Elsa, my 11 year old Eastern Hermann's Tortoise, has been in her outdoor enclosure full time for the past week. But we've had a couple of really stormy days here in south Louisiana: raining all day, most of the night, and all day again etc. She doesn't mind the rain when the weather is hot, but when it's in the low 70s like this, it makes her grumpy and she gets much less active. The rain is due to continue for several days, so I thought I'd bring her back to her indoor enclosure so she can warm up and dry off.
Me: "Hi, Elsa! I came to bring you in out of the rain!"
Elsa: "Well, it's about TIME!! I thought you had FORGOTTEN me!"
Me: "ELSA!!! I would NEVER forget about you! You are my FIRST tortoise EVER, and I.."
Elsa: "Yeah, well, it seems like you've forgotten that I'M NOT AN AQUATIC TURTLE!!! I don't look ANYTHING LIKE an aquatic turtle!!! I'm NOT a mud turtle like Jacques or a musk turtle like Nelson..."
Me: "Of course not, you..."
Elsa: "...I'm NOT a Slider or a Map turtle, and I'm NOT a Cooter or a Painted! I look NOTHING LIKE a Soft Shell..."
Me: "...yes, I know, I..."
Elsa: "...Thank GOD I'm NOT a Chicken turtle! And I'm OBVIOUSLY not a Reeve's or a Blanding's!"
Me: "...erm, YES, I get your point. I'm sorry..."
Elsa: "YES! I KNOW! You're SORRY that i'm NOT one of those Diamond Back Terrapins or those Spotteds that you think are SOOOOOOO beautiful..."
Me: "ELSA!!! That's NOT TRUE!!!! You are my..."
(I put her down in her indoor enclosure and tiptoe away...)
Elsa (muttering) "...A Mata mata? Do you think I look ANYTHING like a Mata mata, for goodness' sake?!?? or Pig Nosed turtle? or those outlandish Side Necks or Snake necks???? I don't look anything like..."
(Did I mention she gets grumpy??? )
Me: "Hi, Elsa! I came to bring you in out of the rain!"
Elsa: "Well, it's about TIME!! I thought you had FORGOTTEN me!"
Me: "ELSA!!! I would NEVER forget about you! You are my FIRST tortoise EVER, and I.."
Elsa: "Yeah, well, it seems like you've forgotten that I'M NOT AN AQUATIC TURTLE!!! I don't look ANYTHING LIKE an aquatic turtle!!! I'm NOT a mud turtle like Jacques or a musk turtle like Nelson..."
Me: "Of course not, you..."
Elsa: "...I'm NOT a Slider or a Map turtle, and I'm NOT a Cooter or a Painted! I look NOTHING LIKE a Soft Shell..."
Me: "...yes, I know, I..."
Elsa: "...Thank GOD I'm NOT a Chicken turtle! And I'm OBVIOUSLY not a Reeve's or a Blanding's!"
Me: "...erm, YES, I get your point. I'm sorry..."
Elsa: "YES! I KNOW! You're SORRY that i'm NOT one of those Diamond Back Terrapins or those Spotteds that you think are SOOOOOOO beautiful..."
Me: "ELSA!!! That's NOT TRUE!!!! You are my..."
(I put her down in her indoor enclosure and tiptoe away...)
Elsa (muttering) "...A Mata mata? Do you think I look ANYTHING like a Mata mata, for goodness' sake?!?? or Pig Nosed turtle? or those outlandish Side Necks or Snake necks???? I don't look anything like..."
(Did I mention she gets grumpy??? )