Terrapin - new home needed

kenmc

Hi there,

My family own a large terrapin - she's kept in a tank in the winter, but lives outside during the warm sunny days. Unfortunately, she is just getting too big for her tank, and its not possible to get a larger one - its already 5 foot long.

Does anyone know if there is a sanctuary or some similar place in Ireland where we can rehome 'Me-Shell' ? Its just not fair to keep her in such a small tank any longer.

Thanks in advance

Kevin_rc_ie

in the back garden? you live in morocco or something? post a picture please.

FranknFurter

Faye (Bond-007) might be able to advise.

Kingsize

http://www.freewebs.com/outdoorvivaria/

^^try this guy his name is killian but I think hes based in Donegal afaik hes got a kind of mini zoo!!

Gazza22

kenmc wrote:

Hi there,

My family own a large terrapin - she's kept in a tank in the winter, but lives outside during the warm sunny days. Unfortunately, she is just getting too big for her tank, and its not possible to get a larger one - its already 5 foot long.

Does anyone know if there is a sanctuary or some similar place in Ireland where we can rehome 'Me-Shell' ? Its just not fair to keep her in such a small tank any longer.

Thanks in advance

I am sorry if i come across too critical but do people never look into the future when they are buying animals? Terrapins ect. are bought knowing that they are one day going to grow to a hugh size but yet people buy the cute little babies and then expect to offload them when they become a burden, the novelty just wears away. I just think selling these type of animals should be made illegal. If i had a Euro for every time i heard someone trying to sell off a tortoise or a terrapin because they can't cope with them anymore i would be fcuking rich :mad:

Our man in Havana

gazza22 wrote:

I am sorry if i come across too critical but do people never look into the future when they are buying animals? Terrapins ect. are bought knowing that they are one day going to grow to a hugh size but yet people buy the cute little babies and then expect to offload them when they become a burden, the novelty just wears away. I just think selling these type of animals should be made illegal. If i had a Euro for every time i heard someone trying to sell off a tortoise or a terrapin because they can't cope with them anymore i would be fcuking rich :mad:

It can be annoying - but to be fair its not always the peoples fault - yes I KNOW they should do research but a lot of pet shops are not always truthful & its hard to imagine how big a terrepin will get when you see this tiny 50pence piece sized turtle!


Kenmc - I can take the turtle for you if she still needs a home. PM me.

kenmc

Yes, I know I should have looked into it more when I bought the terrapin, but I was 15 years old, and was on holidays when I got her (seemed like a great idea at the time). Its not a case of us wanting to offload her, my mother has become very attached and has spent a lot of time and money taking care of her since I moved out. However we don't have a large house and don't have the space for a larger tank. We're trying to do whats best for the animal, and if we had the proper environment for the terrapin, we'd much rather keep it. We've had it 10 years for god sakes. If we were going to offload it, it would have happened a long time ago. Thanks for the info, Bond-007, I'll PM you now.

FranknFurter

*Sigh*

IMHO, you were too young, and its your parents who should have known better, but anyway.........

Red-eared Sliders (terrapins) DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS, unless you have a proper facility to take care of them for their often long lives. And by facilities I dont mean a bog standard aquarium, they need either a (semi) heated pool/pond, and / or a purose built tank. And also, a specialised (balanced) diet.

Hey faye babe, how *are* buffy et-all doing?

kenmc

Jees, would you get off your high horse ?!

Yes, I was absolutely too young to make that decision, I agree, but its done now, and I'm trying to do right by the animal. She does have a heated tank, and a balanced diet, and is well cared for, but there is only so much more we can do for her given the space we have in our house.

P.S Its very likely that when you were 15, you would have thought it was 'cool' to get a pet tarauntula, or snake or something? You don't exactly think of the long term consequenses at that age, do you?

Our man in Havana

FranknFurter wrote:

Hey faye babe, how *are* buffy et-all doing?

Hi hun, Buffy & gang are FABO! They laid an egg last year so I am hoping this year we will see some signs of mating behavouir - its unusual for them to mate in a tank - they pond will be finished this summer & their outdoor heated house will also be done so they will have a TON of fun in our pond it had a deep end of about 6 feet all the way to an inch or 2 or shallows so that the gang can get in & out with no problems.

boroughmal

Just out of interest "how big is the terrapin" and do you know the max size they grow to?

Kevin_rc_ie

What heating do you use Bond for turtle/tortoise basking?