A Lively Tortoise Runs Freely Around a Pet Store With a Tethered Balloon Showing His Location

photo by Char Rohrer

While visiting Petland in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Emerald Coast realtor Char Rohrer of little tortoise with a purple balloon tied around his shell running freely around the store.

“Petland” in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, gives a turtle the run of the place – by tying a balloon around his shell 2 keep track of where he is at all times in the store!!! A store clerk told me, “he loves his balloon…” I followed this turtle around the entire store taking his photo – he turned out to be extremely energetic!!!

Wanting to know more about this curious situation, Rohrer spoke with an employee who told her that the tortoise was an African Spur Thigh named Sebastian who lives with another employee. Sebastian only comes to work on certain occasions, but has a complete run of the place whenever he’s there, so they use a brightly colored balloon as a convenient way to keep track of wherever the lively little terrapin goes. Sebastian is very small right now, but he is expected to grow to a hefty size.

He is only 10-15 lbs right now. He can grow up to 150 lbs. He is a pet of an employee who works in the pet store and brings him into work sometimes. Which is why I have never seen him in the store before – as I go in that pet store at least a couple of times a month.

Sebastian enjoying a cool slice of watermelon on a warm Florida day.