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**emysemys** · 03-04-2008, 09:02 AM

Last year I thought I did a good thing, and re-habbed my russian pen, making it bigger and planting a Mediteranean tortoise mix of seeds that I bought online. This is what it looked like after the seeds grew:

[Image: russianpen-1.jpg]

I couldn't find the russians to bring them inside for the winter, so most of them had to hibernate outside. So this year, I got down on my hands and knees and pulled up all the grass, bit-by-bit. Then this past week-end I planted only broad-leaf plant seeds and veggie seeds. This is what it looks like this morning:

[Image: russianpasture3-3-08.jpg]

So far I've seen 9 of them at the same time, so I'm hoping all of them made it through the wet winter outside. I have my fingers crossed.

Yvonne

wayne.bob · 03-04-2008, 09:19 AM

looks beautiful!!!!

i wish i had that much space in my yard

**Crazy1** · 03-04-2008, 09:24 AM

My Yvonne, If I had pulled all that up on my hands and knees I wouldn't be standing- ever. What a tremendous job and what a great Tort mom, to take on a job like that. I'm sure thay will love the new growth once it gets going good. You found 9 out of how many? Hope you find them all Healthy and happy.

**emysemys** · 03-04-2008, 09:31 AM

Crazy1 Wrote:My Yvonne, If I had pulled all that up on my hands and knees I wouldn't be standing- ever. What a tremendous job and what a great Tort mom, to take on a job like that. I'm sure thay will love the new growth once it gets going good. You found 9 out of how many? Hope you find them all Healthy and happy.

Well, last year there were 15 of them. While I was pulling grass I found several very soft places where they had been dug in. They are really good at covering up their hiding places. It was posted on a YAHOOgroup site that box turtles are susceptible to carbon dioxide poisoning during hibernation and should not be closed up tightly. But the russians completely bury themselves, pushing the dirt behind them so you can't even see where they were. I guess they didn't read the article about carbon dioxide!

Yvonne

jlyoncc1 · 03-04-2008, 09:38 AM

Wow - that was a huge undertaking! I am sure they will be loving their new plants!

**Jacqui** · 03-04-2008, 10:00 AM

Hope the rest are located in the coming days. Know how hard it is waiting for them to reappear.

I have some pens like that and would gladly let you come over and clean mine out now that your experienced... Big Grin

**emysemys** · 03-04-2008, 11:09 AM

Jacqui Wrote:I have some pens like that and would gladly let you come over and clean mine out now that your experienced...

LOL!! Thanks for the offer...but I respectfully decline!!

Yvonne

Nay · 03-04-2008, 12:08 PM

Yvonne, Do they use that house/hide?
Where do you live? Do you have winter,snow etc?Do you usually hibernate them? One more nosey question, do you worry about raccoons? My flock of chickens and 2 adult peacocks got killed from a raccoon and I am paranoid!! I see these beautiful pens and see how easy it would be for them.
Na

**emysemys** · 03-04-2008, 03:57 PM

There are four little wooden houses under that over-hang, and you will occasionally find one or more in each house, but usually they dig under the houses in the dirt...their house of choice. I usually find all of them around the end of September and box them up to keep inside un-plugged chest-type freezers until spring. There are skunks, raccoons and opposums here, but (knock wood) so far the "vermin" haven't bothered my turtles and tortoises. Every night I go around and make sure everyone is either buried or locked up inside their house. At this time I also pick up any uneaten tortoise food. Last night my daughter called me and said that as she was driving by my house on the way to the store she saw a big raccoon crossing the street in front of my house. I know they would be able to dig up the box turtles or russians, and I just have to hope that they don't.

Yvonne

jenrell23 · 03-04-2008, 07:14 PM

Wow that was a lot of grass, you should have found a large sulcata to chomp it all gone, that way you would not have to. lol Smile

Anyways I like your pen and I hope all of yours come up safely. And the coons stay away... Anyways wait until the seeds grow half of my russian pen is filled with broad leaf so tall I wouldn't be able to find anything and the otherside is full of clover and grass(for the sulcatas). and no the sulcatas are inside, just needed a place to plant the seeds. Smile

**emysemys** · 03-04-2008, 07:53 PM

jenrell23 Wrote:Wow that was a lot of grass, you should have found a large sulcata to chomp it all gone, that way you would not have to. lol

Yeah, it really was a waste of a lot of good grass. But my sulcata also has lots of grass in his pasture. Not that tall because he keeps it mowed down pretty good.

Yvonne