Why do you have a tortoise(s)???

[Kymiie]

Just for coincidance, why do you have tortoises?

My Reason...

I did have an intrest in tortoises when my friend got one for her 16th birthday, he ''timmy'' was so cute and immediately i fell in love with him too!

I then too got a hatchling tortoise ''sheffie'' for my 16th but sadly he died!
Then i got an older tortoise ''crush'' and he is doing fine!

Personally I dont think that reptiles should be pets same with other animals apart from your domestic pets IE rabbit dog cat hamster.

For me seeing my two tortoises cramped in a viverium with loads of other tortoises made me want to rescue them!
Sheffie was in with about another 20
Crush was in with another 1

If i had the room I would of taken them all to save them all from being cramped but unfortunately i couldnt.

I do go pet shops now and see the torts every weekend and say if i see problems like I went to ''wet pets' a tortoise over grown beak way past his chin... I told them...2wks later still nothing done so i threatened them with vet calls and shutting their business because they was not looking after their animals correctly...Went back the next week...he was fine!!

So that why i have a pet tortoise...because i saved him from a pet shop being cfamped in a cage!!

How about you?

xx

 

[Candy]

We got Dale for Alexander (my son) for Christmas last year. We went to get a turtle, but I spotted the tortoises first (because I knew nothing about either of the them). I first bought the Sulcata for him and then came home and read about it and decided that would be too big and too much trouble for us so we went back and picked out Dale. The funny thing is that I saw Dale in the same tank as the Sulcata but didn't really noticed him too much and when I did I thought "that is one ugly tortoise" with his red spots and all. Well same as with our pug I grew to just love the way Dale looks. He's very special to me. Most people think that he's mine not Alexander's because I'm always doing things for him or talking about how cute he is.

 

[mctlong]

Mine are pets. However, my bf using them to form a tortoise army. They're quiet, so the enemy will never know they're coming... and we can tie lazor beams to their heads....

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Shelly, I talked to Taco about it and she is strongly commited to enlisting. She could provide forward reconnaisance, as she is quick on her feet and fearless as a scout.

For Kymiie: like others here Taco's story is complicated, and described in detail on another thread, but she is not just a pet to me. Like you, and most of the other TFO members, I have fallen completely in love with her and feel like she's a member of the family.

 

[GBtortoises]

Because Hippos wouldn't fit through my basement doorway.

 

[Shelly]

They are very interesting, and my Desert Tortoises are the ultimate low maintenance pet. I could lock up my back yard, come back ten years later, and they would be fine. I don't do anything for them besides giving them the occasional treat, and they are thriving.

 

[fhintz]

I never owned a pet before, and I really hadn't been thinking of getting one. One day when I was kind of grumpy, a friend of mine told me a story about two turtles going out on a picnic. Here is a shorter version. They went off with sandwiches, but after getting a ways out realized they forgot drinks. One turtle suggested the other go back to get drinks as there was no reason for both to go, so the second turtle headed back. After a while, the first turtle was getting hungry and started to eat one of the sandwiches. At this, the second turtle popped up out of hiding and said "Ah ha! I knew you were going to eat my sandwich."

Anyways, the story kind of resonated with me somehow. I thought the turtles should get all the sandwiches they wanted. So, I decided to research getting one. My first stop was the pet store and they didn't have turtles, but they had tortoises. So, I started looking into those. I went back several times, really just to visit the one Redfoot Tortoise they had, that just sort of caught my eye.

A few months of research later and even after one delay of a few weeks due to something taking me out of town, she (though both the pet store and I assumed she was a he at the time) was still there, and so now she's home with me. Even though I worried about giving her the best care possible, I was certain she'd be better with me than stuck in the store. So, that's the short version of how I met my little buddy Themistocles. She's my little precious.

Frank

 

[Shalon]

I didn't vote because i wasn't sure what to put. I have always loved turtles and tortoises since I was a little kid and always wanted one. Someone was offering a cherry head redfoot on craigslist for free with tank. We went to look and she was in a 70 gallon aquarium, she is 7 inches in length. He told us that he fed her mostly carrots. I knew that wasn't the right info since I had already done some research so I took her home.
So I guess you could say she is a pet that I saved? I don't know.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I voted other as Trevor is our tortoise baby son, not just a pet. Tortoises have been a passion of mine every since I was a little kid, but I waited until I was out of college, in my own place, and could financially care for him how he deserves. Very spoiled! Getting a tortoise was a bigger life dream for me than having kids. It is about tied with owning my own home (haven't done that yet).

 

[dmmj]

Have said this before but, got my first one at 8 and have loved them ever since. Now I do informal rescue around my area, for people who either need or want to get rid of theirs.

