Page 5 - Winter 2014 magazine

What a fun year we’ve had with the torts! Lucie was in the middle of the habitat. Perhaps it was not the best
the first one out on March 2. She looked like she place to dig, because it took her hours to dig the hole
needed sunglasses. Most of the females came out in large enough to hold all those eggs.
the next few days. It was our first spring with Hugo

and we didn’t know what to expect; was he an early All the torts have been busy digging in the habitat. Hu-
riser like the girls, or did he like to sleep in like go added an extension to his burrow. This may have
Max? He must have been hungry; he came out on been the first time he had an opportunity to dig in the
March 5. Max was the last one out of course, he dirt, because he didn’t push the dirt all the way out of
came out March 14. Still that was early for him; he the burrow and almost blocked his own exit. Max and
came out on April 17 in 2012. the girls are experienced, fastidious diggers and we
often see dirt and rocks flying out of the end of the
We let the torts warm burrow as they adjust the burrows to perfection.
up a little and
then we started Max is always on his own time schedule. Sometimes
feeding them he is pac-
in the middle ing the
Sue Kolar
of March. This habitat on Sue Kolar
year volunteers feeding
Yum yum! Fresh veggies. fed the torts 57 days and
Photo by Sue Kolar
times. That’s a lot seems
of kibble. We were allowed to add some fresh food, glad to see
mainly organic kale and dandelion greens to their us arrive.
diet and they loved it. Other
times he
Maxine laid her usual 16 eggs again this year. She comes out
was early Luring Max with fresh kale.
also; she Sue Kolar just as the Photo by Sue Kolar
laid the eggs volunteers
on May 25. are ready to leave. We’ve found out that if we hang a
In previous piece of kale from the top of his burrow entrance, he
years, she can see it from his man-cave at the back of the burrow.
always laid He comes “running” out to munch on it.
her eggs in
June. She Since January, volunteers have been in the habitat 223
dug a huge days. The Tort Team spent more than 970 hours taking
hole right care of the tortoises. The tortoises are brumating now
by the view- Maxine begins excavation and won’t need any food or water for several months.
ing platform Photo by Pat Williams (Continued on page 13)
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