Anonymous:

I just wated to say thank you… This blog made me so happy, when I was abot to do something stupid… thank you…

Hey Anon,

First of all, SUPER GIANT SHELL HUGS TO YOU!!! It’s funny how these small (and large) wonders make the world seem like a better place, isn’t it? Sharing these posts every day makes me happy too.

I don’t know what you’re going through but I can guarantee you that  there’s an army of shells (of all sizes) that have your back. You can stop by this blog for a reminder anytime you need one.

Zoya says she’ll make sure she has an extra dandelion saved for you. 

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Anonymous:

hey! know some similar turtle/tortoise blogs? p.s-i want to start a blog for my turtle! 🙂

Well first I definitely recommend sharing your turtles adventures! its fun for everyone that reads AND its a great way to keep track of your shells growth, shenanigans, and generally fun (I’m a little biased haha) 

As for similar blogs, I suggest checking out some of our tortie family here on tumblr…  @wafflesworld and his brothers @mangomusings and @tortellinitales and our tiniest tortie friend Kirby at @thewhimsyturtle 

I’d definitely check out the Turtle and Tortoise tags for more new friends but @the-awkward-turt has some curious turts with gorgeous side eyes and gives great reptile information too! @Thor-toise and @joeythetortoise are two new tortie friends! These are just a few tortoise and turtle adventure blogs! There are so many awesome shells here on tumblr! I know for sure I’m forgetting a bunch of shells 🙁 stupid human brain. We’ll share more when it’s not so late at night. Till then, watch the notes. I’m sure other shells will say hi! 

That’s all asks tonight! Human has to get to bed so she’s not late with noms in the morning. 😀 Sweet #turtpocalypse dreams everyone! 

thought-oise:

I hope you don’t mind me asking for a bit of advice! I’m researching the possibility of adopting a Russian tort but one big reservation I have is that I’d have to be away from home on weekends quite regularly. Do you think it’s ok to leave them (if you stock up on weeds and put light + heat on timer) or is it better to take them with you if you can? Is it better to hold off on getting one for a few years until I can spend more time at home on the weekends? Thanks in advance!

Hey! Thanks for the question. For the most part, being away for an overnight/ day or two should be ok. If your lighting is on a timer and you leave a good amount of food.

in the wild (which our torties are not) tortoises are solitary animals, they roam, the nom, they bask and they sleep. They don’t need too much help from us (or want to hang out with their shell siblings).

That said, captive torts aren’t the same as wild torts. They get used to people and things like being hand fed. Depending on the level of activity of your tortoise, alone time can be time for trouble making or concern for future noms arriving.

The overall goal is to make sure your tortie is as stress-free as possible. Usually, not traveling is the way to go. Even more important,  you have to be very sure your enclosure is safe and secure. I’m talking web cam when you’re outta the room cause… never underestimate trouble 😉

So, in general I’d say this is a fine arrangement but you never know till you meet your shell friend and figure out what they need too.

Hope this helps!

this-is-gxspel:

I saw your post about the tortoise that got thrown in the lake. It looked like a turtle to me, like the one on the left was a tortoise and the right was a turtle. If you go and look back at the photos the shells look similar in size but that’s about it. the one on the right seems like it has flippers, yet not the clearest image. Thoughts?

Thanks for the ask!  I totally see your point. Though I’m not sure about seeing flippers, it does look like the pic may have been doctored. That fact didn’t elude me when I first shared this. For those following the blog and/or tortoise news, the issue of people throwing gopher torties into the water “returning them to the sea” is something that had been happening before this picture started circulating on Facebook or tumblr. Several papers in FL, conservation blogs, had written about this concerning number of incidents of tortoises being put in the water. These were actual incidents reported by reputable sources.

This group of photos is probably someone’s joke, looking closely it looks more like the tort is coming out of the water? Maybe that’s my hopeful eyes ha.

What I think is important about sharing this, and adding the info the person I reblogged this from did, is that this is happening. Unfortunately, what I’ve learned from tumblr and much of the internetm is just what all the hate mail I’ve gotten has pointed out, ppl can’t take a joke. No I don’t think this is funny but more importantly I no longer trust folks to see something (even fake) like this and think “this is stupid” “what jerk would do this” “what assholes”. .

