#GopherusAgassizii

2025-05-17

First and most important (and a week late), #HappyNewYear #AndyTheTortoise who came out of brumation a week ago today. He’d started it at the end of October. Was too busy to make announcement.

In the last 3 years, I always prolong his brumation artificially (with nightly coolings) till May 1, for optimal heat. This year, however, I extended by an additional week due to poor weather and my lack of readiness… So he was in brumation 6 months and 1 week! Likely his longest, because even in Northern California he normally woke up mid-April!

But he is up now, and doing very well.
Happy 104th year, Andy!!! You rock! I'm so happy to have you!!

The cutting board contains his typical meal at the beginning of the season: From bottom to top: Lettuce (here, red leaf), chopped up roma tomatoes on a leaf of lettuce, and above on chopped dendelion on the left and chopped broccoli florets on the right. I also plant an assortment of plants which I will show in a different toot.

#GopherusAgassizii #CaliforniaDesertTortoise #EndangeredSpecies #Reptiles #Tortoises

The image shows a tortoise on a patch of dirt ground, with a green cutting board placed nearby. The tortoise is positioned on the left side of the image, near a concrete retaining wall oand some bulbous plants. The cutting board, located on the right side, contains from bottom to top: red leaf lettuce, chopped, roma tomatoes chopped on a leaf of lettuce, and just above, chopped dendelion on the left and chopped broccoli florets on the right. The ground is dry with scattered leaves and small rocks, and there are shadows cast by the plants, indicating a sunny day. A person's foot is visible in the bottom left corner, suggesting someone is present. The overall scene appears is outdoors in a mediterranean-climate garden.

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2023-07-11

Good morning from #Pasadena. 🌞 & 30°c (86°F) & although only 23°c (73°c) it’s warming up really fast. Very good days for double #Hibiscus 🌺 this morning: 15 from only 2 small bushes. More single flowers too on a couple other bushes. Must be the watering! Clip: 102 y-o #AndyTheTortoise having the first course of his breakfast. If you have the sound on you should be able to hear crunching. Also look carefully up close and you might get a quick glimpse at his big pink tongue 👅 #GopherusAgassizii

2023-06-09

#AndyTheTortoise has scratches on his back. This means he likely accidentally fell onto his back, mostly likely from trying to climb where he shouldn’t… But contrary to popular belief #Tortoises can flip themselves back so long they are not in a life threatening situation such as hunted by a predator or in hot sun. It can take time but so long as they can find something to push against they often flip themselves back onto their feet eventually. 👍 #GopherusAgassizii aka #CaliforniaDesertTortoise

Desert tortoise with a light reversed-L-shaped white scratch on its back, against a sandy background
2023-06-09

With only 17°c ) 63°F & no 🌞 I’m not sure #AndyTheTortoise will be eating but here he is lounging in UV (though he might be in the shade - I can’t see UV like him)
We had ☀️ yesterday afternoon so he warmed up a bit & ate them so I’m not worried. At 102 yo he also knows better than me. 😝#GopherusAgassizii aka #CaliforniaDesertTortoise #EndangeredSpecies #Reptiles #Tortoises

Green cutting board with cut up salad vegetables in foreground and tortoise near top center, on sand. Stones in upper corners and stone behind tortoise
2023-06-05

#AndyTheTortoise is not very happy with this cool, drizzly stuff. This might have been less surprising for him in the Bay Area, but in Southern California? #GopherusAgassizii aka #CaliforniaDesertTortoise #EndangeredSpecies #JuneGloom

California Desert Tortoise on a cloudy, drizzly day in Southern California

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