Hello from Florida.

[StrangeDejavu]

Hi all,

My name's Mitch. I'm a 25-year-old college student with a big heart for turtles/tortoises. I've owned different species on and off over my life, from Red-eared sliders to Eastern Box Turtles (many) to a Snapping turtle to a Russian. After doing my research, I feel a Cherry Head will make a perfect companion for me and my sunny, Florida weather. I have a 4.5 foot x 2 foot area designated for an eventual self-built enclosure (indoor) and still figuring out the details for an outdoor enclosure.

In my off-time, I pour myself into Astrophotography. I love being under the night sky and the peace and quiet that goes along with it. If you're interested, you can see some of my most recent work here: http://imgur.com/a/jnSk5

I look forward to learning how to best care for my (eventual) new friend, and trust i'll find all the information needed to do so here.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Mitch, and welcome to the forum!

What beautiful pictures! I love the moon shots. I like to look at the sky at night, but really don't know anything about it.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. You have found the right source for all the correct info.
Your pictures are beautiful

 

[StrangeDejavu]

Thank you both.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! *waves* Glad you found us. You must have one heck of a camera.

 

[Barista5261]

Hello fellow Floridian! Welcome! [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][TURTLE]

 

[HerpMS]

Welcome to the forum! We just bought a house in Orlando this past weekend, and will be moving down in about 2 months!

 

[Barista5261]

Sweeeet! Nice to know there will be more tort/turtle lovers in town [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH][TURTLE]

 

[HerpMS]

Definitely! I'll be bringing my whole zoo along with me, I'm a big animal lover. I'm a 26 year old graduate student too, so we probably have a lot in common!

 

[Barista5261]

Right on!


Also- anyone in the remote Central Florida area needs to go check out the Tortoise Sanctuary in Oviedo [HEAVY BLACK HEART]️[TURTLE] my work did a community service project there last year and I'm trying to set it up again.

 

[bouaboua]

Welcome and I think I need to move................................The photo are just beautiful.

 

[tellablue]

Hello! Your pictures are absolutely amazing. I have high hopes for the terrestrial types involving your soon to be new tortoise.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Mitch welcome to the TFO from AZ

 

[StrangeDejavu]

Jacqui- The camera is half the battle. When paired with a telescope, you use its focal length to magnify the image; the telescope is basically a giant lens.

HerpMS- Thanks. Hope you enjoy Orlando and your new home, it's a beautiful area (only been once). What are you studying?

bouaboua- Jump in, the water's fine. Thanks for the compliment, also.

tellablue- Thank you!

Grandpa Turtle 144- Thanks! I envy your location. Arizona gets some of the clearest, darkest skies you can find in America.

 

[skottip]

Florida is the place to be if you own tortoises! It has been in the high 70's low 80's for the last few months.
Welcome to the forum!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Welcome to the forum, Mitch. You shall see were a fairly friendly crowd.
Have you spent much time just cruising the forums various specie posts and came to the conclusion based on that that you would like a “red foote" ? I ask because we've plenty of members here on the forum from Florida who keep all manner of tortoise. As an earlier poster has stated, we love to see pictures.
I want to thank you for sharing your photos of the planets. You truly have a gift and sharing it with us is a good thing to do. My uncle worked at JPL in Pasadena, CA. As a flight control engineer for the Mariner Lander. My all time favorite photo of his was a rover produced photo of earth rise on the Martian horizon. Keep sharing these photos. Thanks again and welcome.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Thank you for the reply ! How do you understand the AZ sky ? I moved here about 30 yrs ago from Mi. I had never been here before . But the sky and desert alway look different every time I see it ( always new and great ).

 

[StrangeDejavu]

Cowboy_Ken- Not yet, though I should. I'm looking for a smaller-ish species, one that's personable and doesn't stay burrowed for most of the year (this is what my Russian did in NC). Cherry's are beautiful and seem like they would adapt well with the humid and warm weather here. I still have lots of reading and thinking to do. Thanks for the compliment btw. Your Uncle had a very interesting job, indeed. My Grandfather worked for Honeywell making making parts for the space shuttles so i've always had a deep interest in space/astronomy.

Grandpa Turtle 144- I'm very active on another forum called Cloudy Nights. It's the top online resource for information and discussion on professional/amateur astronomy (some of the guys you see on the Science Channel post there). Someone made a list of the best places to live in the United States for astronomy/astrophotography and AZ is #1 (this is why there are so many professional observatories there). I plan on moving out West one day, currently eyeing up Colorado but I haven't ruled out the great state of AZ just yet.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I hope not it's a great state for torts and people . And it has so much to offer . But thank you for the positive comments also

 

[mike taylor]

Hello from Texas.