Fred needs a new home

Fred's human

New Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Boston Ma
Hello Tortoise Friends,

I am looking for a new home for Fred.
Fred is a 30 year old Bell's Tortoise. He lived with my sister when her children were small and I inherited him from my sister when her children went to college and she moved. Her husband "rescued" him years before from a naughty little boy in a park that was hitting Fred with a stick. HIs age is approximated from a local exotic pet vet who has cared for Fred over many years.
Although I feel guilty every time I think about sending him to a new home because my nephew grew up with him and understands Fred better than I do, my nephew is in graduate school now, I don't think he'll be able to take Fred for a while. I am pretty sure Fred is not happy.
There would be no rehoming fee. I have a large glass terrarium for him during the winter months with a reptile light for during the day, a heating pad on always and a UV light for nights. He does not like the terrarium but it is too cold to let him wander like he does in the summer. I have not built him an enclosure like the many impressive tortoise homes I have seen in pictures on this site.
During the warm months when he isn't wandering around the house (has anyone seen Fred?) he spends much of his time out on my deck in a doggie gate area where he has a little more space than his terrarium. We would let him out in the yard but my sister did that once and the whole neighborhood was in a panic when he burrowed and was lost for 6 hours.
He mostly eats steamed butternut squash, tomatoes and strawberries with some greens but often he has to be hand fed as he will just ignore the food. As I said, I think he is not happy and may be depressed.
We are not tortoise people and I am sure he would be happier with someone that understood him better. He needs a good home.

Thank you
Tina
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
Ship it to me in Oregon
Good thought, but this is a tough time of year to ship a tortoise from the northeast (Christmas rush, plus cold temperatures), most especially for someone who is not familiar with the process. Maybe another nearby member who is experienced with shipping procedures could help Tina with shipping?
 

Fred's human

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Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Boston Ma
Thanks so much for your offer. I am sure Fred would love Oregon but as Zovick mentioned it is cold here, I am unfamiliar with the process of shipment preparation and while I am not asking an adoption fee I am not comfortable with incurring the costs of shipping.
Tina
 

Yvonne G

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Jan 23, 2008
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Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Thanks so much for your offer. I am sure Fred would love Oregon but as Zovick mentioned it is cold here, I am unfamiliar with the process of shipment preparation and while I am not asking an adoption fee I am not comfortable with incurring the costs of shipping.
Tina
If you find someone in a warmer climate and they want to ship, the person you're shipping to pays the shipping costs, not you. But this is the wrong time of year to ship.
 

Fred's human

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Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Boston Ma
you could also drive the tortoise to their new home (thats what I would do)

there is also a turtle/tortoise rescue in western mass as an alternative
I would love a road trip to Oregon but a husband and three kids would wonder where I've gone to.
I would feel bad about sending Fred to a rescue unless there was a dire necessity. We are his third home already that I know of. I'd like to have him settled but thank you for the information.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
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Jan 23, 2008
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Clovis, CA
Thank you for clarifying. Is that a given?
Is June a better time to ship?
Yes. The recipient always pays the shipping. You'll need to know where the hub for your shipment is going then check the weather from you through the hub and to the destination. You can go as low as 50°F from you through the hub and to the destination with hand warmers in the box.
 

Lyn W

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Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Sorry you have to give him up.
Hopefully one of the longer and more well known members will be ale to take him so you'll know he's going to a good home.
 

crimson_lotus

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Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
1,385
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
how large is fred? for some reason I was expecting a large tortoise. my redfoot charlotte takes up a good portion of my basement in a 4x8 enclosure and she is like 16 inches
 

Sterant

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5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Messages
693
Location (City and/or State)
Albany, NY
If you ever make it to the Albany, NY area, and have someone to ship it to, I would be happy to properly pack it for you and ship it out. In the unlikely event that happens, let me know in advance and I will tell the next owner what shipping supplies to send us and how to pay for the shipping.
 

TammyJ

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Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,120
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
Hello Tortoise Friends,

I am looking for a new home for Fred.
Fred is a 30 year old Bell's Tortoise. He lived with my sister when her children were small and I inherited him from my sister when her children went to college and she moved. Her husband "rescued" him years before from a naughty little boy in a park that was hitting Fred with a stick. HIs age is approximated from a local exotic pet vet who has cared for Fred over many years.
Although I feel guilty every time I think about sending him to a new home because my nephew grew up with him and understands Fred better than I do, my nephew is in graduate school now, I don't think he'll be able to take Fred for a while. I am pretty sure Fred is not happy.
There would be no rehoming fee. I have a large glass terrarium for him during the winter months with a reptile light for during the day, a heating pad on always and a UV light for nights. He does not like the terrarium but it is too cold to let him wander like he does in the summer. I have not built him an enclosure like the many impressive tortoise homes I have seen in pictures on this site.
During the warm months when he isn't wandering around the house (has anyone seen Fred?) he spends much of his time out on my deck in a doggie gate area where he has a little more space than his terrarium. We would let him out in the yard but my sister did that once and the whole neighborhood was in a panic when he burrowed and was lost for 6 hours.
He mostly eats steamed butternut squash, tomatoes and strawberries with some greens but often he has to be hand fed as he will just ignore the food. As I said, I think he is not happy and may be depressed.
We are not tortoise people and I am sure he would be happier with someone that understood him better. He needs a good home.

Thank you
Tina
I think it would be good if you could just wait until your nephew can and will take Fred.
 

Dustythetortoise

New Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
mesa
Hello Tortoise Friends,

I am looking for a new home for Fred.
Fred is a 30 year old Bell's Tortoise. He lived with my sister when her children were small and I inherited him from my sister when her children went to college and she moved. Her husband "rescued" him years before from a naughty little boy in a park that was hitting Fred with a stick. HIs age is approximated from a local exotic pet vet who has cared for Fred over many years.
Although I feel guilty every time I think about sending him to a new home because my nephew grew up with him and understands Fred better than I do, my nephew is in graduate school now, I don't think he'll be able to take Fred for a while. I am pretty sure Fred is not happy.
There would be no rehoming fee. I have a large glass terrarium for him during the winter months with a reptile light for during the day, a heating pad on always and a UV light for nights. He does not like the terrarium but it is too cold to let him wander like he does in the summer. I have not built him an enclosure like the many impressive tortoise homes I have seen in pictures on this site.
During the warm months when he isn't wandering around the house (has anyone seen Fred?) he spends much of his time out on my deck in a doggie gate area where he has a little more space than his terrarium. We would let him out in the yard but my sister did that once and the whole neighborhood was in a panic when he burrowed and was lost for 6 hours.
He mostly eats steamed butternut squash, tomatoes and strawberries with some greens but often he has to be hand fed as he will just ignore the food. As I said, I think he is not happy and may be depressed.
We are not tortoise people and I am sure he would be happier with someone that understood him better. He needs a good home.

Thank you
Tina
20201216_072949.jpgI live in arizona its nice here all year except a seldom few weeks in January. Fred would love it here. We have 2 acres and lots of room to borrow:) My little one is only 4 months old, and he is a happy happy guy:)
 

Dustythetortoise

New Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
mesa
I would love a road trip to Oregon but a husband and three kids would wonder where I've gone to.
I would feel bad about sending Fred to a rescue unless there was a dire necessity. We are his third home already that I know of. I'd like to have him settled but thank you for the information.
 

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