Olive the Aldabra
- Thread starter incognet
- Start date
"I will kill one plant every 30 minutes until my demands are met"...
Someone has to tell her that tortoises aren't arboreal...Olive wants to summit Mount Petmate (her doghouse) or hide in bamboo stubble. It's good exercise, but I really wish that she'd be more careful...
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Someone has to tell than to my Russian also... Here is him climbing the old lilac last summer
_The_Beast_
Well-Known Member
Could they also tell my Russian? Like Olive, my little one wants to climb EVERYTHING and when climbing isn't happening, "redecorating" the enclosure is happening... by trying to dig up things that couldn't be climbed and toppling them
Sometimes I come home and half the terracotta pots look like the leaning tower of Pisa.Olive is looking like an adorable curious mischief maker
Thank you for the update!
She'd probably find a way if we left Christmas cactus flowers on her "tree". Meanwhile, my box turtle shows little desire to climb anything.
That lilac trunk does look ancient. Our lone survivor has regrown after frost/pest damage, so none of the trunks would support your Russian.
I wonder if he's attempting to reach better leaves/blooms? Olive seems to like both.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
It was planted the 60s, back when my dads house was built. Plus it is a type that isn't sold anymore. I actually believe that it is the type that was brought from the areas Finland lost in the second world war, so even older. (It was common to take garden plants if possible, then plant them in their new homes. Also, sharing pieces of bushes was really common too.)
Our new neighbors had the same type, but they unfortunately got rid of it. I am trying to convince my dad to never get rid of ours.
I feed him both in the summer, and he likes them, especially the blooms. But any leaves, let alone blooms are so high up of the ground I don't know whether he can see/recognize them. My first thought was that he was maybe trying to reach the middle of the bush to hide in there?
Anything lighter than stoneware would probably get flipped. I'm glad that we didn't use plastic containers.Could they also tell my Russian? Like Olive, my little one wants to climb EVERYTHING and when climbing isn't happening, "redecorating" the enclosure is happening... by trying to dig up things that couldn't be climbed and toppling them
Olive is looking like an adorable curious mischief maker
Cool! Our lilac bush is some unlabeled plant from chainstore that my grandmother bought 20y ago. It doesn't seem especially well-adapted to this climate zone.
Your bush sounds like an heirloom variety that should be conserved. I'd consider propagating more from cuttings or suckers if you have time.
That's very plausible. Lilac blooms are fragrant, but I couldn't say how far the scent carries. Shelter is a more obvious draw for torts.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
If I have the time, and skill
Our christmas cactus was in full bloom last week, much to Olive's delight. These are her new favorite edible...
As of yesterday, all the flowers are gone... but a second (much older) plant will be ready soon. These didn't particularly interest me before Olive joined us. Pets drive a lot of change and purchases that wouldn't happen otherwise...
She's a spoiled, splooty little tortoise.
As of yesterday, all the flowers are gone... but a second (much older) plant will be ready soon. These didn't particularly interest me before Olive joined us. Pets drive a lot of change and purchases that wouldn't happen otherwise...
She's a spoiled, splooty little tortoise.
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Belated Happy New Year from Olive & friends. She's pretty stoked about 2025...
Her basking pose is relaxed, even when humans are present. Olive doesn't seem too concerned...
Funny, childish voices intrigue her. Hopefully nobody will ever record my embarrassing falsetto pidgin...
Her tetherball routine is cute, but we may need to reposition this spider plant...
View attachment 20250108_125736_1.mp4
Her basking pose is relaxed, even when humans are present. Olive doesn't seem too concerned...
Funny, childish voices intrigue her. Hopefully nobody will ever record my embarrassing falsetto pidgin...
Her tetherball routine is cute, but we may need to reposition this spider plant...
View attachment 20250108_125736_1.mp4
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Or rise it
UPDATE: We removed the lone spider plant. It already had mild sunscald (from close proximity to LumenIZE fixtures) and grazing damage (from a certain tortoise), so there isn't much flexibility with planter height. Olive has grown a lot in 6 months, and can now reach objects that were previously inaccessible...
View attachment 20250127_124641_1.mp4
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After eating the stolon and spiderettes, Olive took a long nap..
She won't have access to this plant for ~6 months. We'll probably hang several in the future greenhouse.
View attachment 20250127_124641_1.mp4
View attachment 20250127_124906_1.mp4
After eating the stolon and spiderettes, Olive took a long nap..
She won't have access to this plant for ~6 months. We'll probably hang several in the future greenhouse.
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The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
It is lovely to see how she exhibits natural grazing behavior!
UPDATE: Spring has sprung, launching Arkansas into what feels like summertime. At least Olive has more food options. She happily devoured blossoms from trumpet vine, honeysuckle, wild violet and magnolia (her favorite). One particular magnolia tree by our patio has flowered continuously for more than 6 weeks...
It also smells fantastic. Olive shows a clear preference for magnolia blossoms and eats them before other food items. She now weighs almost 2.5 kg...
It's scary how fast they grow up. We'll need a proportionally larger habitat soon.
It also smells fantastic. Olive shows a clear preference for magnolia blossoms and eats them before other food items. She now weighs almost 2.5 kg...
It's scary how fast they grow up. We'll need a proportionally larger habitat soon.
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UPDATE: It has been a great season for wildflowers and many cultivated plants. Thanks to this abundance of fresh tortoise browse, we haven't used any dried flower mix since early March.
Last month was primarily tea rose, Coreopsis (aka "tickseed") and honeysuckle...
This month is wild rose, Coreopsis and Echinacea...
Olive rarely leaves any floral bits uneaten. I'm not certain of which are her favorite, but she is obviously drawn to scent of rose and magnolia blossoms.
Last month was primarily tea rose, Coreopsis (aka "tickseed") and honeysuckle...
This month is wild rose, Coreopsis and Echinacea...
Olive rarely leaves any floral bits uneaten. I'm not certain of which are her favorite, but she is obviously drawn to scent of rose and magnolia blossoms.
lol!Similar threads
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