Should I give my tortoise up for adoption?

[SassyKelz]

Hey everyone, so this is my first post on tortoiseforum! Now onto a serious topic. I am debating whether to rehome my tortoise. He is a Dalmatian Hermann's tortoise. He is 1 years old. I've had him since he was 3 months old. I've got him in a 20 gallon enclosure for now. (I heard to not increase the home until he is bigger) He is about an inch and a half big I'd say.

The reason I am thinking about rehoming him is because I don't spend much time with him. I feel like since I've gotten a bunny which is a lot more work, I'm now always paying attention to my bunny and not him. I also don't feed him the proper foods. Currently I give him Mazuri prepared tortoise diet and Zoomed prepared tortoise diet with calcium supplement. He gets romaine lettuce but that's it. I live in Canada so I can't get him outside to eat dandelions and stuff all year around and the grocery stores only sell dandelions in huge bushels and he could only eat half a leaf in a week really so it's a huge waste of money to buy the big bushels. I try my best to have his lights on at the same time everyday but I go out at different times so I sometimes leave it on for more then 12 hours and other times less then 12 hours.

I don't hold him or let him out often because I'm really busy and when I let him out he runs surprisingly fast so I can't really let him out while I'm doing school work otherwise be may fall off something if I take my eye off him.

I love him so much. He isn't shy, and is great but I feel like I'm an unfit tortoise parent It's really upsetting. I want to do what's best for him.

Please give advice!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Providing proper care tortoises is easy for me. But i also love to do it.

If you have found that a bunny more suits your needs and that the tortoise's proper care is no longer a top priority then, YES.

It is better to adopt him out than to keep him with sub standard care IMO

However, if you are up to challenge to meeting his needs, then keep him.

 

[Tom]

Yes, I think you should give him away to someone who will be really passionate about him and give him all the things he needs, like variety in the diet and a larger enclosure.

Some people feel really bad about letting an animal go to another home. If its a BETTER home, I think it's a good thing. You ARE doing right by your animals if you give them to someone who will care for them and give them a good home. You should not feel guilty if your interest has waned. Tortoises are not for everyone. You are still trying to do what's best for him and that is admirable.

 

[Minority1]

Yes, I think you should give him away to someone who will be really passionate about him and give him all the things he needs, like variety in the diet and a larger enclosure.

Agreed. Relinquish your ownership of the tortoise for someone who will provide adequate living standards. It's not fair to the tortoise because the tortoise is not getting the proper care it deserves.

 

[kjr153]

It shows that you're a good caring person to even consider adopting him out and admitting that you might not be caring for him properly. Kudos to you! Good luck and make sure you find him a home where he will be king of the castle.

 

[cuco de cuba]

Ill cover the shipping if you want to send him to florida! I love taking care of my Redfoots and have lots of time to let them exercise and get sun outside. I have been reading on the dalmatian hermann tortoise you have and I could provide the proper care for him. Private message me if your interested.

 

[wellington]

Yes, I think you should give him away to someone who will be really passionate about him and give him all the things he needs, like variety in the diet and a larger enclosure.

Agreed. Relinquish your ownership of the tortoise for someone who will provide adequate living standards. It's not fair to the tortoise because the tortoise is not getting the proper care it deserves.

Absolutely you should rehome. Kudos for recognizing that you aren't doing right by your tort. Better to rehome then to neglect.

 

[mctlong]

If you feel that you cannot provide optimal care, then yes, of course you should rehome him. Where are you located?

 

[Yvonne G]

No, since you love the tortoise, you just need a little attitude adjustment. Get rid of the idea that your tortoise needs more "attention" from you. A tortoise isn't like a dog, a cat or a bunny. All he wants from you is a clean habitat with clean water each day. A nice variety of food, heat and protection.

Your rabbit will benefit from a bigger variety of greens too. Buy a nice variety of greens so you can give the tortoise something different every week, and if it starts to get limp, give it to the rabbit.

Don't look to us to salve your conscience about giving up an animal you chose to be your pet. If you truly want to find the tortoise a new home, then do it, but if you love the tortoise like you say you do, just make some adjustments. He doesn't want or need personal attention from you, just proper care.

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

Well said Yvonne! If you really love him, then keep him! The bunny's diet coincides with the tortoises. Take that to your advantage. I you feel like you just can't, even after you tried, then do rehome him. It is hard but if you give him some more effort, you will be able to keep both!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I agree with Yvonne. I have 5 tortoises right now, and I hardly ever hold them or "play" with them, beyond normal routine husbandry (feeding, water. etc.). But I think I'm a darn good keeper because they all have outdoor habitats with plenty of space, natural sunshine, and humidity. None of them are animals I acquired on a whim just because I thought they looked cute, and later simply got bored with because a more "interactive" pet came along. I ENJOY keeping tortoises, so it's not work for me at all.

For the lights, I recommend getting an automatic timer, which is pretty cheap at most home supply stores. Set your lights to it, and you'll never have to worry about forgetting to turn them on or off.

 

[Madkins007]

It is completely up to you.

If you made an error in getting it, it is not bringing you joy the way it does us or it is causing you stress- rehome it.

If it is just a matter of you do not feel you are doing right by it- ignoring it, etc., then make the proper adjustments to the cares and/or your attitude and keep it.

 

[CharlieM]

No, since you love the tortoise, you just need a little attitude adjustment. Get rid of the idea that your tortoise needs more "attention" from you. A tortoise isn't like a dog, a cat or a bunny. All he wants from you is a clean habitat with clean water each day. A nice variety of food, heat and protection.

Your rabbit will benefit from a bigger variety of greens too. Buy a nice variety of greens so you can give the tortoise something different every week, and if it starts to get limp, give it to the rabbit.

