When I first met Malti, she was sitting calmly in the center of a small plastic container. Her younger brother, another redfoot tortoise, was busily running circles around her inside the container. When given the choice between the two, I selected Malti – something just told me she was the one and I went withContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Napping”
Category Archives: Malti
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Pearl
As Malti grows up, she becomes more alert and curious about everything in her surroundings. And I do mean everything. This little girl doesn’t miss a beat. If something in her environment changes, she notices right away. If there is an opportunity to check out anything – or anyone – she has only been ableContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Pearl”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Groceries
Redfoot tortoises are very smart. Not only can they go head-to-head on touch screen computer tests with dogs, rats, mice, chimps, black bears and other warm-blooded species, but they can solve mazes with the right motivation (which is always treats, of course). If I ever forget this, all I have to do is wait untilContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Groceries”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Cloaking Device
Even when Malti was 4 weeks old and the size of my palm, she already had the most gorgeous coloring. Her orange and red dots covered her lower face, chin, neck, all four legs and feet and her little tail. As she gets bigger, so do her dots. Her colors seem to change every day!ContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Cloaking Device”
Pearl, Malti & Bruce Say Happy Mother’s Day!
When you have feathers or a shell and you hit the luck jackpot and get the greatest grandma on the planet, you always want to wish her “Happy Mother’s Day” first thing on her special morning! (Of course if she wants to thank you for your thoughtfulness by preparing you some fresh crispy waffles withContinueContinue reading “Pearl, Malti & Bruce Say Happy Mother’s Day!”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Young, Small and Delicious
In South American where Malti’s species hails from, red footed tortoises are considered a…um…delicacy. “Tortoise pie” is said to be a particular favorite on festive occasions. When Malti first joined our little flock, she hid CONSTANTLY. And she was the size of a silver dollar, and her mama had packed her habitat with plenty ofContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Young, Small and Delicious”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Eyesight
Malti’s eyes often look black, especially when she is sitting in the sun. It took a long time to realize her eyes are actually brown! But it didn’t take me nearly so long to learn that her eyes work really well. For example, she can see in the ultraviolet light spectrum, just like her parrotContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Eyesight”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Repurposing
I grew up with parrots. They are small and quick and LOUD. I also cared for a group of rescued water turtles as a child – they weren’t loud, but they were also small and quick. Malti is just the opposite. Malti is large and slow and very, very quiet. Or, she is quiet whenContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Repurposing”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Basking
Malti hails from South America. Redfooted tortoises are native to the country, and they can be found in diverse habitats, including grasslands and deep, lush forests. The forest redfoots don’t see a lot of direct sunshine. This is both because they are under so much greenery, from giant trees to bushes and ground-hugging vegetation, andContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: Basking”
Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: New Things
I can’t remember where I read it, but early on in my journey to learn how to become a tortoise mama, I read somewhere that tortoises don’t like it when you change their environment. Unfortunately, I moved a lot the first couple of years Malti was with me (she is turning three and a halfContinueContinue reading “Malti Explains Redfoot Tortoises: New Things”
Love & Feathers & Shells 