Were you scared?

[AuroraShire]

Hey everyone, I’m curious about something.

As I’m getting ready to get my first tortoise, I just feel so nervous about doing everything correctly. Proper diet, supplementation, lighting, heating, humidity. I just wanna do right by my future friend. I grew up in a house where we basically did everything wrong with our animals. Extreme over correction with dogs, improper handling with cats, our birds developed fatty liver due to improper diet, snakes and baby turtles died because we had no clue what we were doing. Since becoming an adult, when I get my own pets, I do extensive research, hence my presence on this site. But this research can lead me to feeling paralyzed, like I’ll never know enough to do it right. I guess it’s my own form of perfectionism, which I don’t really have a problem with otherwise.

Was anyone else nervous or scared to get their first tortoise? The newbie guides I found from @Markw84 and @Tom have really helped put my mind at ease…for the most part lol

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I think I was more anxious than scared or nervous.

 

[COmtnLady]

Do you have (human) kids, AuroraShire? Most people go through that whole thought process with the first of those, too. It just shows your "Hallmark" side - you care enough do the very best you can. You get a gold star for that!

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[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

To Be Honest, brumation scares me/makes me anxious

 

[Ink]

I was so excited. At least you have the forum experts to help you out.

 

[Tom]

Hey everyone, I’m curious about something.

As I’m getting ready to get my first tortoise, I just feel so nervous about doing everything correctly. Proper diet, supplementation, lighting, heating, humidity. I just wanna do right by my future friend. I grew up in a house where we basically did everything wrong with our animals. Extreme over correction with dogs, improper handling with cats, our birds developed fatty liver due to improper diet, snakes and baby turtles died because we had no clue what we were doing. Since becoming an adult, when I get my own pets, I do extensive research, hence my presence on this site. But this research can lead me to feeling paralyzed, like I’ll never know enough to do it right. I guess it’s my own form of perfectionism, which I don’t really have a problem with otherwise.

Was anyone else nervous or scared to get their first tortoise? The newbie guides I found from @Markw84 and @Tom have really helped put my mind at ease…for the most part lol

I think I felt the same as you, but I might describe it with different words. I too feel guilty about past mistakes due to my ignorance and following the ignorant advice of yesteryear. It's part of what motivates me to do better now and take the time to share what I've learned, so that other people don't have to go through what I went through. I wish there had been a forum like this in the 80s and 90s when I was figuring all of this out. Back then we all read the books and magazines, talked to breeders and "experts" at the reptile shows, and asked the local pet store gurus what to do. Some of the info was good and worked, and some of it was bad and didn't work. We were really stumbling around in the dark, as it were.

You've seen the care guides. You've got some experience already. I think you will do great. Ask all of your questions. Everyone here loves talking tortoises. That is why we are here. You aren't bothering anyone by asking lots of questions. You are fueling a conversation we all want to have.

 

[AuroraShire]

Do you have (human) kids, AuroraShire? Most people go through that whole thought process with the first of those, too. It just shows your "Hallmark" side - you care enough do the very best you can. You get a gold star for that!

​

I don’t have my own kids, because of my extensive health issues. But I love kids! I love to hang out with new moms and help ladies meal prep, because I know it can be really hard with little kids underfoot. That being said, you’re totally right. New parents should be nervous, and it can drive them to do better, even knowing that they’ll make mistakes. Like I’m sure I will. But at least I have all of you to help me avoid the most common mistakes! <3

 

[AuroraShire]

I think I felt the same as you, but I might describe it with different words. I too feel guilty about past mistakes due to my ignorance and following the ignorant advice of yesteryear. It's part of what motivates me to do better now and take the time to share what I've learned, so that other people don't have to go through what I went through. I wish there had been a forum like this in the 80s and 90s when I was figuring all of this out. Back then we all read the books and magazines, talked to breeders and "experts" at the reptile shows, and asked the local pet store gurus what to do. Some of the info was good and worked, and some of it was bad and didn't work. We were really stumbling around in the dark, as it were.

You've seen the care guides. You've got some experience already. I think you will do great. Ask all of your questions. Everyone here loves talking tortoises. That is why we are here. You aren't bothering anyone by asking lots of questions. You are fueling a conversation we all want to have.

Thanks, Tom. I sometimes forget that we all followed the path that we were set upon by those who came before, not just me. But it’s our job to change course when those methods prove not to work, and I respect all of you who did decades of trial and error so that I don’t have to. I’ll do my best to change my anxiety into excitement! And once my husband and I start putting together our enclosure, I’ll post pictures and ask questions!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

This post shows how much you truly care to do right by your new tortoise, I think that says a lot about the kind of person you are