I hope you don't mind but I was skipping through some of the old notes and came across one from Sharon who said she was taking her tort to a vets in Widnes. I was just wandering Sharon, do you live in the area coz as a new owner it would be great if we could meet up so I could pick your brains. I live in Halewood, just down the road from Liverpool airport. Please don't think I'm being forward, I'm really crap with computers and can't even get photos on, just though it would be easier and nicer to meet with another tort owner.

Hi Winnie

I live just off Mackets Lane so cant really get much more local!

I will be taking my tortoise to Alan Humphries in Woolton Village vets on Quarry Street, Woolton, he is a reptile/tortoise specialist and is recommended on other tortoise groups such as SW!

I have seen him on some animal rescue programmes on the TV and some people traveled from wales just to see him so he must be good!

hope this helps

Nik x

Hi Winnie,

 sorry just read your post properly and noticed you wernt asking bout a local vet just someone local to meet up with!

Well like I said I'm about as local as you can get and would luv to meet up whenever, maybe I could bring Pebble (when he/she arrives) round sometime to play with Queenie?

Nik x

Thats great Nik, I think it would be great if we could meet up and I promise I wont ask you to many questions. I've known Alan Humphries for a long time and he is a good vet. I know he specialises in reptiles but when Queenie came into work and we got Alan to check her out he did tell me that if I wanted to keep her I would need  a viv. I certainly do not want to diss this vet as I would and have recommended him to a lot of people in the past and I think he's sound as a person but I'm just a little unsure now. I was thinking of taking some pics and info down to him to show him on the tort tables. What d'you think?

Thats surprised me as like I said I have seen him on the tv and he does come highly recommended but every good tortoise keeper knows not to use a viv???

I'd take some photos to him just to show him what the tort tables are like!

As for asking me questions it will probably be the other way round as Pebble isnt here just yet! I'm picking him/her up on the 14th june and I cant wait!

Hope to see/hear from you soon

Nik x

In the vets defence ( i dont know him by the way) he may have just used the word viv and actually meant a good tortoise set up. Ive heard people referring to tables as "vivs" before!???

That's a good point. The real definition of 'vivarium' (Concise Oxford Dictionary) is "a place artificially prepared for keeping animals in (nearly) their natural state". So strictly speaking a tortoise table is a vivarium too. But I think most people -- including vets -- use vivarium to mean one of those glass and wood enclosed boxes that are good for snakes and lizards but very bad for tortoises.

Nina

Alan takes in a lot of rescue torts. He normally keeps hold of them for a few days to make sure they're ok health wise then passes them onto a tort rescue somewhere in Wales so he does know his stuff and I know a lot of tort owners use him. Maybe he is just old school and has always used vivs. How long have tort tables been around coz I don't think I had heard of them until I came on here.

Hi Winnie,

I'm not too sure how long they have been around to be honest. It's not a new thing and they have been publicised for a number of years. The problem is, of course, that most people tend to get their first tortoise from a pet shop, who sell vivs at a good profit:-)

TC
Darren

Well I think I'll bite the bullet and give Alan a call. He's pretty much down to earth and plenty of times he's took the pee (no doubt he'll do it again) but he knows that I give as good as I get so it should be a fair fight. With any luck I'll get him converted about the tort tables if he doesn't already know about them. I'll try and find out what rescue he sends the torts to and what recommendations they give to tort owners. I try really hard not to go into pet shops as I find them a little stressing and I'm not known for holding my tongue when I've got something to say (this is not a good attribute trust me but I have mellowed as the years have gone by). Anyway, will let you know how I get on.

Good Luck Winnie:-)

I know where my money lies:-)

TC
Darren

I spoke to the vet today and he does know about tort tables and says that they are ok but just watch your electric bill, so I'm happy about that. He gave me the details of the tort rescue but I've left them in work. She sounds good though as she doesn't release anything until she's done a home visit and seen the set up you have. You can't get much better then that I don't think!