Breakthrough Today!! :)

[Shelli]

Olive has been a pretty shy lil' thing up to today!!
Everyday we go out for yard time where she may stroll about a bit other than that unless she's eating in her indoor enclosure or soaking herself she would sleep under her sphag or her flower pot forever!!

Today when we took her out for her usual yard time she was eating EVERYTHING!! and really just came to life her little tongue.. owww soo cute! She was even eating grass!!! Isnt' that strange I didn't think RF's ate grass... :/ She ate clover I checked it was it has the white rings and well basically she was having a great time..
Then I just put her back in her enclosure to soak she leaves when she is ready and I just checked her and she isnt' even hiding she is just chilling checking things out on the eco-earth side of her encl... sooo cool!!

She's the best!!!

 

[Nay]

That's so cool! Isn't it funny how we can just get goofy about these living rocks!!(as some not so understanding person said to me) I think if I added up the time I have spent watching my torts, I could've gotten a lot of things crossed off my list. (but not had near as much entertainment.)
Go Olive!!
Na

 

[lezsolt]

Mine did the same thing when I put him (and my yellowfoot) outside for the first time. My redfoot was also eating grass, but after some weeks of being outside for the majority of time, he doesn't eat grass anymore (according to the new book "South American Toroises", grasses are very good for redfoots if they eat it).
Also, I've noticed that the "speedy-walking-around-and-eating-everything-in-the-way" behaviour, which both my torts were doing when I first put them out, could be a sort of "panic reaction", because after settling in their outside enclosure, they aren't doing it anymore (they seem much calmer).

 

[Shelli]

Mine did the same thing when I put him (and my yellowfoot) outside for the first time. My redfoot was also eating grass, but after some weeks of being outside for the majority of time, he doesn't eat grass anymore (according to the new book "South American Toroises", grasses are very good for redfoots if they eat it).
Also, I've noticed that the "speedy-walking-around-and-eating-everything-in-the-way" behaviour, which both my torts were doing when I first put them out, could be a sort of "panic reaction", because after settling in their outside enclosure, they aren't doing it anymore (they seem much calmer).

Well she's been outside everyday for 2 weeks and she just kind of walks about and ant watches I was suprised she never ate before since she is a bit of a food monster... so today I was happy to see her doing what she enjoys the best.. EATING!! haha

I have been growing some Timothy/Orchard and wheat grasses just to put in her enclosure for her to walk on and just because...
I had never intended for her to eat it but if she likes it and it's ok for her to eat then that would be great.. for her..

 

[terryo]

Do you leave her out all night? I still take mine in when it starts getting dark. At night the temp. drops to low 70's here. I guess I'm still nervous about leaving him out at night.

 

[Shelli]

Terry no she stays outside under my feet for 5 minutes. .. lol.... She's only the size of a half a tennis ball...
No way she is going anywhere unchaperoned for many years..

Sorry it does kind of read that way... I should have said on her brief daily encounters...

 

[Shelli]

She is definately feeling more secure this morning she was half out of her flower pot her little head just a bobbing when I put food on her granite, she stayed like that for about 10 minutes still not brave enough to venture over by herself from her nights sleep so I carried on her usual routine which is putting her in her water to soak she does that for about 5 minutes then goes over to eat by herself..
but she still half came out when she heard me and looked totally excited. lol..

 

[Jacqui]

I think from the sounds of it, both of you are getting more secure. Glad things are going so smoothly!

 

[fhintz]

Themistocles was the same way . very shy for a while before she got adventurous. It was a big relief when it seemed like she was getting comfortable. Glad yours is getting used to you!

 

[Madkins007]

Terry no she stays outside under my feet for 5 minutes. .. lol.... She's only the size of a half a tennis ball...
No way she is going anywhere unchaperoned for many years..

Sorry it does kind of read that way... I should have said on her brief daily encounters...

If your habitat is secure from escape and predation, and the temps are above about 70F at night, there really is no reason your little guy can't stay out. My yearling stays out as long as possible- but our weather is not cooperating lately.

Even if you are not willing to leave her out all night, she would benefit from a 'day pen' she can spend some quality outside time in... and be handled a little less often.

 

[Traveller]

That's wonderful that Olive is settling in and not so timid.
Our Rosy was the same, but now she's interacting with the rest of us humans.
She loves to be talked to and given a good head scratching.