Sir Percival the Tortoise

[JanieDough]

cam elle toe asked me to post pics of my tortoise, and he is just so lovely, so here they are:

when I first got him:




eating some pumpkin:



in his house earlier this summer - he is a lot bigger now:



him after I bathed him:





His name is Percy Sledge, but in a few years he will be mature and I might find out he's a girl (they have to be about ten before you can know for sure.)

He is an African Spur Thighed Tortoise or "Sulcata." He was given to me about two years ago, and he lives in my backyard in a dog house. He eats the grass and whatever else he can find the yard. I treat him to watermelon, pumpkin, strawberries, hibiscus, aloe and prickly pear cactuses too.

Come winter I have to build something for him to stay in because he has to stay at 70*F or above.

I love him.

 

[JanieDough]

oh yeah - and if you have a turt or a tort (turtle or tortoise to us geeks) and need information, or just want to gush with other people about your pet, i am on the forum at tortoiseforum.org

great source of info.

 

[cam elle toe]

I love him too.

Does he move fast? Whys he on a leash?:24:

Cant you keep up with him Janie:jk

Seriously, great photos...hes just gorgeous:thumbup

Now...whats the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?

Is one fresh and one saltwater like crocs and gators?

 

[Codrus]

 

[MoonOwl]

The EvilBastard speaks.......


He's very cute Janie.... Beautiful shell!

 

[cam elle toe]

COD:mad Janie has a tortoise not a turtle


I agree Moonie.....the shell is lovely.

Do you have to watch for people wanting to steal him for his shell Janie?

I imagine that alone would be worth a bit of money.

 

[JanieDough]

Does he move fast? Whys he on a leash?:24:

Seriously, great photos...hes just gorgeous:thumbup

Now...whats the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?

Is one fresh and one saltwater like crocs and gators?

Thank you thank you! And he only moves fast when he sees something he wants, then he books it like you never thought a tort could!

He was on a leash because I was at law school at LSU. I would sit out at the quad and let him eat and get sunshine while I read my cases for class. I put him on the leash so I could find him later when I was done reading - he would seriously go freaking far.

A turtle usually lives in water or around water and eats meat. I think they also usually live in packs.

Tortoises DO NOT SWIM. They will drown. They also do no eat meat at all. In fact it will kill them. I am so scared that some coonass is going to find Percy and put him in a bucket of water one day.

He's very cute Janie.... Beautiful shell!

Thank you

COD:mad Janie has a tortoise not a turtle

I agree Moonie.....the shell is lovely.

Do you have to watch for people wanting to steal him for his shell Janie?

I imagine that alone would be worth a bit of money.

No I haven't had to watch for that. Nor do other people on my board. I haven't heard of that. These babies aren't that valuable until they get older, and by that time you usually have to put them in a zoo, live in BFE or have it so secured to prevent them from escaping that no one can get to them either.

And yes - tortoises aren't food for gators or people or anything really. Hawks will pick them up when they are smaller, but then again what won't a hawk pick up???


Unfortunately pet stores sell these Sulcatas like hotcakes for hundreds of dollars and they don't warn the customers that Sulcatas get to be 100 years old and 200 lbs!
Many people end up killing them, dumping them or giving them away. Even though I have seen hundreds bought and sold at the petstore, I am the only one in my area who owns one. So you can imagine what happens to these guys more than 9 times out of 10.

It's sad really.

 

[cam elle toe]

WOW

I didnt know they didnt swim. You learn something new every day huh?


Thanks for the photos and info Janie.

I find turtles at work all the time. They move between the lagoons we have and I have to move them off the road so they dont get run over.

They release that stinky "ballast" water when you pick them up, but they are sooooo cute.

 

[JanieDough]

WOW

I didnt know they didnt swim. You learn something new every day huh?


Thanks for the photos and info Janie.

I find turtles at work all the time. They move between the lagoons we have and I have to move them off the road so they dont get run over.

They release that stinky "ballast" water when you pick them up, but they are sooooo cute.

there was a video that I posted some time ago of torts having sex....

you should watch it, it's hilarious. and cute.

here it is!

http://www.offtopicz.net/48760-tortoise-lovin.html

 

[cam elle toe]

there was a video that I posted some time ago of torts having sex....

you should watch it, it's hilarious. and cute.

here it is!

http://www.offtopicz.net/48760-tortoise-lovin.html

I watched it back then.:thumbup:24:

 

[skyblue]

sadly most species are now endangered,over here you need a license and alot of money to buy one......here lies the problem,being endangered they are highly sought after by collectors who dont care where they come from and will pay good money for them

 

[Codrus]

 

[Siphorous]

Thank you for sharing JanieDough. I love the pictures and it's good to learn a lot about tortoises I didn't know.

The leash picture is a classic though :24:

 

[JanieDough]

oh yeah and FYI - they learn their names just like dogs.

Percy comes out when I call him!

And most turts and torts are territorial in the sense that they know where their home is and they like to stay around it. So don't ever pick one up and take it home and then dump it elsewhere!

 

[MoonOwl]

:24::24::24::24::24::24::24::24::thumbup

 

[Peter Parka]

YouTube - Hale And Pace - Tortoise Sketch

:24:

 

[JanieDough]

:24:

nice! :24::24:

 

[JanieDough]

his winter enclosure (and I am sure you are all SOOOOO interested) :24:

 

[Tuffdisc]

Excellent photos Janie

 

[Dana]

big ole pics.. cool tortoise though