the tortoise times

A blog to update our friends and family about the life and times of Toto the tortoise.

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hey!

heres a quick video of one of totos first baths of the year. when he blows bubbles, that means he’s drinking!

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Toto Update

This year Toto got up on Sunday 15th March. It was a lovely sunny day. Typically since then it has not been. Coupled with Coronavirus pandemic it has been pretty miserable. This weekend the weather looks to improve and so we can hopefully get out and give his Tortoise paddock a good spring clean before he goes out there full time. In the mean time he is in a plastic underbid storage box in the kitchen with a heat lamp. We bathe him twice a day to get him drinking. 

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As today is a nice sunny day( actually as I say that the sun goes in! ). I decided to take a picture of toto hiding in the plants/weeds.

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I thought you might want to see the full extension, my new house and his nice new habitat. HE'S EVEN GOT A MINIATURE GREENHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHALLENGE Can you spot the cat???

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Hello tortoise lovers Sorry it's been SUCH along time since the last time we posted something ( about two years ago ) But since then a lot has happened. Toto, the lucky thing, has had a house move, AND extension. So, we're back again this year for regular updates on the tortoise ( and possibly a few pics of the cat! ) We hope you enjoy this years tortoise blogs and don't think he's too spoilt!!!!

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As we are now in mid May we have got brave and so Toto has been spending recent nights outside in his house with lots of straw of course in his bed. He seems to survive well enough and by late morning is awake and nosing out the door. The sun warms the door/ramp and he tends to sit on it enjoying the warmth and sunshine (when we have had it). 

When he is all warmed up he then makes a move to explore the run. At the weekend he had a good wander around the garden on the lawn and in the flower beds disappearing at one point under a lavender bush. He certainly gets a trot on when he is out and about!

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Our cat Twinkle in the tortoise paddock 

and a little KISS!!!!!!!

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a BIG stretch! Toto certainly loves cucumber!!!!!

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Definitely a boy (long tail)!!!

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Toto's new house has arrived from Norfolk - a lovely mix of Sage and Willow!

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This is Effie's old garden with spring flowers popping out from the earth!

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TORTOISE FACT

Toto is a Horsfield or Russian Tortoise. We know this because he has 4 claws on each foot. 

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The BIG crunch!

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Hooray - the first tortoise poo of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We have now mixed some playsand in with the soil to make it a bit better under 'foot'.

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This is Toto taking a bite to eat! It took him about a week to start eating. He first ate a dandelion. 

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After hibernation tortoises need a bath (not necessarily in a cat's litter tray!) but just to get  the toxins out of his tummy and encourage him to drink.