Crush

[Tom]

He comes out around 6am when it's in the mid 80s. It's been staying below 90 for a few hours in the mornings for a few days now. I've been getting him into the lawn and then a 20 minute soak. When it gets around 90 he has been going into his hide and I don't see him again until the sun starts to set. This morning it was more exploring and stopping to eat here and there. "Running" was maybe a poor choice of words. He would explore, eat for abit, go in his hide. I had gotten used to him going in and staying there. Wasn't horrid hot this morning so he came out several times.

That all sounds perfect. As it should be.

 

[Connie L]

That all sounds perfect. As it should be.

Thanks Tom! I really do appreciate all the help and information I'm getting here.

 

[Connie L]

Checked out his/her hide this morn. Has a 2 foot deep hole dug under that thick yucca so it's in the shade. Makes me feel abit better. Hole is not in a spot to kill the plant. Yeah that could change

 

[Connie L]

Monsoon is back. Humidity and dew point back up. Had a little light rain yesterday. Crush noticed the raindrops splashing his water dish and finally went to it and drank. Yay. Progress! Managed to get himself over the curbing and walked acoss the board we put across the river rock for him. First time he has been able to get himself across on his own. Seems stronger. Super cool. Eating good and is looking really good.

 

[Connie L]

Crush has grown quite abit since he showed up in the yard 2 weeks ago. He was about half way up that curbing then. Has gotten very used to me. I can work in his area and he eats, sometimes follows me. When he is in the grass he many times walks up to me. I try to leave him be and only pick him up for his daily soak. He is enjoying that a lot now.

 

[KaitlinKeefe_]

wow what progress in two weeks!

I've found the more you learn and the better you care for your animal the more the "little moments" mean ❤️ maybe eventually he'll let you go in for a neck rub

 

[Connie L]

wow what progress in two weeks!

I've found the more you learn and the better you care for your animal the more the "little moments" mean ❤️ maybe eventually he'll let you go in for a neck rub

When I soak him Ive sometimes stroked the top of his head. He sticks his head way out and seems to enjoy it. First few times I soaked him he circled the bowl and kept trying to get out. Now he sits in there and turns just once in awhile and seems to be enjoying his daily soak.

 

[Connie L]

Spent some time early this morning re-doing Crush's area just a little bit. Made em' a little bridge to get across the river rock/curbing and into the lawn on his own. He has been able to go from the lawn to his area but not visa-versa. About an hour after I had finished it I looked outside and there he was - right NEXT to the bridge and IN the river with his front legs up top of the curbing pulling himself over into the grass. I just shook my head and laughed. Spent about 45 minutes wandering to and fro, eating lots of grass and following the sprinklers (he seems to love them so I reset them to go off around the time he is usually out) Then he went back to his area - this time OVER his new little bridge. Silly tort.

 

[Connie L]

Yay! Finally went across the bridge and on to the lawn. I stood inside watching thru the slider while he walked across, got to the edge 3 times and turned around and went back to his area. 4th time he went right in and is happily munching on the lawn. Ha - I was saying "come on lil one, you can do it" lol

 

[Lyn W]

Found these blocks at Home Depot for $2.87. They made it very easy to put up a quick barrier. Can be stacked and rebar pounded thru the hole in the top. The boards are 2x6's. Has me thinking we could do that that large area alot sooner.

Those are great blocks for quick enclosures, do you know what they are called? I'd like to see if I can get them n the UK

 

[Connie L]

Those are great blocks for quick enclosures, do you know what they are called? I'd like to see if I can get them n the UK

They are called Planter Wall Blocks. This is the link for them at Home Depot.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oldcastl...PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-206942399-_-206501693-_-N You can do a lot with them. I think we may do a wall 2 boards high for now. On the other side to a planter along it so I can grow some things for him there. (like in the photo) As he grows we can move it to give him more area and make it higher.

 

[Lyn W]

They are called Planter Wall Blocks. This is the link for them at Home Depot.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oldcastl...PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-206942399-_-206501693-_-N You can do a lot with them. I think we may do a wall 2 boards high for now. On the other side to a planter along it so I can grow some things for him there. (like in the photo) As he grows we can move it to give him more area and make it higher.

View attachment 181539

Thank you! Now the big question is can I get them in the UK?

 

[Connie L]

Worked on Crushs area some. We had some logs left from a patio remodel so used them as a barracade. For now he has plenty of grass there. I tossed some seed mix in there while I was at it. Planted an hibiscus this morning. Looked out abit later and watched him chomp off a couple of leaves. Little bit ago he was back over there sitting in his water dish and drinking. Stayed in there 15 minutes. Cool. Off to get more plants tomorrow morning.

