If you hadn't already guessed, I live in Florida and I guess I can say I have come to love torts. In fact I love All animals. I own an animal sanctuary for both domestic and wild animals where everyone lives free, is fed, free ranges and is cared for. No one,oops, I mean no animal is considered as a food source. As far as torts go, my only involvement to date, has been with the gopher tortoise. Recently, there was the clearing of thousands of acres of pine and oak woodlands adjacent to my property. As a result we were inundated with every species of animal and reptile that was being forced from their natural habitat. The gopher tortoise was the last to pass through. They were burnt in spots, blistered feet, and shells sliced from machinery. Fortunately none appeared to be life threatening. I suppose those had already fallen to the land clearing fires and these were the lucky ones. With all this said, they became near and dear to me in their need. As they passed through I tried to make sure they had ample food, water and vitamins. But you can't have a gopher tortoise as a pet and that's what I (we) now want as an addition to the other 300+ animal on our farm. SOOO, this afternoon, via UPS, we become the proud parents of two Sulcata hatchlings. More to follow.
Hello from Florida
- Thread starter Florida
- Start date
Welcome! Sad to see/hear what's happening with Florida's landscape. Gotta love "progress".
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- Jul 16, 2014
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- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Welcome, fellow Floridian.
Please keep the Sulcata away from the Gophers.
I'm sure those Gophers are full of things that might kill your babies.
Please keep the Sulcata away from the Gophers.
I'm sure those Gophers are full of things that might kill your babies.
I'd love to see pictures of your menagerie.
Welcome!
Welcome!
Thanks. Glad to be here and hope to learn lots. You are right about the de-forestation. It never seems to stop.
Not a problem. A very healthy fine and punishment is levied if you have much of any involvement with a gopher.
Pictures to come
Or do you mean of the entire farm/zoo????
The more the merrier!!!
I think you can upload 15 per post, but dn't worry about it. It will let you know when you can't put up anymore.I may have to check with the site admins as to size limits. We have donkeys, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas, dogs cats and now tortoises. That many pics may overload the site.
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- Jul 16, 2014
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- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Yep.
That's why I never mention it.
Fantastic. The kids came in last night about 6pm. We put them both in a warm soak. At first, they were kinda sluggish but then, as they woke up they began to move around and boy did they drink the water. WOW. After about 20 minutes of soak and guzzling
we put them in their habitat where they had lots of collards and tortoise food as a topping. They both went right to it. As soon as I can figure out how to get pictures from my iphone to my pc, we will introduce you to Sully and Flash. Morning UPDATE. Last night food is gone. Fed them again. They love their water bowl Misted the habitat.. This is Florida, the Sunshine State. They are going to have to get used to rain.We live on the Suwannee River. The little gopher tortoise had healed from all his dog related injuries and was eating and drinking well. I carried him back to the same woodline where I found him. Fed him some collard greens and stood back. He walked in three circles while the dogs sat and watched and the last I saw, he was headed in the same exact direction he was headed in the day he got hurt. I said a little prayer for his safety and came back home.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
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- 29,120
- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
We do what we can do.
The ones I find are in the city and spray painted.
Luckily we have a sanctuary here at FERN FORREST.
Fern Forest is awesome. I used to live in the condos on the other side of the C-14 canal from it.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Messages
- 29,120
- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
My brother got married there about 15 years ago.
It is loaded with Gophers
