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Re: Think before you buy


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Posted by Laurie on June 26, 2000 at 23:16:31:

In Reply to: Re: Think before you buy posted by Giovanni on June 23, 2000 at 20:57:39:

: : Are any tortoises fast growing? What would be a good tortoise to start with as a first time owner. I have owned and still own many reptiles, just never any tortoises. Thanks

: If you want to own a big tortoise, you should probably BUY a big tortoise. A fast growing tortoise is usually the type of tortoise that is
: being " messed " with ( for lack of a more colorful 4 letter word) and is not being fed what
: it is supposed to, which later in life will lead
: to potential serious health problems that could
: cost you alot of money, or wind you up with a big
: dead tortoise.

: The other problems with owning big tortoise's is housing them. Tortoise's are the purest form of
: opportunist you can find in a reptile and when
: they are big frankly, they will do what they want.
: You must totally be prepared to care for any of
: the 5 largest Tortoise's (Galapogas, Aldabra, Sulcata, Leopard, Burmese)before you buy one or
: in time you are going to go through alot of money
: in fencing and piss off alot of neighbors. I have
: lizards and Tortoises, and the tort's are a fulltime job, and the biggest one at 13 years old
: is just like a kid and will get into everything or
: try and get out of anything, and will dig a hole of biblical proportions, just to prove to me he can.

: My advice to you is start off with a smaller tort,
: learn about the bigger ones and get ready to house it before you buy.

: Ciao'

: Giovanni


I agree with Giovanni that you should stick with the smaller tortoise. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Kansas, and recently somebody dumped off a pet Sulcata in a park. We can only assume that the owner didn't want it anymore, as they grow quickly and require extensive care. Seeing as how our wildlife place is non-profit, we do not have the money for long term care of this reptile (and they DO live a long time), so it is my job to try and find a permanent home for it with a qualified, well-informed person. This won't be an easy task, as those who do house these large tortoises are already full, zoos don't want them, and they can't be transported across the state line.
The large tortoises do not make good pets, unless you take the responsibility to make a lifetime commitment in caring for these creatures.



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