Summer in the Box Turtle garden

[terryo]

Everything is blooming...the Fall flowers are starting to come out. They ate most of the Summer flowers...something they never did before...mostly impatients. And this is before I got to clean the pond and the water dish, so they aren't too clean.

They are coming from all directions ....they saw the food dish...their favorite mix today

Everyone eats together now

No worms???? You can see Chewy starting to take over the dish

Can you find Chewy?

I'm not coming out.

Chewy is my most agressive eater now. She will put her whole body on the food so no one can get any....eventually they all leave and she has it all to herself.

Millie is in a septerate little garden now because she will be coming in for the Winter, as this is her first year with me. I'm afraid she might did under as the nights are starting to go into the 60's here and I might not find her.

The hibernation cave

pond

water dish

little flower pot house

 

[tyler0912]

I love seeing your pics,
and that enclosure is beuatiul....do you keep your cherryheads outside?

 

[Yvonne G]

That's just so pretty. What a shame you have to have "seasons." It would be lovely if your garden looked that way all year round. In fact, after seeing all the snow this past winter in your pictures, its AMAZING that the garden looks like that at all!!

Chewy seems to have grown into her eyes. They don't look so prominent anymore. Lovely patterning on her shell.

 

[dmarcus]

what a wonderful place to live as a box turtle...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very nice.

 

[austinl01]

Totally awesome enclosure! I bet they are happy as a clam to be living in your yard. Just look at that food bowl. It's easier than living in the wild by any means.

 

[l0velesly]

Cute box turtles!!

 

[Momof4]

Very beautiful pics. It's so green and peaceful!

 

[Nay]

Ah Terry , I just love it when you post!! It's always just so nice!!
Are you doing anything special prior to hibernating them? I now have the 2 ornates and if your have had good luck leaving them out I may just do that. I haven't hibernate Louise, but she has hibernated herself, just as soon as I bring her out in the spring.
SO maybe I could try it your way?? Suggestions? I know when I had the Russians I started to soak them and withheld food 3 weeks or so before they went under my bed(Yes our bedroom is cold enough!!)Do you do that?
Thanks Nay.

 

[zesty_17]

i love your pictures!

 

[CGKeith]

I always like seeing your enclosure pics. Wish I could keep things growing in mine so it would look nicer. I seem to kill everything I plant.

 

[Turtle Guru]

love the pics terryo

 

[Jacqui]

Just lovely! What is the large bush by the cave?

 

[Candy]

Chewy does exactly what Ruby does to the food dish. I always have to move her off so Little Eddie can eat. All of your little boxies look so sweet Terry and they have such a wonderful garden to live in. They are so lucky that they live at your house.

 

[lynnedit]

I second the question about the bush near the cave.
All of it is so, so pretty and appealing!

 

[pandacakes]

Those look like some happy boxies! Love the enclosure that you have for them. Chewy buried in the mud cracks me up!

 

[terryo]

Nay..my Ornate never did well outside after I got her back. If I didn't take her in before it got too cold her eye's would puff up. She always hibernated outside, and then I had to leave her with a friend for two years, and she never let her hibernate outside. After that, when I got her back she couldn't take the cold any more. All mine hibernate outside in the cave, except the Gulf Coast because this is her first year with me, I'll take her in in about two weeks, and also the little Three Toed who's only 2 years old.

The big bush outside the cave is a hardy hibiscus. It comes up every Spring, and just gets bigger every year. All the flowers fell off because of the heavy rain, but there are lots of buds on it now. The flowers only last 1 day but they keep coming all Summer right up until the frost. Pio loves them.

This is the whole turtle garden. It's on the side of my house.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Really beautiful Terry!! I am having trouble growing weeds for gosh sakes!!! Lucky turtles & tort's!!

 

[Jacqui]

It's funny without the blooms or buds it just didn't clearly register what it was. Duh and here I have many of them myself. *blushes*

 

[ascott]

Terry, your garden is marvelous. So detailed, so dainty, so classy....just perfect. Thank you for sharing

I love the third picture, what a character....like leaning right up to you so you can get a good one.....very sweet.