Thursday, May 27, 2010

Hermann's Tortoises - Got a New One...

...and that means my female of several years now has a potential mate because the new one is a male (click the pic to enlarge). He has not shown one bit of interest in her mating-wise since I got him a few weeks ago from Gary B of upstate NY. That is okay for now. They can get used to each other this season, then will be hibernated for the winter, and I am hopeful that once they emerge from hibernation next spring they will be cycled, ready and eagerly willing to do their thing. For now they are getting lots of good food and a lot of exercise, a few days a week in the backyard and a few walking around freely in the finished part of my basement. They sleep inside the house in their enclosure each night. While outside they have to be watched because the fence between our and our neighbor's house is literally falling apart. She is having a new fence erected next month and after that these two will be out much more often, probably daily.

Once I get a new turtle pen constructed they will be out there all day long each and every day. My old pen got destroyed by termites and even though it looked solid and sound it surely was one heck of a mess as I discovered much to my chagrin. That is a project I hope to get done by mid June at the latest and I do not dare leave the torts out overnight if not penned because of raccoons and possums. I am not worried they could be eaten but that they could be injured and catch a disease so as I said, they sleep inside for now. Once the pen is done, they will share it with three Red Foot Tortoises (who will only be out there during warmer months as they come from warmer climes in SA).

All the best,
Glenn B

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