Here’s our big baby, Toulouse, with some healthful advice. Remember to eat your veggies!
Toulouse is our 70-lb. African spurred tortoise, and resident expert on roughage. One cool thing about these guys is they keep their cute baby faces even when they’re all grown up. Although it’s hard to determine when that is exactly, since they live more than 100 years. Toulousie boy is a mere 17 years old.
In a second grade essay, my son stated that Toulouse was a hero to him because he “inspires me to eat my vegetables. He inspires me even though he walks over them first.”
If that’s not a convincing endorsement, I don’t know what is.
14 comments:
Too cute! I love turtles of all kinds.
I have a friend who has two African leopard tortoises. Because they live so long she has made provisions for them in her will, making sure they will have a home and be taken care of.
Hah! Love that essay. I think I'll be inspired by that too. I've been trying to work more vegetables into my diet.
Oh wow -- he's awesome! You say he's 70 pounds? Will he get heavier or bigger as he gets older? Where in the world do you keep something like this? Such a cool pet!
awwww he is a cutie! And he does still have that cute baby face (in a Yoda-kind-of-way)
Every kid should have a turtle if it will get them to eat their veggies!
Go Toulousie!
I'm convinced...more veggie eating for me...
How much does Toulousie eat a day?
Bish - That is the downside of having such a long-lived pet.
Carrie - It was a great essay - he drew a picture to go with it and won an award!
Rena - He has his own section of yard and a little house with a heater. Besides needing a VERY sturdy enclosure, they are pretty low maintenance.
Christy - He is Yoda-like in many ways! Maybe that's why they live so long.
Brenda - He can eat a huge salad. Luckily we can supplement with yard clippings (edible plants, of course).
Okay, he's cute but where is CoCo?
OMG, we have two African spurred torts - King Tort and Nefertorti. The king is only about 9 months old and Nefertorti is only about 5 months old. So nowhere near 70 pounds...yet!
Have you had him the whole 17 years?
He is sooooooo cute. How wonderful for your son to have such a unique, veggie loving pet!
Kim - At the Moulin Rouge? :)
PJ - How cute - love the names! Yes, we've had him since he fit in the palm of my hand. I think it's easier to get info on them now than when we first got him, but feel free to email me if you want to compare notes.
Kelly - He was a big hit on a school visit, too!
Kim - Ah, Coco and Toulouse Go Shopping! Only not where I live. :-O
He's so cool. I'd love to have a turtle, but doubt they'd like the Montana winters too much.
I'd eat my vegis if he told me to, too, but not if he walked over them first. I'd let you son have dibs on those vegis.
Cute picture, great reminder :)
Rena - I think some of the smaller tortoises that hibernate in the winter are easier to keep. I've heard some people keep them in a closet during the winter.
Sruble - LOL! I can't blame you - I know where his feet have been.
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