General Care Discussion :: Big Daddy is moving.....

[steve]

It's a very difficult thing to do, but the last thing you want is to have stress in there. At least you'll be able to visit BD often. Maybe you can give up custody temporarily?

[scripta_elegans]

Oh Goose. I know you're doing what is best, but I can imagine how sad it must be to let one of the little critters go. You will see him at least, and I am guessing you trust your nephew to care for him well. It really will be better for poor BD, who has been so dwarfed by the girls. Perhaps he will fall in love with a nice rock, and rocks don't lay eggs, or bite.

[grey goose]

Well, my nephew's apartment is less than a mile away, and B.D. is a pretty mellow turt so I think he will adjust quickly...I told him to give him a small amount of pellets and shrimp everyday for the first week or so (plus veggies) to make sure he eats plus it may go a long way toward B.D. getting friendly with him quicker.
I'll be taking him over tomorrow afternoon......I'll keep everyone posted on his progress.

[Tenodera]

Good luck Big Daddy

[DavidY]

Be strong!

[grey goose]

Well, I took B.D. over to my nephew's and dropped him in the tank. Although he seem a little confused, he did eat a couple of small shrimp and 3-4 pellets. I went over all the feeding and care procedures with him (for the 98th time), and told him to call me if he sees even the slightest sign of trouble....
I have to admit I got a little choked up when driving away.....
When I got home I noticed Beaker was her old self (begging) but Gomie kept swimming around and inside the pipe, she even tried to squeeze in behind it, like she was looking for something, or someone.....

[DavidY]

He'll be fine though. I'm sure you'll be there often enough that if you notice anything wrong you'll be able to step in right away and correct it (or take him back if necessary).

[grey goose]

I'm pretty confident that he is capable of caring for Big Daddy, he's raised a lot of fish and probably knows more about aquariums than I do.....He's also cared for the kids when I've been away for short periods, so he's not a total stranger to them. Now that I have the room, I'm going to get to work on that 30 gallon setup I've been promising Steve I'd do, and it will second as a small feeding/isolation tank (although it may be a tight squeeze for Beaker).....

[SpotsMama]

I'm very proud of you for doing the right thing!

[grey goose]

It was tough to give him up, but it would have been much harder to deal with if one of the girls hurt him.....or if he got sick from all the stress he seems to be going thru.

[grey goose]

UPDATE:
Well, so far, so good. B.D. has been eating everyday, mostly pellets, just nibbling on the romaine. He has been taking pellets from my nephew's hand, so that's a good sign. He has been checking out the basking ramp but not basking just yet. He still moves cautiously around the tank, but at least he is staying active.
On Sunday his new best friend is going to go back to feeding pellets every other day, and I'm going to back off a little (I've been "dropping by" every day, checking this and that, I think he's getting a little annoyed ). It looks like B.D. will be OK in his new home.
Meanwhile, the two girls seem to be getting along nicely, Beaker seems a little calmer than usual. She actually let me scratch her back for almost 10 seconds (a new record) before spinning around with her mouth open, trying to put the bite on me.

[DavidY]

Glad to hear that B.D. is adjusting to his new home. That must be a nice relief for you.

[grey goose]

Yea, I'm feeling a little better about it.....enough to let go and not visit so often......well, maybe I'll swing by in a few days, I just have to come up with an "excuse".

[SpotsMama]

Just take it a step at a time, Goose. You're doing good!

[grey goose]

I know....he's not as silly or has as much personality as Beaker and Gomez, but I still miss him.....
For those who are thinking about getting a companion for their turtle, or getting two or three at a time, this is what can happen....and once you get attached to them, it can be pretty tough to give them up, even if they are still close by.