This is Denise. She is my one year old desert tortoise. I named her after my aunt who isn’t really my aunt but who is my godfather (it’s complicated). Denise was a gift from a friend. She wanted her to have a more permanent home, and I told her I’d take her in and she could live in my mom’s backyard, which is plenty big enough to hold a slow-moving, slow-growing tortoise. The funny part about this story is I still haven’t told my mom she will be getting a tortoise some time in the coming months. I think what’s going to happen is I’m just going to show up at her house and be like, hey, mom, I have this tortoise for you. Isn’t she cute? That’ll work, right?
It’s not like she’s hard to take care of. She poops about once a day and it’s really small, and all I have to do is make sure her heating lamp is on, and that she has fresh food and water. She moves only slightly faster than a snail. Apparently I also have to hibernate her this winter, which involves sticking her in a cardboard box and putting her under my bed. I’m not making this up. The other other best part about this story is that tortoises live about 150 years, and never stop growing. Denise is going to be alive and kicking long after I am, even thought right now she is so tiny she can fit in the palm of my hand.
Everybody say “Hi!”
Hi, Denise!
This story had a much happier ending than I was expecting. I blame television.
Doesn’t it look like she’s trying to kill herself in the pictures?
Now that you mention it…yes. Stop that, Denise. Stop it right now!
Some friends of mine inherited a tortoise when they bought their house and, so far, they have traced it back through 4 owners. I don’t know how to tell if it’s happy, but it sunbathes with the cat, so I assume it is. It won’t let me scratch its belly though.
It’s so hard to tell with tortoises. They’re such stoic creatures.
Dude, if your mom doesn’t want her, I might. I think they’re super cute.
You could visit her more often too!
Joe’s probably going to be mad at you soon because now I want a tortoise.
Hi Denise! I
‘ve been wondering why you named her that, so it’s nice to know. I think she’s beautiful.
Hi!
She’s very cute. I don’t know why, but it makes me happy to know that you have a tortoise.
She’s adorable!
So cute! I’ve always wanted a Desert Tortoise to live in my backyard. Now that I don’t live in the desert anymore, it might not work.