F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors!!!!

[chadk]

We live on the outskirts of town. Everyone has 1/2 to 1 acre lots. I like all my neighbors, but it helps that we aren't breathing down eachother's throats. We have plenty of privacy, yet also great neighbors who watch our house while we are gone and will even help with the animals and things. Everyone loves the sounds coming from our little farm and we bring them fresh eggs from time to time.

 

[terryo]

I live in the City and we only have ...I think...a piece of small property that's about 200 x 45..maybe. We are very close with our neighbors on one side of our house. We help them and they help us. On the other side the people aren't too friendly, but just stay to themselves and don't bother anyone. My son lost his snake..don't ask how it got out...and the neighbor thought it was wild and was going to eat his tomato's, so killed it with a shovel. My son was devastated of course, but they don't know any better. A few time's a small water turtle got out somehow and was always brought to me. When I lost Izzy, the whole block was searching for her in their yards, and some kids even put posters on the light poles. Once I was sick, and couldn't get any of my kids on the phone, and my neighbor came over and stayed with me til 2 in the morning when we finally got my son........and the list goes on and on. So sometimes it's OK to have some close neighbors nearby. That's just my thoughts.

 

[chadk]

I knew a guy who ALWAY had crummy neighbors. Hated all of them. Me moved around a lot and always complained about it. I began to understand the pattern...

Sometimes you just have to wonde... is YOU that is the problem in the first place?

 

[moswen]

Haha I just found out the neighbor who I was complaining about earlier has a history with the law in this neighborhood and she has threatened and harassed other people and all sorts of things, and someone else has a law suit against her, and the police are documenting everything she does so that when something serious happens they can have her history documented and the police apparently are fed up with her! What a pathetic life you must lead to have the cops hate you. Why doesn't SHE move out to green acres if she hates her neighbors so much!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

"Yeah, Green Acres IS the place to be!"

Couldn't have said it better myself Terry!

And contrary to popular belief, we do have running water and electricity! Even wireless internet!

Isn't it great sitting out on the porch at night and hearing nothing more than crickets and spring frogs?

Absolutely...except when Hamlet, my mini-pig, is fussing about the goats trying to steal his treats...loud little dude.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Now a story about a thoughtful neighbor: Travis, who lives down our road about 6 miles away, has a daughter who hangs out with my daughter, so he's aware of our many pets and thinks we're crazy but harmless D)...and particularily likes the tortoises, enough to want me to help his daughter Lori get a good healthy one at next month's reptile swap meet in Arlington.

Well, last night he called me up and asked I need any of the sow thistle he's wanting to clear out of his pastures and if so, how much? I told him "Thanks" and whatever he could send over would be appreciated.

This morning, he dropped off 3 square bales (about 5' X 3' X 3')...about 200#!

Am currently taking a break from trimming the leaves off the stems and putting them in gal-sized zip-locks.

 

[Yourlocalpoet]

My old neighbour actually sprayed my tortoise with ronseal (the stuff you spray to treat wooden fences) esmerelda was grazing by the fence and the idiot started spraying his fence! Her shell was pretty covered in the stuff, it's a good job I was there other wise I dread to think what would have happened. I can honestly say I said some pretty awful things to him between tears and absolute panic. Thankfully she was okay, never did forgive him though.

 

[kbaker]

I guess it's time to revisit the topic...

Animal Control just stopped by because someone complained about the smell from my tortoises. I got lucky with a good officer. He saw that my animals are well taken care of. The smell is mainly from the garbage cans from daily pick ups from the tortoises. He suggested that I get some lime to sprinkle over the stools to help with the smell. He said basically they are not classified as normal pets and because I am not keeping them in the house, they are technically illegal to have in my city. He saw that I take good care of them and the city is not out to get me so it should be fine. At the same time, if the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors complain more, I will have to pay a fine and go before a judge. It will be up to the judge to say if I can keep the tortoises then.
I do not have any rights with them because they are illegal. I mentioned about the spraying poison on my fence line and the officer said they are well with in their rights to spray poison because the tortoises are not actually legal.

