# Greetings from Heidi, Frosty and Frank.



## jmu114 (Feb 5, 2015)

Hello there, we just wanted to stop by and say hello to all the wonderful people who helped us go through some tough times when we were only Itty bitty torts at the brink of death. 

Mom and dad took great care of us with your guidance, and we are now thriving and loving life. We were brave and insisted on brumating last winter. I know mom was real nervous the whole time we were seeping, but not to worry, we are now awake and eating, and ready to bathe in the California sun again. 

Here are our photos today when mom gave us our daily "sun" time until the weather gets warmer when we can stay outside 24/7. 

Us



Heidi 



Photos below were taken 5 years ago, when mom and dad took us in. See how weak and small we were? All three of us can fit in that container! The same container is in the first photo for size reference. 







Our family is grateful for this wonderful forum and people participating in it help those in need. We couldn't have survived without you!


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## TortsNTurtles (Feb 5, 2015)

They look great. I love the then & now pictures. They were cute babies. Wow, have they grown.


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## dmmj (Feb 5, 2015)

Salutations.
I don't think I like those names (Personal). they do look good indeed.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi Jessica:

Looking at the 'then' pictures, I wouldn't have held out much hope for them. You've done a great job getting them healthy and growing well. They look great!


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## jmu114 (Feb 5, 2015)

Thank you! I received much advice and support from youYvonne, dmmj, tom, maggie3fan, and many others on this site!


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## wellington (Feb 5, 2015)

Wow, I agree with Yvonne, I wouldn't have thought they had much of a chance either. They were very cute, but not the healthiest looking. Wow, have you guys don't good by them. It's so nice to hear and see a great success story like this. They look great.


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## Momof4 (Feb 5, 2015)

They look wonderful and healthy!! 
Thanks for sharing! You should stick around and share your knowledge!


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## mike taylor (Feb 5, 2015)

Sweet looking torts now! Good job!


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## gingerbee (Feb 5, 2015)

Nice!so good to see before and after pics quite a success story!!!


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## bouaboua (Feb 5, 2015)

Great looking group of torts you have there! ! ! ! !Great job! ! ! !


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## Heather H (Feb 5, 2015)

Great job


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## Sudhira (Apr 17, 2015)

SO happy for you and your littles !


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 17, 2015)

More pics of the little trio please. Update, update, update ...


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## Tom (Apr 18, 2015)

I didn't see this thread back in Feb. So glad I didn't miss it entirely.

Thank you for the update. I'm so glad they made it and they appear to be doing great now. I'm also glad to hear that all my ranting, raving and wild gesticulating helped someone and their tortoises.


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## Falcon70 (Apr 18, 2015)

Great story! I'm glad it all worked and you have 3 beautiful young adults now  The people on this forum also helped change my tort's life for the better (much better)


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 18, 2015)

Tom said:


> I didn't see this thread back in Feb. So glad I didn't miss it entirely.
> 
> Thank you for the update. I'm so glad they made it and they appear to be doing great now. I'm also glad to hear that all my ranting, raving and wild gesticulating helped someone and their tortoises.



Amen Tom! Lots of amens out there. Amen.
Your ranting, raving and huh? wild gesticulating? (fancy!) is totally vindicated by many little lives saved, thriving.
And a lot less wumpy-bumpy-lumpies, too!


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## jmu114 (Apr 18, 2015)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> More pics of the little trio please. Update, update, update ...



Good day everyone! Heidi is an early rising explorer. Frosty and Frank are just chilling. 

Heidi this morning







Frosty and Frank just chilling this morning.


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## Lyn W (Apr 18, 2015)

What a success story and Heidi looks like she's into everything - lovely torts!


