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  1. orv

    Eating Different Cactus

    The ambient temperature here in Southern California hovered in the mid 80's today, so three of our four CDTs were out sunning, drinking and eating a few grape leaves and gazanias. Our senior female surprised me today by eating a significant amount of a cactus which has remained neglected for...
  2. orv

    Let's All Go For A Swim

    I want to talk for a moment about soaking time for our tortoises and Classical Conditioning. I noticed quite a while ago that none of our four California Desert Tortoises truely enjoyed their time soaking. Their response to a warm soak was hiding within the safety of their shells, or more...
  3. orv

    Something New . . . Grrr!

    This afternoon we dug a new hole in the tortoise yard to replace a Yucca that died. When I was through, being tuckered on a hot afternoon, I sat on the patio, under the awning and in the shade. I thought I that I deserved a rest and would finish the planting in the AM. Well, no rest for the...
  4. orv

    It's Just Too Hot!

    The heat here in Southern California reached 106 degrees today . . . exhausting. I went out to the tortoise yard first thing this morning. Hey, it was only 92 degrees. . . . great! Fed the torts and cleaned up the yard and scrubed out the water dish. Gotta do it . . . right? I let the...
  5. orv

    Grape Leaves in Diet

    We care for 4 California Desert Tortoises. I have recently been blessed with access to a virtually unlimited amount of organically grown grape leaves. We try to feed our tortoises a varied, healthy diet, but I'd like to know what percentage grape leaves might play in their food. I must say...
  6. orv

    Crow Heading Into Burrow!!

    This evening just before sunset, my wife looked out of the kitchen window, and behold: a big black, nasty old crow entering our CDTs burrow. My first reaction was "where's my shotgun" (oops . . . I don't have a gun). I dashed out into the tortoise yard and THAT crow flew off. I've never...
  7. orv

    Mixed Veggies in Diet?

    Our four CDTs, one adult male and one adult female along with two juvinile females, are being fed approximately 10% thawed frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, corn and string beans). These are eaten voraciously. I've not seen the pros/cons here on the forums. As the growing season here in...
  8. orv

    is my tortoise helthy

    Being the grandfather of a 14 year old, I've learned to be tolerant of a teens hormonal outbursts. I don't recall, but perhaps I too was once a 14 year old. Let's try to practice "Everybody Loves Raymond ". Raymond: learn and grow with this community, even crotchety old grandparents have some...
  9. orv

    20 New Red Ear Sliders

    This AM we added 20 New Red Ear Slider Sliders and 1 Cooter to our resort's ponds. We have 6 fairly large ponds where we live. We split up the RESs between two of the ponds while we added the Cooter to another. I wanted the Cooter kept separated to prevent hybridization. Unfortunately, I...
  10. orv

    CDT's . . . They're Out!

    Two of our four California Desert Tortoises emerged from hibernation this morning to sun themselves for the first time since early November. They're our grand old female, who has been in our family since 1970 and one of her progeny who hatched out in 1984. Our other two juvenile females are...
  11. orv

    New Hide

    This afternoon I was working in the yard, and I thought I'd rake out our California Desert Tortoises hide. In doing so I moderately changed the entrance hole with the desire of keeping out potential future flooding. We've had some real gully-washers here in our high desert this summer and a...
  12. orv

    POND HABITAT READY FOR NEW SWIMMERS

    In the gated resort we live in there are six large ponds. We have a combination of about a half dozen Mississippi Pond Turtles and various Sliders. We'd love to enjoy more pond turtles in our habitats. I segregate turtles by type into the six ponds. We have a constant flow of water over...
  13. orv

    All Around the Mulberry Tree

    Our two California Desert Tortoises are truly spoiled. Sound familiar anybody? I thought so. Our enclosure has plenty of space . . . that is room for growth. We're considering planting a female black mulberry tree for not only future shade but excellent forage from the cuttings for the...
  14. orv

    A Short Visit to Tortoise Heaven

    The day before yesterday my wife, Nancy and I had the privilege to visit with Yvonne at the Clovis Tortoise and Turtle Rescue. What a wonderful experience! Visiting with so many tortoises and turtles in safe and proper habitats allowed us to see how they should be housed and fed. We brought a...
  15. orv

    Shell Care on Older Tortoise

    Our older California Desert Tortoise is showing significant cracking/separation in the areas between the shell segments. We don't know her actual age, but she appeared in our yard as an adult in 1970, so I'd place her at well over 70 years old today. We're cleaning her shell with a damp cloth...
  16. orv

    Peek - A - Boo Cave

    Our two California Desert Tortoises are quietly sleeping the current cool weather days away in their cozy cave. The entrance is covered in part with concrete block (just as it is all year long) as well as a heavy sheet of canvas. My question concerns whether or not there should be a small area...
  17. orv

    A Tortoise Love Story

    Hi, my name is. Orv, and I have been a rather silent member of these forums since last Spring. May I share with you the story of my rather long affair with the California Desert Tortoise? Allow me to begin back in the early 1950's when I was but a wee boy in a very different time. One day as...
  18. orv

    APP Challenged

    I'm a bit "app challenged" in that I can't seem to get the Tortoise Forum on my Kindle Fire HD. There wasn't any problem getting it on my cell phone. . . maybe a clue for putting the forum on the Kindle, please? As always, Orvil
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