EJ
Allotmenteer Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 2270
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| Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject: The hazards a tortoise can bring |
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I wondered if this should go in the pet section, and I know Frank will move it if necessary, but it isn't about looking after our darling pets, but more, when you reach that point and you scream at your pets! 
As you know, we have a tortoise, Travis. He hasn't hibernated this winter as we received him as a rescue and he was under weight and needed lots of TLC over winter. Anyhow, on sunny days, he roams the conservatory enjoying the warm wooden floor. However, at the moment my conservatory doubles as my tomato and chilli grow house, so I barricaded that area off from him so he could enjoy the warmth, and my toms would not be lunch. Well, bless him, he trundled about and to be honest, I forgot all about him with my too-ings and fro-ings and he made himself quite at home in the conservatory...ramming the barricades...pushing them over....climbing up and over until he could reach those tender young seedlings...and yes...he marched over them, snapping about a quarter of the seedlings clean off! AAAAGGGHHHH!!!!!! I was very cross with him and told him so as I carried him back to his vivarium. He is such a heavy lump, and he ate my tray of russian tarragon clean away! Pets huh, who'd have 'em!!
Anyhow, so you don't feel toooo sorry for the beshelled dinosaur, I made new barricades at the weekend, much stronger and definately tortoise proof, so he has the run of the conservatory again, and he is off the hook as a quick resow and already seedlings are poking their noses through the warm compost.
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
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Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Location: Scotland (Map)
Posts: 14179
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| Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Your little armour-plated friend certainly was determined to get at your tarragon wasn't he? He probably thought you'd planted them just for him. Bet he enjoyed every bite!!  Thank goodness you had more tomato seeds to sow and that the new ones are already growing for you.
Travis obviously came through his hibernation with flying colours. Let's hope those new barricades are indeed tortoise proof.
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daisybeans
Highly Skillful
Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: annapolis md
Posts: 1727
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| Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Hahahaha. That is a good story. Made me laugh. Will Travis live outside once it gets warm? Or is he an "inside" tortoise, strictly? I have an old box turtle named Harold who lives in my yard. Also some small ones -- they don't have names...
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Location: Texas (Map)
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:02 am Post subject: |
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I'm happy it was a tortoise and not a turtle. I was worried there for a minute. Tell your tortoise to behave himself or he'll be out the door. No, then he'd eat everything in your garden. dooley
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kaseylib
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1041
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:14 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like quite the pet to have! They'd freeze here in our neck of the woods.
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EJ
Allotmenteer Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 2270
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| Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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He will live out all summer long. Mark will make a fenced area around my greenhouse and we plan to remove a pane of glass and build him a hidey hole in the corner for the night times. He will have to come in for the winter though as he is a Mediterranean Hermans tortoise.
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Droopy
Slug Slaughterer
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Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:44 am Post subject: |
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I'm so glad you'll make him a sturdier living area, EJ. We want you to be happy together, and we don't want him snacking on your seedlings.
Our cats do that too, but I can't fence them in. Or out.
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kaseylib
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1041
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: |
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I have a potting shed here too, and it is frequented by visitors (mostly mice, and now the chipmunks are waking up out of hibernation). They nibble on the many plants that I overwinter inside. I haven't set traps out there yet as it hasn't been too bad, and now that the weather is warming up they're moving out. Yeah! Please post more pics of your tortoise. I don't know much about them...do they bite???
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glendann
Official Garden Angel
Joined: 19 May 2006
Location: Texas (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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EJ I do hope your tortoise is pend up good.I hope he doesn't push his way into your babies again.I would love to see more pictures of him again.
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