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MamaTurtle

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Joined
Jul 19, 2017
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13
Location (City and/or State)
Now Florida from California
I'm sorry this has taken so long to post but I have been having a terrible time with my computer since Irma left. I live in Florida and I computer crashed a couple days before Irma arrived so I couldn't get it to Apple. When I finally got it there I had to purchase a new hard drive, then I got it home had to find and re-save all my bookmarks, etc. I was having a difficult time navigating through the site because things were not working as they should have been it wouldn't allow me to do things like upload photos, (got that fixed) but I still couldn't post on this thread so I sent an intro to one of the Admins and asked they post it for me but I don't know if that went through or not.......blahblahblah Let's talk turtles not computers, I'm here now!!!!

I have a large snapper, named (quite original you will laugh) SNAPPER! He is approximately 2-1/2 years old we got him from a breeder in Sept 2015 we were told he was born in January. He is kept inside my house in 100 gallon tank, no longer hand fed because we made the mistake of allowing my daughter (the one who wanted him to begin with) to feed him fish. Until he was eating fish about a year ago we could pick him up and rub his head and neck and let him lay on our chests, he was "friendly". Once the fish were introduced the predator in him was woke up and we can not put our hands in his tank he thinks they are food!

I also have a Red Eared Slider, CRUSH, who moved with us from California to Florida and she is about 6-8 years daughter found her in April 2010 crossing the tennis courts at school during a rather hot afternoon and brought her home to our duck pond we had in the backyard. We have a nice 4'x4' pond in the backyard for her here in Florida with lots of native plants in an 8'x20' paradise. Well, Irma took down the screen fencing that was keeping her safe and in our yard. Now Crush is swimming around in our dog, Marley's plastic swimming pool under our EZ-UP canopy until I can get someone to come out and install a new fence!

The day before Irma was to arrive in Orlando my husband was driving home with supplies and he saw a little snapper crossing the road. He pulled off, stopped traffic and brought him home. We set IRMA (he called her, what else?) up in a 10 gallon tank on my computer table with filter, fresh water and a cave to hide in. We kept Irma here for about one week then when we knew the weather was better and I got Crush's temporary living quarter prepared and she was in it for about four days I moved Irma outside with Crush.

I have my eye on a new pond it will be 8'x12' and I'm going to enlarge the habitat to 10'x30' and move Snapper outside as well. I am hoping to get a license to become a rescue site for unwanted turtles that have been kept as pets. I have to do some more research before I actually take on this project but one I have thought about (without the research).

I am so glad I have found this site again because I couldn't remember the name and all my bookmarks were lost when the computer crashed!

Once I get the aquatic habitat secured and ready I hope to add two Sulcatas to my yard. That is a fenced 65'x50' grassy area. I think they would love it! We are building a shade area under our pool deck to house both the tortoises and our Jack Russell dog, Marley.

20170724_223544.jpg 20170724_223441.jpg IMG_3029.JPG IMG_3056.JPG 20170908_204550.jpg 20170908_185316.jpg 20170921_114241.jpg
 

Melis

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Aug 9, 2017
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509
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Hello! I share the originality for names as I had a sulcata tortoise named tort tort.
Remember it is not recommended to house multiple sulcatas together as one will become dominant over the other.
Also, I have read lots of tips on here and all always say to keep dogs away from the torts.
 

MamaTurtle

New Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2017
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Now Florida from California
Hello! I share the originality for names as I had a sulcata tortoise named tort tort.
Remember it is not recommended to house multiple sulcatas together as one will become dominant over the other.
Also, I have read lots of tips on here and all always say to keep dogs away from the torts.


Well, then that won't work because Marley is only 3 years so I don't foresee him "going" anywhere soon. Darn it! We are on two acres and we were looking into getting two miniature Highland calves but on many of the group sites I joined for them it is suggested a minimum of 1 (most said preferably 2) acres per head and it was suggested at least two as they will get depressed. Their suggestions were pigmy goats, pigs or mini Donkeys. So, now I have to scratch new family member #2 off my list. I have an old co-worker that has three sulcatas, one for each child keeps them inside until winter when they hibernate and she brings them inside and then they are with her dogs. In your readings does it say when they suggest not to be around dogs?
 

