DELIMA!! Which would YOU choose? **PIC**

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Itort

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Good choice of torts and even better choice of breeder. He was very honest and forthwright with you. If anyone is looking for leopards you can give him a good recomindation.
 

EriNichole

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OKay... here's the first pics of ma new little scute!

"How YOUUU Dooin!"
mligi0.jpg


"Just scope'n out the new Pad"
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"The Tort Garden... nice and weedy." HA! Who knew neglecting weed duty actually would turn out to be a GOOD THING in the flowerbed!
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The tort garden isn't set up perfectly just yet but I will get in in order in the coming days, I used one of my Terra cotta pots for a temporary hide and will prob halfway bury it in the ground on its side to help keep it in place and stay cooler. I also filled 2 terra cotta water catch plates for the soaking dishes. I plan to thin out some of the grass that has grown up in there and plant some other tort friendly snacks that will flourish here in the Houston area.

The guy who I got them from has an add for some Indian Star hatchlings too.... I didn't see them in person but they are Beeeutiful in the pics.... Here's a link.
http://www.whipads.com/pets/index.php?a=2&b=149
 

EriNichole

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....He also gave me some Calcium to get started with, some spinless cactus pads to plant and start a food supply and some Mazuri tort chow as a once or twice a month treat. I'm gonna research this stuff before continuing to give it to ma torti, I suspect this might be the culprit for the slight pyramiding that's going on. It was nice to see that he is very excited about his torts and cares for them, he even offered to help me with any questions or issues I may encounter for as long as I may keep tortoises.. Very Cool!... AND he works for the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Brewery in Houston..... Very VERY cool INDEED!!! Tee-Hee! 80)
 

Dreamer

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Yea! Your getting my two picks!!! Your tort "bed" looks great!!! Please tell me what the plant is in the fore-ground of your
last photo. Is it some kind of cactus? Oh, btw, your little tort looks real happy!
I'm getting my little leopards next wk!
Kay
 

EriNichole

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Hi Kay,.
Aww thank ya for your nice words, I'm all torti giddy right now. I wish I had the day off from work so I could take quick trips out to peek on my little guy...

the plant in the fore ground is sometype of succulent I snagged a cutting from one day at the nursery, I know Bad Bad, but it's one of those that they call "Mother of thousands" and it produced BUNCHES of little baby clones right off of the edges of it's leaves.... so you see I couldn't help but to wisk a few of those little baby plants into the container of the plant I was purchasing, heh-heh.... If you would like some of the baby plants I could send ya some... I dunno if the torts will eat it or not. Those plants in the pic are about a year old, snagged em last summer.

You absolutly MUST post pix of your new "baby" when you get him/her!
 

Dreamer

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Oh my! I would love a start. Are you in TX? Would the plant survive in MO.?
I just got a new camera & will post pics soon. Just found out I'll be getting
my little Leos tuesday & my little Red Foots wendsday!!!! Talk about being
tort giddy! LOL
Kay
 

EriNichole

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OHHHHH Terrible Terrible HORRRRIIIIBBBBBBLE DAY!!!!! MY Little Tort has been MURDERED!! ... While I was at work My husband found the neighbors WRETCHED GHASTLY little dog in OUR backyard... my little tort is NO MORE! MY heart is Stricken.... Perhaps an Alligator Snapping turtle would've been a better choice.... I'm Heartbroken and the neighbor who owns the devil beast belongs to doesn't seem to give a crap that their dog escaped THEIR yard and killed someone elses pet! There will be consequences for their actions! I now have animal control on Speed Dial...

....Dreamer, Yes I'm in Texas, the land of the Evil wretched Devil Dogs and their Ghastly Unconcerned Owners... Wickedness I tell you PURE wickedness..... Anyway I dunno if they would survive a winter outside there, BUT you could always put them in a pot and bring them indoors for the winter, or even keep them as an inside plant year round. I've seen a bunch of people here keep them as indoor plants or patio plants in containers. I'D love to see pics of your new Torts when you get em! I still have another tort on hold with the breeder, THANK GOODNESS I didn't bring it home with the first one or she might have also met the same end!
 

