I am so happy

This morning, when I looked at Brandy's blog, my heart danced. The last 3 babies are doing extremely well. I couldn't be happier to see them fighting for food and I think they grew already a lot since they left me.

Only a few days ago we were worried so much about their health and if they would make it, but God thanks, it wasn't anything serious and we worried for nothing.

Sometimes I still daydream about all my babies and how it was when I held them on my hands, when I helped them hatching, when I worried about their poop, their appetite and other things.

It is so good to see them happy. I rather don't want to talk about the second adoption. I am sure, the first 2 babies that went to Kathy are well too, she is a very good Mom, just a bit behind in making pictures.

Thank you Brandy to give the 3 little guys such a good home. I know how much you love them already. Who wouldn't?

It was coolish last night

The temps dropped below 57 degrees last night, and I am thinking about getting the indoor pens ready this week.
9:30 and it's still only 65 degrees, and I found Daisyboy beside the ornamental grass plant, slowly warming up in the sun.

Georgy and Cocoa (right behind him and not to see on the pic) sitting between the Cannas in the deep shade. Georgy will soon come out to walk in the sun, but Cocoa tends to not move at all when it's cold. She didn't move one inch yesterday.

The food I put out for them also was untouched, but I watched them and saw how they ate leaves from different plants in the yard.

I will give Cocoa a warm bath today, so she warms up and has some reason to walk around. She's getting a little lazy lately, but that may be because she has bunches of eggs growing inside of her. She ate almost a half small cuttlebone yesterday, which indicates, that she needs calcium for the developing eggs.

Sea turtles hatching in Alabama

I just got this video from a friend and thought I'd share it here, even though it has little to do with Redfoot tortoises.

Enjoy

See turtles hatching on the gulf shore

Who announced the banana event?

Georgy was full and gone and of course it didn't take too long until Cocoa showed up.

"Did I hear Banana, Mom?"

Mmmm, yummy...

Yeah, that is a feast!


I'm alone in this world with only a banana.

Let me get myself comfy so I can enjoy it better

Stretching my neck while eating banana makes me feel so goooooooood.

*Burp* I am a tiger

Wanna lick it a bit before eating all.

The Banana news have spread

As soon as Daisy was done with his Banana, he left the patio and a few minutes later Georgy showed up, looking at me, saying "where is MY Banana?

Ok, Georgy, here it is.

Mmmm that thing is big, but I can do it.

I start at one end and eat through to the other one

Can't get my mouth full enough

I don't have time for breathing right now.

But a good burp is a must

Let's see how we can get this done without suffocating

Mom says, I have no manners - but who cares????

*Burp* iI'm busy Mom, don't bother me now.

I could get addicted....


Ok Mom, here ya got a photo face

Daisyboy wallows in the Banana voluptuousness

Daisyboy climbed up the first step to my office (obviously didn't see me sitting on the patio) in the hope to get a afternoon treat. I thought it's time to get him a banana, knowing how much they all love bananas. I don't feed them very often, because Banana binds the calcium intake and isn't meant to be a daily food source, but once every 2 months I can spoil them with it.

See how Daisy gets crazy

Woah, it must be a good day, a banana just showed up here, right in front of me

Yeah, that is what I call tasty

*burp* Man am I glad there is no competition here right now

If I only had a bigger mouth

*burp, burp* need to get that thing down, before somebody takes it away

Do I look greedy? Nah!!!!!

*burp* Mmmm, that is Banana heaven!

Almost done!

The tort food is growing nicely

After only one day my seeds have sprouted. I mixed the soil with the coir from the baby pen that I had cleaned out and misted them from above from time to time. They have been growing outdoors in the biggest heat, although in the shade.

Here are the little seedlings

Mustard Seedlings

Romaine seedlings

Dandelion seedlings. I've planted those on top of the sphagnum moss, because they are very heat sensitive. The moist sphagnum moss kept them pretty cool. They also germinated on the second day.

Cocoa resting between the tall Cannas

Daisyboy pretty sleepy in his bin.
No sign of Georgy. While Cocoa and Daisy prefer the same spot every day to hang out, Georgy always has to find a new one. So I never know where he is, until he shows up somewhere in the evening.

The yard is our playground

Daisyboy making his round

Cocoa walking through the waterdish

Cocoa hanging out on the patio. I just measured her, she's already 13" long and only 71/2 years old. She will become a big one.

Georgy: Peekapooh
"Got something for me, Mom?"

Georgy exploring the patio
See ya later Mom

Shower time

I found the gang together when I was watering the yard

and thought they could need a refreshment too

Cocoa could escape the males and found the food, but she didn't seem to be very interested. Maybe later. We have Romaine, red cabbage, mushrooms and sweet potato today.

The opuntias have arrived

My spineless opunitas have arrived. My torts will be happy, they didn't have any since 3 months. They ate the last plant I had, down to the bones, and there was no recovery.

They love the opuntias so much that they wouldn't eat anything else, if they had enough.

This is opuntia humifusa, very winterhardy with yellow flowers

This is Opuntia ficus indica, that produces these yummy fruits. It is only winter hardy to 20 degrees and I probably will need to get it potted up before it freezes. I got 3 pads of those. and several pads of the cold hardy one.

I planted them in my new succulent bed, but will take very good care, that the torts don't get to them, before they have a chance to grow. But I am pretty sure, I will have to replant them latest tomorrow, because I just know Daisyboy will discover them on his evening walk and make it public :)

Papaya, the fruit that all omnivorous torts love

3 days ago I thought it will be cheaper, when I plant my own Papaya trees. My torts just love Papaya over everything and I had to buy the fruits in the supermarket almost on a weekly basis.
I soaked the seeds in water until they germinated then got them carefully out with tweezers and planted them in individual pots. I planted 11, a few died, but most of them made it.

Here you can see a little seedling made it's way to the surface

Here is an other one emerging

All together I have 8 seedlings right now, but am expecting a few more to die. If I can get at least 3 to grow, I will be happy. Once they become a little studier, I will plant them in the big tort's indoor pens, one for each pen. They'll grow quickly and produce fruit in just 9 months. This should become a super food source - I wonder why I didn't do this earlier.