Other Turtle Discussion :: What if I can't care for him?

[alkaiser]

Me and my turtle have a strong bond, but sometimes I don't think I'm cut out for ownership.

I managed to raise him for a year without accidently killing him, I was careful to scrub the algae and grime of the sides of his tank on a weekly basis, and to a lesser extent attempt to clean out the filters themselves.

There was a time, when I had the resources to get him what he needed even before I knew what I was getting myself into. I've always wanted a turtle to care for myself and the people whom I bought it from all made it seem so easy. They told me I wouldn't even change the water, can you believe that? Somehow for the past year I've gotten through all of that, only to be stopped here and now. I'm in debt.

What can I do if I don't know if my care is even appropriate? I have no way of confirming I've done anything more than keep him just healthy enough to stay alive.

I want to try as hard as I can, to get as far as I can, but for me this is a dilemma. If I pull together all my resources to get him what he needs I still may be able to get by, but what if I try and I fail? I don't want my turtle to die because of my inadequacies. I live with my mom, at 19 years and will someday need to find my own place to live. During this time I will most likely be living in poverty until I can secure a steady income. However, what will become of my pets?

I'm not going to say I can't take care of him anymore at all, but I should at least start considering some alternative homes for the worst case scenario.

So, I implore you all, please give me what guidance you can. Encouragment is welcomed.

Sorry for the dramatic approach, but I don't know what else to say. I'm ashamed of myself.

[alkaiser]

This could just be me overreacting, but I want to be sure there is a way to get him the care he needs if someday I cannot care for him any longer.

[SpotsMama]

I think you're being way too hard on yourself! It may not seem like it but if you've kept your guy alive for a year you've done a lot better than a lot of people. Sometimes people just have a lot on their plates and it's hard to give everything the attention they'd like to. You don't need to beat yourself up!

If your issues are purely financial, why don't you check out some of the threads on here where people have gotten creative and made habitats for their turtles on a shoestring. Look in the Indoor Habitat forum. Some people have gotten good equipment absolutely free. You can spend a lot on a little turtle (believe me I know about the spending) but if you're creative and a little handy you can do it for a lot less.

If there are other issues, then there are ways to find people who might adopt a pet turtle. I've seen several people refer to http://sfbay.craigslist.org/. I think you could talk to a local vet. If there is a herpitological society in your area, they might be able to help.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[Hoooneylynn]

You care greatly for your turtle. I can see that.. I have been in your position before I had a turtle, when I didn't have money to buy myself food, and I know how you feel. Been there done that. But you haven't neglected your turtle, and even in this time of despair, you still care for him over yourself. Remember, there are owners who totally neglect their turtles who have no money problems, they are just misinformed or don't even care. You care. Maybe you have a relative or a friend you trust to care for him for a little while.. Then once you get back on your feet, you can take him back! It takes a lot of love for your little guy to ask for help. When I had money problems, I felt ashamed to ask for help.. but don't feel that way. You are taking responsibility, and instead of letting him suffer, you are caring. Thats nothing to be ashamed about.

[megcornell]

Keep your chin up, it's incredibly hard to go out into the "real world", I'm graduating this year and am facing debt and finding a job and all that jazz. As long as you care about your turtle (which you obviously do- props to you for being such a good owner), I'm confident youcan find ways to keep your turtle, they're such good companions and animals are proven to improve people's moods and health... definitely worth the costs! Also, although the costs can seem daunting, once you have a set-up, unless an unexpected vet visit or tank break happens, maintenance is relatively low cost. Even if your turtle is in a rubbermaid container, with a good owner like yourself he/she is bound to have a better life than all those neglected turtles in the world. And turtles are around 20 years or more, I'm sure he won't mind a year or two of roughing it in a less than ideal tank because it sounds like when you do get settled you'll be giving him a great set up.

And it's very proactive of you to want a backup plan, I'd go with other people's advice and see if family or a good friend can temp. house your turtle if need be. Herp. rescues are also an option.

Don't feel ashamed, it's tough going through transitions in life... you've worked so hard to learn how to and then to give your turtle such a good home, I think you can do it in less than ideal situations too :- )

[CountryGirl68]

I've been in the depths of h*** and back and came out just fine. (I lived on peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 5 months - hate peanut butter sandwiches now!) At that time (over 8 years ago), I had two cats. I always made sure I had food for them. Sometimes, friends would be kind enough to pick up a couple of cans of cat food when they found them on sale and "donated" them to my cats. You'll be surprised at where help will come from when you need it.

There are ways you can keep your turtle and still budget yourself. Since turtles over a year old don't need to be fed pellets more than once every other day, buying the largest container available will help save money in the long run. Always shop sales for veggies - even day old veggies are good enough for your turtle and they are cheaper. Search, search, search for people giving away rubbermaid containers, fish tanks, filters, etc. Some will even give away food they have for turtles.

It can be done. Believe me!!

[alkaiser]

Yeah, actually I've been feeling a lot better today too.

I guess I was just kind of worried because there's still so much I don't know about.

[CountryGirl68]

Well, glad you're feeling better today. But it's a good thing that you are considering the "what ifs" that life throws our way. Like the boy scouts say "Be Prepared".

[industrial_girl_2000]

If you are in a position to do so, changing the water frequently can help prevent having to buy filters all the time. Also, feed your turtle outside of his tank in a separate bowl. This saves a cr*p load of money & you can still keep the water sparkling clean/hygenic.

Also, for calcium, you can buy the occasional fish-shaped calcium blocks that are only 0.79 a piece. The turtle-shaped ones are more expensive ($1.29 or more). Turtle Sulfa blocks (over $2 each) aren't required if you keep the water clean.

So that leaves the food. If you get the large canisters of Tetra Repto min foodsticks, it is cheaper than buying multiple tiny containers. And remember also that you can supplement your turtle's food with some lettuce & stuff (see the food list on this website on what to feed them) and that will help keep you from having to buy turtle food all the time.

Kristin the penny-saver.