Jacqui

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:( *hugs* I am really sorry to hear what has happened. It won't bring your tortoise back, but those folks are legally required to pay for your lost tortoise (and morally too).

I am assuming you have an open backyard? Sounds like before you try getting the second tortoise, you need to do some fence building and some enclosure security work. If a dog got it this time, it will try again...or some other animal will. Take it as a wake up call that you need to rethink your pen a bit.

What had you use for the sides of the cage? For the lid? Was the only thing forming the wall in front the blocks? Was there any barriers all around your yard to keep things out? Just going by your photos of your poor tort.

What kind of a dog was it?
 

Yvonne G

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PYGY said:
OHHHHH Terrible Terrible HORRRRIIIIBBBBBBLE DAY!!!!! MY Little Tort has been MURDERED!! ... While I was at work My husband found the neighbors WRETCHED GHASTLY little dog in OUR backyard... my little tort is NO MORE! MY heart is Stricken....

Oh Erin! I'm so very very sorry!! And that jerk neighbor! At the very least he owes you the price of your poor little tortoise. An apology would have been nice too. What steps are you taking to be sure this won't happen again?

Yvonne
 

hystrix

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I am so very sorry to hear that.
I don't mean to be rude, but are you sure? Have you found the little tort body? If not maybe he/she is just hiding somewhere? I heard they are hard to find sometimes in a garden, especially when they are little. I'm trying to hold on to a sliver of hope.....

What are you going to do about the idiot neighbor and their stupid dog? I hope there's something you can do. Can you sue them, do you have any evidence that the dog did it? Always have your camera handy, so you can take pictures of the dog in your yard.

I am just so sad for you. Especially after I saw the picture of your tortoise.
I love my torts dearly and I cannot even imagine something happening to them.
I am very very sorry for your loss.

Em
 

Dreamer

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I'm sooo sorry to hear of your loss. I fully understand!!! We live in the country, where there are no
leash or fench rules. Our neighbors dogs killed one of our calves, but we couldn't prove it, just
what the vet said, as it was different from a cyote kill.
My little torts won't get to be outside unsupervised, as these same dogs trap snaping turtles, red-eared
&painted turtles that move from the pond to the creek on our place. They don't usually kill them, I think
because these turts are good sized. But still the harasment goes on.
We have "talked" with these folks & things are better for awhile but then.........
I'm sure being in town you should have some recourse.
Again, you have my sympathy!
Kay
 

Itort

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Hopefully the neighbor makes it right with you and keeps their dog confined from now on. I to live in the country and had a similar incident. A neighbor let his dog run free because it was country. Well this dog got into my goat herd and savaged 4 milkers. I own a .243 rifle for coyotes which worked very well on a shepherd cross. The owner called the sheriff on me and ended up paying vet bills and was informed if he took it to court would end paying for lose of income from milk ( it worked out to about 9 months milk production).
 

Jacqui

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Itort said:
I own a .243 rifle for coyotes which worked very well on a shepherd cross.
[/quote

Did you try to get the dog to quit attacking your goats before you shot it?
 

Dreamer

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Oh believe me, my husband thought of doing the same thing. I just don't want to kill a dog for the neighbors ignorance or just not caring!
Our neighbors have several dogs + numerous pups.:0(
 

Itort

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Jacqui said:
Itort said:
I own a .243 rifle for coyotes which worked very well on a shepherd cross.
[/quote

Did you try to get the dog to quit attacking your goats before you shot it?
Yes, it was it was unhandleable and the goats ran into barn, so I shut door and got rifle. In Iowa dogs attacking livestock legally can be shot. After this I got Frank, the donkey, as a guard animal and never had this problem again. Unforunately none of these options can be used in city.
 

Jacqui

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Most states the dogs can legally be shot unfortunately. So you shot the dog after your goats were locked in the barn? Why shoot the dog then? Why not be calling the sheriff then?
 

