# Little shelled giraffes...



## Floof (Mar 24, 2012)

Figured I'd share a couple pics from the beginning of March.

I decided to try hanging half a bundle of turnip greens from the side of the tub for them to eat from... I actually got the idea here, from a discussion about enrichment/mental stimulation for our captive torts.






The male wasn't all that thrilled (not sure he ate at all that day!)...





But the girls went wild! It was hilarious watching them clamber all over each other trying to get a good angle!

















This has to be my favorite pic of the bunch... Girl #2, with her pretty little gold face... I'll have to get some better pictures of her one of these days. She really doesn't have a "classic" Russian look--I almost wonder, some days, if she's some kind of Testudo hybrid! But, that's a question for a different thread...





All in all, I really enjoyed the hanging food experiment, and I think the girls approved. It kept the enclosure a LOT cleaner that time around, too! (Usually, I wind up picking bits of uneaten greens out of the substrate for 20 minutes after a vigorous feeding session..) I tried it a second time a week or so ago, too--once again, the male snubbed it, but the girls really loved it. 

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the pics!!


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## ascott (Mar 24, 2012)

That is very cool....maybe the male finds it all too busy being one of the "bunch" lololol....


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## Floof (Mar 24, 2012)

Lol, maybe! Next time I'll try hanging two and see what he does... The girls are kind of big compared to him, so it's probably a bit tough getting a bite in around their big butts!


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## ascott (Mar 24, 2012)

lol..... would be interesting to see if he is interested in his own stash you know?


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## l0velesly (Mar 24, 2012)

I loved the pic with them stacked up


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## Floof (Mar 24, 2012)

Angela-- For sure! That'll be the next project for when I get home Sunday--throw up two bundles and see what happens...  He'll be a few days since his last meal at that point (out of town right now--roommate has orders to only feed the Russians if they start getting antsy, because I couldn't run for greens before leaving... I'm sure they're mad at me, but they'll get over it!), so, if nothing else, he should suck it up and eat anyway! 

Lushcious-- Thanks! It was fun watching them clamber around and use each other as a step ladder trying to get at the greens! I need to figure out how to work the video function on my camera one of these days...


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## nicoleandrocky (Mar 24, 2012)

cute pix. Looks to be the male won't dare interrupt their girl time! haha.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 24, 2012)




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## ChessieW (Mar 25, 2012)

Helloooo. Did someone say a SHELLED GIRAFFE??!!!! Look at this: 




Hehe!! I thought I just HAD to upload this!!! Xx


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## dmarcus (Mar 25, 2012)

lol, they are using team work to get higher...


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## Floof (Mar 25, 2012)

Chessie-- Darn, your image didn't show up! I'd love to see it!

Dmarcus-- LOL, guess they are!


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## ChessieW (Mar 25, 2012)

Floof said:


> Chessie-- Darn, your image didn't show up! I'd love to see it!
> 
> Dmarcus-- LOL, guess they are!



Ok!! I'll try again: 





Sorry if it hasn't worked!!! 
Chessie x

Yay!! It worked!! Haha the moment somebody said that, I just has to upload it!!!! 
Chessie x


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## Angi (Mar 25, 2012)

Cute!


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## Laura (Mar 25, 2012)

neat experiment.. 
looks like the male could use a beak trim.. it might help him eat..


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## bigred (Mar 25, 2012)

ChessieW said:


> Floof said:
> 
> 
> > Chessie-- Darn, your image didn't show up! I'd love to see it!
> ...





Those are very rare


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Mar 25, 2012)

ChessieW said:


>



Ha ha, I love it! _Giraffa camelopardis_ x _Pyxis arachnoides_. Now THAT'S a hybrid! No doubt sterile...


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## Floof (Mar 25, 2012)

Chessie-- LOL! That's adorable! And so worth the wait--thank you for making sure it uploaded! Gotta love photoshop. 

Laura-- Thanks for the input! His beak is a touch long, and I have plans to take him in for a trim once I have enough saved up for that and a few fecals, but in the meantime I make it a point to keep a close eye on his beak's condition and his ability to eat. (Plus, it'd be nice if he would wear it down on his own, lol! The female I got with him did a fine job of that, just by chowing down on their cuttlebone.) In the meantime, I keep a close eye on his beak's condition and his ability to eat. So far, he doesn't seem to have any problems eating. The only thing that gives him any trouble is the occasional chunk of squash, if the end is too fat to get his mouth around, but he has no problems with his greens.