My biggest problem here is none of the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors have mentioned that the smell was a problem. Respectful people talk to their neighbors and not call the city on them first.

 

[Tom]

It would be imprudent for me to comment here, but I wish you luck.

You are a good guy and I'm very upset that this is happening to you.

 

[webskipper]

I empathize with you.
AZ says don't import any animal to AZ even it was native at one time. Once it leaves the state don't bring it back.

That means my Torts are illegals as well.

The 2 months that you can have your Torts outside in Michigan are about up anyway right?

How about giving the poop away as fertilizer? It's isn't much different as cow manure and even dog poop can be used if diluted a gazillion:1.

Or bury a perforated 55 gallon drum. I remember using a commercial 15 gal one for my dogs. Water was only 24 inches down. Doggy Dooley? It'd a crude septic tank and it will naturally decompose the poop. Add bacteria to start faster .

Hope this helps.

 

[moswen]

i'm so sorry kbaker. i completely agree that a respectable neighbor would speak with you first. it's rude not to have some sort of CIVILIZED communication before you just up and call the police. i'm considering myself lucky that my crazy neighbor has put her house up for sale (i believe because the police have told her that they are going to start writing her up and fining her for complaints they receive about her behavior... ) but you know that if you ever do have to give your torts up there are so many good homes here that they can go to... however if i were you i'd be moving yesterday!!! so sorry to hear what you're going through, my sympathies. i wish i lived closer to michigan, i'd take some tortie fertilizer lol!!! i also agree with burying it as well, that will greatly minimize any smell your little guys might be creating.

 

[dolfanjack]

I guess it's time to revisit the topic...

Animal Control just stopped by because someone complained about the smell from my tortoises. I got lucky with a good officer. He saw that my animals are well taken care of. The smell is mainly from the garbage cans from daily pick ups from the tortoises. He suggested that I get some lime to sprinkle over the stools to help with the smell. He said basically they are not classified as normal pets and because I am not keeping them in the house, they are technically illegal to have in my city. He saw that I take good care of them and the city is not out to get me so it should be fine. At the same time, if the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors complain more, I will have to pay a fine and go before a judge. It will be up to the judge to say if I can keep the tortoises then.
I do not have any rights with them because they are illegal. I mentioned about the spraying poison on my fence line and the officer said they are well with in their rights to spray poison because the tortoises are not actually legal.

My biggest problem here is none of the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors have mentioned that the smell was a problem. Respectful people talk to their neighbors and not call the city on them first.

How many tortioses do you have that can cause that much stink?

 

[dmmj]

Mu neighbor makes up stories about my water turtles stinking all the time in order to get me in trouble. Thy have come and smelled my pond and can detect no odor what so ever, clean mine out regularly, the stink is actually coming from the sewage plant near us, and when it gets hot it smells bad, but he is out there all the time saying boy they stink. he is an idiot of the highest order.

 

[terryo]

I guess it's time to revisit the topic...

Animal Control just stopped by because someone complained about the smell from my tortoises. I got lucky with a good officer. He saw that my animals are well taken care of. The smell is mainly from the garbage cans from daily pick ups from the tortoises. He suggested that I get some lime to sprinkle over the stools to help with the smell. He said basically they are not classified as normal pets and because I am not keeping them in the house, they are technically illegal to have in my city. He saw that I take good care of them and the city is not out to get me so it should be fine. At the same time, if the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors complain more, I will have to pay a fine and go before a judge. It will be up to the judge to say if I can keep the tortoises then.
I do not have any rights with them because they are illegal. I mentioned about the spraying poison on my fence line and the officer said they are well with in their rights to spray poison because the tortoises are not actually legal.

My biggest problem here is none of the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors have mentioned that the smell was a problem. Respectful people talk to their neighbors and not call the city on them first.

