MEP Aretha

jsheffield

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I got Aretha outside this morning.

PXL_20220623_152346959.PORTRAIT_2.jpg

She seemed to enjoy exploring the outside enclosure, nibbling grass and weeds (and a few wild strawberries) and munching her way through a big pile of ferns I threw in the middle of the enclosure.

PXL_20220623_143839899.PORTRAIT_2.jpg

I gave her some privacy, as I know she acts differently when I'm watching, but checked in a bunch of times during the day, and she seemed to be walking laps, had greenery smeared all over her mouth, and I think I saw her chasing a big cricket.

PXL_20220623_140911880.PORTRAIT_2.jpg

Today was a protein day for her, so I gave a mix of different rehydrated freeze-dried foods I've been trying, along with some fruit... she cleaned the plate by the time I took her inside, but her favorites seem to be those fish and the mangoes.

PXL_20220623_143954886.PORTRAIT_2.jpg

I have a second of the soaking tubs that she enjoys in her inside enclosure, so this morning I dug a hole for it so that it's buried to ground level except for the rim... she was in and out of it a bunch of times when I'd go out to check on her.

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After a brief rain passed through the area and the sun came back out again, I finally took her inside for a bath and weigh-in... she's nearly 5kg as she approaches three years of age, up about 900g since February.

Jamie & Aretha
 

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Joined
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Location (City and/or State)
San Marcos TX
I got Aretha outside this morning.

View attachment 346366

She seemed to enjoy exploring the outside enclosure, nibbling grass and weeds (and a few wild strawberries) and munching her way through a big pile of ferns I threw in the middle of the enclosure.

View attachment 346367

I gave her some privacy, as I know she acts differently when I'm watching, but checked in a bunch of times during the day, and she seemed to be walking laps, had greenery smeared all over her mouth, and I think I saw her chasing a big cricket.

View attachment 346368

Today was a protein day for her, so I gave a mix of different rehydrated freeze-dried foods I've been trying, along with some fruit... she cleaned the plate by the time I took her inside, but her favorites seem to be those fish and the mangoes.

View attachment 346369

I have a second of the soaking tubs that she enjoys in her inside enclosure, so this morning I dug a hole for it so that it's buried to ground level except for the rim... she was in and out of it a bunch of times when I'd go out to check on her.

View attachment 346371

After a brief rain passed through the area and the sun came back out again, I finally took her inside for a bath and weigh-in... she's nearly 5kg as she approaches three years of age, up about 900g since February.

Jamie & Aretha
Holy smokes , looking gorgeous !
 

jsheffield

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PXL_20220628_123056270.PORTRAIT_2.jpg

I got Aretha outdoors again, and she enjoyed a breakfast buffet in her outside enclosure.

PXL_20220628_121924319_2.jpg

Some fresh roses, strawberries, mangoes, bananas, butternut squash, dragon fruit, Mazuri, and a variety of animal protein

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I love seeing her shell when it's wet

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The spurs are coming in nicely

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Here she is peeking out when I visited midday to drop off some ferns and grape leaves.

Jamie
 

MEEJogja

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Those growth lines are spectacular Jamie. So clean and uniform! Just be glad you can tip the human scale turds out, and you don't need to try and seperate it from the orchid bark ;)
 

jsheffield

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PXL_20230125_141709706.jpg

A pic I shared to a FB group I'm a part of, trying to communicate salad portion and variety:

Aretha's salad du jour... I aim to feed a salad about the size of her shell; this one is about the right length, a little more narrow (because I was trying to get most of it on a feeding tile hidden by the mound), and a bit taller than she is.

Most of it is mixed greens, but there's also (in generally decreasing order):
Carrot
Mushroom
Butternut squash
Banana
strawberry
Wakame seaweed
Mazuri & hibiscus dressing
Calendula flower

That's too much protein and sugar for the Russians, so their salad was missing some of these ingredients.

It's astonishing how quickly and completely she's capable of crapping up her water bowl...

Jamie
 

jsheffield

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PXL_20230207_131406714.PORTRAIT.jpg

Aretha blew right past the salad this morning in favor of her animal protein and fruit plate... she'd already eaten the chicken hearts by the time I grabbed my camera, and was going to town on the tort and croc kibble and bananas... the plate was clean in ten minutes.

Jamie
 

Ink

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View attachment 353991

Aretha blew right past the salad this morning in favor of her animal protein and fruit plate... she'd already eaten the chicken hearts by the time I grabbed my camera, and was going to town on the tort and croc kibble and bananas... the plate was clean in ten minutes.

Jamie
Is that the mazuri croc food?
 

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