Wood Turtle Rescue

Yesterday I picked up a wood turtle for a rescue friend of mine and got kissed by the most adorable baby goat ever!!

The wood turtle has had a really, really rough life. Poor little guy is so caked with dirt & dry skin that I couldn't even find his nostrils! :( Not a hot enough heat lamp, 4 inches of pebble rocks & river rocks in his tank, no UVB light, poor diet...... This guy is a survivor! and in BAD shape.

Today was sunny enough that I let him go outside in my baby tortoises' box. I highly doubt that he's ever been outside much. If ever.

He'll catch a dog transport tomorrow morning and head up to Idaho where the Land Turtle & Tortoise rescue is. My friend will have a big job ahead of her getting this guy healthy again.

"Wait.... What?!?!?" says Poor Otis!

Poor Otis is confused like the rest of us how it was almost Spring-like a few days ago and we wandered around the backyard, but now there are 3 inches of snow.

Sigh.

Spring is coming. Just not quickly enough.

Sunny Babies

In the few moments of sunshine coming through my morning windows, my two babies got to bask for a little bit.

Delta in the sun:

Raptor in the sun:

Sun-soaked Bliss

This boy Max loves sitting in the sun in the window above my kitchen sink. He always makes the most serene expressions. 

Ah, happiness. 

Swimming Session

It's finally sunny enough outside that I'm able to let Humpty Dumpty have his swimming time in the sun. 

It's been overcast and cooler (84 high) since Dr Folland recommended it to me. 

Yippee for sunshine! 

*Humpty Dumpty got run over by a car and has a cracked bottom shell. He's been in a "dry dock tank" while we let his shell heal. He is a water turtle, but the shell won't heal if he's in the water. 

Summer Heat

I'm pretty sure my tortoises are the only ones really enjoying the heat here in Utah. It's been over 100 degrees with a predicted high of 103 for Friday. 

Hermy, as you can see, is quite enjoying the summer sun. 

Blaze Update

Right now, Blaze is the sickest of the fire victims. He's very lethargic and has to be tube fed.

When we first got him, he couldn't even lift his head up. He definitely more active than that, but he's got a ways to go. 

His bones are pretty soft all over. They aren't as bad as Gary Dean's were, but far softer than they should be. That may explain why he's not eating. 

Today he got another tube feeding and then some sunshine therapy. 

I expect him to recover, but I plan on it taking a month or more.

Morning Greens on the Patio

Today was absolutely lovely here and all the tortoises spent most of the day outside. 

I love warm Spring days for them. 

Now if I can just get them to poop outside too instead of coming inside and going on my kitchen floor. That will be great! ;) 

Sun-Basking

I let Smaug out today so he could sun himself in the window. He wanted to run around the kitchen instead so I let him do that as I made dinner. Then I put him back in the fading sunshine. He was determined to soak in as much as he could. 

He stood up as high as he could a c flattened himself out. Man, he was happy! 

Shortly after this I moved him to another window where he basked as best he could until there was no sun left. Then he went back into his tank. 

Utter Relaxation

One last pic of a basking Remy who is remarkably relaxed --

SUN! And a Terrible Case of Spring Fever

It was over 50 today and I couldn't resist basking with my torts. Everyone went outside for almost 2 hours. Spring cannot get here soon enough!

Lil Foot 

Tuga & Otis 

Heidi

Derp

Georgie & Pudge

Pan

Apparently I missed getting a pic of Baby Foot (what we're calling the little Lil Foot). 

Dragon came outside too. 

Remy discovered he adores basking! He stretched out like he was dead! 

Pudge & Tuga discovered that the south facing wall is very warm. 

Pan was still unsure of all this freedom! And it didn't help that Otis tried to mate him. :/ 

Really, I must be a reptile at heart because I LOVE basking. I understand why some cultures worshipped the sun! ;) Winter is super hard on me and I struggle with no sunshine. 

We have a half acre fenced back yard that will allow the tortoises to spend the summer outside. The beardies will get their summer cages and spend time in the sun. Max & Ziggy live in their Guinea pig cages in the summer from 8 am to 7 pm. That's when they are happiest. 

I know there will still be snow and cold days ahead, but Spring is on its way and I am thrilled!! 

Sunshine Party

I'm Yesterday was a sunny afternoon so I opened my door and let my torts bask.

I even pulled my old girl Hermy (desert tortoise) to get some sun. She was NOT amused. 

It was rather fun and chaotic as tortoises went everywhere. 

Lil Foot the Bigger-- 

Pan & Heidi found the soft bed and heat light--

Lil Foot the Younger finds a soft boot-- 

Pudge, the only turtle, found the other boot-- 

And because they wouldn't stay in the sun, I put food down. That kept them there -- until they started pooping. Poop, pee, food, and sunshine. It was a Tortoise Party! 

Spring Fever!

We are all anxious for Spring here. Today is around 54 degrees. It's glorious!! 

I have my back door open so we can catch some direct UVB rays. 

And Dragon is finally able to bask. His poor rubber bones need sun time desperately. 

I love Spring and Summer. :) I'm tired of the cold & dreary winter. 

Sun Time with Sami

Sami is doing a little bit better over all. I have her laying next to me in the sun on my bed. 

Today was her second antibiotic shot and she's halfway through her treatment for Coccidia. I'm hoping she gets a little better everyday now. 

She's not all the way "out of the woods" but she's not as critically sick as she was a few days ago. 

Sun time Treatment

I love my vet! If you read my blog at all, you know this is true! His favorite advice to me has always been to give my sick reptiles direct sunshine time. Best & cheapest treatment available.

Windows filter out UVB so your beardies can get light and heat, but no essential UVB. UVB helps them metabolize calcium and feel better. Plus it makes their colors brighter. 

Mooshy-- 

The Babies-- 

Lil Bit--

Peanut-- 

Return of Summer

Ziggy & Max believe their only cage should be outside in the sun. These two would be happiest free roaming in some great desert somewhere! ;)

Thankfully today is warm enough to put them in their outdoor cages. 

Max is in a hamster/rat cage and Ziggy is in a bunny/guinea pig cage. Each has perching spots and plenty of shade that I shift around during the day. 

The baby tortoises are in their outdoor pen which also has plenty of shade and some shallow water dishes. Heidi walks around and Georgie hides. 

All the other guys are in sunny windows. 

Milo: 

Grumps: 

Finn: 

I love giving my guys direct sunshine & sunny windows and my electric bill (and my husband) love all those lights being turned off. 

I have one more cage to set up outside and then I'll rotate the other beardies through, giving each of them a couple hours of sunshine. Tiger *hated* outside time last year so he may not get much outdoor time this year. If my beardies hate it, I only take them outside with me.