Re: Trip to Vet's today...also general question on strangers...

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Posted by Scott Alexander on May 25, 2000 at 12:32:53:

In Reply to: Trip to Vet's today...also general question on strangers... posted by Niki on May 24, 2000 at 16:06:08:

Hello Niki -
I do a fair number of educational reptile shows where this comes up. When asked if they can hold it, I usually replay that they can pet the shell, or touch the feet, but not hold him. Most kids will leave it at that, but for those persistent ones, I after reply that someone dropped him once.

Then, of course, they try to pet the head and sometimes come way to close to poking him in the eye!! Then, I gently correctly them, and say - "Hey - don't poke him in the eye!! You wouldn't like that would you? But you can pet him on his back." Of course, I try to remember to remind the kids to wash their hands, and say that you should always wash your hands after petting any animal, which is true, of course.

Scott

: I brought Teddy in for a bit of car ride exposure. I got a
: blue 2-door (top & front opening) cat carrier for him and put shredded
: newspaper in there to buffer him. He did really well, this
: was his second trip in this. Mostly he was looking at me and
: digging through the paper on the trip (10 mins.).
: He had a negative fecal which was a small relief for me as
: being outside much of the time now, he's into everything.
: (I had brought the sample along in a seperate container.)
: Like Giovanni said. We don't have dogs or cats, but there's
: the snapping turtles, box turtles, racoons, squirrels and
: the - apparently delicious "berry-flavored"?- bird droppings! He hasn't
: picked up anything from that, though I'll keep a routine
: check on him.

: Question? How do you guys deal with people asking to "hold"
: your torts? Is there a polite, better answer than, "Oh, I
: don't let anybody hold him, so he's not accidentally dropped."??
: Once a little girl saw us in the front yard and before I could
: say anything but "no..." her mom said "because he might bite".
: I really don't want to use that since it's not true. Or the
: "Can I pet it?" question. Thanks, niki

Follow Ups:

Re: Trip to Vet's today...also general question on strangers... sarah sith 05/27/00 (3)
- Re: Sarah Terry 05/28/00 (2)
  - Re: Sarah/ More Terry 05/28/00 (1)
    - Re: Sarah/ More and a bit more! Terry 05/28/00 (0)

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: Hello Niki - : I do a fair number of educational reptile shows where this comes up. When asked if they can hold it, I usually replay that they can pet the shell, or touch the feet, but not hold him. Most kids will leave it at that, but for those persistent ones, I after reply that someone dropped him once. : Then, of course, they try to pet the head and sometimes come way to close to poking him in the eye!! Then, I gently correctly them, and say - "Hey - don't poke him in the eye!! You wouldn't like that would you? But you can pet him on his back." Of course, I try to remember to remind the kids to wash their hands, and say that you should always wash your hands after petting any animal, which is true, of course. : Scott : : : I brought Teddy in for a bit of car ride exposure. I got a : : blue 2-door (top & front opening) cat carrier for him and put shredded : : newspaper in there to buffer him. He did really well, this : : was his second trip in this. Mostly he was looking at me and : : digging through the paper on the trip (10 mins.). : : He had a negative fecal which was a small relief for me as : : being outside much of the time now, he's into everything. : : (I had brought the sample along in a seperate container.) : : Like Giovanni said. We don't have dogs or cats, but there's : : the snapping turtles, box turtles, racoons, squirrels and : : the - apparently delicious "berry-flavored"?- bird droppings! He hasn't : : picked up anything from that, though I'll keep a routine : : check on him. : : Question? How do you guys deal with people asking to "hold" : : your torts? Is there a polite, better answer than, "Oh, I : : don't let anybody hold him, so he's not accidentally dropped."?? : : Once a little girl saw us in the front yard and before I could : : say anything but "no..." her mom said "because he might bite". : : I really don't want to use that since it's not true. Or the : : "Can I pet it?" question. Thanks, niki

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