Tortoise WWYD?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

ODS has been approached by a young adult in his world to "adopt" said young adult's tortoise.

The young adult is undertaking a significant life change, which doesn't necessarily exclude the tortoise, but for which the young adult is seeking new caretakers.  (We'll leave a discussion of the possible irresponsibility on the part of the young adult for another thread, please.)

On one hand, both of my kids have allergies and asthma, so a tortoise is a safe choice health-wise for a pet.

On the other hand, tortoises easily live for a 100 years.  This would be a life-long pet for us.

And, on the other hand, I am thinking that it is cruel to contain a tortoise in an aquarium for 100 years with no access to its natural habitat or to other tortoises or even tortoise sex.  On this point, I want to suggest that the young adult donate/surrender the tortoise to a zoo or other such facility where the tortoise can live a life closer to its natural existence.

So, would you adopt the tortoise?  If so, as a pet?  Or, would you adopt it and then donate/surrender it to a more appropriate home?

[Opti]

Totally depends on the type of tortoise in my opinion.
Some tortoise owners allow them to wander through parts of the house
some of the time. Probably areas like tiled floors or well varnished hardwood
that are easy to clean if needed.


Unless this is an unusual tortoise its unfortunately likely local zoos and
facilities will turn the young person down. They probably get lots of requests.

FWIW, I had a long-lived bearded dragon. While his home over the years alternated
between an aquarium and a large cage, I gave him more room to roam occasionally
so he wasn't so trapped and restricted. I even took him outside when possible which
would be fairly easy with a tortoise as long as he's OK with being picked up.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I wouldn't just because we have dogs who would torment it, it'd have to stay in it's tank all the time.

Zoos will not take animals from people for the most part. Outside animals can bring in diseases/parasites that can infect the zoo animals who don't have immunity.  At best the tortise would live in quarantine forever because the zoo isn't going to risk endangered animals for a former pet.

If they have a petting zoo you might be able to get them to take it.  Some sort of refuge if there is one near by would be a better idea.

[Deleted]

turtle soup.

[imawino]

Does your son want a tortoise??  How big is it?  Can you let it roam the house or yard a bit?

I's probably take it.  I think turtles/tortoises are cool.  And they are a low-maintenance pet. 

[Deleted]

Take it in and then research local rescues for when the kiddos graduate.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Oct 2, 2013 9:22:37 GMT -5 imawino said:

Does your son want a tortoise??  How big is it?  Can you let it roam the house or yard a bit?

I's probably take it.  I think turtles/tortoises are cool.  And they are a low-maintenance pet. 

ODS is interested enough that he asked if we could adopt it.  But, he clearly doesn't know much about tortoises; their longevity was eye-opening to say the least.  I suspect that, in the long run, *I* would be adopting the tortoise.  My thoughts about that possibility are mixed, shall we say.

We don't know how big it is.  ODS said that if we were interested, he would tell the young adult tortoise owner and get more details.

We have hardwood floors and a yard, so roaming is a possibility.  However, outside roaming is truly dependent upon the tortoise's size -- we have hawks and owls in our immediate neighborhood.  

Yes, they do seem to be low-maintenance.  But, damn, don't tortoises want to have tortoise sex at any point during those 100 years of life?  So, do I need to get a second tortoise of the opposite sex to keep each of them satisfied?  And, *will* they mate, or are they highly selective?

[Wisconsin Beth]

I think they hibernate or something over winter too. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

www.thetortoiseshop.com/tortoise-breeding-incubation

Here you go.  I think the tortoise would be just fine without a lady friend.  You can't exactly spay/netur a tortoise so unless you want to become a breeder and sell the hatchlings having tortoises mating is kinda pointless.

[Deleted]

I found this out on the web:

www.tortoise.com/id46.html

[imawino]

Oct 2, 2013 9:28:27 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Oct 2, 2013 9:22:37 GMT -5 imawino said:

Does your son want a tortoise??  How big is it?  Can you let it roam the house or yard a bit?

I's probably take it.  I think turtles/tortoises are cool.  And they are a low-maintenance pet. 

ODS is interested enough that he asked if we could adopt it.  But, he clearly doesn't know much about tortoises; their longevity was eye-opening to say the least.  I suspect that, in the long run, *I* would be adopting the tortoise.  My thoughts about that possibility are mixed, shall we say.

We don't know how big it is.  ODS said that if we were interested, he would tell the young adult tortoise owner and get more details.