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## Ariza (Apr 18, 2015)

Oh, I'm so glad I found this thread, I missed in February. Not long ago I read your old thread when you first got them and the boys were doing good but Heidi had the soft shell and wasn't eating or moving and you (and we) were worried she would surely die. I read the thread enthralled several years later but the thread had been closed and I was dying for an update (dumb of me, I never thought to search for the update, am going to go read them now, two threads from 2010 are showing at the bottom of this page ) 

I'm so glad Heidi made it, she looks fabulous and healthy. Great job you did with all three, give yourself KUDOS! All three look gorgeous, they are so lucky to have found you. One question, do the boys get along, I thought males were aggressive together? Maybe when they're adults? Still learning about torts here.


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## Tom (Apr 18, 2015)

Ariza said:


> One question, do the boys get along, I thought males were aggressive together? Maybe when they're adults? Still learning about torts here.



This is a good question Ariza. I was wondering the same thing, and also wondering if the sexes are known. Are these three related? I can't remember their origin.


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## jmu114 (Apr 19, 2015)

Thank you all for the kind words! 

To answer Ariza and Tom's questions. These three torts are siblings. They are too young to be sexed, I think. So, Frank can actually grow up to be a princess and Heidi can grow up to be a stud. The three torts get along very well for the most part. 

Frank and Frosty have been very mellow and easy going from the beginning. Heidi, the smallest tort, is the instigator. She occasionally 'tailgates' one of her siblings and follows him around and nudges his side with her nose. Recently I witnessed her chasing her sibling down to face him and shaking her up and down at him. Other than this odd behavior from Heidi, they get along fine. They share food without a problem and sleep together every night. Perhaps this will change as they grow older.

Is Heidi exhibiting aggressive behavior? sexual behavior? I posted about her nudging her siblings a few years back and someone said she may just be a jerk...perhaps she is.


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## Ariza (Apr 19, 2015)

Thanks Jessica. I think I read that most females only get agressive before hibernation, perhaps a little cranky from their changing metabolism. So, Heidi is certainly acting a little off. Or maybe she just has the Napoleonic Syndrome (if you're little, act big). Or perhaps in ten years you may end up having to rename her Hector. LOL

I was actually laughing reading about her bullying antics, considering that she was the runt and practically dead when you got her. If I were religious I would call her recovery and survival a ''miracle''.


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## jmu114 (Apr 19, 2015)

Lol. I agree Heidi has Napoleon complex. So far, the other two just ignore her when she acts up. I am just glad she doesn't act up often. I've only seen it a handful of times in the last 5 years. 

Perhaps Heidi is acting up bc she/he is having identity crisis! I should have given them unisex names like Alex and Casey!


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## Tom (Apr 19, 2015)

Sounds like "She" might be a He.


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## Yvonne G (Apr 19, 2015)

Yeah, I'm afraid Heidi is male, and because they're from the same clutch, they're probably all male.


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## jmu114 (Apr 20, 2015)

Ah, ok. Thank you. Is this behavior only exhibited by some males but not all? Should I expect Heidi's behavior to get worse as he becomes an adult? Just wondering if I need to consider separate enclosures in the future.


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## Ariza (Apr 20, 2015)

Males not only fight other males but also continuosly harass females for sex until she gets sick from stress if unable to get away, like they do in the wild with lots of room. You will have to separate them when they become adults. Of course, there are ALWAYS exceptions to every rule, just play it by ear.

I read somewhere about someone observing two males fighting. The A bigger one won and flipped over tort B. Usually when that happens B will either manage to right himself or die. Well, A loved fighting so much that he would go over and right B so that he could resume fighting, he did this about 3 times. The observer said this is the only time he'd ever seen such behaviour.


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## Ariza (Apr 20, 2015)

Here's a link to a blogpost that I found re fighting and bullying, hers are Russians but should be the same thing. In the comments there is one where the poster said her two got along fine for 16 years, then the male sexually matured and started fighting etc.
http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-not-to-keep-2-tortoises-together.html


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## jmu114 (Apr 20, 2015)

Thanks the the information and the article, Ariza. Heidi started doing the head bobbing thing this year. I am wondering if this is why Frank has been a little withdrawn recently. I'll have to keep a closer watch and be prepared to separate them sooner than later.


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