Crazy1

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PYGY, I too am so sorry for your loss. I know what a heavy heart you must have at this difficult time.
Unfortunately irresponsible pet owners are the problem; unfortunately your little Leo paid the price.
I would definitely talk with the dog owners and state your demands, 1) for them to pay for your Leo. 2) For them to truly secure their dog. It after it is their fault their dog got out of their yard and into yours.
Now looking into the future;
I would set up a secure enclosure-predator proof for your new upcoming shelled babies. Maybe even set up a hot wire around their pen for the dastardly little 4 legged beast in case he comes back. But a small Tort also has threats from above like ravens, hawks, owls or even Cats, skunks or opossums all of which dwell in the cities.
Again, so sorry for your loss.
 

Itort

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Jacqui said:
Most states the dogs can legally be shot unfortunately. So you shot the dog after your goats were locked in the barn? Why shoot the dog then? Why not be calling the sheriff then?
There had been a problem with livestock in the section and neighboring one with livestock attacks (calves and sheep) and people had been warned to keep dogs under control. The humane society is not real responsive to problems in rural county and sheriff is unable to respond quick enough plus I was very angry. The dog was afterall semi-feral.
 

Jacqui

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I also live pretty much in the country. Actually on the very edge of a village of less then 90 folks. We also have to depend on the Sheriff for protection and yes they aren't always johnny-on-the-spot.

I sorta see both side here and have been in both situations.

We had our first bunch of chickens/ducks/geese killed by foxes. Since we had just bought and moved chickens into a year where the foxes had their den the year before, I felt it wasn't the foxes fault. (and no, we found out about the fox den later)

Last year we had problems with coons going for the chickens. We bought a live trap, but then I started thinking. We had no idea if there were babies involved and I didn't want to trap a mother and have the young starve. Plus where would I take it too? The city? lol. Seriously I wonder about folks who bring their animals out and dump them in the country. Like country folks should be gifted with all the animals that have become problems? I spent the next two weeks sleeping in the chicken house, until we could build a fence covering that out smarted those coons. It was actually interesting seeing the wild coons up close, watching them think out problems, and seeing how hard they are to scare off.

We also have a dog problem in my village, which then create major problems for me. Two dogs which are great alone, but together cause problems. They tease my dogs by jumping/barking/acting like they are attacking them thru the fence. Doesn't stop there, they also go to my windows and do the same thing there.

Needless to say, we replace fencing, screens , and windows like they are going out of style. Windows are broken from both sides, mine trying to get to them and them trying to get to mine. Under the windows you can see the mud and claw marks from them. We tried many things. We can't place a fence to keep them off the side of the house (too close to the neighbors home). We ended up boarding some windows, covering all lower windows with contact paper to block views, stapled the heavy wire onto the outside of the house. We live in a war zone is how I feel.

Last week, while I was taking my son to school (his car died), the two dogs showed up. (I was told this by somebody else who saw them) They went to the house and started in on my dogs. The German Shepherd in the house managed/or they managed to loosen the board covering the window enough to get out. He jumped the two dogs. The fight was broken up. No animal was hurt thankfully.

However, they then called the Sheriff on my dog. My dog stayed in his own yard or within feet of it. He had just been in a fight and was clearly upset. Yes he probably did growl at the Sheriff, but then so would I. The Sheriff then decided he was a viscous dog and shot my animal, because it attacked their dogs. The two running loose and not in their yard, who started the whole fight are still running around enjoying the sunshine.

I can clearly imagine your wanting to kill the dog who went after you goats. I had my seconds many times of feeling the same way, before sanity returned. It's not the animal's fault, it's the owners. Dogs do get loose it's a fact of life. If the owner of the animal takes responsibility for it and atleast tries their best to keep the dog pen/tied/whatever I have no problem with it. It's the ones who let them loose for no reason.

Flip side I always try to remember is how would I feel if my animals got loose and were killed. (okay, so I guess I know this side now:(). My neighbors should have the same rights to protect their animals/crops/land whatever the same as I do. How would I feel if one of my horses got loose and was shot for escaping. In this case it would be your goats.

True your goats might not be as life threatening as the dog, but it could create a car accident for example. Or maybe somebody is just scared to death of goats. Even non threatening animals can be threatening to some. I had an neighbor once who was scared of my tortoises. Not sure if it was the Yellowfoot or the DT. He was honestly afraid it would hurt my children.
 
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