My name is Austin, i'm 21 years and animals have been my life since i was born. I have over ten years of breeding experience with ornate box turtles at one point i had over 50 in our backyard from ages 1yr-60yrs. After moving to San Angelo the person who bought our old house took over breeding the ornates, as the new house did not have facilities to house all of the ornates. Though living in San Angelo, i have raised and given away baby alligator turtles and what nots. I used to work at Petco, i figured i could make a difference there, and well I did. Tortoises I sold all got the proper diet....even if it meant me going out and buying the products out of pocket. Most importantly selling the tortoise to responsible buyers was my most important goal, i'd deny 20 people just so that i knew the buyer really was dedicated to a life long commitment instead of viewing the tortoise first as a pet (and at least had an outdoor inclosure for them). Now I'm just enjoying my summer off from college, (applied physics major), i'm hoping here soon to get several tortoises sulcuta, leopard, radiated, .....pretty excited as I have tons of room for them to roam, grass, sun....sun...and more sun. As well as a winterized aquaponics greenhouse for them. More than anything though i have a great lady to support me and enjoys tortoises and animals as much as i do. So now the waiting game begins, and the right opportunity and price for tortoises to come my way. More than anything though i want to eventually have a breeding pair of radiates, breaks my heart to think that in less than 5 yrs they will be extinct in their natural habitat....so furthering their legacy in captivity would be amazing ....possibly even reintroduction to their homeland would be an ultimate goal me and my lady have.


Anywho if anyone ever needs help with ornates, or simply needing a much needed home for a tortoise....i'm the guy your looking for.

Hello and WELCOME. . So glad you found us. I wish Petco, would hire more like you. Although, I must say the Petco and Petsmart store in my area do very well by the torts they sell. Only Russians. We have a great forum here, with great passionate members filled with the up to date info of proper husbandry. Sounds like you will fit in very well. If your not crazy yet, you will be soon. We all are

Welcome to the Forum

Yeah when I got there, a few russians died because these morons were straight up feeding nothing but fruit to the tortoises.......i about died when i saw them feeding them one day and i was like omggggg what are you doing....no one even had a clue that you can't feed them an all fruit diet like that.....So i had to teach them slowly, little bit of fruit, maybe once a week, then i'd bring fresh unfertilized buffalo grass from the yard and feed them that, then i'd on the occasion feed them hibiscus flowers. Sadly I was gone for a month and i came back to the work, and the morons almost killed a russian again......and yes this time they were back to feeding all fruit again.....well the tortoise had major runs....and his thyroid near his eye swole up like a grape and nearly pushed it's eye out......thats when i drew the line and called it a quits. No longer will I work for a major chain pet store like that ever again. It was an awesome experience but the abuse that goes on in the store is nuts. Luckily i found a man to take the russian in and he did lose his eye, but he is back to 100% now. Hahaha and yes my gal is like omg get off the internet and quit looking at tortoises.... haha but as you can see that doesn't work so well

Welcome!

Welcome to TFO. So if you could only have one turtle or tortoise, which ONE would you pick and why?

Hi Austin:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Welcome to TFO!!!

(07-09-2012 06:17 AM)Jacqui Wrote:  Welcome to TFO. So if you could only have one turtle or tortoise, which ONE would you pick and why?

Thats a really hard question, but if it all came down to one tortoise it would be an aldabra hands down....im sure aldabraman is with me on this. I've been looking for one for a while, though i know several breeders, I believe i'd rather go to the place and pick the aldabra i want, instead of being mailed one. I dunno i'm just picky when it comes to finding animals with the correct personality.


If you want my second pick it would be the radiated.

(07-09-2012 10:00 AM)AustinASU Wrote:  Thats a really hard question, but if it all came down to one tortoise it would be an aldabra hands down....im sure aldabraman is with me on this. I've been looking for one for a while, though i know several breeders, I believe i'd rather go to the place and pick the aldabra i want, instead of being mailed one. I dunno i'm just picky when it comes to finding animals with the correct personality.


If you want my second pick it would be the radiated.

I much prefer the hands on picking of my tortoises too. Just doesn't often work out that way any more tho.

Welcome! My names Austin and I'm at ASU as well, looks like we are twins. Haha

Welcome!

Welcome

Yeah for me it looks like the only option is going to be online....my town is like 3hrs from any major city....gotta love Texas.

Hey Austin (Arizona Sulcuta) i go to Angelo State University....wish Arizona State but hey well just both say were from ASU

AustinASU Wrote:Yeah for me it looks like the only option is going to be online....my town is like 3hrs from any major city....gotta love Texas.

Hey Austin (Arizona Sulcuta) i go to Angelo State University....wish Arizona State but hey well just both say were from ASU

Haha that's hilarious!! Close enough I suppose!