Mikey's first day of summer (long with pics)

[marisa]

Hi everyone! I hope all your turtles/tortoises are doing great!

Today was Mikeys moving day. Last year was the first year he lived in the outdoor "pond" and he has been depressed beyond beliefe all winter awaiting this summer to come.

Last year, (since he had never even seen the sun for the previous 13 years) when he was placed into the "pond' he was scared. So scared, that even a slight blow of wind would send him into his shell or swimming as fast as he could for shelter. And he didn't eat for a couple weeks. I figured that would happen this year again just as adjustment period, but here we are an hour later and he has already been chasing guppies, eating pellets and coming above the water to give me a few looks. !!! He has tasted EVERYTHING....the pool itself, the concrete in the middle, the fake plants, etc.

Here are some photos:

<img src="http://members.rogers.com/xaerion/mikeysummer.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/xaerion/mikeysummer2.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/xaerion/mikeysummer3.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/xaerion/mikeysummer4.jpg">
<img src="http://members.rogers.com/xaerion/pond.jpg">

It was really nice to see him so curious, and active since throug the winter all he did was eat sometimes and float around in his indoor winter house. He hardly even basked. You could see his mental state improviing right away out in the sun today!!!

Thanks for looking and reading!
Marisa

[Linds]

LOL that first pic is too cute. Grat pics, glad he's enjoying himself!

[Mardy]

Nice set of pictures. Our tortoises are really liking being outside
as well. They can't get enough natural sunlight.

Mardy

[red bootz]

My tortoises and especially my boxie likes the sun...maybe a little too much. Check out "Jungle fever" thread to see why!
Anywayz, beautiful set-up. I see you had enough sense to get a pale blue kiddie pool. Mine was a gaudy thing with some cabbage patch kids type shiz on the side. Definite eyesore!

[marisa]

Thanks for the nice words everyone.

Since early this afternoon when we put him in, he has gotten increasingly more confortable, and is now swimming up to me when I sit down beside the pond.....begging, of course.

red bootz- yeah. I picked this thing up at a yard sale for 20 bucks!

Marisa

[JoeBradley]

Its good to see them get outside and be able to enjoy a little bit of their natural habitat. Nice pics.

[Clownfishie]

Cool! What a cutie...

[Tim and Julie B]

Mikey isn't Poed anymore! That is awsome! I should get off my butt this weekend and finish my pond! My turtles will love it! can't wait!

[ReptileHQ]

Hey,

everyone that keeps turtles or tortoises for the summer....please, please make sure your pond or enclosure is raccoon proof or that you bring your animals in at night.

I speak from experience as there is no worse site that checking on your animals and finding a few missing and a few others outside the pond with no heads. This happened to me years back, and the raccoons still test the caging I have over the turtle pens for weaknesses every now and again

[marisa]

Oh yeah I totally agree.

We don't have a pen over him or bring him in unless its not suitable weather. Our deck is totally fenced in with a gate luckily. and quite high off the ground. I am not sure about raccoons, haven't seen on or evidence of one around here in a long long time. But that is certainly a concern!

Marisa