We have hardwood floors and a yard, so roaming is a possibility.  However, outside roaming is truly dependent upon the tortoise's size -- we have hawks and owls in our immediate neighborhood.  

Yes, they do seem to be low-maintenance.  But, damn, don't tortoises want to have tortoise sex at any point during those 100 years of life?  So, do I need to get a second tortoise of the opposite sex to keep each of them satisfied?  And, *will* they mate, or are they highly selective?

I saw tortoises at the zoo having sex one.  It wasn't pretty, but it WAS hilarious! 

[milee]

My sister has a desert tortoise and in some ways it's a good low-maintenance pet but in other ways, it's been much higher maintenance than she anticipated. 

Here's how I'd look at it:  This is potentially a lifetime commitment.  Could be a good thing or could be a bad thing, but I don't tend to make lifetime commitments based on random events.  Your friend asking you to do this out of the blue is putting an added element of pressure into the equation that should not be there when you consider taking on something like this, IMHO.  Let him find another "savior" and if/when you think you might want to take on a pet that will outlive you, then do the research and make your decision.

[MarleyKeezy78]

We have two russian torts and we have a habitat set up in our sunroom. They are pretty easy and we also have a outdoor summer habitat outside. I don't let them wander the house though because they pee and poop everywhere. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Oct 2, 2013 10:11:32 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

We have two russian torts and we have a habitat set up in our sunroom. They are pretty easy and we also have a outdoor summer habitat outside. I don't let them wander the house though because they pee and poop everywhere. 

ODS just emailed me.  It is a 6-7 year old Russian tort.  It is being offered with its 50 gallon Rubbermaid "habitat".

I'm not sure.  I think Milee said it best.  I didn't wake up this morning thinking "We(I) need/want a tortoise."  It IS a lifelong commitment (or, at least it is in *my* eyes).

Besides, we've been bouncing around the idea of adopting a dog for a couple of years and that has more appeal to me.  I may have to disappoint ODS.  

[sheilaincali]

If it's not something you are prepared to make the long term commitment on then I would say "NO".  I always notice at the zoos and that how much turtles tend to smell (maybe that's just me thinking that). 

My SIL is the consulting Vet for an aquarium north of us.  When she gave me a tour a couple of weeks ago we got to talking about turtles specifically.  She pointed out several that were not native to MN and how they get them when people decide they can no longer care for them.  It does place a significant burden on the aquarium.  They get calls regularly from people who have pets they aren't supposed to have that just assume the aquarium would LOVE to take their pet off their hands and build a habitat for them. 

So know that if you do take this turtle and change your mind in a few years you may struggle to find someone willing to take him off your hands.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

They get calls regularly from people who have pets they aren't supposed to have that just assume the aquarium would LOVE to take their pet off their hands and build a habitat for them.

Our zoo has that happen all the time too and boy do people get pissed when they explain they are NOT an animal shelter.  Zoo don't take in strays/abanonded pets.

[sheilaincali]

Yeah- my SIL has had people swear at her, call her names, tell her that it will be her fault if the snake they release into their residential neighborhood hurts some kid, etc. 

Of course they do have a huge display in the education section of the aquarium about the dangers of releasing invasive species into fragile ecosystems so I'm thinking people may be seeing that and assuming that giving it to the aquarium is better than setting it free in their local park. 

[Formerly SK]

I guess I don't see why it has to be a long term commitment.  Is there something wrong with giving it to a new owner in 5-10 years?  I would think it would be better for it to have kids who care for owners, rather than an empty nester anyway.  We've had hermit crabs for two years now and I'm getting ready to find new owners for them.  My kids have moved on.  I would think it BETTER for the hermit crabs to be in a new family with kids who will dote on them. 

That said, I think it's sad the little guy is in a rubbermaid bin.  Not even a clear glass tank it can see out of?  If you took it I'd fix that. 

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2013 11:14:35 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

I guess I don't see why it has to be a long term commitment.  Is there something wrong with giving it to a new owner in 5-10 years?  I would think it would be better for it to have kids who care for owners, rather than an empty nester anyway.  We've had hermit crabs for two years now and I'm getting ready to find new owners for them.  My kids have moved on.  I would think it BETTER for the hermit crabs to be in a new family with kids who will dote on them. 

That said, I think it's sad the little guy is in a rubbermaid bin.  Not even a clear glass tank it can see out of?  If you took it I'd fix that. 

