I don't understand how people don't like tortoises?!
- Thread starter Bogie=babyDINO
- Start date
This is a tough position for you to be in. Perhaps with time, and more information/knowledge your BF's mother might become more open-minded? I am very skeptical of people who hate animals for apparently no reason. But, maybe you can educate her about tortoises and tortoise keeping and maybe she will realize they aren't horrible, scary man-eating dinosaurs?
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
They are hard to love especially those big mean Sulcata's ! 
18 months ago a tortoise would have been quite near the bottom of my list of desirable pets - just above snakes spiders and lizards.
Thought that as they weren't sociable they were quite pointless and boring.
Then Lola came into my life!
I am now completely fascinated by him and torts in general.
I can't believe how much time I have spent just watching him - doing very little really.
Would only part with him now if it was in his best interest.
.
Thought that as they weren't sociable they were quite pointless and boring.
Then Lola came into my life!
I am now completely fascinated by him and torts in general.
I can't believe how much time I have spent just watching him - doing very little really.
Would only part with him now if it was in his best interest.
.
Nicole74
Member
I was reading through this and going Hmmm but you sound like you have a pretty healthy self esteem. The MIL situation will just get worse and if he is siding with her over you well.........
But anyway there seems to be a lot of negativity toward exotic animals in general.
Speedy-1
Well-Known Member
I know exactly what you mean , when I was talking about getting Speedy my wife was like "oh good , a door stop that we need to feed" ! Now she just cant get enough of him . He just loves her petting his head while he soaks ! She is hooked for sure !
Bogie=babyDINO
Active Member
Well it is saying something when I enjoy Bogart's company more then my boyfriend and his mom :/
Either something isn't right or I'm a crazy tort lover.... Or both
Either something isn't right or I'm a crazy tort lover.... Or both
It's just a matter of opinion.
There are those who like turtles and tortoises
And then there are those who are wrong.
There are those who like turtles and tortoises
And then there are those who are wrong.
I know exactly what you mean , when I was talking about getting Speedy my wife was like "oh good , a door stop that we need to feed" ! Now she just cant get enough of him . He just loves her petting his head while he soaks ! She is hooked for sure !
Ah when people and tortoises/turtles come together in harmony! It just brings tears to my eyes to see such a loving relationship bloom like that :3
A person who doesn't like tortoises is someone with whom I want to have a long conversation. Me personally, I've only very occasionally met a person who doesn't like tortoises or turtles. Luckily, chelonians don't appear to maintain the same sort of stigma that snakes and lizards do, which makes any person suffering from mild chelonaphobia relatively easy to talk away from their outlandish position. Needless to say, some people have irrational fear/hatred; fortunately, most people can be talked down from this position.
Interestingly, my mother was one of these people. She hated reptiles of all kinds, and she absolutely forbid my purchasing of Graecus, my first Greek tortoise. Despite her wishes, I saved money and purchased Graecus. She was furious at me, but I refused to relent, arguing that I would pay for the feed and upkeep, which I did, devoting my entire childhood allowance to keeping turtles and tortoises. Later, I managed to even sneak a few snakes into the house. Now, I was a child at the time, and my methods were certainly nothing I would recommend folks do today, but my efforts ultimately did bear fruit. My mother now regards my annual retinue of marginated hatchlings as the cutest things on the earth. When you consider that she started in a place of downright disapproval, the fact that she came to a place where she brags to her friends, many of whom shared her once phobic nature concerning reptiles, about my success with tortoises is simply amazing but shows what can be done through some convincing. I realize people can be stubborn, but the same goes for us tortoise keepers, and as a stubborn man myself, I often find myself unwilling to submit to some other person's foolish opinions. To do so invites the passage of idiotic laws and misguided regulations restricting good people from keeping the beasts they love so passionately.
T.G.
