I feel like a new mom watching her child go off to preschool for the first time, lol (pics!)

jmhoesch

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I put Mr. Pickles in his new outdoor enclosure for the first time. I watched him for a bit, took some pics then walked away. Feeling like I'm letting my child go off into the world alone. lol

I put him by the water. He sniffed for a bit, stuck his head out and walked to the nearest green patch of clover and started munching away! Yeah! We have his main burrow doorway covered so he can't get in there since we're only putting him out there for a few hours for the week. There's other hidey holes for him to go into if he wants. He looks so small in that big enclosure! I'm so scared something gonna happen to him! lol

Here are some pics of his first moments in his new home, the last pic he was moving pretty good towards his main burrow and found some shade under his man cave sign.

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Maggie Cummings

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Great photos. Isn't it fun to put him in his new habitat???!
 

jmhoesch

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It's nerve-wracking! I keep going out there to make sure he's ok. lol He's wandered off and I couldn't find him for a second. lol I found him in the back under the hibiscus bush lounging in the shade..............
 

Yvonne G

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Aw...what a pretty tortoise. Or, is that offensive to poor Mr. Pickles? Handsome...I meant to say Handsome!!
 

jmhoesch

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Every time I go out there, he's in a different location so I guess that's good. He's stomping around munching on different things. He's getting great exercise! lol
 

jmhoesch

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Not at first. Just a few hours each day for about a week or so, so he can get used to the much bigger environment. Then full time. I'm sure he's having a ball, I'm a mess. So worried about him. lol
 

lynnedit

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They just love being outside, don't they? It is very hard to see them 'graduate'!

Looks so good.
 

jmhoesch

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Thank you, he's currently under a dead cactus that we have in there..................the one on the left laying down, he dug himself under that for a bit. He's been testing things out. He LOVES the big mound where his main burrow is. My hubby made it a big mound covered w/ dirt then planted seeds and now it's all clover covered........I'll put pics up of the netting my hubby rigged to predator proof it in the other thread that I made..........

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bouaboua

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Every time I go out there, he's in a different location so I guess that's good. He's stomping around munching on different things. He's getting great exercise! lol

He like his "Man Cave" I like very much too. Very, very nice.
 

txturtledude

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What kind of stone is the wall made from? Is it just stacked or mortared in place? It looks awesome!
 

jmhoesch

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They're just retaining blocks my hubby got from Lowe's I think. Yes, hubby used concrete in between so they wouldn't move and the top part has a bit of a lip or overhang. We wanted to have something that went w/ the southwestern environment we live in. That whole area looks like it belongs in AZ.
 

jmhoesch

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I get attached to easily. lol We had 2 rats and I fell in love w/ them, didn't know their life span was less then 5 years. Was inconsolable when they died. Told myself never again ANYTHING that is in a cage w/ a little life span.............thought a tortoise would take care of that. lol Not as cuddly but he does come to his name and he loves to eat treats out of my hand.
 
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