up!

[woolymonkey]

Back in mid-October, when I wasn't really paying attention, Speedy the tortoise put himself to bed.

On Sunday, a little hole opened up and we saw his nose and (closed) eye, like so:



Yesterday, he was like this:



And today...



He's eating a bit already and moving all of 8 inches from his burrow, which is more than he usually manages in the first week out of his nice box in the shed. I reckon he prefers to look after his own hibernation. Now we have a tortoise-proof garden and don't anticipate moving house for many years, I'm inclined to let him do just that. But I'll go on taking photos of where he buries himself and posting them here. I'd never have spotted him on Monday if I hadn't checked October's pic.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

That's a lovely sequence.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

If only we could all take 3 days over getting out of bed! That first pic is exactly how I felt first thing this morning.

[ladymoonray.livejournal.com]

Awwww! He looks as happy as a tortoise can.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Definitely happier (and earlier) when he's allowed to make his own arrangements. I still need to clean him up, but I'll give him a while to get used to the daylight first.

[lj_stowaway]

How very cool! Good morning, sleepy head.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Good morning back! He's up again today, but he won't pick up speed until the temperature rises.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yay for Speedy, and Spring arriving! I bet you're relieved he's emerged safely.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I thought he'd be OK since I know he always hibernated this way when I was a kid. But we were right be the sea so the winters were milder.

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

Hi Speedy! Welcome back!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Hi!

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

Up and awake and covered in mud!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'll give him a nice warm bath later and a coating of olive oil to make him shiny. It's a bit hard to tell, but I think he enjoys the bath bit--not the oil though.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

The Monkey House Old Cats' Home, Hamster Holiday Village, and Tortoise Spa :-)