First Post-Hibernation Basking!

I was delighted to walk into the kitchen this morning and see Nemo basking on his log--his first official basking since about October last year. My health has caused this long delay in posting but I've been saving up photos and notes to blog.

Nemo is much more active now. He is still regularly eating his two course meal of bagel bite and shrimp. He often amuses us with how he rearranges or manuevers under, over, and around his summer home. He hasn't taken any known expeditions into the living room since I spotted him last, but who knows?

It's a constant challenge trying to find the mainstay food for his diet. I can't imagine he can survive on shrimp alone, although he gets plenty of calcium from his cuttlebone. I've been warming and softening two varieties of box turtle and/or tortoise pellets in addition to the Reptomin gel. I don't think he's even tasted it. Then again, it could be timing. Maybe that part of his appetite is also timed for a specific time of year or temperature. I won't know if there's a pattern until next year.

Recently I prepared what I believed to be a yummy tortoise meal that included cactus leaves, mushrooms, pumpkin, dandelion greens, corn, carrots and several other ingredients usually coveted by box turtles as well. Nada, zip, nothing. Not even an interested sniff. Sigh. We shall prevail.

Since I haven't posted in awhile, here are photos I had wanted to share. This first one is Nemo snuggled between the wall and his summer home. I thought it was cute how his leg and tail were resting on each side of the chair leg.












He has also figured out how to crawl under his summer home to be actually in it or behind it. Often we see a very tilted little house.











Those who have followed this blog since last year may not see a "new" photo, but we still enjoy Nemo's curmudgeonly expressions.

















What's next for Nemo? We're going to try smoked salmon with his bagel ;-O Yes, he's a very pampered little guy.