 

[Eric Phillips]

Worked on Crushs area some. We had some logs left from a patio remodel so used them as a barracade. For now he has plenty of grass there. I tossed some seed mix in there while I was at it. Planted an hibiscus this morning. Looked out abit later and watched him chomp off a couple of leaves. Little bit ago he was back over there sitting in his water dish and drinking. Stayed in there 15 minutes. Cool. Off to get more plants tomorrow morning.

Wow Connie! This looks fantastic! I absolutely love how your enclosure is coming around!

 

[Connie L]

Wow Connie! This looks fantastic! I absolutely love how your enclosure is coming around!

Thanks Eric! Crush seems pretty content in there now. . Once he got the little bridge across the "river" figured out he became very mobile. Ild walk out and find him on the patio and given we have some large and nasty/thorny cactus in another area of the yard, and also not wanting to deal with tort poop on the patio lol we quickly grabbed those logs and closed it in. First day he wasnt one bit happy as his route to the patio was gone. They are real easy to roll when I need to mow. I'm leaving his side just abit longer. When he needs more room we can re-arrange/move them. They are 8 inchs high so should keep him reined in for awhile.

 

[Big Charlie]

Thanks Eric! Crush seems pretty content in there now. . Once he got the little bridge across the "river" figured out he became very mobile. Ild walk out and find him on the patio and given we have some large and nasty/thorny cactus in another area of the yard, and also not wanting to deal with tort poop on the patio lol we quickly grabbed those logs and closed it in. First day he wasnt one bit happy as his route to the patio was gone. They are real easy to roll when I need to mow. I'm leaving his side just abit longer. When he needs more room we can re-arrange/move them. They are 8 inchs high so should keep him reined in for awhile.

that's a great idea. I love how you can make it bigger as needed. It is very smart to keep him off the patio. Charlie is always leaving me "presents" on ours.

 

[Connie L]

I want to get all the rock out of that area in the back next to the block wall so we don't have to worry about him eating those little rocks when he is larger. Only issue with having "dirt" over there is when we get dust storms and high winds. Will have to keep track of it more then usual and wet it down well when we know its going to happen. Ive noticed though that he totally avoids the areas that we have already put down some organic garden soil and prefers to roam around on the rocks. The dirt under the rocks is damp, even with our heat here as the neighbor has an above grown area on the other side of that wall that is watered daily and it comes thru. (Plus side to that is weeds tend to come up over there. Ive checked to be sure they are all safe as he has been finding them and does a great job of pulling them all out and eating them) May just get the rocks out in a small area and turn the soil and see if he likes that better then the garden soil.

 

[Big Charlie]

I want to get all the rock out of that area in the back next to the block wall so we don't have to worry about him eating those little rocks when he is larger. Only issue with having "dirt" over there is when we get dust storms and high winds. Will have to keep track of it more then usual and wet it down well when we know its going to happen. Ive noticed though that he totally avoids the areas that we have already put down some organic garden soil and prefers to roam around on the rocks. The dirt under the rocks is damp, even with our heat here as the neighbor has an above grown area on the other side of that wall that is watered daily and it comes thru. (Plus side to that is weeds tend to come up over there. Ive checked to be sure they are all safe as he has been finding them and does a great job of pulling them all out and eating them) May just get the rocks out in a small area and turn the soil and see if he likes that better then the garden soil.

Those rocks help hold in the water and probably are giving him some humidity. Maybe wait awhile until it becomes a problem. We only have the bigger river rocks. Why is your neighbor allowed to water daily? Don't you have any watering restrictions? In central California, we are only allowed to water 2 days a week.

 

[Connie L]

Those rocks help hold in the water and probably are giving him some humidity. Maybe wait awhile until it becomes a problem. We only have the bigger river rocks. Why is your neighbor allowed to water daily? Don't you have any watering restrictions? In central California, we are only allowed to water 2 days a week.

We do not have any water restrictions here in Glendale. Some cities up north (Payson for example) do. She also has a 90 pound sulcata on the other side of that wall. He is larger then our lawnmower so might weigh more then that. She may have a mister or something going over there. Also he has a large kiddy pool that he sits in a lot. I water our lawn once a day, every 3 days. Otherwise it will get mushrooms and fungus. Bermuda can handle that fine here. That goes out the window when we are in 110 degree territory. Then its early morning every day. Ive had the sprinkler system shut off for a week now. Heavy monsoon rain flooded the lawn last week. When that happens I can give it a good week or more.

 

[Connie L]

Breakfast time