?
 

AnimalLady

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I don't really have friends.. and my family (extended) think I'm nuts (crazy animal lady).. eh :confused:
 

AnimalLady

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I personally think you don't need to cuddle and play with an animal to consider it a pet!
So long as I am caring for the animal properly and showing him affection (in my torts case, feeding him!) I consider that a pet..

This guy wasn't worth that little explanation though.
 

Careym13

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I get what your are saying though. All of my close friends are animal people and they still think I'm weird for having tortoises. I've had to get a little bit short with a few of them but now they all know not to give me too much of a hard time.
 

dmmj

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30 years and counting. I get that whenkever I tell one of them has died. I always get but its just a turtle
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Most who know me have known me since I had pythons then 30 or so snakes. None of my friends are rude towards me in regard to my tortoises. I have been known to make fun of myself about the tortoises simply because it's easier for me.
 

bouaboua

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When My friends found out I have tortoise as pat, they all fascinated by the beauty and the cuteness of them. Cell phone none stop taking photo and ask question. By God's grace, my friends mostly are cool with tortoises.
 

bouaboua

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And some of them, regularly taking their young kids to my house to visit my torts. Kids leane how to handle and feed them. We all have good time.
 

MPRC

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I wear the 'crazy animal lady' badge proudly. I'd rather hang out with my torts than 95% of the population.

I have an aunt who gives me crap constantly. I smile, I nod, I post photos on her Facebook of them wearing party hats and sitting at the dinner table with us just to irritate her.
 

bouaboua

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I wear the 'crazy animal lady' badge proudly. I'd rather hang out with my torts than 95% of the population.

I have an aunt who gives me crap constantly. I smile, I nod, I post photos on her Facebook of them wearing party hats and sitting at the dinner table with us just to irritate her.
Good one! I like it.
 

kirsty Johnston

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I have the same problem lol
The thing I usually get asked is 'what do they do?' It makes me so angry. If it's not a dog or Cat then people don't get it!
But I also like that I am an owner to something different from the rest of the people I know. At least I'm myself and I like what I like. at the end of the day i love my tortoise and others opinions are totally irrelevant :)
 

Cowboy_Ken

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I'm with you Kirsty, 100%. Buuuutt, I'm over 51 so lots of the folks I know are of my age group. My younger friends in the 20-30 year range, as they get out of their trucks ask first, "Before anything Ken, how much tortoise porn do you have on your iPhone?" And yes, they are serious. The other group of friends in the 40-50+ year range call and say, "The grandkids are up Ken, can we bring them up for a field trip?" In both cases, I say yes. The field trip group typically bring weeds they've allowed to grow big a strong just for tortoise feeding field trips.
 

tortoise5643

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I agree. One time, my brother noticed how big my tortoise cage was and said it was taking up to much of my room because "what do turtles even do? They just sit all day".
 

Tidgy's Dad

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The people here are like this for all animals.
"It's not important, it's only an animal."
Once, i was looking at a beautiful toad in the river, a huge, gorgeous beast and my friend Hameed came over and asked what i was looking at.
I pointed and he looked for a moment.
"Can you eat it ?".he asked.
"No!", i replied.
He shrugged and walked away.
Tortoises here are toys for children, nothing more.
 

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