Interestingly, my mother was one of these people. She hated reptiles of all kinds, and she absolutely forbid my purchasing of Graecus, my first Greek tortoise. Despite her wishes, I saved money and purchased Graecus. She was furious at me, but I refused to relent, arguing that I would pay for the feed and upkeep, which I did, devoting my entire childhood allowance to keeping turtles and tortoises. Later, I managed to even sneak a few snakes into the house. Now, I was a child at the time, and my methods were certainly nothing I would recommend folks do today, but my efforts ultimately did bear fruit. My mother now regards my annual retinue of marginated hatchlings as the cutest things on the earth. When you consider that she started in a place of downright disapproval, the fact that she came to a place where she brags to her friends, many of whom shared her once phobic nature concerning reptiles, about my success with tortoises is simply amazing but shows what can be done through some convincing. I realize people can be stubborn, but the same goes for us tortoise keepers, and as a stubborn man myself, I often find myself unwilling to submit to some other person's foolish opinions. To do so invites the passage of idiotic laws and misguided regulations restricting good people from keeping the beasts they love so passionately.
T.G.
AnimalLady
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nasty little ankle biters, I'm with you on this... and I'm a "dog person".
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I have noticed this too, negativity to pets that are not dogs and cats. In some areas horses are also really well tolerated, if not the focus of the community. But go to a reptile show and then go to any busy street corner in any major city. Two different suites of people.
People who can identify with animals as their own being are ever more rare. Dogs and cats are family members to people who have them, my cat as well for my family. But to find the same wonder in animals that we share our homes with that are less family member like, a tank of fish, a pen with a tortoise, a cage with a bird, we are somewhat marginalized.
I just spent a few hours on a plane this weekend, and as I was sitting their in that little tiny excuse for a chair, I thumbed through FB to all the image porn of animals. I like so many more than I'll keep, I fill myself by looking at images. The passengers to each side of me kept asking "what's that one?" "what are those?" you'd think no one ever saw a cassowary before, or genets, foxes, or a moose for crying out loud, how can you not know what a moose is?
When I was a very young kid I had monkeys, caiman, all kinds of other 'herps', chickens, a pet skunk, mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rabbits, parrots canaries, finches, an occasional wild bird from the area, blah blah blah.
I often tell cat haters they were most likely a rat in a former life, both animals I like. I don't know what a tortoise hater may have been in a past life, a weedy leaf?
Maybe a tortoise since they are not very sociable.
Yeah, a Russian maybe ?Maybe a tortoise since they are not very sociable.
Bogie=babyDINO
Active Member
Hahaha I like that one. Good saying to put on a hoodie.
Bogie=babyDINO
Active Member
I have a friend that says he is really freaked out by how torts can suck their head and limbs in haha
Also he says he is also freak out by some birds and the weird jerky way they move their heads
I recommended therapy. I have no clue what that could stem from. Too many scary movies as a kid.
Also he says he is also freak out by some birds and the weird jerky way they move their heads
I recommended therapy. I have no clue what that could stem from. Too many scary movies as a kid.
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Interesting.
Being an animal person from childhood it mystifies me to run into an animal-phobe of any kind.
Sometimes it is fear ( unknown) , sometimes disgust ( they are dirty ) and sometimes elitism ( they don't belong in our world - the house - etc).
While there are still millions of us human animals that appreciate and connect with the natural world , sadly the constructed and insulated environments we create for ourselves encourages this attitude.
I used to hunt , and a young lady said to me once
" I don't see why you can't just buy meat in a grocery store so no animal has to die for it "
Seriously ?
Do you think that hamburger was grown on a tree ? But this is how far the " civilized " world has removed itself from our connection to the natural world.
Sad really.
Being an animal person from childhood it mystifies me to run into an animal-phobe of any kind.
Sometimes it is fear ( unknown) , sometimes disgust ( they are dirty ) and sometimes elitism ( they don't belong in our world - the house - etc).
While there are still millions of us human animals that appreciate and connect with the natural world , sadly the constructed and insulated environments we create for ourselves encourages this attitude.
I used to hunt , and a young lady said to me once
" I don't see why you can't just buy meat in a grocery store so no animal has to die for it "
Seriously ?
Do you think that hamburger was grown on a tree ? But this is how far the " civilized " world has removed itself from our connection to the natural world.
Sad really.
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