CANCELLED December 2011 tortoise meeting

[justmeandmytortoise]

Welcome to the December 2011 tortoise meeting

Just Me and my Tortoise is a voluntary tortoise, terrapin and turtle group that covers the whole of Kent and London and provides support, education and helps rescue and re-home Chelonia. It is free to join us and you do not have to live in the area to come along to our meetings.

Speaker: David Alderton - Editor of Practical Reptile Keeping..

Presentation:

To be confirmed.

Sunday 4th December 2011
2pm - 5.30pm

Wear a warm coat!

Venue: Keston Village Hall, Heathfield Road, Kent BR2 6BG
£3 per person (£1 per child)
Includes refreshments and cake

(Please do not bring tortoises, terrapins or turtles along to the meeting)
Please contact me to book a place or for further details.

[Levi]

Just down the road from the Village Hall at Keston, Kent (only about 4 miles away) is Darwin Vets in the Centre of Biggin hill. I recently found their hibernation guide on the web and thought it might be a good idea if they could attend the next meeting of JMAMT, I'm sure they could learn a lot.

Maybe one of your members could explain to them why the "Critical" temperatures for hibernation are NOT a minimum of 0°C (Freezing point) and a maximum of 10°C.

That is........"Blindness, freezing, death at one extreme, and unwanted waking, activity, energy loss at the other." (to quote Luckyjim)

You could also ask them why they suggest a tortoise could easily freeze if it comes into contact with the outside of its insulated hibernation box ? They say......

"The double box system allows a hibernating tortoise some movement, without the risk of moving to the edge of the box, where it could easily freeze."

Their guide, like others makes no sense at all, they should be advising a safe "frost free" environment for hibernation, it should not be possible for a hibernating tortoise to freeze easily, no amount of shredded paper or proper insulation for that matter will stop the tortoise from freezing if the shed temperature gets down to their "Critical" minimum of 0°C (or below as most thermometers are not that accurate.)

http://www.darwinvets.com/other/hibernating-tortoises

It does make you wonder where some of these vets get their highly dangerous, inaccurate, "unsafe" hibernation ideas from ? If only we knew !
(Darwin Vets recommended Diet could do with an update too)

Personally I think it is a real advantage for keepers to meet up and share advice and experiences with each other at groups like JMAMT, rather than just trying to follow some of the very misleading and confusing information that can be found in some books, care sheets, all over the Internet and possibly down the road at your local Vets.

[Geomyda]

Originally Posted by Levi

Just down the road from the Village Hall at Keston, Kent (only about 4 miles away) is Darwin Vets in the Centre of Biggin hill. I recently found their hibernation guide on the web and thought it might be a good idea if they could attend the next meeting of JMAMT, I'm sure they could learn a lot.

Maybe one of your members could explain to them why the "Critical" temperatures for hibernation are NOT a minimum of 0°C (Freezing point) and a maximum of 10°C.

That is........"Blindness, freezing, death at one extreme, and unwanted waking, activity, energy loss at the other." (to quote Luckyjim)

You could also ask them why they suggest a tortoise could easily freeze if it comes into contact with the outside of its insulated hibernation box ? They say......

"The double box system allows a hibernating tortoise some movement, without the risk of moving to the edge of the box, where it could easily freeze."

Their guide, like others makes no sense at all, they should be advising a safe "frost free" environment for hibernation, it should not be possible for a hibernating tortoise to freeze easily, no amount of shredded paper or proper insulation for that matter will stop the tortoise from freezing if the shed temperature gets down to their "Critical" minimum of 0°C (or below as most thermometers are not that accurate.)

http://www.darwinvets.com/other/hibernating-tortoises

It does make you wonder where some of these vets get their highly dangerous, inaccurate, "unsafe" hibernation ideas from ? If only we knew !
(Darwin Vets recommended Diet could do with an update too)

Personally I think it is a real advantage for keepers to meet up and share advice and experiences with each other at groups like JMAMT, rather than just trying to follow some of the very misleading and confusing information that can be found in some books, care sheets, all over the Internet and possibly down the road at your local Vets.

Maybe, we should encourage this Veterinary practice to send along some of their staff to attend the JMAMT meeting?

[justmeandmytortoise]

Originally Posted by Geomyda

Maybe, we should encourage this Veterinary practice to send along some of their staff to attend the JMAMT meeting?

All the local veterinary practices receive invites, the veterinary nurses receive invites, the local animal rescue centres receive invites. Like most Groups, a vast amount of work behind the scenes of Just Me and my Tortoise goes on to educate and update people. But as the saying goes ... you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink ...

Anyone feeling that strongly, wherever you live ... do pay any vet a visit as it is about everyone working together as a team/group rather than one person on their own.

[Bindi]

Please note that due to Wendy having been admitted to hospital with appendicitus, the December meeting of Just Me And My Tortoise is cancelled.

[Kirkie]

Get well soon Wendy.

I'll put my cake baking book away then...

[Geomyda]

indeed Wendy, we are all thinking about you and wish you a speedy recovery!

[TortBabe]

Aw no Wendy I hope you are better soon, sending you all our love xx

[justmeandmytortoise]

Just a brief visit to SW ... have missed you all. I am out of hospital and staying with my parents with no internet access. Sorry to have cancelled. Take care ...

[TortBabe]

Get well very soon xx