 

[bikerchicspain]

My first was Mini whom i rescued but then the bug hit me and now they are my family..Couldnt imagine life without a tort

 

[sammi]

I used to have a cocker spaniel that I grew up with and loved dearly. He passed a few years back, and since I had him since I was a kid, it was very hard for me to get over him. Since high school, I have also been dubbed with the nickname "turtle". My favorite color was green too, and my slight obsession with turtles grew. I met my current boyfriend, and he learned of my nickname and my love for turtles. This past year for my birthday and our anniversary, he surprised me with a little tortoise! Since getting him, it has helped me overcome the loss of the dog. When I asked him why he got me a tortoise [being as I had never mentioned wanting one, the thought never crossed my mind], he told me ever since he met me, he always wanted to bring me home a little turtle. =] Best present ever!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

I used to have a cocker spaniel that I grew up with and loved dearly. He passed a few years back, and since I had him since I was a kid, it was very hard for me to get over him. Since high school, I have also been dubbed with the nickname "turtle". My favorite color was green too, and my slight obsession with turtles grew. I met my current boyfriend, and he learned of my nickname and my love for turtles. This past year for my birthday and our anniversary, he surprised me with a little tortoise! Since getting him, it has helped me overcome the loss of the dog. When I asked him why he got me a tortoise [being as I had never mentioned wanting one, the thought never crossed my mind], he told me ever since he met me, he always wanted to bring me home a little turtle. =] Best present ever!

Sweet!

 

[Madortoise]

I put other.
I never thought I would have a tortoise, to tell you the truth. My husband brought her home one day w/out telling me. He was so sneaky that I didn't know we had her for 2 wks. I was set on getting a puggle then so I didn't know why he was telling me that I couldn't have this cute pup. Then he confessed. I was so mad at first but I fell in love with our tort. She's a long-term commitment and our family now.

 

[techiegrl]

Well it all started when I was little and had a cute (little did I know then) Baby Red Eared Slider. I have loved them ever since. I stumbled into a pet store that had 20 Greeks all in a tank about 15 yrs ago. They are great pets, really fun personalitites. People think they are boring pets I can just sit outside for hours just watching them cruze around and eat and sun

 

[reptylefreek]

Currently did both. Marlin is a pet and bought as one and my Leopard was sorta rescued sorta not. I have learned a valuble lesson. You really never have to pay for an animal. There are so many out there that are free because some dumb s**t doesn't want to take care of them any more. You might have to deal with a sick animal but it is so rewarding to save one that was unwanted. So now I dont really rescue formally per say but I just take what is not wanted.

 

[DuttonWebb]

other. because I wish I could be a tortoise. I look at my tortoise as a teacher...

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Since I was about five and i first read 'Esio Trot' I always wanted a tortoise, and i always wanted to name him Alfie. At the time my brother was three and we had a dog so i was never allowed one. I resolved that one day, when i was grown up, I would own a tortoise and he would be called Alfie.

Skip twenty years, the dog was replaced by my sister, i went to university, left university, had a baby, got my own house, and then thought that surely i was 'grown up' enough to finally have my tortoise. So i did a bit of research, and one day Alfie arrives in a big brown box with little holes in it! Have now had him for four months and am still amazed that i finally got a tortoise and just like the 'real' Alfie of 'Esio Trot' i'm trying to make him 'teg gib reggib'...

Now there is a story of great self controll! Maybe Alfie will actually be a girl and maybe one day 'he' will have a friend called Matilda,but best wait another 20 years so the decision isn't too rash.

Perhaps next i will find true love by having some tortoise banter on my balcony...

 

[sammi]

Since I was about five and i first read 'Esio Trot' I always wanted a tortoise, and i always wanted to name him Alfie. At the time my brother was three and we had a dog so i was never allowed one. I resolved that one day, when i was grown up, I would own a tortoise and he would be called Alfie.

Skip twenty years, the dog was replaced by my sister, i went to university, left university, had a baby, got my own house, and then thought that surely i was 'grown up' enough to finally have my tortoise. So i did a bit of research, and one day Alfie arrives in a big brown box with little holes in it! Have now had him for four months and am still amazed that i finally got a tortoise and just like the 'real' Alfie of 'Esio Trot' i'm trying to make him 'teg gib reggib'...

Now there is a story of great self controll! Maybe Alfie will actually be a girl and maybe one day 'he' will have a friend called Matilda,but best wait another 20 years so the decision isn't too rash.

Perhaps next i will find true love by having some tortoise banter on my balcony...

Adorable!! =]

 

[samstar]

I love animals to begin with especially Dogs and reptiles. I have always loved tortoises since a kid and having Torty in my life helps me relax and get away from the rubbish that revolves around me when I'm not with Torty. I guess Torty is like a therapy to me and my mind of things. I love taking care of him and watching him grow makes me happy.