Last November I flew out to the annual TTPG conference in Mesa, AZ. As a naturally anxious and introverted traveler, the prospect of four days surrounded by unfamiliar faces was daunting. However, the experience exceeded my expectations. I met many interesting people and gained valuable knowledge. Turns out that I’m actually not that introverted when I’m with my people – and the TTPG conference attendees are my people. As Anthony Pierlioni says “Come for the turtles, stay for the people”.
I took the only direct flight from Jacksonville, FL on Tuesday, which happened to be very early in the morning. I was on the flight with Tom and Cara McClellan from Tortoise Outpost, whom I’d met previously. They got a rental car in Mesa and generously offered to let me ride to the hotel with them. They were pretty much life savers the entire trip, and I’m so grateful they allowed me to tag along for everything. (the final night pierogi dinner was the bomb!)
The first night a big group of us went out to dinner, Michael Thathuvaswamy was working overtime to make sure new attendees were included. One nice thing about the conference, it doesn’t matter if it’s your first year or your 10th, everyone will go out of their way to make sure you feel welcome. I met Chris Lechowicz who I’d only heard interviewed in podcasts and discovered he’s just as interesting in person. We talked about Sanibel and its recovery, as I’d vacationed there a few years ago and loved it.
Wednesday was the field trip to Andrew and Juline’s Arizona Tortoise Compound. We all piled in the bus, and lucky for me I ended up sitting with Crystal Poyfair. We discovered we had a lot in common and before I knew it we were there. The bus driver, who was quite the character, was planning on just sitting in the bus waiting for us – the group invited him to join us for the tour and lunch. That’s how welcoming TTPG members are.
I don’t know how to adequately describe the Arizona Tortoise Compound. Coming from the east coast the landscape is so different it’s almost alien. Right as you entered the property you knew you were someplace special. The beautiful house was flanked by 2 outbuildings, and the front garden beds were full of radiated tortoises. The tranquil pond and murals out front, the thoughtfully planted cactus and trees, just walking in the front gates was like transporting to a magical tortoise land.
We started the tour in the lizard building and I was impressed with the large cages, natural substrates, branches and hides. I ran into Phil Simpson, who helped me adopt one of my Pelomedusa from a shelter in Virginia. It was so nice to be able to thank him in person. We continued on to the outdoor pens and just so many tortoises. One thing I love about visiting other tortoise keepers is that you always get ideas for new things to try with your animals. I really liked the sprinkler heads in the middle of the quikrete water bowls, it’s a clever way to conserve water while running the sprinklers often.
Highlights for me were of course the Aldabras, the baby tortoise house (I could live there) and the oasis-like garden in the middle of everything. I imagine it’s more than a full time job for Andrew and Juline, and I’m so grateful they let a huge group of people descend on their home for a day.
The speakers are impressive in their variety – we heard from veterinarians, private keepers, lawyers, biologists and field researchers, teachers, and more. They ranged from broad information to highly specific and I learned something from every talk I attended. I was happy to dive into details of the chelonian egg with Dr. Offerman, hormones with Anthony Pierlioni, the galbinifrons complex with Rachel Harff, and outdoor enclosure design with Chris Leone. I was inspired by Michael Ogle’s presentation on spider tortoises and the update from Phil Goss and Art Parola of US ARK. I won’t list all of the speakers here, but I deeply appreciate all of them for taking the time to share their knowledge and experiences with me.
One thing that really stood out was how friendly and approachable everyone was. I ended up being introduced to, or introducing myself to so many people. You might find yourself sitting next to the head reptile curator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – which I did the second day. Every single person I met, from small collection keepers like myself to people with thousands of animals were welcoming and genuinely happy to talk turtles and tortoises. My only regret is that there’s no way to meet or talk with everyone, it’s amazing how quickly it goes by.
Lessons learned
- Don’t be afraid to just introduce yourself. Everyone is super nice.
- If it’s your first time, let someone know. Members will go out of their way to make sure you’re included in meals, plans etc.
- Drink lots of water, especially if you’re from somewhere humid.
- Take lots of pictures.
- Take advantage of the breaks between speakers to meet and talk to people.
- Take notes during the presentations.
Why you should go
- The networking opportunities are top notch. You are guaranteed to leave with more friends than you arrived with.
- You will learn a ton from the speakers – even speakers you think don’t really apply to you.
- It’s an investment in your animal’s future. This conference offers a unique opportunity to learn from leading experts and discover new ways to provide the best possible care for your animals.
- You will leave the conference inspired and energized. The energy is palpable and you can’t help but bring some of it home with you.
Hope to see you at next year’s conference, it’s the 15th year and promises to be amazing!