Tortoise Cake

Someone has a little too much time on their hands, don'tcha think? This one isn't even funny, it's gross. You can tell by the annoyed look on this fella's face.

In the Brush or Bush?

I feel like I'm a specimen on National Geographic, wandering in the brush in southwest Australia. But I'm only in the back yard, where the grass is fried from a long, hot summer. Bring on some cool autumn days.

Turtlesauraus

Watch out! He's coming for you!






















What else can you say about this creature from beyond... except...
thank you, Photoshop!

Secret Spot: Table Lair

Nobody knows about this spot, or at least I thought nobody did until these photos surfaced. I don't appreciate the close up of my butt, but thanks, Mama. This is where I go when I just need to get away from everything. And take naps. Sometimes for hours.

Got my Eye on You

The rain is back and I've been trapped in the tank, but I'm ready to go in a moment's notice. I'm keeping my eye on the door just in case. In the meantime, I'm just dangling off my dock, and even though it doesn't look comfortable, it really is. It's my nap spot.

The Best of Slowsky

If you are anything like me, you gotta love the Slowskys. This is a montage of Bill and Carol's best work yet:

My Scary Cousin - Alligator Snapping Turtle

This friendly fella, the Alligator Snapping Turtle, was found in the middle of the road somewhere in Oklahoma by a biker, who was treated to this giant smile when he tried to move him to safety in the grass. Note the spikes on his neck. Ouch!

The alligator snapper keeps to primarily southern U.S. waters. They have a large, heavy head, and a long, thick shell with three dorsal ridges of large scales giving it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs. They have three distinct rows of spikes and raised plates on the carapace, whereas the common snapping turtle has a smoother carapace. They are a solid gray, brown, black, or olive-green in color, and often covered with algae.

Alligator snapping turtles can range in length from 16 to 32 inches and weigh up to 175 lbs. They will eat almost anything they can catch. Snapping turtles can remain submerged underwater for up to three hours at a time. Look at this adorable baby alligator snapper!

Best Friend

He doesn't say a word, just stares at me adoringly. All day, everyday. From the other side of the glass. He's my best friend.

Vintage Wax

I discovered these old Turtle Wax signs and thought some of you old timers might enjoy them:

The Experiment

Over the weekend, she tried an experiment which did not have such great results. I wanted to - and tried to - run away because I was so mad. Mama read somewhere that one way to keep a turtle tank clean is to feed the creature in a separate tank. Well, she put me in her foot bath, which was way too small, dropped in some food kernels and left me outside in the rain. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. Which is why I am running away today.

Autumn Spa Day

This may be my last chance to swim outdoors on the weekends. I've had plenty of pool time and exercise this summer but I miss it already. Maybe mama will move to a place where I can do this all year long. Not that I'm only thinking of me. I'm sure she could do without shoveling snow or the sweltering heat. She's old, you know.

Turtles Need Love Too

This poor little fella just wants some lovin' even if it's from his brother feline. Unfortunately the furrball will have no part of it.

My Cousin: the Galapagos Giant!

Check the neck! The largest turtles on the plantet are Galapagos turtles. Found on the Galapagos Islands, they can live over 150 years in the right conditions and grow to be 700 lbs!

The Galapagos Tortoise are big guys with a big name. 'Galapagos' means 'saddle-back' in Spanish, which describes the tortoise’s big shell because the ridges on top of the shell make it look like a saddle. This turtle has the longest neck of all the species.

The Galapagos Tortoise has a vegetarian diet of grasses, fallen fruits and other vegetation. They can go for long periods of time without food or water. Life is pretty simple for them, but that wasn’t always so; they were hunted for meat and their shells before they were protected.

The Galapagos Tortoise has an unusual mating ritual where the male tortoise will bite the female on her legs until she finally gives in and pulls her legs into her shell allowing the male access for mating. A hoarse grunting noise attracts females and mating can last for several hours. The female travels up to several miles to lay her eggs, and will lay between two and sixteen eggs. They allow the babies to take off as soon as they are out of the eggs, never seeing them again unless by chance. The Galapagos Tortoise reaches sexual maturity around age forty. They are peaceable creatures and allow birds in their habitat to eat ticks and bugs off their neck by extending their necks.

Roger Can't Swim

Roger showed up again today during spa time in my favorite personal space place - my pool! If I can't take him down here, I'll at least let him know who is boss. Maybe knock him over with a wave. Fear ME, Roger. Or lose the weapons.

Roger Gets the Stinkeye

He is still here. This guy just won't leave me alone. We may as well be friends, but today I'm not really in the mood. I'm in the mood to avoid Roger and stare him down, so I'm giving him the 'ol stinkeye.

Grassy Ass

Fall is a great time to explore the grass because they let it grow a little longer - and  it's cooler. I don't think anyone can see me as I roam through the thicket, but I am pretty sure mama has her eye on me from afar. She always does.

Freaks of Nature

Yes, just like humans, we have freaks, too. And some are just extraordinary creatures. This 2-month old conjoined red-eared slider has two heads sticking out from opposite ends of its shell, along with a pair of front feet on each side. But there is just one set of back feet and one tail. Not going anywhere fast.

This little two-headed baby is growing at a rapid rate. While its siblings grow at a steady pace, this tiny creature's extraordinary growth spurt is because having two heads allows it to eat twice as much and twice as fast.

Freak or not, this relatively unknown fella - the Mary River Turtle of Queensland, Australia, has the coolest hair of any turtle, simply because we don't have hair! It's one of the more unusual species of turtles as it has fangs, breathes through lung-like structures in its tail and needs shallow water to survive and algae grows right on its body. Strange dude, but we love him anyway.

Teckno Turtle

I love the vibes I get when around Mama's technology. She thinks it is strange that I make a mad dash directly for the mess of cords under the desk when she isn't looking. But she doesn't feel what I feel. It's hard to explain, like a little 'zen zing'... especially when I lay on top of the surge protector. But she is never happy to find me there. (tee hee)

Aussie Turtle Times

Taken in 1934, this photo shows my sea turtle cousins Barry and Larry, better known as the 'Thunder from Down Under', being nabbed and carted away by men in suits and hats. I'm hopeful they were brought to a zoo in Sydney and outlived the men in hats. Again, I'm hopeful, but I haven't heard from them yet. However, I do remember a band from Australia known as Men in Hats... could it be?

Labor Day Dan

What a beautiful day to hang in the pool with my friend Dan. He played lifeguard while I swam, and after mama tossed in some tasty salad greens to snack on, we just chilled and relaxed in the sun.

Weekend Visitor

My friend Dan stopped by today and we hung out on the porch while mama prepared the pool for fun and games.

Zen Moment

Mama says the light is changing now that it is September. I don't know what that means because I have zoned out while practicing self-hypnosis on the backyard bench. Amen.

Guinness Anyone?