Hello!

[Dar's mum]

Hi PapS,
Tortoise Table website is very helpful, thanks! The database with full of photos is brilliant! Now I found what Darwin was eating in my garden... Buttercup flower (oops!), Hawk's Beard and Corn Salad flowers (phew!) and Sow Thistle leaves.

JoesMum,
Thank you for the info about prunus trees, we've got a cherry tree in our garden but it is in the front of the house so he would never see it. I might bring him some of the fruits once they are ripe, so Darwin can live long and prosper like Joe!

 

[PapS]

-snip-

Glad you find it helpful. It's more difficult for me because most of the weed names I know are what they call them here so I have to research what they're called in English first.

If you feed Darwin a cherry make sure to cut it into small pieces and remove the stone, wouldn't want him to choke.

Also, JoesMum, I mostly feed Abby the young leaves. Before I knew they contained cyanide as they get older I did it because young leaves are usually richer in nutrients. But now I do it for that reason too. I wonder if tortoises develop immunities, she has eaten so many almond leaves she must be at least partially resistant...

 

[Dar's mum]

Glad you find it helpful. It's more difficult for me because most of the weed names I know are what they call them here so I have to research what they're called in English first.

You've got the same problem as me! I know most of plant names only in Japanese, so often need to find the English name on wikipedia first.
On many of the Japanese tortoise owner's blogs (very funny!), most of them use a leaf vegetable called "Komatsuna" as the main green for their tortoises, but I don't think I can buy it in UK... We've got wide variety of weeds in our garden instead , so I need to learn more about British plants!

 

[PapS]

You've got the same problem as me! I know most of plant names only in Japanese, so often need to find the English name on wikipedia first.
On many of the Japanese tortoise owner's blogs (very funny!), most of them use a leaf vegetable called "Komatsuna" as the main green for their tortoises, but I don't think I can buy it in UK... We've got wide variety of weeds in our garden instead , so I need to learn more about British plants!

Not sure if this will help, since I don't know if it grows in the UK but this little thing is adored by my tortoise. I also believe it's quite nutritious (for plant standards anyway). So if you find any, give it to Darwin. He will love it!

I'm sure you will be a great tortoise owner

Ganbare, kame no hahaue!
(sorry, had to write something Japanese at you, did I write it correctly?)

 

[Dar's mum]

Not sure if this will help, since I don't know if it grows in the UK but this little thing is adored by my tortoise. I also believe it's quite nutritious (for plant standards anyway). So if you find any, give it to Darwin. He will love it!

I'm sure you will be a great tortoise owner

Ganbare, kame no hahaue!
(sorry, had to write something Japanese at you, did I write it correctly?)

Thanks!
Hmm, it looks like some sort of Geranium (zeraniumu or Tenjiku-aoi in Japanese)...
Quite similar to this one? http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?catID=239

"Hahaue" sounds very formal and ancient way of calling mother, but I like it!
Efharisto, Baba Chelone!

 

[PapS]

Thanks!
Hmm, it looks like some sort of Geranium (zeraniumu or Tenjiku-aoi in Japanese)...
Quite similar to this one? http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?catID=239

"Hahaue" sounds very formal and ancient way of calling mother, but I like it!
Efharisto, Baba Chelone!

Found it! In Greece we call them Moloha, but the plant you posted is edible by tortoises too. Pelargonium's just stinky so when I feed it to my tortoise I always hand feed it and wash it every few bites to remove the stink.

Hahaue seemed better to me than Ka-chan, which is why I said it! (are there other words for mother?)

Arigatou! (and you wrote that phrase perfectly, though reading what we call Greeklish is as weird for me as Romanji is for you, but good job!)

 

[Dar's mum]

Found it! In Greece we call them Moloha, but the plant you posted is edible by tortoises too. Pelargonium's just stinky so when I feed it to my tortoise I always hand feed it and wash it every few bites to remove the stink.

Hahaue seemed better to me than Ka-chan, which is why I said it! (are there other words for mother?)

Arigatou! (and you wrote that phrase perfectly, though reading what we call Greeklish is as weird for me as Romanji is for you, but good job!)

Well done! Ahhhh, Mallow! It's called "Zeni-aoi" in Japanese. I might have a similar plant in my garden, I'll have a look tomorrow!

Oh yes, Hahaue is a lot better than ka-chan. Ka-chan sounds a bit rough and childish. There are lots more variation for "mother" in Japanese, like oka-san, oka-sama, ka-san, mama, haha etc...

