The Tortoise Table

Hi Nina,

Just an update on Jemima. She is currently being wormed, and you said to put her out in the sun as long as the pen is on a new patch of grass per day.

She is hating the paper in her table, but is eating well. Even though i was thorough before, I'm intensifying the weed washing as i want her to keep having fresh weeds.

These are her last days in her small pen as she is having her enclosure dug out on Sunday. Of which i will record the progress and detail for you. She is currently walking the length of her pen with her scrape hide on her back, which is her FAVOURITE pastime.

Could i ask if we could start the process for the fescue grass you mentioned you would send me.
I would want to cover all your postage, and would be happy to pay you for the grass.

Please instruct me how best to make contact.


Thankyou, Jody from Wirksworth x

Hi Jody,

Ha, ha -- I love the idea of Jemima walking around with her house on her back -- do send a photo!

Yes, no problem with sending you the grass. It will only be a small clump (easier to post and more likely to survive), but it grows really quickly and you should have a big clump in no time -- and it seeds itself everywhere so you should have little babies popping up b the end of the year or next ear too. I've attached two photos of it in my front garden from a few years ago. Because it flops over as it does, it makes a great place for them to shelter. I've also attached a photo of my two with some of the grass in their enclosure, but it isn't really flopped over properly as I had cut it back because it was taking over a bit and I couldn't find them!

I still have your address from when I sent you the Observation Records booklet, so I'll get some off to you in the post soon. Would it be OK if I did it next week (after the Easter holiday)? I'm just thinking that if I send it tomorrow or the next day, it could get caught up in the Easter post and get delayed, and I think the less time it spends in transit the better.

Nina
[attachment=2]m_Carex 'Frosted Curls'.jpg[/attachment][attachment=2]m_Carex 'Frosted Curls'.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]m_Carex Frosty Curls -- maybe.jpg[/attachment][attachment=0]IMG_7026 (Copy).JPG[/attachment]

Hi Nina,
[attachment=0]Snapchat-833293264.jpg[/attachment]

Yes good idea to post it after Easter. I won't be putting her ladyship in until her worm counts clear anyhow.

Oh wow the grass and your enclosure looks amazing. I am off to the builders merchants to source a rounded roof tile like yours in the picture. I can picture Jemima sat underneath it like a miserable troll!! (god love her).

Oooh she carries the hide it up the length of her pen. I think she yearns to be a Galapagos. I secure it in place with small bricks, so I've no idea how she frees it.

Once again thankyou for the grass, but i would of liked to of at least covered the postage, as you are being so kind to us both.

THANKYOU Jody from Wirksworth x

Sorry to jump in! Can you get the grass from garden centres etc?

Jemima is an absolute cutie btw!



Nina wrote:
> Hi Jody,
>
> Ha, ha -- I love the idea of Jemima walking around with her house on her
> back -- do send a photo!
>
> Yes, no problem with sending you the grass. It will only be a small clump
> (easier to post and more likely to survive), but it grows really quickly
> and you should have a big clump in no time -- and it seeds itself
> everywhere so you should have little babies popping up b the end of the
> year or next ear too. I've attached two photos of it in my front garden
> from a few years ago. Because it flops over as it does, it makes a great
> place for them to shelter. I've also attached a photo of my two with some
> of the grass in their enclosure, but it isn't really flopped over properly
> as I had cut it back because it was taking over a bit and I couldn't find
> them!
>
> I still have your address from when I sent you the Observation Records
> booklet, so I'll get some off to you in the post soon. Would it be OK if I
> did it next week (after the Easter holiday)? I'm just thinking that if I
> send it tomorrow or the next day, it could get caught up in the Easter post
> and get delayed, and I think the less time it spends in transit the better.
>
>
> Nina
> m_Carex 'Frosted Curls'.jpgm_Carex 'Frosted Curls'.jpgm_Carex Frosty Curls
> -- maybe.jpgIMG_7026 (Copy).JPG

Hi Claire,

Yes, you can -- I've seen it in lots of garden centres. It's called Carex 'Frosted Curls'. If you Google Carex Frosted Curls it's available from Crocus, Bakker, and on Ebay as well. It's nice because it doesn't get huge. Other carex grasses are nice too -- some lovely variegated ones that are either green and white or green and yellow, and some that stay quite small. Here's a page showing some of them: https://www.gardenia.net/plants/plant-f ... _--_sedges (I can see a very nice reddish one that flops over like 'Frosted Curls' does -- I might look out for that one).

I used to have one of the variegated carex grasses in my outdoor enclosure and it was fine for a couple of years but then the tortoises decided that it looked tasty and ate it all. They don't eat the 'Frosted Curls' outdoors, but I also plant it in my indoor enclosure, and it lasts for a couple of weeks and then they eat that too.

Nina

Hi Nina,

Thank you so much.

I’ve saved your post so that I can have a look at some different types!

I can’t believe how interested in plants I’ve become!!

Claire.

Plants/gardens/wildlife -- are an especially nice distraction in a lockdown!

Nina