Don't look to us to salve your conscience about giving up an animal you chose to be your pet. If you truly want to find the tortoise a new home, then do it, but if you love the tortoise like you say you do, just make some adjustments. He doesn't want or need personal attention from you, just proper care.

I have to agree here.

 

[Andrea M]

Timer switches ensure adequate light and heat, growing your own seeds ensures a constant supply of food etc etc, there is always a solution to a problem, it sounds like you've made your mind up though, good luck with re-homing, in this case it sounds like the right decision

 

[DaisyDuke]

I've had rabbits. One was a Flemish giant who lived almost 12 years. I had him most if his life since he was bred by a friend. I can tell you that rabbits LOVE Dandelion. They devour that stuff and it's really good for them. So it won't go to waste if you give the rest to your rabbit.

I honestly find owning a tortoise to be no different than the rabbits I've had as far as my interaction with the them and care. And my rabbits sere litter trained and roamed the house freely. I loved them all the same. You've only had him a year and are already talking of rehoming. Maybe you're finding a tortoise isn't for you. I agree with the previous post that it sounds like you already know what you want to do and for some reason want confirmation from us.

I suggest that if you do choose to rehome him PLEASE make sure that you rehome to someone you trust who truly knows about your kind of tortoise. Don't just post him in the paper or on Craigslist. I think rehoming from the forum is great but make sure they're a trusted established member of the forum.

Please keep us updated.

 

[luvpetz27]

I've had rabbits. One was a Flemish giant who lived almost 12 years. I had him most if his life since he was bred by a friend. I can tell you that rabbits LOVE Dandelion. They devour that stuff and it's really good for them. So it won't go to waste if you give the rest to your rabbit.

I honestly find owning a tortoise to be no different than the rabbits I've had as far as my interaction with the them and care. And my rabbits sere litter trained and roamed the house freely. I loved them all the same. You've only had him a year and are already talking of rehoming. Maybe you're finding a tortoise isn't for you. I agree with the previous post that it sounds like you already know what you want to do and for some reason want confirmation from us.

I suggest that if you do choose to rehome him PLEASE make sure that you rehome to someone you trust who truly knows about your kind of tortoise. Don't just post him in the paper or on Craigslist. I think rehoming from the forum is great but make sure they're a trusted established member of the forum.

Please keep us updated.

I read in a reply that someone from this forum offered to take him.

 

[DaisyDuke]

I've had rabbits. One was a Flemish giant who lived almost 12 years. I had him most if his life since he was bred by a friend. I can tell you that rabbits LOVE Dandelion. They devour that stuff and it's really good for them. So it won't go to waste if you give the rest to your rabbit.

I honestly find owning a tortoise to be no different than the rabbits I've had as far as my interaction with the them and care. And my rabbits sere litter trained and roamed the house freely. I loved them all the same. You've only had him a year and are already talking of rehoming. Maybe you're finding a tortoise isn't for you. I agree with the previous post that it sounds like you already know what you want to do and for some reason want confirmation from us.

I suggest that if you do choose to rehome him PLEASE make sure that you rehome to someone you trust who truly knows about your kind of tortoise. Don't just post him in the paper or on Craigslist. I think rehoming from the forum is great but make sure they're a trusted established member of the forum.

Please keep us updated.

I read in a reply that someone from this forum offered to take him.

I saw that too. And no offense to that person, I haven't checked into them since I'm not the OP. But it doesn't seem like they're an established member of the forum yet.

 

[Spn785]

No, since you love the tortoise, you just need a little attitude adjustment. Get rid of the idea that your tortoise needs more "attention" from you. A tortoise isn't like a dog, a cat or a bunny. All he wants from you is a clean habitat with clean water each day. A nice variety of food, heat and protection.

Your rabbit will benefit from a bigger variety of greens too. Buy a nice variety of greens so you can give the tortoise something different every week, and if it starts to get limp, give it to the rabbit.

Don't look to us to salve your conscience about giving up an animal you chose to be your pet. If you truly want to find the tortoise a new home, then do it, but if you love the tortoise like you say you do, just make some adjustments. He doesn't want or need personal attention from you, just proper care.

Well said Yvonne! I agree completely. You can grow seeds get a timer and feed similar diets to both animals.

 

[luvpetz27]

I've had rabbits. One was a Flemish giant who lived almost 12 years. I had him most if his life since he was bred by a friend. I can tell you that rabbits LOVE Dandelion. They devour that stuff and it's really good for them. So it won't go to waste if you give the rest to your rabbit.

I honestly find owning a tortoise to be no different than the rabbits I've had as far as my interaction with the them and care. And my rabbits sere litter trained and roamed the house freely. I loved them all the same. You've only had him a year and are already talking of rehoming. Maybe you're finding a tortoise isn't for you. I agree with the previous post that it sounds like you already know what you want to do and for some reason want confirmatio
n frYom us.

I suggest that if you do choose to rehome him PLEASE make sure that you rehome to someone you trust who truly knows about your kind of tortoise. Don't just post him in the paper or on Craigslist. I think rehoming from the forum is great but make sure they're a trusted established member of the forum.

Please keep us updated.

I read in a reply that someone from this forum offered to take him.

I saw that too. And no offense to that person, I haven't checked into them since I'm not the OP. But it doesn't seem like they're an established member of the forum yet.

You are right. I noticed that too.

 

[SassyKelz]

I am located in Ontario, Canada. I honestly don't know what to do. The thought of giving him away makes me just start crying. Just hearing people say I should give him away makes me cry. (Yes I am a little over-emotional and I am an extreme animal lover)

If you feel that you cannot provide optimal care, then yes, of course you should rehome him. Where are you located?