A glass aquarium is not a suitable enclosure for a tortoise.   A 5o gallon Rubbermaid is not ideal, but it is better than glass.  Seeing out from their enclosure is not necessarily a great thing for a tortoise. 

[Deleted]

 Turtles and tortoises may appear quite similar, but they are quite different.
Turtles swim, tortoises (generally) do not. Turtles and tortoises have quite different needs.
 They have different dietary requirements and have different environmental requirements... aquatic versus non-aquatic.
 I have a friend who had an African tortoise for a couple of years before it expired while in winter hibernation... because the temp in the house that winter got too low. The cost of heating her home being rather high, she let the temp get down to sixty degrees and kept it there for a few weeks in the dead of winter. That was just too cold for her tortoise, apparently. They are not quite as robust and tough as people think they should be.
 Incidentally, while a tortoise is a curiosity and can be interesting to observe,  I wouldn't think of it as a "pet". There's no fur to stroke, they don't generally run to the door to welcome you when you come home after a long day, and you can't really put them on a leash and take them for a stroll around the neighborhood. As for their companionship potential... they make fair companions for comatose people. Anybody else... might find them a bit lacking in the area of "activity".

[aprilleigh]

Are you in the Pacific Northwest? This could solve your / your friend's dilemma: portland.craigslist.org/clc/wan/4103645930.html

[Otto the Orange]

you could make a killing in the underground Tortoise and Hare race circuit

[Otto the Orange]

or you could make a killing in the next Ninja Turtle movie

[sarcasticgirl]

I had a box turtle in HS- i'm not going to lie, a friend and I totally stole him from the botanic gardens while one an environmental science field trip. 

When I went off to college, I gave him to my HS biology teacher- she had aquariums that lined 3 walls of her class room. Tristan (I was going through a brad pitt phase   still lives there today! 


I'd totally take it in if i didn't think my dog would eat it. 

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2013 14:00:43 GMT -5 aprilleigh said:

Are you in the Pacific Northwest? This could solve your / your friend's dilemma: portland.craigslist.org/clc/wan/4103645930.html

Translation:

I killed one tortoise and am close to killing another.  I am looking for a cheap third tortoise to kill as well.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I killed one tortoise and am close to killing another. I am looking for a cheap third tortoise to kill as well.

  No way I'd give that kid anything living.  Plastic Ninja Turtle maybe.

[imawino]

Oct 2, 2013 12:55:55 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Oct 2, 2013 11:14:35 GMT -5 Formerly SK said:

I guess I don't see why it has to be a long term commitment.  Is there something wrong with giving it to a new owner in 5-10 years?  I would think it would be better for it to have kids who care for owners, rather than an empty nester anyway.  We've had hermit crabs for two years now and I'm getting ready to find new owners for them.  My kids have moved on.  I would think it BETTER for the hermit crabs to be in a new family with kids who will dote on them. 

That said, I think it's sad the little guy is in a rubbermaid bin.  Not even a clear glass tank it can see out of?  If you took it I'd fix that. 

A glass aquarium is not a suitable enclosure for a tortoise.   A 5o gallon Rubbermaid is not ideal, but it is better than glass.  Seeing out from their enclosure is not necessarily a great thing for a tortoise. 

I did not know that.  Why shouldn't they be in an aquarium?  (I have no plans to obtain a tortoise anytime soon, but now I'm curious)

[imawino]

Oct 2, 2013 14:07:54 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

 


I'd totally take it in if i didn't think my dog would eat it. 

Me too!!!  Actually, I think my dog would LOVE a tortoise, but I'm afraid she might love it to death. 

[thyme4change]

There is a pond near the phoenix zoo that has a million tortoises in it.  I thought it was cool, but found out later that it just became this dumping ground for people who wanted to get rid of their tortoises and couldn't find a better solution.  The zoo has gone ahead and done what they can to make it a livable habitat for them, but it wasn't a planned thing.

[sarcasticgirl]

Oct 2, 2013 14:46:28 GMT -5 imawino said:

Oct 2, 2013 12:55:55 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

A glass aquarium is not a suitable enclosure for a tortoise.   A 5o gallon Rubbermaid is not ideal, but it is better than glass.  Seeing out from their enclosure is not necessarily a great thing for a tortoise. 

I did not know that.  Why shouldn't they be in an aquarium?  (I have no plans to obtain a tortoise anytime soon, but now I'm curious)

I believe tortoises require more of an outdoor habitat. They aren't aquatic. The burrow in the dirt to keep cool, etc. and such.