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Giant tortoise walks Tokyo's streets - slowly

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We used to live there, and my kids loved Bon chan. There was a small barber shop there with a smaller turtle in a tank always outside on the street next to a few pot plants. It was always a symbol of Japan for me - that unlike in my home town back home the pot plants never got kicked and smashed and the turtle spray painted.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

He said the tortoise would outlive him. I hope they have a will that provides for his care after they are gone. Being in the funeral business, they no doubt have thought of that, I am sure. Lovely story. Thanks.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

most Tortoises in captivity with plenty of food can live over 150yrs, the oldest one ever recorded was 188yrs

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It is a very bad idea to let a tortoise crawl in a hard surface. I know that cause I had an small tortoise at home when I was a kid. Tortoises living in hard surfaces always end with deformed legs, feet, toes and claws. They suffer enormously, let alone if you let kids to ride them. This is as cruel as killing whales and dolphins. In South America it is a felony if you try to travel carrying wild animals. They are not pets.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wow. Nice tortoise.Wonderful animals

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It is cruel. Turtles live in ponds and lakes. I used to feed tofu and aburage and prayed for long life in my city's one large turtle pond when I was a child. Maybe that might be reason I am alive yet/

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

toshiko - yes, turtles live in ponds and lakes. However, this is a TORTOISE - you would drown the poor thing if you tried to put it in a pond/lake as they are strictly land animals. Please understand that TURTLE and TORTOISE is not the same animal.

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I realize Godzilla is more popular... by far... However, wouldn't it have been more "appropriate" to use Gamera? :)

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I think this tortoise is lucky to have a good family!

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@tokiyo; Your argument is like comparing lizard and alligator/ Both turtle and tortoise live in watery area. Not on the asphalted street.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

akoppaJun. 13, 2015 - 11:02PM JST "It is a very bad idea to let a tortoise crawl in a hard surface. I know that cause I had an small tortoise at home when I was a kid. Tortoises living in hard surfaces always end with deformed legs, feet, toes and claws. They suffer enormously, let alone if you let kids to ride them."

Wonder if tortoise boots would help and let him get the exercise?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Turtles live in water, Tortoises don't. You can tell the difference by the Carapace.

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@tokiyo how many years your family had tortoises in your family property garden? We had two lakes. One tortoises and turtles. One for clear water fish. Ask any older families who had lakes.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@toshiko: again, please at least read up on these animals.

Please don't make assumptions about me, I have cared for many things in the past - including turtles and tortoises.

The main point I am making, which you keep ignoring is that the tortoise in this article is a spurred tortoise. Their natural habitat is dry and arid environments and the certainly can't swim. In addition, feeding them plant matter grown in these wet environment causes health issues for them as they are not evolved to live in wet areas.

The native habitat of the spurred tortoise is the Sahara desert. The poor thing will DROWN in a pond/lake for turtles!

It is like if I took a Kiwi bird and a pigeon and threw them both off a ledge. On simply isn't made to fly - just like how one isn't made to live in water.

It is at times like this I wish people would trust science instead of their own anecdotal evidence.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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