Levi the leopard has been in the "show life" his whole life. From educational presentations at Turtle & Tortoise Clubs, to jungle themed birthday parties, at 11 years old he's put in some good hours as an animal ambassador for his species.
He officially retired from shows when my animal program closed last year, but that doesn't mean he can't occasionally work here or there. 😉
(picture before retirement)
I was asked to bring a few animals to a school summer program last week. Levi of course was among the group. Kids just LOVE him! Plus, I'm sure Levi is happy for the opportunity to chow down on romaine lettuce
It did feel weird to do a show without all of my fun décor and full jungle set up. But...the kids didn't care that I lacked those bells & whistles. They were happy to see animals.
For starters, Levi is accustomed to traveling. Although his travel tote has changed along with his size, he has been in the current tote for the last 6 years. I believe keeping the same travel routine, helps him handle what other tortoises might find stressful.
-First, he gets a long warm water soak. This empties his bowels so we arrive at our destination mess free. (almost always LOL)
-Next he gets a rub down with either coconut oil or I spritz him with an oil/water mix. Either way, it ensures he's hydrated and looks his best. I wipe away all residue with a rag so he isn't wet or sticky.
-I load him into a solid colored tote that has a layer of absorbent shavings at the bottom, covered with a nice thick layer of hay. He nestles into the hay and if he does go potty on the road (rarely) the shavings absorb it, making it easier to re-clean him at the destination. The tote has air holes drilled along the top, on all four sides and a loosely attached lid on top.
-Once we arrive, his tote is loaded onto a cart with wheels. He's too heavy for me to carry around in a tote. Plus, I usually have other animals anyway.
-I always lay a blanket on the ground for Levi when we show indoors. This way no one has to worry about cleanliness. Most people inquire about salmonella at some point. It's just a thing when you take a turtle out in public. Having him on my own blanket seems to put everyone's mind at ease. There is no post show clean up needed. Whether they were worried about germs or a mid show potty happens, etc.
*If Levi is showing outdoors and I KNOW the area is free of fertilizers/weed sprays, I will let him be on the ground. If I don't know, it's better safe than sorry and I use a blanket outdoors, too.
-Levi only gets romaine during shows. Kids hold the end of the long leaf as he munches away like a conveyor belt. Once he nears the end, I ask the kids to drop the remnant and the next kid gets to offer a fresh leaf. Occasionally, I lift Levi into laps for fun photos. Rarely, I lift Levi up for people to hold him. But he's a champ who handles it all just fine. He never retreats into his shell. He never tries to walk off or walk away. He happily eats and looks for the next bite.
-At the end, kids use hand sanitizer but it's always advised that the parents/teachers take the kids to a bathroom for a proper handwashing after handling any animals.
I love taking Levi out for shows. He's not territorial when outside of "his" yard and so he isn't trying to ram anyone. My ankles are never at risk when we are out 🤣
The talking points might vary slightly depending upon the group. Group size & kid ages play a role in what we cover. This particular group learned that as an herbivore, Levi is one of nature's lawn mowers. Stationed in Africa, his camouflage is designed to mimic dappled shade. His front spurs work like heavy duty Velcro, grabbing the tall grasses when he pulls in, so that hungry lions have to work hard if they want turtle nuggets for dinner. We talked about their lung placement and why a turtle on it's back is in big trouble. Of course my FAVORITE talking point is the turtle vs. tortoise debate! I take a poll to see who thinks Levi is a turtle and who thinks he is a tortoise. Then I blow their minds when I say, HE'S BOTH! All tortoises are turtles but not all turtles are tortoises
To help kids grasp the concept, I use shoes as an example. Everyone is wearing shoes. Some are sandals, some are sneakers or boots. Even Crocs count as shoes 😉 They are all different types of shoes but they are all under the shoe category. So, too they are all turtles.. But you have different kinds of turtles like different kinds of shoes. Tortoises are a type of turtle. Sea turtles are a type of turtle. Terrapins are a type of turtle. Maybe my explanation isn't 100% scientific LOL but it gets the point across to the kids.
For anyone else interested in taking tortoises out, the most important thing is making the sure the tortoise handles it well. Start with introducing a tote. You don't even have to go anywhere. Just soak them, then tote them for 10 minutes then put them back into the enclosure. Eventually you can soak, tote then drive a lap around the block and back. If you tortoise handles this well, make your first outing short and without other people. Also be sure to hand feed your tortoise a favorite snack. Not just for the positive association but as an indicator of your tortoises comfort level. If it's not eating, it's not comfortable.
