Some cold-blooded species can be notoriously picky eaters. But not the redfooted tortoise. Redfoots are often described as “opportunistic feeders” in the scientific literature. Personally, after nearly five years of close daily observation, I would say Malti’s gustatory style comes closer to that of a contestant in one of those “all you can eat” contests.ContinueContinue reading “Day 83: Food Face”
Tag Archives: tortoise care
Day 80: Tortoise Toys
The large shell-less being here…. Regardless of species, size or even blood temperature, young beings like to play. Play helps improve motor coordination, sensory acuity, learning speed and overall confidence. Play is also fun! Malti came to me when she was just a month old – a true baby tort. She is a juvenile nowContinueContinue reading “Day 80: Tortoise Toys”
Day 77: The Lap Tortoise
When you really, really, really want snacks – and not just any snacks but the GOOD ones – the best thing to do is to climb up into your mama’s lap. She definitely won’t expect it. She will be overcome with cuteness. She will “ooh” and “aah” over you. She will give you lots ofContinueContinue reading “Day 77: The Lap Tortoise”
Day 74: Slow and Speedy
As a cold blooded being living in a mostly warm blooded world, you have to face many misconceptions. One of the most enduring of these is that having cold blood means you are slow-moving. As if. Happily, this is a particularly easy mis-belief to remedy. All you have to do is wait until your largeContinueContinue reading “Day 74: Slow and Speedy”
Day 71: Everyone Wants a Shell
Being born with a shell on your back is pretty much the best. All you have to do is look around you to see that everyone else wants one of their own. There are so many shell-shaped structures in the world! Your large shell-less assistant even brings some of them home and puts them intoContinueContinue reading “Day 71: Everyone Wants a Shell”
Day 68: The Constant (Shelled) Gardener
Being born with a shell on your back can mean no one takes your gardening skills seriously. You might even be a master craftsmen where landscaping is concerned, but the only way anyone will ever know is if you show them. The arrival of spring when your mommy replants your habitat (on account of howContinueContinue reading “Day 68: The Constant (Shelled) Gardener”
Day 65: A Small Shelled Ostrich
According to the internet, the average adult ostrich weighs approximately 220 pounds. But when the ostrich is still an egg, it weighs about 3.1 pounds. At this moment in time, Malti weighs in at 3.5 pounds. This feels relevant because of what I saw when I walked into my (her) closet today.
Day 62: Breakfast in Bed
Shelled beings are very resourceful and self-sufficient by nature. You really have to be, if you come from a species where the moment you exit your little white escape pod, you are totally on your own! Snacks, shelter, sleep – whatever you need, you better figure out quickly where to get it and how toContinueContinue reading “Day 62: Breakfast in Bed”
Day 59: Snoozy with a Shell
The large shell-less being here…. Not all coldblooded pets hibernate when winter comes. This is especially true of shelled beings – such as a certain young redfoot tortoise, for example. What is really interesting in our little flock is that we have one shelled being who does hibernate and one shelled being who does notContinueContinue reading “Day 59: Snoozy with a Shell”
Day 56: Brunching with Tortoises
Shelled beings are very smart. Shelled beings who are born with red dots all over their feet, necks, head and tail are particularly intelligent. If you happen to cohabitate with one of these small shelled geniuses, you might even get to see their smarts at work….for the right motivation, of course. Here is an example.ContinueContinue reading “Day 56: Brunching with Tortoises”
Love & Feathers & Shells 