How many tortioses do you have that can cause that much stink?

Sometimes on a very warm humid day I will pass by Pio's garden, and I can smell this poop...a lot. So than I have to search for it and take it out. And he's only one tort, who did one poop.

 

[kbaker]

[/quote]

How many tortioses do you have that can cause that much stink?
[/quote]

I have many tortoises, but mostly small ones. The ones that make the most poop are the three adult sulcatas. I clean up daily and usually more than once a day. The smell is from the garbage can filled with poop and not the poop that is laying in the yard at times. The stink really is not that much. It's the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbor who wants to start trouble that is the problem.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

Get a litter locker or a baby diaper trash can? It seals the stink in

Sorry you have bad neighbors. Our one neighbor likes seeing the turtles/torts, and the other ones really don't care. Which is a good thing because one of the neighbors that doesn't care is also our landlord. We have an agreement though - we don't call about his rooster/chickens and he doesn't say anything about our pets

 

[Becki]

I'm sorry that is happening to you K. Your story makes me want to go give all my neighbors a big kiss!

 

[Kristina]

The 2 months that you can have your Torts outside in Michigan are about up anyway right?

Mine have already been out for 6 months....



I had neighbors that complained about a smell coming from my tort pens, but I have never ever ever noticed a smell. I had the housing commission manager come over to my house when it was 90* out, and she couldn't detect a smell, so nothing came of it.

Same neighbor is currently in a mental institute... just sayin'.

I agree, seal the bins or get some sort of composting system. I had 14" and 10" Sulcatas in the house, in the living room... and never had a smell issue. I just flushed the cigars as they were made

 

[dolfanjack]

How many tortioses do you have that can cause that much stink?
[/quote]

I have many tortoises, but mostly small ones. The ones that make the most poop are the three adult sulcatas. I clean up daily and usually more than once a day. The smell is from the garbage can filled with poop and not the poop that is laying in the yard at times. The stink really is not that much. It's the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbor who wants to start trouble that is the problem.
[/quote]

So dog poop in a can and the city does nothing but tortioses poop in a can and you might loose your torts! that stinks(pun intended)

---

I guess it's time to revisit the topic...

Animal Control just stopped by because someone complained about the smell from my tortoises. I got lucky with a good officer. He saw that my animals are well taken care of. The smell is mainly from the garbage cans from daily pick ups from the tortoises. He suggested that I get some lime to sprinkle over the stools to help with the smell. He said basically they are not classified as normal pets and because I am not keeping them in the house, they are technically illegal to have in my city. He saw that I take good care of them and the city is not out to get me so it should be fine. At the same time, if the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors complain more, I will have to pay a fine and go before a judge. It will be up to the judge to say if I can keep the tortoises then.
I do not have any rights with them because they are illegal. I mentioned about the spraying poison on my fence line and the officer said they are well with in their rights to spray poison because the tortoises are not actually legal.

My biggest problem here is none of the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors have mentioned that the smell was a problem. Respectful people talk to their neighbors and not call the city on them first.

How many tortioses do you have that can cause that much stink?

Sometimes on a very warm humid day I will pass by Pio's garden, and I can smell this poop...a lot. So than I have to search for it and take it out. And he's only one tort, who did one poop.

My box turtle incloser can get pretty stinky because of some of the food I feed and the very wet conditions. My two russians however have no smell that I can detect. Maybe every turtle owner with a bad neighbor should buy a yappy dog, then they will have somthing other then the torts to complain about.(Kidding)

 

[kbaker]

The 2 months that you can have your Torts outside in Michigan are about up anyway right?

How about giving the poop away as fertilizer?

The tortoises get outside full time 4+ months of the year. They should not have to spend more time inside because of the F!@#$%^&*! Neighbors. My goal is to get them outside more. I have plans to fix up the garage so they can go in and out more often.

What's the difference if the poop goes out with the yard waste once a week or I give it away once a week? Did you think I kept the poop for two months in the garbage cans??