tortoise tribulations

This was Speedy on Saturday in his new home with the gorgeous (and really quite large) Toby (now Toberina or Tobette).

They were blissfully happy together for about 40 minutes.  But then he started to make a pest of himself, ramming her shell, biting her legs, and generally giving her the full, irresistible male tortoise pick-up routine.  It wasn't as irresistible as he thought.  Toberina lumbered away.  Speedy followed.  Thump, crash, thump.  Toberina turned round and bit him.  Speedy persisted.  And persisted.  And persisted.  Seriously, tortoises are not good with hints, or indeed with forceful rejection.  Toberina's owner put her up on the decking where Speedy couldn't go, mostly for Speedy's own safety.  Speedy rammed the decking.  Toberina's owner phoned me.  I phoned bugshaw.  Speedy was packed up and returned to bugshaw's garden.  He wasn't happy about leaving Toberina, but seemed quite relieved to be home.  He ate three large helpings of lettuce and went to sleep.

The next potential victim tortoise owner on Speedy's list is away over half term.  So Speedy gets to annoy ozymandias_cat by occupying the tiger barn (TM) for a while longer or so before we try him somewhere else.  Somewhere without a lady tortoise this time.