DEATH WHAT DO YOU DO?

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wellington

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I had to bury my 20 year old Dog Face Puffer today. He was unlike any other fish. I had him since he was a baby. I could even pet him. When he would see me coming, he would get all excited. My husband thought I was nuts for wanting him buried, but he wasn't just a fish to me. So he got buried where some of our other animals are. Now I don't have a lot of yard space. In fact, running out of burial space, not sure it is even legal in the city, oh well:p:D What would you do, if one of your large tortoises died and you didn't have the room to bury them? Like the size of an adult Sulcata or what about a large Aldabra? Anyone else ever thought about this?
 

MORTYtheTORTY

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I have...For a turtle/Tortoise I would either stuff it to keep it as is or I would let it deteriorate and preserve the shell :)
 

yagyujubei

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If it's frozen immediately after death, could be significant taxidermy value.
 

wellington

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yagyujubei said:
If it's frozen immediately after death, could be significant taxidermy value.

I want to see the freezer that would hold a large Aldabra:D Only a walk in:p:D
 

nicoleandrocky

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Aw so sad to hear that :(
I would go to a pet cemetery (they actually bury and give them tombstones!)
or get them cremated and bury the ashes. thinking about what to do after a pet has died
kinda is a weird and creepy subject for me.. lol
 

ascott

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Sorry to hear about your fishie ...I use to have a fancy gold fish that I named Spot...he was white and orange..and when it was feeding time he would roll onto his side and float...and when he did this I would pet him....he was a cool fish.
 

Nay

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Barb,
How sad. I would have to say I never admitted to anyone, besides my hubby, how sad it was to lose my 14 yr old, weird type of cat fish, pleco thing. I never knew what he was and never saw another,but when he died I was feeling how you are.
So yes fish are so cool!!
SO sorry for your loss, 20 yrs wow!!
We now have 8 acres so I at least don't have to worry about where they are to go. But I hope they last longer than me!!
Nay
 

wellington

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Nay said:
Barb,
How sad. I would have to say I never admitted to anyone, besides my hubby, how sad it was to lose my 14 yr old, weird type of cat fish, pleco thing. I never knew what he was and never saw another,but when he died I was feeling how you are.
So yes fish are so cool!!
SO sorry for your loss, 20 yrs wow!!
We now have 8 acres so I at least don't have to worry about where they are to go. But I hope they last longer than me!!
Nay

I work in an aquarium fish store. I cried last week talking to my boss about him, thankfully he loves fish too and understood. He has been sick, tried everything. glad he is not suffering.
I, too hope my torts outlast me.


ascott said:
Sorry to hear about your fishie ...I use to have a fancy gold fish that I named Spot...he was white and orange..and when it was feeding time he would roll onto his side and float...and when he did this I would pet him....he was a cool fish.

It is amazing, how many species of animal can steal your heart. Sounds like a very cool fish:D

DanaLachney said:
I'm really sorry to hear that!

Thank you

nicoleandrocky said:
Aw so sad to hear that :(
I would go to a pet cemetery (they actually bury and give them tombstones!)
or get them cremated and bury the ashes. thinking about what to do after a pet has died
kinda is a weird and creepy subject for me.. lol

Thank you.
I wonder if a pet cemetery would take a tortoise/turtle. Maybe a small one.
 

Yvonne G

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I live out in the country. In the past we have used a back hoe to bury cows, horses, etc. My daughter's family actually makes little wooden crosses for the grave sites and her husband uses a wood burning tool to enscribe the animal's name and dates on them.

My problem is trying to remember where the treasured ones are planted so I don't accidentally dig a new grave in the same space.

I have buried many rescued turtles and tortoises that came to me too sick to save, but I'm hoping my own, healthy tortoises will out live me and I won't have to worry about planting them.
 

exoticsdr

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Wellington,

I'm very sad for your loss, it's hard for some to understand the feeling of loss for a dog or cat, let alone, an unusual pet like your puffer...but I do. Funny how these unusual critters can so ingrain themselves into the very fibers of our being and be so missed when they are no longer there. I purchased a Mexican Red-Legged Tarantula when I was nine years old and had her until I was about 27 years old....I was in Germany and she was being taken care of by a very caring family member when I learned that she had passed away....was hard to explain to my friends why I cried that day. Doc
 

wellington

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exoticsdr said:
Wellington,

I'm very sad for your loss, it's hard for some to understand the feeling of loss for a dog or cat, let alone, an unusual pet like your puffer...but I do. Funny how these unusual critters can so ingrain themselves into the very fibers of our being and be so missed when they are no longer there. I purchased a Mexican Red-Legged Tarantula when I was nine years old and had her until I was about 27 years old....I was in Germany and she was being taken care of by a very caring family member when I learned that she had passed away....was hard to explain to my friends why I cried that day. Doc

Thank you. That's one of the reasons I like animal people so much more than non animal, they understand.
 

Kerryann

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We bury our dead within 24 hours. :( I would either bury it here or go to my moms out in the country.
We had a huge foot long goldfish named gefelte that we loved. He died in November and we buried him. I was out this weekend in the yard starting spring clean up, and something has dug him up and ate him :(
 

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emysemys said:
My problem is trying to remember where the treasured ones are planted so I don't accidentally dig a new grave in the same space.
.

I have that same problem. :(

Sorry about your loss. I am amazed at how long you had him. As to the large tortoise question.... I would hope it was warm weather, so we could bury him. If in winter, I would have no option but to leave him out in the very back until it warmed up. (we are country here)
 

Momof4

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Sorry for your loss! I think it's cute you loved your fish so much. Wow, 20yrs? I bet he had stories to to tell! How many homes did he get moved to?
 

oscar

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Sorry to hear about your puffer, I am sure it had a good life in your care
Even tho I have never had a dog face puffer I think they are a very
interesting fish, Never knew that they could live for 20 years. I have to
do more reading on them.
Our animals that have passed are buried in the field across the road from
our house tho sad to look out our picture window and know they are
burried there. But I feel that the saying gone but not forgotten makes
me feel somewhat better about them being there.
steve
 

Shelly

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My backyard has many animal graves. 2 dogs, 5 cats, and quite a few chickens, turtles, and assorted wild animals.
 

wellington

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Momof4 said:
Sorry for your loss! I think it's cute you loved your fish so much. Wow, 20yrs? I bet he had stories to to tell! How many homes did he get moved to?

Thanks. He lived in just two houses, but three aquariums. A 29, to a 60 then to 100 gallons. He was a big guy.

oscar said:
Sorry to hear about your puffer, I am sure it had a good life in your care
Even tho I have never had a dog face puffer I think they are a very
interesting fish, Never knew that they could live for 20 years. I have to
do more reading on them.
Our animals that have passed are buried in the field across the road from
our house tho sad to look out our picture window and know they are
burried there. But I feel that the saying gone but not forgotten makes
me feel somewhat better about them being there.
steve

Thanks. My boss said he only knows of one living to 25 years, but that was in a city oceanarium aquarium. I lost his oldest tank mate last hear. He was a gold strip maroon clown fish, they were bought at the same time.
 

Tom

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I had a few different dog face puffers over the years. To this day they are one of my favorite fishes. My first one lived in a tank right next to my bed when I was a teenager. He'd occasionally wink at me, or tuck one of his pectoral fins in and freak me out. The first time he did that I thought one of the triggers ate his fin...

So sorry you lost him.
 
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