The Tortoise Table

Man flu ... awwwwww that's marvellous and sounds about right!

Yes, he was cold. I had just popped the light on and he was waking up.

As I type this he is stuffing his face with his dinner. Plus he hasn't stopped all morning so no sign of no eating or lethargy etc.

Thanks for the quick reply Nina.
In himself (found out she was a he and didn't have the heart to change name after 5yrs) he is fine. Normal activity and eating like a typical bloke!

Hi everyone,

I have a question; do Hermanns make noises?

For the first time ever, that I have heard anyway, Vera is making a noise. Almost a squeak, almost a sound like a squeaky shoe.

Any clues?

That’s made me chuckle; I definitely fit both stereotypes!

Graffiti?? Oh there’s graffiti alright! There’s no ‘Vera woz ‘ere’’ but there’s dried caked mud all around the inner walls.

I tell you Nina, that tortoise thinks of EVERYTHING!

This is the dish he had in his vivarium Nina. I don’t know if the new one was maybe just a little bit too deep for him climbing in and out of. That I think as well as a million and one bits of loose slate. Yes, this one is shallow but still deep enough for a soak and a drink. He can sit for ages in ...

OMG is all I can say! That is amazing. Awwwww that’s going to be one happy tortoise. Proud tortoise parent moment!

OooooO but isn’t Oxford posh?

Ok, so I’ve tidied up a bit. I’ve told him he’s been naughty, his ‘slate’ privileges have gone and he’s grounded and back to basics with a shallower dish!

... and I got nothing; the tide was fully in.

I am next to Tynemouth Nina so have Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Whitley Bay and the Fish Quay at North Shields, it’s all beautiful!

I’m on the way to the beach ... stones and pebbles ahoy here I come!

That’s great Nina ... right I’m on a mission to find rocks!

Lin, I’m intrigued to hear your other idea!

Hi Nina! VOILA I say ... I need to try this!! Your table looks awesome by the way! Where did you get the stones from, found or bought? This is definitely what I need to do. If the stones can’t be moved then it’s half the battle as I think with the pieces of slate moving, this is causing some of the ...

PS, Nina ... he didn’t trash his water dish in the Viv as such. There would be soil in it but not a lot, but it was a shallower dish. Not sure if this makes a difference as the dish I’m using now is slightly deeper.

Hola ladies, thank you! I’m not panicking as ‘panicking’ just yet and definitely won’t be making any changes too early. Thank you so much for the tips. I was thinking about getting heavier bits of stone, so heavy he can’t move them ... HA but will hang fire Nina until I’ve seen your photo - I need i...

So as some of you might have seen on my other post, I’ve transferred Vera to a tortoise table. But and it’s a big BUT ... how the heck (and I need your tips now) can I keep his water and water dish clean? I’ve tried sinking it down with slate and stones around it. I’ve tried standing it on top of th...

Oh good golly, you’re right ... tortoises are way toooooo clever. When Vera was in his vivarium, he managed to opened the door, how he slid it along I do not know, but he did and we hunted high and low ... he was only tucked up in his shell amongst the wires behind the tv! That was the first and onl...

The little terror!!!!!

I’ve got nothing round the perimeter so fingers crossed he can’t do this, but he won’t soon anyhow as I’m going to get some chicken mesh and make a wooden frame for it to place over the top of the table!

HA, I say ... it’ll be Laura 1 - Vera 0!!!

HA, hiring myself out, hilarious Nina. Our back garden is patio and decking, we don’t have any grass so I thought the enclosure would be great. It works really well and Vera loves it. The mesh top on it is basically what I’m going to make for the indoor tortoise table. Yes, the L arm for the lamp on...

You know what it is Nina, other than sleeping all night, he has not stopped once since I put him in the table yesterday lunchtime! AND, I’ve succeeded with the probe! I got a bit of bendy wire, wrapped it around the probe’s wire and voila, bent it underneath the bulb and that is where it’s staying -...

... and all pimped up with slate now around the water dish!

The sun definitely brings motivation and if the weather forecast is right then this coming week is going to be beautiful so that will definitely keep you in the garden and make Doris and Dolly happy little lovelies! Matilda is 2.5yrs. She’s a beauty and so fluffy and cuddly. She’ll do anything for a...

Well, first night in the palace went well. He woke up this morning when the light went on and is now sitting under his bulb probably contemplating his plans for how he can trash his table again today (goodness knows what he will think when the plants go in). Now normally, in the vivarium he is up fr...

Photos Part 2

Photos Part 1

The temps are crazy and yes, those stick on ones are scary, doesn’t bare thinking about. I’m really surprised my temps are spot on. I’ve made no adjustments, this is first time at doing the height of the bulb. I thought I’d have a few trial and errors, but none. Well, Vera hasn’t used his bedroom. H...