Meanwhile, at the Tortoise Bodybuilding Championship…

Once again this year, judges are having difficulty in choosing a winner, since most of the muscles are inside the shell where nobody can see them. As always, there will be a sudden-death flex-off to determine first place.

tortoises

Sender-inner AM says: “These are our african sulcata tortoises. We adopted them from a family who could no longer care for them and was told they were box turtles. There’s a big difference. These guys will get huge. Good thing we have some land.”

 

You already voted!

44 thoughts on “Meanwhile, at the Tortoise Bodybuilding Championship…

  1. Gigi_the cat lady December 28, 2015 / 11:48 am

    Arnold Turtlenegger, Steeve Reeveshell, Lou Ferigtoise and Tony Carapatlas battle for the crown.

    • Alison December 28, 2015 / 12:44 pm

      These are great!

  2. Alison December 28, 2015 / 12:44 pm

    Thanks for posting! They’re lots of fun. They will most likely outlive us. Guess we have to start thinking about writing a will.

    • Kar December 28, 2015 / 2:35 pm

      Apparently they’re escape artists too. If they want out, they get out.

      • Alison December 28, 2015 / 2:58 pm

        Yes they are. Have to have the proper fencing when they get bigger

        • Mr. Max December 29, 2015 / 12:27 am

          I’ve got two of them, about 35 and 90 lbs. While mine have never tried to escape, I often see “LOST SULCATA” signs around town. One of them lives near a botanical garden and she gets out to go munch on their plants. You can say goodbye to your landscaping, but the upside is you never have to mow the lawn. Best of luck with your adorable scale-babies! They have very individual personalities, and can be really finny! And when they get older and start getting, shall we say, “frisky” be prepared for a lot of noise! My neighbors, who can’t see into my yard but sure can hear, probably thing I’m a total perv. I’m not sure they’ll buy the “but it’s the TURTLES! I SWEAR!” story!

          • Alison December 29, 2015 / 12:51 am

            Good and entertaining info! ?

  3. 6rabbits December 28, 2015 / 1:09 pm

    Per Wikipedia: “c. sulcata is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world…Adults can reach 83 cm (33 in) and can weigh 105 kg (231 lb)… The lifespan of an African spurred tortoise is about 50–150 years…”
    Also says their burrows can be 30″ with tunnels up to 10 feet! They are listed as vulnerable.

    Hope your property is reeeally big, Alison!?

    • Alison December 28, 2015 / 3:01 pm

      We do :). We live near the Phoenix Herpetological Society and have been there several times. Their tortoise/turtle expert has advised us on their care. We have a couple of acres and will be building at an outdoor habitat when it gets warmer. We adopted them from a family that bought them a few years ago and was told they were box turtles. Not exactly the same thing.?

      • Faye December 28, 2015 / 3:36 pm

        Fantastic! Five is awesome. Are they siblings? Boys, girls? So glad you have experts close by. Best of luck.

        • Faye December 28, 2015 / 3:38 pm

          Cutest hand weights. ?????

          • Alison December 28, 2015 / 3:43 pm

            Thanks. Our vet is out of town for the holidays. When he gets back we want to bring them in to determine exactly what we have.

      • 6rabbits December 28, 2015 / 4:34 pm

        So glad you have professional help close by! After reading about the care required, especially the dietary restrictions, I was worried about you having FIVE of them! You are obviously the right people to have them! Apparently they are very friendly pets. Would like to see more pics, too. I hope they are all the same sex! Best of luck!

        • Alison December 28, 2015 / 5:01 pm

          We’re nutty animal people. Practicality have our own zoo.

          • Mr. Max December 29, 2015 / 12:32 am

            It’s a bit hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like at least 2 of them have larger projections on the front of their bottom shells, which would suggest they’re male.

            That’s fabulous that you’re so close to the herp society. I wish all of you well!

          • 6rabbits December 29, 2015 / 2:13 am

            I checked out your photos–you really DO have a zoo! How wonderful! I bet its non-stop fun at your place?

            I love all your butterfly pics–such a wide variety!

          • Alison December 29, 2015 / 6:49 am

            Thanks Mr.Max and 6rabbits! I couldn’t comment below so commenting above. Great info and glad you liked the pictures!

  4. Faye December 28, 2015 / 3:50 pm

    Please let us know. I’m dieing to see taileo view.

    • Alison December 28, 2015 / 4:19 pm

      I’ll have to do that. Maybe a Tortoise tock Tuesday or Thursday. ? Making a note….????? Thanks again to NTMTOM for posting.

