We haven't seen Peter in a while... 
Peter's thread
- Thread starter peasinapod
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StarSapphire22 said:We haven't seen Peter in a while...
You ask and you shall recieve!
First a few pics of the "winter wonderland" we have going on right here:
The fridge, including a few wine bottles if Peter gets bored. (They are in the door, so you can't see them)
Beech leaves as a cover
Soil (slightly damp), but no tortoise in sight....
Dig, dig, dig... Tadah! A little tortoise-butt!
He dug down all by himself, so I think he knows what hes doing. (?)
Still, I am such a worrywart and thats why I left a small "airhole" all the way to the top of the soil when I buried him again.
God! It's strange to see him so immobile!
Beautiful pics of your scenery!
You have Peter set up well.
So what did Peter do in previous years (before you became his primary keeper)? Did he brumate outside? And did he stay outside in the warmer months full time? (Now he has that wonderful cold frame…). Now you may have told us this in the past, but I like hearing Peter stories.
You have Peter set up well.
So what did Peter do in previous years (before you became his primary keeper)? Did he brumate outside? And did he stay outside in the warmer months full time? (Now he has that wonderful cold frame…). Now you may have told us this in the past, but I like hearing Peter stories.
Oh! I didn't realize he had gone down for the winter. Derp. No wonder there was a lack of pictures. . Thanks for the update!
I worry when Littlefoot is completely buried too. I don't know how they manage to breathe.
. Thanks for the update! I worry when Littlefoot is completely buried too. I don't know how they manage to breathe.
AW: Peter's thread
@lynnedit: Peter has always brumated. At my grandparents this was in a box filled with sand and leaves in the cellar. As ours isn't cold enough we decided to go for the fridge.
He always stayed outside pretty much the whole year. If the temps went down too low he was taken inside (I believe). All in all his setup wasn't perfect. Many mistakes were done but there were also things done correctly.
@StarSapphire22: Maybe they are hiding oxygen-tanks imside their shells? :huh:
@lynnedit: Peter has always brumated. At my grandparents this was in a box filled with sand and leaves in the cellar. As ours isn't cold enough we decided to go for the fridge.
He always stayed outside pretty much the whole year. If the temps went down too low he was taken inside (I believe). All in all his setup wasn't perfect. Many mistakes were done but there were also things done correctly.
@StarSapphire22: Maybe they are hiding oxygen-tanks imside their shells? :huh:
BRRRRRRR!!! Those photos make me shiver!!! My husband says he lives in the South for a reason: shorts and a tee shirt on Christmas day!
AW: Peter's thread
I like the snow, but I hate the ice and slush on the streets. Especially because I'm always falling down.
I like the snow, but I hate the ice and slush on the streets. Especially because I'm always falling down.
AW: Peter's thread
I forgot to add something on my last update. Here is how we control the fridge temperature.
It is a universal thermostat which I have programmed to interrupt the fridge's eletrical supply if the temperatures drop below 3.5ºC.
So far the temps stayed between 5.5 and 4.5.
And here is the wine, still full though! 
I forgot to add something on my last update. Here is how we control the fridge temperature.
It is a universal thermostat which I have programmed to interrupt the fridge's eletrical supply if the temperatures drop below 3.5ºC.
So far the temps stayed between 5.5 and 4.5.
And here is the wine, still full though!
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That is a wonderful safeguard! I'm not even sure we have those in the US.
You can drink the wine when Peter wakes up
You can drink the wine when Peter wakes up
lynnedit said:That is a wonderful safeguard! I'm not even sure we have those in the US.
You can drink the wine when Peter wakes up
I was going insane because you can't get one like this in Switzerland. Meaning we had to order it in Germany, have it shipped to a town near the border, drive there and pick it up..... Shipping it to Switzerland would have cost way more. Then we had to buy 2 different adapters, one for the front and one for the back, as Germany and Switzerland don't have the same outlets.
ps: Since yesterday the days have been getting longer again!! Spring is coming!
( in about 2.5 months Peter should be done sleeping
)
Time for an update! aka. It lives!
I really should be studying for finals,but while I was battling the evilness which is mathematics (No offence to anybody who likes it! I have quite a love/hate relationship with maths) I had to think of Peter and I got reeeeally paranoid. I think you probably know that feeling . Anyways, it's now been over a month that he has been in there and so I thought that a more thorough checkup couldn't hurt.
