south american tortoise – Love & Feathers & Shells

Malti the Redfoot Tortoise: Micro Gardening

When you are born with a shell and a beak handily equipped with its own set of sharp garden shears, you know that what grows up must come down. Or something like that. In the world of the large shell-less beings, this is often termed “micro gardening.” Let’s say you have a small space whereContinueContinue reading “Malti the Redfoot Tortoise: Micro Gardening”

Resting in Place with Malti: Cold Blood, Warm Heart

Rumor has it that beings with shells are “cold-blooded.” As so many rumors go, this one is interesting for sure. And also wrong. Sure, your exterior often feels cool to the touch – except when you’ve been basking under your toasty warm indoor UV lamp or in the occasional direct warm winter sunbeam. In otherContinueContinue reading “Resting in Place with Malti: Cold Blood, Warm Heart”

Resting in Place with Malti: Take Shelter

Each day has its own energy, its own rhythm, its own personality. In fact, it could be said that a day itself is as alive as the beings living it! For instance, there are days when you just feel like roaming. You have all this energy zinging through you and you want to go hereContinueContinue reading “Resting in Place with Malti: Take Shelter”

Resting in Place with Malti: the Doorway of Hope

To be born small and shelled is to be born slow and delicious. There is no better (um) recipe for hope than this one. Every day, you hope to eat and not be eaten. Every night, you aspire to snooze and not be seen. In summer, your goal is to stay cool, while in winter,ContinueContinue reading “Resting in Place with Malti: the Doorway of Hope”

Day 341: A Deep Forest Tortoise

Setting up a household that includes flock members from different species can very naturally bring up some differences of opinion. Say one flock member is small and feathery. He prefers everything to be very open and spacious with no (zero, zilch) obstructions in line-of-sight. But then say another flock member is round with a shellContinueContinue reading “Day 341: A Deep Forest Tortoise”