kpgalvin
New Member
Aloha,
I just joined the forum after reading it for years. I know Sulcatas are supposed to be solitary creatures, but, Squirt, my grandson’s and mine, well, mine, since my 19 year old grandson moved to NY, 16 year old male Sulcata that’s been part of our family since a hatchling seems sad. Squirt grew up with my duck(s), and has been socialized with the barnyard of animals that have passed through our lives, but no other tortoises. He’s broken into my daughters house several times to hang with her dogs, and make friends with her Roomba while there, if you know what I mean. Our favorite, and last, 16 year old duck disappeared about 6 weeks ago. I miss him terribly, and, I swear Squirt does too. The last several years they would share their snacks, sunbathe together and sometimes sleep next to each other at night. I often wondered if Squirt had an alternative motive, but, he never harmed a feather on Butternut, or any other animal, except 1 of my daughters dogs that got to close to his pumpkin.
He likes red toenails too..
I visit Squirt daily, but he just isn’t the same active, happy guy he used to be. He would come running, yes, running, to the gate when he heard us coming, and knock over plant pots to push around the yard.
Now, I have to hunt for him and he couldn’t care less if I bring him a snack or a new plant pot.
I’ve been considering getting another duck to keep him company since he’s also ignoring the dogs. The dogs and I are getting old and not as active as we used to be, and it can take a lot of time to care for ducks. Mature tortoises are scarce on the Island, so, besides another duck, my only other choice for a barnyard friend is a potbelly pig. We had one for 20 years, so Squirt and Bacon’s lives crossed, before she passed from contact with a cane toad while grubbing her bedding, and I seem to recall they usually ignored each other.
,
Any thoughts?
Thanks
I just joined the forum after reading it for years. I know Sulcatas are supposed to be solitary creatures, but, Squirt, my grandson’s and mine, well, mine, since my 19 year old grandson moved to NY, 16 year old male Sulcata that’s been part of our family since a hatchling seems sad. Squirt grew up with my duck(s), and has been socialized with the barnyard of animals that have passed through our lives, but no other tortoises. He’s broken into my daughters house several times to hang with her dogs, and make friends with her Roomba while there, if you know what I mean. Our favorite, and last, 16 year old duck disappeared about 6 weeks ago. I miss him terribly, and, I swear Squirt does too. The last several years they would share their snacks, sunbathe together and sometimes sleep next to each other at night. I often wondered if Squirt had an alternative motive, but, he never harmed a feather on Butternut, or any other animal, except 1 of my daughters dogs that got to close to his pumpkin.
He likes red toenails too..
I visit Squirt daily, but he just isn’t the same active, happy guy he used to be. He would come running, yes, running, to the gate when he heard us coming, and knock over plant pots to push around the yard.
Now, I have to hunt for him and he couldn’t care less if I bring him a snack or a new plant pot.
I’ve been considering getting another duck to keep him company since he’s also ignoring the dogs. The dogs and I are getting old and not as active as we used to be, and it can take a lot of time to care for ducks. Mature tortoises are scarce on the Island, so, besides another duck, my only other choice for a barnyard friend is a potbelly pig. We had one for 20 years, so Squirt and Bacon’s lives crossed, before she passed from contact with a cane toad while grubbing her bedding, and I seem to recall they usually ignored each other.
,
Any thoughts?
Thanks
