Geochelone sulcata might make our home his home! (page 2)

AK - Jeff

Your heart was in the right place BTS.

We occasionally have been able to rescue local species crossing the roads - on a few occasions we have moved rather large snapping turtles off the road. On a related note: I used to see a large wild turkey cross a county road every day or two on my way home from work. I saw him cross one afternoon and was watching in my rearview mirror as a asshole behind me sped up and ran him over. There is no way he didn't see that bird - I was so damned upset that I wanted to go back and punch the jerk. But wisdom made me keep going rather than to have that confrontation.

I must agree that sometimes it seems these people must just be evil to do such things.

Jeff

cameo-d

Burn,

What really upsets me are the developers. They have a lousy code of conduct and will often bulldoze over ghopher homes. I have heard them say something like "it's easier to apologize than it is to ask permission" or something like that. I suppose they think the easy way out is to just pay a fine if you get caught rather than go through the red tape of sighting and relocating the creatures.

AK - Jeff

Update:

So far so good. The tortoise has been variously named: Tortie, Spike, Rocky. Haven't settled on an absolute moniker yet. He is doing just fine. On warmer days [which have been at premium in this rather cool season we have had this year] we put him outside in a movable enclosure. He circles inside, eating clover and dandelion leaves as he goes.

At night he comes inside and resides in a dog kennel with a nice warm light to keep him comfortable. He has grown a little I believe - though I have not made precise measurements.

Still undecided as to his permanent fate. I think we can go a year before having to make the committment of inside structure to keep him. So it is observation time and keeping his diet correct while we make the decision. There is a 'rescue' park not far away - they take in elephants, tigers, lions and so forth - from abused environs or just retired from circus life and so forth. I may talk to them about the possibilities of him going there should we elect that he might prove to be just too much.

If anyone here is in the business of tortoise rescue, particularly in the desert areas of the southwest, please let me know. I am surprised how many turtle/tortoise lovers there are - just doing a google search results in amazing amounts of information, much of it coming from said lovers.

Jeff

Witness 007

In America Turtles have Ninja powers and live in the swere right?

AK - Jeff

This is a Ninja Tortoise. Not sure if same applies.

Jeff

Nathan Natas

I have an idea that may help reduce the cost of keeping this tortoise.

Every day, supermarkets throw out vast quantities of waste produce - produce that your tortoise would quite possibly enjoy.

Explain to the manager of the produce department that you're helping to rescue a wild tortoise, and that you were wondering if you could get waste produce from him a couple of times a week. ring a picture of your bundle of joy. If the man's got half a heart, he will give you all sorts of stuff, and your tortoise will live happily ever after.

After you've observed his tastes for a while, you can reduce the mix to stuff you know he'll like. Probably that list will include celery, cabbage broccoli and various fruit. Maybe even an occasional prickly pear cactus pad or two.

Please keep us up to date with his progress.

AK - Jeff

Good Idea, Nathan. Thanx.

Yes they love cactus pads, but they don't grow here. I wonder if hispanic grocers might have those in produce? Just thinking out loud.

He loves the summer florish here - but before long winter will force us to find foods that will fit his diet. I have found a wealth of information on what these guys eat. He seems to have a good appetite too.

Namaste

Jeff

Nathan Natas

Hi AK Jeff,

Are you sure prickly pear cactus won't grow where you are? They're pretty hardy.

According to wikipedia, (Prickly Pear Cactus) Opuntia are the most cold-tolerant of the lowland cacti, extending into western and southern Canada; one subspecies, Opuntia fragilis var. fragilis, has been found growing along the Beatton River in central British Columbia, southwest of Cecil Lake at 56° 17' N latitude and 120° 39' W longitude.

I've seen it growing unattended in Washington State, land of lumberjacks, eskimos and igloos, and I once saw it growing along the road on a drive through Kentucky.

I was thinking about where the li'l guy might live during the cold weather. I don't know if this is practical, but what about a subterranean lair built with cinderblocks and a few feet of earth as insulation? There would probably still have to be a source of mild heat, maybe. On the other hand, coyotes and racoons would find such a lair very attractive, so it would probably have to be protected with a fence. You could install an infrared "tortoise cam" in the shelter to keep an eye on him; maybe even broadcast it over the internet.

AK - Jeff

Hi Nate

My time is short as I scurry out the door - I will think and reply to your ideas though. I have similar ones.

THanx

Jeff

ohiocowboy

Your Tortoise is a cutie! I hope you decide to keep him and build him a nice living space!

He reminds me of this story I saw about a month ago...

http://gizmodo.com/5271988/tonka-the-bionic-tortoise-gets-wheels-upgrade-kicks-hares-ass-in-a-race

Tonka the tortoise.

Tonka got in a tussle with a local dog, who bit off one of her legs. Unable to walk around properly, rescuers had the idea to strap the wheels from a Tonka truck to her underside, turning her into the fastest tortoise around.

Local resident John O'Dea, 35, has now adopted Tonka and said she loved nothing better than roaming in the vegetable patch and going for ‘walks'.
Surfer John said: ‘She is doing really well and loves roaming around the vegetable garden on her shiny new wheels.
‘She has a particular fondness for tomatoes.
‘I take her for ‘walks' regularly around my neighbourhood, I think she likes the speed but I do get a few funny looks.

Geochelone sulcata might make our home his home!

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