Melis

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Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
509
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Well, then that won't work because Marley is only 3 years so I don't foresee him "going" anywhere soon. Darn it! We are on two acres and we were looking into getting two miniature Highland calves but on many of the group sites I joined for them it is suggested a minimum of 1 (most said preferably 2) acres per head and it was suggested at least two as they will get depressed. Their suggestions were pigmy goats, pigs or mini Donkeys. So, now I have to scratch new family member #2 off my list. I have an old co-worker that has three sulcatas, one for each child keeps them inside until winter when they hibernate and she brings them inside and then they are with her dogs. In your readings does it say when they suggest not to be around dogs?
Are you sure they were sulcatas? Sulcatas do not hibernate.
Most of what I have read is about people that have baby torts around dogs. Wouldn't want to put a baby in a situation where it could be harmed by a dog thinking it was a toy or a chew.
Are you sure your big snapper tank is 100 gallons? Looks smaller than that, but I'm using the snapper as a reference, so I could be wrong.
Look forward to a long life with your slider. I've had mine for about 20 years :)
 

JoesMum

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I agree:

1. Sulcatas cannot and do not hibernate. Attempting to do so would probably kill them

2. Dogs and torts do not mix. We have had far too many cases of torts being treated as chew toys on here. It's so sad and an avoidable terror. Even the best behaved dog can give into temptation
 

MamaTurtle

New Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2017
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Now Florida from California
Are you sure they were sulcatas? Sulcatas do not hibernate.
Most of what I have read is about people that have baby torts around dogs. Wouldn't want to put a baby in a situation where it could be harmed by a dog thinking it was a toy or a chew.
Are you sure your big snapper tank is 100 gallons? Looks smaller than that, but I'm using the snapper as a reference, so I could be wrong.
Look forward to a long life with your slider. I've had mine for about 20 years :)


I am incorrect by stating Hibernate I just meant that she brings them in from outside from Sept or Oct when she says the nights start getting cold until I think she said March or April? She sent me a photo of the three of them sleeping on a large 4'x4' floor heater that they lay on at night that is in her kitchen. These are not small they are about 2' tall based on the photos she has shared with me. I tried to go through my facebook to find some but I can't it was too long ago. But yes they are for sure sulcatas, like I said I typed "hibernate" but that is not what I meant. I feel better now about putting my dog with them knowing that you are mentioning "baby" torts with dogs. I wouldn't put "baby anything" with a dog, especially unattended. My dogs live inside and only go outside with us while we're tending to things around the yard or for play time and potty time. When we leave the house for work or to go out they are inside.

As for Snapper's tank I trusted the word of the person who was dumping it and asked if I wanted it. It measures 5' wide 4' tall and 18" deep.

I hope to have Crush, the slider for a long time, yes, thank you.
 

MamaTurtle

New Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2017
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Now Florida from California
I agree:

1. Sulcatas cannot and do not hibernate. Attempting to do so would probably kill them

2. Dogs and torts do not mix. We have had far too many cases of torts being treated as chew toys on here. It's so sad and an avoidable terror. Even the best behaved dog can give into temptation


Yes, I would have to agree. If I were to see a "toy" come to life and start moving across the carpet/lawn while my owner is reading their text message and not paying attention to me I would have to give chase to get this self moving object as well! I misused the term "hibernate" I did not mean to use that word but before I remembered to change it I hit "post". I meant just that she brings them in from Sept/Oct when the nights start dropping (I don't want to mistype again so I'll leave it at "dro") and they have a nice heated floor covering 4'x4' she keeps in the corner of her kitchen. At least the photos she sent to me when I first moved to Florida 4 years ago is where they were sleeping. She leaves them in the house roaming to their content until March or April I believe she said, or until it remains warm enough at night.
 

Gillian M

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Aug 28, 2014
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15,417
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Jordan
A very warm welcome to the forum.

Wonderful pics.Thanks for posting.
 

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