  5. Alison December 28, 2015 / 5:00 pm

    NTMTOM If I have a video posted of tortoise tocks can I post the link?

        • Saffron December 28, 2015 / 9:02 pm

          Thanks for the link Alison! I am so happy there are wonderful people like you to give those awesome tortoises a forever home.

          • Alison December 28, 2015 / 10:17 pm

            Thanks! We do love the animals. 🙂

  6. Alison December 28, 2015 / 6:05 pm

    Looks like it got bumped to the mod lounge.

  7. Faye December 28, 2015 / 7:27 pm

    My brain just exploded from the total tocktacular tortoise video. I love the wrinkly bow legged back view.

    The tortoise names on your chart are awesome. I would love to know how big they get over the next 20 yrs.

    And now for something completely different, Daisy!! I too am a member of the Cream-color Deerhead Chihuahua Girl Club. I too was blessed with a full on mole-dog. I called mine a blanki-dog. Sammi Girl and I were together for 14 wonderful years.

    • Faye December 28, 2015 / 7:33 pm

      Her favorite thing = me burying her in warm laundry fresh out of the dryer.

      • Alison December 28, 2015 / 7:58 pm

        I’ve noticed your icon looks a lot like my Daisy! Glad you enjoyed the videos. We were told the tortise will start doubling in size each year.

        • Faye December 28, 2015 / 8:16 pm

          Kiss the Daisy and have a blast with the torti. Your creatures are lucky to live with you.

          • Alison December 28, 2015 / 10:16 pm

            Thank you!

  8. Smartypants December 29, 2015 / 7:37 am

    So glad these torties have found a well-equipped and knowledgeable home with you! Going to go check out your Instagram now.

    LOL, I feel a little bad for those mis-informed previous owners – “Honey, what are you feeding the turtles? I swear they’re getting bigger!”

    • Alison December 29, 2015 / 8:20 am

      Agree. They had no idea. Apparently it’s common for them to be sold as small pets, a different kind of tortoise or turtle. The Phoenix Herpatological Society has over 400 African Sulcatas for that reason. Let me know what you think of the Instagram!

      • Smartypants December 29, 2015 / 12:35 pm

        Wonderful pix & videos! I love it that the creepy-crawlies get equal space with the more traditionally-cute animals – I love them all too!

        Here in western MA I’d say our primary native wildlife is Eastern Painted Terrapins (I saw a baby one in the wild who was the size of an Oreo – so cute!) and snapping turtles; garter snakes and rattlesnakes; red-tailed hawks and bald eagles. Both of the birds have really come back from the brink in my lifetime.

        • Alison December 29, 2015 / 12:49 pm

          Glad you like the pictures. I’m sure your wildlife on the east coast is a lot different than out here in the Arizona desert. Glad to hear the birds are coming back. ?

      • Mr. Max December 29, 2015 / 9:25 pm

        WOW! 400 sulcatas! That’s amazing.

        In Hawaii they’re using unwanted sulcatas to clear ecosystems of non-native invasive plants. Apparently the tortoises happen to like munching on the invasives, but show no interest in the native plants. It seems to be working really well, and is certainly an ecofriendly way of restoring native ecosystems! Perhaps the torties at the Phoenix Herp Society can find gainful employment in a similar manner! 🙂

        • Faye December 29, 2015 / 10:21 pm

          Nice will work for food partnership.

          Mental image of 400 turtles from Arizona arriving in Hawaii airport pulling tiny rolling suitcases behind them.

          • Alison December 29, 2015 / 10:29 pm

            Hysterical! Sounds like good use of tortoises in Hawaii.

          • Faye December 29, 2015 / 10:52 pm

            Very. Slowly.

          • Alison December 29, 2015 / 11:11 pm

            Let’s hope the TSA, tortoise security agency, doesn’t make them remove their shells to pass through security!

          • Mr. Max December 30, 2015 / 1:43 am

            TSA=tortoise security agency! I love it! And I love the turtles in the airport image as well. Although I can’t see they would need to pack much in their tiny suitcases. Maybe a swimsuit, if they’re feeling excessively modest. I’d rather see a tortoise in a swimsuit than a paunchy guy in a tiny banana-hammock any day!

          • Alison December 30, 2015 / 6:43 am

            Agree!

          • Faye December 30, 2015 / 7:00 am

            Luggage stuffed with Turtle Wax and packets of Strawberry Daiquiri Mix. And the bathing suit.

          • Alison December 30, 2015 / 7:06 am

            So many great comments. I’m in shell shock. ??

Comments are closed.