Always have paper towels handy, hand sanitizer and I take a dust buster too. Sometimes you get shavings or hay on the ground from the tote and it's my personal goal to leave a place cleaner than it was when I arrived. I NEVER want to be that animal person who left a mess. 🤦♂️
He officially retired from shows when my animal program closed last year, but that doesn't mean he can't occasionally work here or there. 😉
(picture before retirement)
I was asked to bring a few animals to a school summer program last week. Levi of course was among the group. Kids just LOVE him! Plus, I'm sure Levi is happy for the opportunity to chow down on romaine lettuce
It did feel weird to do a show without all of my fun décor and full jungle set up. But...the kids didn't care that I lacked those bells & whistles. They were happy to see animals. For starters, Levi is accustomed to traveling. Although his travel tote has changed along with his size, he has been in the current tote for the last 6 years. I believe keeping the same travel routine, helps him handle what other tortoises might find stressful.
-First, he gets a long warm water soak. This empties his bowels so we arrive at our destination mess free. (almost always LOL)
-Next he gets a rub down with either coconut oil or I spritz him with an oil/water mix. Either way, it ensures he's hydrated and looks his best. I wipe away all residue with a rag so he isn't wet or sticky.
-I load him into a solid colored tote that has a layer of absorbent shavings at the bottom, covered with a nice thick layer of hay. He nestles into the hay and if he does go potty on the road (rarely) the shavings absorb it, making it easier to re-clean him at the destination. The tote has air holes drilled along the top, on all four sides and a loosely attached lid on top.
-Once we arrive, his tote is loaded onto a cart with wheels. He's too heavy for me to carry around in a tote. Plus, I usually have other animals anyway.
-I always lay a blanket on the ground for Levi when we show indoors. This way no one has to worry about cleanliness. Most people inquire about salmonella at some point. It's just a thing when you take a turtle out in public. Having him on my own blanket seems to put everyone's mind at ease. There is no post show clean up needed. Whether they were worried about germs or a mid show potty happens, etc.
*If Levi is showing outdoors and I KNOW the area is free of fertilizers/weed sprays, I will let him be on the ground. If I don't know, it's better safe than sorry and I use a blanket outdoors, too.
-Levi only gets romaine during shows. Kids hold the end of the long leaf as he munches away like a conveyor belt. Once he nears the end, I ask the kids to drop the remnant and the next kid gets to offer a fresh leaf. Occasionally, I lift Levi into laps for fun photos. Rarely, I lift Levi up for people to hold him. But he's a champ who handles it all just fine. He never retreats into his shell. He never tries to walk off or walk away. He happily eats and looks for the next bite.
-At the end, kids use hand sanitizer but it's always advised that the parents/teachers take the kids to a bathroom for a proper handwashing after handling any animals.
I love taking Levi out for shows. He's not territorial when outside of "his" yard and so he isn't trying to ram anyone. My ankles are never at risk when we are out 🤣
The talking points might vary slightly depending upon the group. Group size & kid ages play a role in what we cover. This particular group learned that as an herbivore, Levi is one of nature's lawn mowers. Stationed in Africa, his camouflage is designed to mimic dappled shade. His front spurs work like heavy duty Velcro, grabbing the tall grasses when he pulls in, so that hungry lions have to work hard if they want turtle nuggets for dinner. We talked about their lung placement and why a turtle on it's back is in big trouble. Of course my FAVORITE talking point is the turtle vs. tortoise debate! I take a poll to see who thinks Levi is a turtle and who thinks he is a tortoise. Then I blow their minds when I say, HE'S BOTH! All tortoises are turtles but not all turtles are tortoises
To help kids grasp the concept, I use shoes as an example. Everyone is wearing shoes. Some are sandals, some are sneakers or boots. Even Crocs count as shoes 😉 They are all different types of shoes but they are all under the shoe category. So, too they are all turtles.. But you have different kinds of turtles like different kinds of shoes. Tortoises are a type of turtle. Sea turtles are a type of turtle. Terrapins are a type of turtle. Maybe my explanation isn't 100% scientific LOL but it gets the point across to the kids.
For anyone else interested in taking tortoises out, the most important thing is making the sure the tortoise handles it well. Start with introducing a tote. You don't even have to go anywhere. Just soak them, then tote them for 10 minutes then put them back into the enclosure. Eventually you can soak, tote then drive a lap around the block and back. If you tortoise handles this well, make your first outing short and without other people. Also be sure to hand feed your tortoise a favorite snack. Not just for the positive association but as an indicator of your tortoises comfort level. If it's not eating, it's not comfortable.
Always have paper towels handy, hand sanitizer and I take a dust buster too. Sometimes you get shavings or hay on the ground from the tote and it's my personal goal to leave a place cleaner than it was when I arrived. I NEVER want to be that animal person who left a mess. 🤦♂️