If any of the hate mail I’ve gotten from this post (and a previous Blake Shelton incident) has proven anything, it’s that we need to be reminded that this “joke” is someone else’s poorly played attempt at one that ends in the horrible loss of an incredible and endangered species. It’s not funny and it’s happening out of good and bad intentions.

So I’m not gonna assume the worst, I am gonna share appropriate info that others are sharing with these images and hope it doesn’t keep happening *for any reason at all*.

I hope that makes sense. I’m grateful for people like you that look critically at these things and don’t simply react one way or another. Unfortunately, you seem few and far between when push comes to shove (no pun intended yikes). In that vein, I’m not examining the picture for total accuracy, since we posted about this happening before pics were even involved. I’m assuming that, real of fake, this issue is becoming more of a problem. I’m just hoping that continuing to share stuff like this raises awareness and maybe makes someone think a little more before they make the wrong decision for good or bad reasons 😀

Anonymous:

Okay I love your page! And potato too! well anyways, I wanted to ask what’s the best blog to go to about tortoises? If you would know anything or have and recommendations pleasee tell me! Thank youu💕

askscalestails:

Aaaaah thank you haha.

I love mangomusings and wafflesworld but they’re not really information oriented blogs. I’m actually not sure of any tortoise oriented blogs other than those two!

I mean I can help with specific questions and scrounge up care sheets but writing general care would take too long. Followers?

Yes! Waffles and Mango! and thewhimsyturtle too 🙂 We try to post info here but the human is silly slow these days and we’ve mostly been sharing our awesome shell friends and what not. We have been working on care videos tho!!  And if your questions aren’t immediate, humom does lots of research when she can. 🙂 

charmelon:

gave turtel a gentle algae scrub 

(the city gets its water from the manmade lake around here, which is a cesspool of dead fish and various pond scums, so the algae struggle is real here) 

advice if you too have Algae Shell:

  • it is not painful for the turt so don’t be afraid
  • get a sponge (not the loofah or scrubber variety, soft yellow dollar store kind), towel/face cloth you don’t mind getting hecka grungy, and/or a very soft-bristled toothbrush
  • get some water of a good mild temp
  • don’t stick ‘em directly in the bathtub because A) that might have soap/shampoo/hair dye/etc residue they will not care for B) they might get spooked and clang and clunk all over the place and it’s fun for nobody
  • remember that though it is hard, the shell is a tender living part of the creature you have sworn to watch o’er
  • if they have any scutes (shell plates) starting to come loose, be VERY VERY GENTLE. never ever rip a partially-lifted scute off.
  • scrub delicately and tenderly
  • if u scrub the butt part of the shell sometimes they might do a wiggly dance

depressionavoidance:

tort-time:

depressionavoidance:

I have a newfound dream of keeping a pet tortoise, but there’s so much research to do before that’s possible. This is the life I lead.

Yes! Do lots and lots of research and prep.. getting the set up right is work but completely worth it when you get a sly side eye from your little shell friend <3

Thanks for the encouragement, tort-time! I’m nowhere near done researching, and there’s so many different facets of information regarding general tortoise care before even considering specific species that it’s a bit overwhelming for a prospective first-timer like myself.

Makes me so happy to read this <3 you are gonna be the best shell human! Theres SO much to take in at first. I definitely feel you on how overwhelming it can be. When I got Ms. Zoya Pants, I was blown away by the amount of bad info out there and embarked on a bit of a crusade for quality information… its ongoing really. I have no doubt you’ll end up with a perfect match and many happy times will follow.

Depending on the level of depth you’re looking for, I highly recommend a book “Health care & Rehabilitation of Turtles and Tortoises” by Amanda Ebenhack. It’s a pretty intense book but has a ton of info from husbandry and diets to potential health issues and their treatment. It’s good to have around, IMHO, when questions come up and just in general. 

Good Luck! 

Anonymous:

Awesome! My humom and fellow red eared slider siblings are also located in the Boston area. We must unite against the snow!

YES! Hello Neighbor and fellow snow enduring shell! Always happy to meet shells in our area! You have a good plan. I’ve been trying to eat like its spring to make the snow go away and I thought it was working… but nope. Maybe if we raise our butts in the air all at the same time? 

Humom has a big plan involving tshirts. she thinks if the humans give the snow a parade it will go away. I dunno about that but I know I want sunshine and dandelions and to go back in my garden! How are you faring the weather?