We bought a tort

We are the new, proud owners of a Hermann’s tortoise named Olive. I’ve learned a lot from the internet about tortoises over the past week. For instance, some people like to call them “torts.” I’ve also discovered that they are a lot cuter than I would’ve expected.

We’re not sure of our tort’s age or sex. Apparently, we’ll be waiting for a while since their sex can’t accurately be determined for another five or so years. So, we’ve decided that our tort is a baby girl. Her favorite activities are sleeping with her head under the dirt and laying in her food dish. Her favorite foods (so far) are zucchini and kale. And, she dislikes carrots – like me!

If you’re considering a new family pet – for Christmas or to distract from the blunder that was 2020 – here’s why you shouldn’t eliminate a tort from your deliberation:

• They eat fresh vegetables. You don’t have to worry about crickets or specialty pet food. Just toss some extra produce into your grocery cart.
• They live a long time. (Note – Hopefully, I don’t have to make an editor’s note to this bullet in the short term.) Seriously, our tort could out-live me and maybe live a hundred years. You have to be prepared for a long-term commitment, but isn’t it exciting thinking that your kids’ kids could enjoy this pet?
• They are very unlikely to “run” away. Yep, you know it, they move slow.

Of course, there are some things to keep in mind if you think a tort might fit with your family:

• They need UV light and a basking lamp turned on for half the day. We’re still figuring out the best placement for these lights, as shuffling them off of Olive’s habitat in order to pick her up is a bit annoying.
• Not unlike any other baby, they get bigger. Given that torts need a habitat, we’re hoping Olive’s new tortoise house will last a while. It has a daytime area and a nighttime area (what reputable tortoise house wouldn’t?) – and the opening between the two should accommodate her for quite a while (though, we aren’t quite sure how fast she will grow).
• They need help if they flip over. A curious tort could be the star of a “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” informercial, and staying flipped over for too long can be deadly. We recently found Olive on her back, and after panicking, quickly removed her log tunnel because we think she might have climbed – and subsequently fallen off of – it.