I want to get a tort someday, but the one question that eats at me is what I would do with it once I die. Like, it's easy for a dog or cat, because they don't live longer than people? What kinda plans do you have for the torts?
Hey! this is a great question! I’m so glad you asked!
When adopting a turtle or tortoise, if cared for properly, they’ll likely outlive us! So how do qw make sure they find their way to someone that can provide the same level of care in the future?
Because of my health problems this is something that has lingered pretty heavily on my mind.
The wonderful folks at the Turtle Rescue of Long Island directed me to site that provides plenty of details on how to make sure your shell friend is taken care of in the future.
Check it out here: Planning for your Turtle or Tortoise’s future - Info from the Chelonian Trust
This site includes sample will provisions to make sure you don’t overlook your shell friend when planning your future. This might seem strange to think about, depending on your age, but your tortoise or turtle requires the same preparation as any dependent person or asset you’d like to ensure doesn’t get swept into the mix.
In general? Talk to your friends and family. It never hurts to say “you know, If something ever happened to me, I hope you’ll take care of XXX”. It also never hurts to have a basic care sheet, emergency contact, and even a rescue nearby that you know of, printed out and put in your important files/on a fridge/near the enclosure. The people you care about most know how much you love your tortoise or turtle and will hopefully lend a hand making sure they’re not forgotten.
