A girl and her tortoise

[Gempress]

It's been three days of searching, and we've had no claimants for our foundling tortoise. I have a feeling that our first impressions were correct; poor Speed Bump was dumped. But my niece Sierra is really loving her new pet. She is very gentle with Speed Bump, and romps with her in the backyard every day. Sierra also makes sure Speedy gets plenty of green leafy veggies "So she can grow big and strong."

Here she is showing Speed Bump one of her Halloween toys.

As for Speed Bump, she's surprised us all. We've never owned reptiles before, and never knew a tortoise could actually have a personality. But Speedy really does. She is very gentle, likes having her neck scratched, and seems to geniunely enjoy being around people. She never tries to run away from Sierra, and if anything, tends to follow her around the yard.

So, huzzah for a little girl and her faithful tortoise!

 

[ACooper]

That is awesome! It has me rooting for the "owners" to never show up

Your niece is lovely by the way

 

[bubbatd]

Awsome picture !!!

 

[noludoru]

That is just all kinds of sweet.. AWW!

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

just make sure your niece doesn't get any paints out to "decorate" speed bump, lol.

 

[smkie]

BEautiful! May they grow up together.

 

[drmom777]

I have this great mental image or Sierra packing up for college with her seventy pound tortoise.

 

[Renee750il]

I have this great mental image or Sierra packing up for college with her seventy pound tortoise.

LMAO!!!!!

And walking down the aisle with Speed Bump with a ring pillow strapped on his back :rofl1:

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

how cute--what a wonderful "find"--lucky speedy!

 

[dr2little]

Sierra must really be in heaven. How many little girls can say that they have a tortoise as a best friend?
I hope that you can post more pictures and stories as time goes on. What I wouldn't have done to have been in her shoes as a little girl. This is so sweet.

 

[Punkygirl0101]

What a great picture!! I LOVE turtles and tortoises. My absolute favorite reptiles of all times. They are like scaly shelled dogs lol

 

[SizzleDog]

I too am glad to hear Speed Bump's owners haven't turned up! And you're right, reptiles do have personalities, just like other animals. My grandpa used to keep tortoises, at Christmas he'd put a big bow on his favorite (Clarence) and let him walk around - he liked to chew on the wrapped packages under the tree. I relied on Clarence to open my presents early for me...

I think reptiles are great pets for kids. There's nothing like a reptile to teach a kid to be calm, gentle and kind IMO.

Of course, my reptile of choice is the snake, but someday I plan to get something of the shelled variety. My fiance is dying to get a pair of red eared sliders, but I'd be happier with a dryland tortoise.

 

[Gempress]

I too am glad to hear Speed Bump's owners haven't turned up! And you're right, reptiles do have personalities, just like other animals.

I didn't know that. I always thought that tortoises were kinda like walking rocks. I figured that they ate, they slept and that was it.

But my sis said Speedy is actually getting bored in her large, bare enclosure---the one Speedy stays in when she's not supervised. Speedy is aimlessly circling the walls and doing other such behaviors that a Web site said are the sign of a bored tortie. So my sis and Sierra are going shopping for wood blocks, interesting rocks, plants and other objects to decorate Speedy's home with.

Toys for a tortoise. Whoda guessed it?

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Great pictures .... and I absolutely LOVE the name ... "Speed Bump". :rofl1:

So my sis and Sierra are going shopping for wood blocks, interesting rocks, plants and other objects to decorate Speedy's home with.

Toys for a tortoise. Whoda guessed it?

Heck yeah! My best friend's got a tortoise ... his tortoise has all sorts of 'toys' like the ones you describe.

 

[milos_mommy]

Is that a Sulcata? cause if it is...you know it will get BIG, right?

That's a sweet story/picture.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

She's going to have so much fun growing up with her tortoise I love Spur Thighs, they are my tortoise of choice when I live in a state where we don't have winter LOL. They do get their own little personalities, and are oh so sweet.

 

[Gempress]

Is that a Sulcata? cause if it is...you know it will get BIG, right?

Yup! And my sis and bro-in-law are prepared to have a giant tortoise eventually living in the backyard. It's already securely fenced, but they're looking into the cost of putting up a small heated shed--Speed Bump is going to need one during the winter, once she gets too big to stay in the house.

*imagines a 100-lb tortoise sleeping on a doggie bed in the living room*

 

[noodlerubyallie]

OOOO!!

You'll have to post pics when she gets that big LOL (like 20 yrs!)

You may want to recommend that they dig about 2 feet below the ground surface on the fence line and put in cement blocks/cement layer. Sulcatas are notorious diggers in a BIG way.

 

[Barb04]

I just love the name Speed Bump. So glad they've become friends.