So I took out his box and dug him out. First positive sign: He wasn't in the same spot that he had been in so far.
Second positive sign: He reacted when I took him out carefully, meaning his legs moved (and I think he gave me the stink-eye).
Third and last: He weighs 1010 g, so he only lost about 1% of his body weight!
All in all we're doing good and now I can go back to studying without having to worry about him.
I hope all of you spent some enjoyable christmas days with your loved ones and I wish you and your tortoises a happy new year! <3
I really should be studying for finals,but while I was battling the evilness which is mathematics (No offence to anybody who likes it! I have quite a love/hate relationship with maths
) I had to think of Peter and I got reeeeally paranoid. I think you probably know that feeling . Anyways, it's now been over a month that he has been in there and so I thought that a more thorough checkup couldn't hurt.So I took out his box and dug him out. First positive sign: He wasn't in the same spot that he had been in so far.
Second positive sign: He reacted when I took him out carefully, meaning his legs moved (and I think he gave me the stink-eye).
Third and last: He weighs 1010 g, so he only lost about 1% of his body weight!
All in all we're doing good and now I can go back to studying without having to worry about him.
I hope all of you spent some enjoyable christmas days with your loved ones and I wish you and your tortoises a happy new year! <3
Great news! You definitely needed a break from math!
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Love this thread!
AW: Peter's thread
Here a little anecdote from summer. Sadly without pictures.
We were busy transplanting lots of (non-food) plants into Peter's enclosure. The plants had been in black, quite flexible plastic pots. As I was busy adding transplanting, I suddendly noticed that I hadn't had seen Peter for a few minutes. I turned around to look for him and what do I see? A black pot on its side with a tortoise butt sticking out of it.
Peter had pushed one of those pots against the side of the enclosure and had crawled inside and gotten stuck... Genius!
This winter is crazy! We have spring temperatures at the moment. (14ºC at christmas!!! Normally we would have temperatures below zero...)
Here a little anecdote from summer. Sadly without pictures.
We were busy transplanting lots of (non-food) plants into Peter's enclosure. The plants had been in black, quite flexible plastic pots. As I was busy adding transplanting, I suddendly noticed that I hadn't had seen Peter for a few minutes. I turned around to look for him and what do I see? A black pot on its side with a tortoise butt sticking out of it.
Peter had pushed one of those pots against the side of the enclosure and had crawled inside and gotten stuck... Genius!
This winter is crazy! We have spring temperatures at the moment. (14ºC at christmas!!! Normally we would have temperatures below zero...)
I'm so glad you share your stories of Peter. I love reading about all the great things that come along with being a tort keeper, or turtle for that matter. It would be hard to spend all winter without them, but I know that it's good for them.
J_W said:
Writing about him makes it easier to wait for spring. Furthermore my family started telling me to stop talking about tortoises at every possible opportunity. That's why I need a TFO.
I was just thinking about Peter...I miss him too, and he isn't even mine, lol!
It's so great seeing such an old little guy who is obviously well cared for and loved. Kinda like a glimpse into the future.
It's so great seeing such an old little guy who is obviously well cared for and loved. Kinda like a glimpse into the future.
StarSapphire22 said:I was just thinking about Peter...I miss him too, and he isn't even mine, lol!
It's so great seeing such an old little guy who is obviously well cared for and loved. Kinda like a glimpse into the future.
Aww! I'm sure your baby will be huge very soon, and then you'll want the tiny hatchling baack!
When I watch all those pictures on here of baby tortoises I really get the urge to have some mini-Peter running around. Objectively I KNOW that they must be tiny, but seeing them in Person must be amazing...
Littlefoot is growing too fast, that's for sure! He's grown 3/4 of an inch since I got him at the end of October. He'll be Peter size before I know it! :/
When will Peter wake up?
When will Peter wake up?
StarSapphire22 said:
Maybe even bigger! Especially if Littlefoot turns out to be female.
It really depends on the weather next spring. I plan to remove him from the fridge when the temperatures don't drop below freezing in the garage anymore. This way I don't have to artificially create a "wake-up period" and he can decide for himself when it is time.
I hope that he gets up somewhere around the middle of march, but the way it is looking now I'm fearing a super long winter. I hope that once he wakes up it doesn't start snowing again, but at least I have the cold-frame which I can heat up nicely.
