A Little :/

[kiffie]

Recently there was a post on stupidpetowners about a woman in Ohio who kept a box turtle in a glass tank. The turtle was small and deformed and seriously ill. The poster made the point that glass tanks are horrible for turtles, so, of course, this made me go ;_; and be paranoid that I'm not providing for Timmy like I should.

I knew right off when we got Timmy that he really should be kept outside and that tanks were not so great. At the time, we knew it was impossible simply by location -- we don't own this house, and there are possums and raccoons that would love to om nom nom a small, stupid turtle.

Which made me even more paranoid. Right off, should we have surrendered Timmy to a rescue? Would they have been able to find a better home for him?

Even with the walks and the delicious salads and the HAY YOU BATH TIEM, I feel that, just by not keeping him outside, I'm committing some horrible crime that the pet police will come and get me for.

Which then brings me to this -- if the turtle is happy, healthy, and well-fed, but lives in a tank, what gives? Hell, he probably has Stockholm Syndrome, for all I know.

"I IS PEOPLE I LIVE IN BOX!" B|

Uhn. This is ridiculous. Why am I panicing over this?

Comments

[edward-hyde.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I see why a glass tank would be bad. A glass tank without a UV light or something would be bad, but that's the light's fault. A glass tank in direct sunlight would obviously be bad too. :V

There are just some people who are weird about glass tanks. There's a couple Europeans on Arachnoboards who go fucking bonkers about snakes in glass tanks, like glass is made up of solidified poison.

If he has room and food and UV and heat and vitamins and things to hide in (do they like to hide? I dunno) then I imagine he is fine. :D

Find the Turtle!

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

do they like to hide?

(http://kiffie.livejournal.com/)

I think the main thing is that boxies are VERY skittish and can get easily stressed by OHGOD WIDE OPEN SPACES AND PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME ALL THE TIME AAAAAA. But, like any animal, they can become accustomed to people enough to realize "o hay they will not eet me." Glass tanks, with their giant windows, probably stress the hell out of most boxies. (Though, Timmy's so damned used to us that he goes up to the sides of the tank when we walk by and begs for food...)

And it is true that outdoor enclosures are better for them. Fresh air and lots of sunlight makes for a happy, healthy turtle. Which is why Timmy goes for walks. :D

Re: Find the Turtle!

[edward-hyde.livejournal.com]

awww turtle :3

yeah I think he is good :D you taught him to be a whore instead of afraid of people walking by, which is either better or worse I dunno X3

Re: Find the Turtle!

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

Timmy ran after the neighbors, once.

Though, it wasn't because he wanted food. He was being territorial and seriously wanted to kill them. Guard turtle.

I think he's good as far as strangers. XD

Re: Find the Turtle!

[edward-hyde.livejournal.com]

He was hunting shoelaces. :3

Re: Find the Turtle!

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

Their true purpose is sinister.