Forum Topic

RIP Freddie

We came home from a mercy dash to Cambridge to take son out for pre-exam dinner to find our ten year old tortoise had died - just like that.I have no idea why - she was young and healthy as far as we knew and had not been in contact with disease or poison.I don't even know how you bury a tortoise.Also feel incredibly guilty - though haven't done anything contributory as far as I know.No more pets. Ever.

Sara Nathan ● 5226d13 Comments

Oh dear. Horrid to lose a pet. I wonder if the sudden heat had anything to do with it? Not your fault whatever the cause.We inherited a tortoise with a garden when my child was small. Lovely animal, it would rush to sit on a blanket with us. It died in a freak summer snowfall. However, I didn't realise at first, as daughter kept moving it around the garden and putting bits of lettuce in front of it....We gave it a burial.

R Bell ● 5226d

The best way to bury Freddie is to place him/her in a plastic container with a lid and, bury said tortoise in a shaded place in the garden, with a rose bush (even an apple tree) on top. BUT, do make sure Freddie has passed to tortoise heaven, and, not just suffering the effects of the heat.

Nicola Howard ● 5226d

Dont be put off having a pet ever again Sara. We recently bought our son a puppy and now he (the puppy not my son) is part of the family. Plus a great excuse to get in some much needed exercise in dog walking.

Melanie Walsh ● 5226d

Malanie please make your son part of your family.

John McNamara ● 5225d

haha,,,,we will think about it John

Melanie Walsh ● 5225d

Sorry to read about Freddie, I know the feeling loss of apet can bring

Mavis Walker ● 5225d

So sorry Sara.  We grow very attached to our pets, don't we.It may well have been the sudden heat or, as someone said, he may be sleeping or in shock?  Perhaps a check with the Vet in the morning before you bid him farewell?

Angela White ● 5225d

I am sorry for your loss... Accepting the need to allow a burial to avoid predators do not use anything plastic. You need to allow for natural degradation. We buried a cat in a bin liner once in a previous property. I still have the horrors of a future keen gardener unearthing the corpse...

Iain Muir ● 5225d

We've buried many much loved pets in our time, unfortunately, and always buried them in tea towels or towels/small blankets of some sort and then put a paving stone on top for some time to make sure they weren't dug up by other animals.

Angela White ● 5225d

Husband in good books as he is taking time off tomorrow to do vet trip. I would like to know what happened apart from anything else.Oh the guilt.I've never wanted a pet since my cat (also freddie obviously doomed) was run over when I was about 12. But the tortoise was my daughter's - in theory. Kids both very upset.

Sara Nathan ● 5225d

Re:Burying Freddy, a plastic container is a good idea, but also consider covering the area with a piece of heavy paving slab or something that can't be moved easily, as the local foxes will be able to scent "Freddie" and could dig him up etc. I recently buried a sparrow that the stray cat gave me as a present and covered it with quite a heavy brick and concrete and only noticed today that it had been moved and the foxes had dug out the sparrow, no sign of it mind you.

John Pollastrini ● 5225d

Vet says may have been acute anaemia - which we wouldnt have known about. And possibly infection.and very very unlikely to have been poison - tortoises too clever for that (not that there was any she could have reached anyhow.Feel less responsible and still never having another pet.

Sara Nathan ● 5224d

So sorry to hear that, Sara.  I'm sure Freddie had a great life with you guys.

Angela White ● 5224d