At last a bit of decent spring weather.

My torts all woke yesterday, and are now scatching around in shallow soil in their 84 litre plastic boxes. It's a welcome sound, they all survived, all drank well and 2 are feeding...a busy 24 hours!

It is always a great relief when hibernation is over, and those young weeds begin to grow. I have checked mouths, claws, cloacas and especially eyes. I move a hand quickly to the eyes and hope for a quick response, to reassure me that they can see well. Some torts do suffer eye damage if temps have been very low.

Today is warm enough here for a trundle around in their pen, where there are plenty of young dandelions to tempt them. Next job is to plant up more shade giving plants, and dig over the bare soil areas, to keep the soil there friable.

So, one more tort to start feeding and the new year is under way. Anyone else as excited as I am?

Regards, David nr York.

Oh yes,
I have been out in the garden with my two and enjoying every minute of it. As usual very year I go into overdrive with redesigning the pens, Terry shudders when he sees me standing in the garden looking pensive, he always knows what is coming next!!
Well that is what us tortoise owners do all summer isn't it?
Jane

I had another one wake up today I checked her to see she was ok, was tending to the others, returned and there she was out, put her straight in warm water she drank for England then munched her way through the chick weed and dandies!! Phew!

I still have three of my two years old babies down and a five year old, I'm going to get them up this week. 

All the othersknow spring has arrived (hope its not trick weather!) and are doing well I'm glad to say, another winter over and done!!

Like you Jane, I want to redesign the pens, if I get bored with them I'm sure the torts must.

Vivienne

I am going to put Keya & Molly together, they are both Hermans Boettgeri, and I have quarantined Molly for 4 years now and feel confident to put them together, I will keep a close eye on them and hopefully it will work out OK. So big changes for us this summer.
Have you put the ones that ave woken up outside yet Vivienne?
Jane