ADOPTING A TORTOISE OUT? DONT FORGET

[wellington]

A good home from a member of this forum will be an active member with time spent sharing and learning.
BEWARE of new members lurking and joining just to get a free tortoise. We know nothing about them. They could be tortoise brokers who just want your freebie to sell.
Do your home work before placing your tortoise to just anyone.

 

[Yvonne G]

...and by the same token, they may be honest new members looking for their first tortoise. We don't want to discourage new members, just warn those looking to adopt out their tortoises to be careful.

 

[Deucalion]

How is someone to differentiate between a new member looking to take advantage of a "freebee" and some one like myself, who is a reliable new member but not an active poster type, who would be interested in adopting?

 

[Rue]

Communication between the two parties? I can tell a lot from a phone call.

 

[wellington]

One way, a lot of the new members that just want a freebie will join the same day a freebie is listed and that will be their only post, or they only post on freebie threads. The next step would be as Rue said, a phone call, emails, ask for pictures of their space where would house the tortoise, etc.

 

[Tori Sparrow]

# Rue,
I abhor talking on the phone... But I have 2 torts & would love to eventually have a tort rescue in Florida...
I think at the end of the day you wouldn't give your dog to the first stranger who says they will take it just cause they offer.
Honestly are their people who part with pets heartlessly?

 

[Rue]

I can understand hating the phone...but it is handy! And I'd say this is important enough to use a phone call as a screening tool...

There are many people who part with their pets heartlessly. ..I try to avoid thinking about it...

 

[dmmj]

I actually have a phobia of talking on the phone so I guess I'm out

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If you check the recent posts of some of these "FREEBIE" responders, you see that many of them only posted to other offers of free tortoises. Or joined just that very moment.
I would just rule them out, altogether.
Of the few tortoises I've moved on, I've always spoken at length to the prospective new owners. With conversation I've found several great and reliable keepers nearby and only one that I felt uncomfortable with. She had no yard and no past experience. The tortoise was for a 4 year old child, etc.
Along the same communication theme....I also found a very shady "rescue" south of me. Where the gentleman would only give me the price instead of any photos or proof that he even had a Redfoot tortoise when I was looking for a male to ad. (Eventually admitting that he didn't even have what I was looking for.)He was going to take MY MONEY and find one? What a rescue.
Ask to see pictures of the area that the new owner intends to keep the tortoise.
Ask about the experience that the person has and if they also have any other tortoises.
That kind of stuff.

 

[superman]

true i am new !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! scared of me?

 

[cmacusa3]

true i am new !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! scared of me?

Nobody is scared of you, but nobody's going to give you a tort for spamming up every free tort thread.

 

[Tortoise_Nerd]

I am new..A few months ago I needed to rehome my Russian tortoise but now I don't. All I am saying is that you can trust me