Well people I just got home from the TTPG conference and as always

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
It was great as always I meet some old friends and some new friends and some great people from the TFO .
There where people Germany , UK , the big island , California , And Texas . Some were in their 70s and one was 3 years old . It was great and tommarrow is the reptile show !
 

GotTort

Active Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
257
It was great taking with you Grandpa turtle and the other TFO folks there!
 

the_newzie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
368
Location (City and/or State)
las vegas
It was great as always I meet some old friends and some new friends and some great people from the TFO .
There where people Germany , UK , the big island , California , And Texas . Some were in their 70s and one was 3 years old . It was great and tommarrow is the reptile show !

Sorry for the newbie question, but do they always hold the conference in AZ? I hope so, as that's easy driving distance for next year!
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
Newzie
I believe so but if it's so close pack your car Sat-Sun we have a reptile show that puts Las Vegas show to shame .
2 years ago I went to Vegas just for the reptile show I walked slow and I walked the whole show in 20 min . You walk fast and you wouldn't walk it all in a hour. Hope to see you Sat-Sun . Have s great tort day !
 

the_newzie

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
368
Location (City and/or State)
las vegas
Newzie
I believe so but if it's so close pack your car Sat-Sun we have a reptile show that puts Las Vegas show to shame .
2 years ago I went to Vegas just for the reptile show I walked slow and I walked the whole show in 20 min . You walk fast and you wouldn't walk it all in a hour. Hope to see you Sat-Sun . Have s great tort day !
Sounds awesome, unfortunately I have work obligations this weekend (plus I'm not sure if my baby tort or my wife are up to having a weekend without me). Thanks for the invite though! I hope your tort day is great as well!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'm still disappointed that there wasn't a Platysternon megacephalum presentation. Maybe next year...
 

Kapidolo Farms

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
5,172
Location (City and/or State)
South of Southern California, but not Mexico
There were three no shows for speakers, Map Turtles, Big Head Turtles, and Hingeback Tortoises. I'm not sure what anyone could do about speakers not showing up. Otherwise it was aquatics heavy, also a bit 'war stories' heavy. But that's to be expected, that is the kind of conference/meeting it is. That absolutley every speaker had to deal with, and do okay with an AV malfunction, and that most people didn't seem to mind indicates to me that the speakers and presentations are sorta just a substarte for everyone to get together. It was great to see some folks I hadn't seem for 15-20 plus years, and others I never before met. Great to see some of the stalwarts of private chelonian breeding attend. The two tours sorta blew me away. @Tom, check me if I'm wrong please, but I estimate that one sulcata breeder may well turn out about 10,000 hatchlings a year? We're talking about enclosures measured in acres, not square yards for that farm. Maybe one day we will see a leopard farm, or radiated farm like that?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Tom
They cannt do everything but what they did I think was great ! And very informative . How bout you ?

While I thought the conference was great and certainly worthwhile, this group of presentations has been my least favorite so far. Not to say that I didn't like them, enjoy them and learn from them. I'm just saying I liked previous years even more. Previous years have been so amazing, that I just don't know how they could continue topping it every year. On the other hand the tours this year more than made up for any of the no-show speakers. THAT was incredible. Truly a once in a life time opportunity.
 

Neal

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
4,967
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
It was a pleasure to see your pony tail again (and sit directly behind it for the whole car ride).

I wasn't too excited about the presentations, but as Will sort of indicated, they are what they are and it's just a means for us turtle and tortoise nuts to be together. Poor planning on my part prevented me from socializing too much, but I did enjoy the time I did have with everyone and the discussions with people extremely dedicated and highly invested with their time and resources to tortoises.

For next year,I think we definitely need a TFO get-together.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
There were three no shows for speakers, Map Turtles, Big Head Turtles, and Hingeback Tortoises. I'm not sure what anyone could do about speakers not showing up. Otherwise it was aquatics heavy, also a bit 'war stories' heavy. But that's to be expected, that is the kind of conference/meeting it is. That absolutley every speaker had to deal with, and do okay with an AV malfunction, and that most people didn't seem to mind indicates to me that the speakers and presentations are sorta just a substarte for everyone to get together. It was great to see some folks I hadn't seem for 15-20 plus years, and others I never before met. Great to see some of the stalwarts of private chelonian breeding attend. The two tours sorta blew me away. @Tom, check me if I'm wrong please, but I estimate that one sulcata breeder may well turn out about 10,000 hatchlings a year? We're talking about enclosures measured in acres, not square yards for that farm. Maybe one day we will see a leopard farm, or radiated farm like that?


I agree with your assessments Will. They seem to have a few AV issues every year. Resolving this problem would certainly add to the "professionalism" of the conference. Because of the nature of these presentations and how much I enjoy and learn from them, I am not bothered much by the technical difficulties.

I think 10,000 might be a conservative estimate. I heard your comment about seeing a leopard breeding compound of that size and nature, and I was frankly inspired by it. I hope to one day give you a tour of my breeding facility of that size with emphasis on species other than sulcatas.
 

Turtlepete

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2014
Messages
972
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
Man oh man I want to attend this conference….I wanted to go so badly this year but time doesn't allow. Perhaps next year. Would be great to do some herping in Arizona and neighboring California as well.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
Remember my friends cute is in the comparison with that I think they did great with the speakers cause I don't think they said lets get Mr .T to speak cause he will not show . I would rather speak positive about the set up. I too would like to see more tort speakers , but I still think it was great and would like to thank them for their hard work and for letting me be there .
 
Top