Okay guys, Ive been around lurking for a long time. In my intro thread I explained how I had a DT and he died a little while ago from what I am guessing now was more than likely an RI. At the time I didnt know better and knowing what I know now I feel terribly for Shelly. IVe been working on setting up both an indoor enclosure and a table for a new tort or two and the time is starting to come where the dry runs of the setup are starting to level out and Ive got steady temps and plants starting to grow etc.
I still have yet to decide what species I would be most interest in. While I love Sulcatas, they just get too big in the ong run and I dont want to have to worry about a place for him to stay 20 years from now incase I dont have a house or something.
Now my question is, while I know it is illegal to sell DTs, what is everyones opinion on colecting one and bringing it home while out field herping? Every spring/summer me and a large group of friends go out into the foothills and into the desert looking for scorps, snakes, torts etc to photograph and see. WE mever really take anything home (one of my friends will take an occasional scorp or spider because thats what they are into, im more or a snake guy) and no animal is ever harmed, just photographed, measured and replaced.
We quite a few DTs, from hatching (though unfortunatly they are usually dead/sickly there are healthy ones) to good sized well established juvies. The more I think about it the more I would love to have another DT. Would it be terribly wrong of me if i took a healthy guy out of the wild? Or even a sickly guy out of the wild? MY last one I found the day after we moved into out new house in our backyard (actually we found 5 of them) as our house was in a new development on the top of a hill that was full of wildlife and we continued to find all sorts of stuff for a few years.
Anyways Im getting long windered and rambling. I guess Im just trying to make sure in the tort community i wouldnt be considered that evil guy IF i was looking to give one a good home and make sure he/she survived..
opinions?
I still have yet to decide what species I would be most interest in. While I love Sulcatas, they just get too big in the ong run and I dont want to have to worry about a place for him to stay 20 years from now incase I dont have a house or something.
Now my question is, while I know it is illegal to sell DTs, what is everyones opinion on colecting one and bringing it home while out field herping? Every spring/summer me and a large group of friends go out into the foothills and into the desert looking for scorps, snakes, torts etc to photograph and see. WE mever really take anything home (one of my friends will take an occasional scorp or spider because thats what they are into, im more or a snake guy) and no animal is ever harmed, just photographed, measured and replaced.
We quite a few DTs, from hatching (though unfortunatly they are usually dead/sickly there are healthy ones) to good sized well established juvies. The more I think about it the more I would love to have another DT. Would it be terribly wrong of me if i took a healthy guy out of the wild? Or even a sickly guy out of the wild? MY last one I found the day after we moved into out new house in our backyard (actually we found 5 of them) as our house was in a new development on the top of a hill that was full of wildlife and we continued to find all sorts of stuff for a few years.
Anyways Im getting long windered and rambling. I guess Im just trying to make sure in the tort community i wouldnt be considered that evil guy IF i was looking to give one a good home and make sure he/she survived..
opinions?