Taco is a Grassland Tortoise After All!!

[Stephanie Logan]

So today was gorgeous, and I let my pumpkin out to romp and frolic, and I stopped doing yardwork to just enjoy watching her for awhile, and she was using her front leg to dig at the grass...and then she started eating it!! Like a bloomin' Sulcata!

Here's the proof:

She didn't seem to think it was unusual at all...she was also eating dirt:

She is the most beautiful tortoise in the world, even when eating dead grass and dirt, and sporting a stain from her cactus fruit breakfast:

And here's a little movie of my Beauty Queen Taco Bean:


Spring has sprung!

 

[Candy]

I love videos. It lets you really get to know the tortoises personality. Is someone overly happy to be outside? I would say a unanimous YES! That is one happy tortoise Stephanie. I don't know how you're going to get her to come inside when it's time. I'm afraid she just might run from you.

 

[terryo]

Yes, she is very beautiful, and I loved that video. I wish I knew how to post one.

 

[ChiKat]

Woo hoo, look at her go! Such a gorgeous little lady She looks so happy!
I can't wait until Nelson is full grown. I love that he's little, but I can't wait until he's a "real" tortoise
Nelson tried eating dirt the other day too

Terry if you take a video on your digital camera you can upload it to Photobucket.

 

[Tom]

I love Taco's face. Very distinctive. I'm searching around on the web and it occurs to me that maybe you know of a good spot for Chaco info. Any recommendations?

 

[rwfoss]

Very cute!!

 

[Yvonne G]

We don't get to see too many pictures of Taco. Thanks so much for sharing with us. She's lookin' good! Glad to see her developing a taste for grass. Maybe that's what will get her appetite going good!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

"I love Taco's face. Very distinctive. I'm searching around on the web and it occurs to me that maybe you know of a good spot for Chaco info. Any recommendations?"

Hahaha...surely you jest!

There are lots of old articles on Chaco tortoises if you google "Chaco", but for the past 8 months I have been searching everywhere, including here, and have come up with exactly two good recent sources: South American Tortoises, by Vinke and Vetter (recommended by Madkins007), and Danny (Egyptiandan), who keeps Chacos as part of his collection.

If you find any other good sources, let me know!! I'd love to learn more about my little gem.

And thanks for the compliment. She really is so exquisitely beautiful. I'm very lucky to have discovered her.

 

[chadk]

She is very sweet!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I love the color of her skin. Great pictures. Yes, she is beautiful...

 

[Tom]

"I love Taco's face. Very distinctive. I'm searching around on the web and it occurs to me that maybe you know of a good spot for Chaco info. Any recommendations?"

Hahaha...surely you jest!

There are lots of old articles on Chaco tortoises if you google "Chaco", but for the past 8 months I have been searching everywhere, including here, and have come up with exactly two good recent sources: South American Tortoises, by Vinke and Vetter (recommended by Madkins007), and Danny (Egyptiandan), who keeps Chacos as part of his collection.

If you find any other good sources, let me know!! I'd love to learn more about my little gem.

And thanks for the compliment. She really is so exquisitely beautiful. I'm very lucky to have discovered her.

I seem to have found the same stuff you have. Here's a different tactic for you. There are two giant Tegu species that share at least part of the same range. Tupinambis merianae and Tupinambis rufescens. There is a lot more info on climate and caring for these two species than Chaco tortoises. It could a least give you some more info about the climate and natural habitat. I'm going to check out the source you recommended and I'll do a search for Danny's previous Chaco posts.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Oh, man, I completely missed the serious nature of your post--I'm sorry, Tom. Are you thinking of getting a Chaco?

I'll PM you about the exceptional nature of the acquisition of Taco...the book South American Tortoises has extensive sections on Chaco's, though the authors admit there simply isn't a lot of long-term research available on Chaco's...one distressing statistic is the high mortality rate of Chaco's in captivity...E.J. can confirm that sad truth for you...Danny can probably advise you on where to obtain a Chaco...and I have a DVD from the Turtle Conservancy in Argentina that spends part of the documentary seeking out and examining Chaco's in various locations of southern Paraguay and northern Argentina...I'll send it to you if you want to watch it.

 

[Isa]

Awwwww Stephanie, Taco is a beautiful lady Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures and video with us. I have a little problem here now, Hermy finds her beautiful and he asked me a lot of questions about her (per exemple,and what kind of flower does she like? What is her favorite restaurant? Would she like to live in Canada?...). I told him they were not meant to be with each other and that she was too bigger than him and older but he does not care ahhhh Hermy Hermy Hermy

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Hermy is simply a romantic...I would worry that he is on the rebound after Queenie jilted him, so he should take things slowly...

Taco is a bit young to date yet, so tell Hermy I will pass along his compliments and maybe when they are both a bit more mature, we can set them up as pen pals...from Colorado to Canada with "affectionate regard"...

 

[terracolson]

So pretty, loved the video...

 

[Isa]

Hermy is simply a romantic...I would worry that he is on the rebound after Queenie jilted him, so he should take things slowly...

Taco is a bit young to date yet, so tell Hermy I will pass along his compliments and maybe when they are both a bit more mature, we can set them up as pen pals...from Colorado to Canada with "affectionate regard"...

Hmm Hermy is still young too, what I am scared of is Taco is a lot bigger than him, he is only a little Hermann! I will have to make him understand, I told him what you said and I do not think he likes the idea of "pen pals" he told me to tell you that he will wait as long as it takes to make Taco realize that he is the perfect Hermann for him lol He even asked me to bring him to the Tattoo store, he want a tatoo on his arm that says "Taco forever" lol

 

[dreadyA]

Steph, i think you're lil' pumpkin is gorgeous

 

[Calaquendi]

Lovely! Great video, love the way she walks, and her face.

 

[terracolson]

i enjoyed it all over again

 

[Stephanie Logan]

I will soon post a new one with her latest tortoise-detector accessory. Got to get through this crazy-busy week first.

ABK soccer is playing in the state semi-finals Saturday-woot, woot!