There is not much action in this DT forum but i just felt like 10/1 is a important day for me (the torts) as a owner, It is a day that now marks a switch in the food offered to the desert torts I look after. I now will offer no wet food till March after winter. I will get to see them much less, which started a little early with some cold evenings. My female, Toc already does not come out for our after work hangout. I only see her on weekend mornings. This seems whether it is warm or cold.
Last year in 2022 I did a ton of work making the separate enclosures and giving them a safe place for them to own as a territory. This separated where I could allow weeds to grow for them to graze on and plant food that they can access or food. I managed to plant my favorite addition to their enclosures, one Joshua Tree for each. They are only 18 inches tall but they survived so far and I love that they made it. I also planted a few chapperal opunta cactus, for future food.
This year 2023 I spent a ton of time with my two torts, much of that time gardening in their enclosures, and outside their reach planting a food forrest so I can get off grocery store food as much as possible. I also started getting foods to give them that i will grow. I have given them Opunta and alphalpa which they needed a little effort to get them to eat it. Cutting it up into their other food a bit and now they eat it just fine. I started adding some California Buckwheat leaves and flowers to their greens just recently so they have eaten some. I also have given them Grape leaves and Globe Mallow which they gobbled up the second they were offered. They loved it. I could get Toc to beg for the Mallow leaves she loved it so much. I did plant some Manzanitas for shade not food. For food I planted 5, 5 gallon Vitus Californica (California wild grape) and 5, 1 gallon Vitus Girdiana (California Desert Grape) along the fence of the enclosures. These should explode with healthy food next year. Around the adjacent area to the enclosure I planted 5 beavertail cactus and 3 Nopal (not California native but spineless). I should get to harvest some paddles off these next year. I also planted some Agave and even a Ocotillo which may or may not be food someday.
In their enclosures this year nothing interesting grew up naturally. Just junk weeds, edible but not what I want. I already removed what I could from one enclosure as much as possible and sowed Desert Tortoise Mixture seeds from Theodore Payne Foundation and extra Mallow seeds. I will get the rest done and the other enclosure very soon.
It has been a good season with the torts and I'm happy with my progress. I thought I would share my experience to spark any other Desert Tort owners to check in what they are up too.
Burrows under snow.
March 11 when Tic dug out. It was still chilly and would be a couple weeks before Toc comes out.
Feeding Opunta pads, first year they ate this.
Showing work done over the year (before and after).
Last year in 2022 I did a ton of work making the separate enclosures and giving them a safe place for them to own as a territory. This separated where I could allow weeds to grow for them to graze on and plant food that they can access or food. I managed to plant my favorite addition to their enclosures, one Joshua Tree for each. They are only 18 inches tall but they survived so far and I love that they made it. I also planted a few chapperal opunta cactus, for future food.
This year 2023 I spent a ton of time with my two torts, much of that time gardening in their enclosures, and outside their reach planting a food forrest so I can get off grocery store food as much as possible. I also started getting foods to give them that i will grow. I have given them Opunta and alphalpa which they needed a little effort to get them to eat it. Cutting it up into their other food a bit and now they eat it just fine. I started adding some California Buckwheat leaves and flowers to their greens just recently so they have eaten some. I also have given them Grape leaves and Globe Mallow which they gobbled up the second they were offered. They loved it. I could get Toc to beg for the Mallow leaves she loved it so much. I did plant some Manzanitas for shade not food. For food I planted 5, 5 gallon Vitus Californica (California wild grape) and 5, 1 gallon Vitus Girdiana (California Desert Grape) along the fence of the enclosures. These should explode with healthy food next year. Around the adjacent area to the enclosure I planted 5 beavertail cactus and 3 Nopal (not California native but spineless). I should get to harvest some paddles off these next year. I also planted some Agave and even a Ocotillo which may or may not be food someday.
In their enclosures this year nothing interesting grew up naturally. Just junk weeds, edible but not what I want. I already removed what I could from one enclosure as much as possible and sowed Desert Tortoise Mixture seeds from Theodore Payne Foundation and extra Mallow seeds. I will get the rest done and the other enclosure very soon.
It has been a good season with the torts and I'm happy with my progress. I thought I would share my experience to spark any other Desert Tort owners to check in what they are up too.
Burrows under snow.
March 11 when Tic dug out. It was still chilly and would be a couple weeks before Toc comes out.
Feeding Opunta pads, first year they ate this.
Showing work done over the year (before and after).
