Tortoises

Lola enjoying some pumpkin

 

Just a little hello from the tortoises who yawn and ask when they're allowed to go to bed for the winter! Squirt hasn't slowed down much and is always busy patrolling their run looking for a way to escape (a favourite tortoise pastime), while Lola sits watching her. Lola's day goes like this; emerge first thing in the morning when the heat lamp comes on, bask under it for about half an hour (while fighting for the best spot with Squirt), have a few mouthfuls of breakfast and then plod off back to bed for the rest of the day! Lazy thing! She's trying to tell me that she wants to hibernate but I keep telling her that she's got a few more weeks to wait yet if this mild November weather is anything to go by.

 

Sleepy torts this time of year

 

They've been in their outside run at every opportunity possible (when the sun shines and it's mild) and have been devouring weeds. I've been giving them lots of extra treats such as romaine lettuce and pak choi to help maintain their weight before hibernation. Both have hibernated before but Lola's first and only attempt only lasted a week before her weight dropped too much (they shouldn't lose more than 10% of their body weight throughout the whole wind-down and hibernation process). Squirt is much more successful but has a couple of years on Lola so she seems to know what to do (so is a greedy pig the rest of the year in an attempt to stock up for winter!). I find hibernation very scary and worry a lot about them but it's a natural process they'd do in the wild so I'm keen to make sure we attempt it each year and they're always much better for it the following Spring, so maybe it's proof that it's good for them. There's lots of helpful articles online and the breeder I got my two from is always happy to answer my questions.

 

Dreaming of summer...

 

I'll try and give you a tortoise update a little more regularly moving forward.

 

Good bye, night night from Squirt & Lola as they head off to bed for the winter x