I've got some Greek friends and they taught me some Greek words long time ago, like: I ne japone zaki, efharisto, parakalo etc...
Sygnomi, I cannot spell them in greek character but I think they sounded like that...

 

[PapS]

Well done! Ahhhh, Mallow! It's called "Zeni-aoi" in Japanese. I might have a similar plant in my garden, I'll have a look tomorrow!

Oh yes, Hahaue is a lot better than ka-chan. Ka-chan sounds a bit rough and childish. There are lots more variation for "mother" in Japanese, like oka-san, oka-sama, ka-san, mama, haha etc...

I've got some Greek friends and they taught me some Greek words long time ago, like: I ne japone zaki, efharisto, parakalo etc...
Sygnomi, I cannot spell them in greek character but I think they sounded like that...

Kawaii! You wrote those perfectly too, but the first one is "Ine Japonezaki" or "Yaponezaki" if you want it to sound better.

Also, post some more pics of Darwin

 

[Dar's mum]

Kawaii! You wrote those perfectly too, but the first one is "Ine Japonezaki" or "Yaponezaki" if you want it to sound better.

Also, post some more pics of Darwin

Ahaha, Kawaii means cute! Darwin is kawaii but not sure about me!

Here's Darwin's indoor home... It was 90 x 60 cm kitchen wall unit. Substrate is mixture of compost and play sand, and some bathroom tiles (rough side up). I keep spraying water to make sure it doesn't get too dry. More sand under the hiding area.


When it's sunny, we go outside (enclosed back garden) for a walk. Eventually we'll build an outside pen though.


Yesterday was wet and cold, so I let him walk around inside of our house


Today is a bit warmer, so he's walking around in the conservatory, munching away pak choi, green & red lettuces

 

[PapS]

Ahaha, Kawaii means cute! Darwin is kawaii but not sure about me!

Here's Darwin's indoor home... It was 90 x 60 cm kitchen wall unit. Substrate is mixture of compost and play sand, and some bathroom tiles (rough side up). I keep spraying water to make sure it doesn't get too dry. More sand under the hiding area.


When it's sunny, we go outside (enclosed back garden) for a walk. Eventually we'll build an outside pen though.


Yesterday was wet and cold, so I let him walk around inside of our house


Today is a bit warmer, so he's walking around in the conservatory, munching away pak choi, green & red lettuces

The way you wrote Greek seemed kawaii to me

Nice enclosure and nice yard. You already know that Darwin is nice so no need to say it again

Also, does he hate it when you soak him? My tortoise always hates it and I always soak her half-heartedly.

 

[octalfox]

Awwwww! Love him arent tortys just sooooooooooooooooooo adorable? He looks like he's enjoyed our short outbursts of sun too x

 

[Dar's mum]

The way you wrote Greek seemed kawaii to me

Nice enclosure and nice yard. You already know that Darwin is nice so no need to say it again

Also, does he hate it when you soak him? My tortoise always hates it and I always soak her half-heartedly.

Haha Thanks, that's what my husband always says about my accent as well!
Thanks for the compliments for the enclosure and garden, actually our garden is tiny but Darwin's much tinier and he makes the garden look bigger!

Darwin didn't like the first couple of soaks, as the dish I was using was too small and shallow, so it was too tempting for him to escape.


But since I changed it to much bigger and deeper plastic tub, he's not visually distracted any more and now he enjoys it.

He likes being left alone in the bath for few minutes, so I put very small amount of warm water (around 1-1.5cm deep), put the tub under the heat light for keeping it warm. Then I brush his shell, legs, tail and even his head with the medium-soft nylon paint brush dipped in the water (he stretches his neck for it and totally relaxed with brushing!), then I disappear to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast.
By the time I get back to him, he normally done his toilet!. If he wasn't pooping for few days and it wasn't happening by then, I gently brush his tail again, then normally it pops out!

---

Awwwww! Love him arent tortys just sooooooooooooooooooo adorable? He looks like he's enjoyed our short outbursts of sun too x

Thank you!! Indeed, they are so fascinating creature! Ahh, I'm so lucky to have such a cute baby!

 

[PapS]

Now she hates it little. I still have to keep her in shadow to keep her from attempting escapes but she stays still. That's a start!

I agree tortoises (and chelonians in general) are fascinating creatures...