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## ascott (Mar 26, 2012)

Lol...that giraffe tortoise thing is ridiculously funny...great blend into one....and floor can't wait to see the dual feeding sites in action and yup a couple days will likely increase his interest...


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## ChiKat (Mar 26, 2012)

It might be difficult for him to eat from that angle with such a long beak ?
I just love Russians *sigh* I would love to have a group of them!
I really like the idea of hanging the greens!


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## ada caro (Mar 26, 2012)

Looks nice.


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## Floof (Mar 26, 2012)

Katie--I don't think that's it, because he didn't even try... He just gave the bundle a funny look and went off to bask.I love my torts, but I really don't think they're smart enough to put that much thought (whether or not his beak will get around it) into it, lol!

I got home late last night. Have to make a trip to the grocery store, but I'll be doing the bundle thing again today, this time giving the male his own bundle. We'll see if he'll try it out this time, with no competition, or if he'll just insist on it being put back on the ground...


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## drgnfly2265 (Mar 26, 2012)

That would be interesting to try with Bowser


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## laramie (Mar 28, 2012)

Floof said:


>



I think this pic is my favorite!


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## Floof (Mar 28, 2012)

drgnfly--Oh yes, I bet it would be VERY interesting to try this with a sulcata, lol!!

Laramie--That one makes me laugh, too. She's just so determined, isn't she?

I did finally give it another try, with 2 bundles this time, and the third time was the charm! After a few minutes, the male figured out I wasn't going to throw a pile on the ground for him, and started chowing down on the hanging Mustard greens. (I didn't see any signs of his beak causing problems, either! ) I'll get around to uploading the pictures soon!


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## ChessieW (Mar 29, 2012)

Floof said:


> drgnfly--Oh yes, I bet it would be VERY interesting to try this with a sulcata, lol!!
> 
> Laramie--That one makes me laugh, too. She's just so determined, isn't she?
> 
> I did finally give it another try, with 2 bundles this time, and the third time was the charm! After a few minutes, the male figured out I wasn't going to throw a pile on the ground for him, and started chowing down on the hanging Mustard greens. (I didn't see any signs of his beak causing problems, either! ) I'll get around to uploading the pictures soon!



Even if the beak doesn't look as though it isn't causing any problems, it is still probably worth it being shorter.



Floof said:


> Chessie-- LOL! That's adorable! And so worth the wait--thank you for making sure it uploaded! Gotta love photoshop.
> 
> Laura-- Thanks for the input! His beak is a touch long, and I have plans to take him in for a trim once I have enough saved up for that and a few fecals, but in the meantime I make it a point to keep a close eye on his beak's condition and his ability to eat. (Plus, it'd be nice if he would wear it down on his own, lol! The female I got with him did a fine job of that, just by chowing down on their cuttlebone.) In the meantime, I keep a close eye on his beak's condition and his ability to eat. So far, he doesn't seem to have any problems eating. The only thing that gives him any trouble is the occasional chunk of squash, if the end is too fat to get his mouth around, but he has no problems with his greens.



Oh sorry!! Didn't see that!


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## Floof (Mar 29, 2012)

Chessie--Lol, that's ok! I understand and appreciate the concern, I really do. I'm too chicken to trim the beak myself, or it would already be done, so instead I'm saving my pennies in order to have a good vet do it. Just have to save up a bit more, because I'll be getting a few fecal exams done at the same time.


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## tortuga_mel (Mar 30, 2012)

what a need idea! i must try it

Great pics, btw


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## Floof (Mar 30, 2012)

Melanie--Thanks! And yes, definitely try it! It's loads of fun, and the tortoises might like the change-up, too. 

Finally got around to uploading those pictures! (^^^Chronic procrastinator^^^) So, here we go...

At first, the male still wasn't all that thrilled about the new arrangement. He stuck himself in a corner and pouted!





But, after some coaxing, he finally decided to give the hanging bundles a try... I think it DID help, a lot, that he didn't have to fight 2 voracious women to get to it!! (Though he was very gentlemanly about sharing when the lighter female decided she was sick of sharing with the big gal!)





Here's a view of both bundles in action...





As usual, the big gal makes the funniest faces while she eats!!





That's all for now!  Didn't get many pics this time around. Can't wait to finish their permanent enclosure--then I'll have room to hang a little bundle for each tortoise! (Though I'm sure they'll still play musical greens and constantly trade places, even with each having their own bundle!)


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