Saturday is FUNday for tortoises...PICS!!

[Isa]

I love your pictures, they are wow . It looks like your tortoises (they are beautiful) have a fun and busy day

 

[DeanS]

Seriously. How long did you sit there to catch that yawn? I've only ever caught one of those and it was totally by accident. You caught two in the same day? Now that's talent.

Actually, I caught two yawns within 15 minutes. Aladar is easy! Whenever he rests, he yawns at 10 minute intervals. With the babies, whenever they wake up or right before they go to sleep, they start flapping their jaws (like an old toothless man), then they start the little piston motion with their front legs...then here comes the yawn! I spend all my free time just observing them indoors and out...it's a GREAT stress-reliever. I've got thier routines down pat!

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I love your pics. Have you ever posted your pen? In the second pic it looks like railroad ties in the background. I am trying to decide to use cinder block or railroad ties.

The railroad ties were already in place when I bought the house. My plan (until recently) was to gut the planter (70' x 4') and buld a habitat for the four little ones. Now, I have an extra step to add. I'm going to cover the raildroad ties with cement board and add a river rock facade (to both sides). See, the problem is, the railroad ties leak tar (especially when the temps soar). Aladar has it wedged in his leg scales. The kids get it on their clothes...so this is the only conclusion I could come up with...either that or demolish the planter altogether! I have another smaller (30' x 2') brick planter on the side of my house...but opted not to use it because it doesn't get enough direct sunlight throughout the day...only about an hour or two...and another hour or so of filtered...not good enough for these guys!

 

[Missy]

Thanks for letting me no about the tar, I never thought of that. Well I guess I will use block.

 

[DeanS]

Thanks for letting me no about the tar, I never thought of that. Well I guess I will use block.

By all means...keep us posted on your progress!

 

[ChiKat]

Awwwwww! Those are great pictures

 

[Yvonne G]

I think that that's creosote on the RR ties. And its pretty toxic. It has been banned from use.

 

[DeanS]

Yvonne, you are a total wealth of knowledge! I looked into that when I first acquired Mortimer (remember him?). Anyway, I had a guy from a local gravel yard come out a year-and-a-half ago to verify and he said that creosote doesn't harden like this stuff does. And it softens only in extreme heat...just like tar...he said that's because it is tar! In any event, it's outta here this season!