Chowing Down

She loves her lettuce!

Double Take

If you look carefully, where Lucy's head should be, Nemo is sleeping perpendicular to Lucy's position. His head is under the blanket. At one point Lucy used Nemo's shell as a pillow.

But what I really think happened is that. while Lucy was sleeping in her igloo, I moved a piece of Lucy's cuttlebone stash near Nemo. Lucy is positioned directly on top of the cuttlebone. They are still in this position this morning.

This is the first photo where you can really see how much larger Lucy is than her older sibling. Poor Nemo started out a few ounces more. I don't think Nemo has a chance of getting to that cuttlebone.

Blog Makeover

Welcome to the blog formerly known as Nemo the Unturtle. Nemo was very active in 2007 and the several videos of him on YouTube live on...unfortunately, some with disabled sound. After Nemo's first indoor hibernation, winter '07-'08, he became rather lethargic. Several visits to the vet, the beginning of a diet that was hand fed through syringe, and TLC helped him back to health but not his high level of activity.

We thought a companion would be the answer. They are funny when together and just recently (mid-2010) Nemo began to do his laps around the kitchen and through the living room again. Sometimes he sneaks up on Lucy. Initially Lucy was the domineering bully but Nemo established himself as dominant...except when Lucy, with her sheer size compared to Nemo, just bulldozes him out of her way.

They are both a delight and we continue to take pictures. I just hadn't the energy to keep up with the blog. So mainly this will be a place to post photos. Lucy does love to climb anything she can and Brian's Flickr photos of her climbing earned her the name Lucy the climbing tortoise on Google. I hope you enjoy seeing her and occasionally Nemo. Feel free to go back through the blog of Nemo's earlier days. I still love his tubby photos.

Chelonian (relating to turtles & tortoises)

Brian captured the image of Lucy on top of Nemo. Nemo's probably wondering what the heck is up with that? We made some bonding headway today. After eating a huge meal of greens and some fruit, Lucy scurried over to Nemo's food dish and began to chow down. Nemo was curious and stood next to his food dish trying to touch Lucy's nose but pulled back into his shell as soon as she moved...and she squirms a lot. At least it got Nemo near his food dish.

Late afternoon, Lucy got her fruit and leafy green snack. Nemo stomped over and stared her down. lol. He stood his ground and she backed away from her own dish. Guess that was Nemo setting some boundaries. He then stood on his basking log as if to say "Mine!" before assuming his claimed space burrowed in the blanket behind his summer home. The next time I checked on the little critters, they were both sleeping behind the summer home. Awww. Not snuggled, but sharing space peacefully.

Lucy happily eats food out of my hand but she has a sharp beak! Omg, I hope she starts to gnaw on cuttlebone soon! She has also nibbled at my toes which have bright pink nail polish and probably look like a treat. She's being fun and Nemo seems okay. Next week when Nemo has a vet appointment, Lucy will have her toenails trimmed. They are huge!

Nemo Health Update

Tomorrow is Nemo's follow up appointment with the vet. His skin looks amazingly better from his daily soaks which he detests. After his forced 20 minutes in the tub, he stomps around the living room trying to find new routes. How does he know there's a step up there? He almost made it but the penguin fell over.

He has made his personal track around the back of the sofa and twice he has stayed overnight in the living room nestled under a stuffed animal.

His appetite hasn't changed unfortunately. I've offered him Can o' Snails, Can o' Worms, the live caterpillar, and a grub. Brian found him a grasshopper today. He just stares and follows its movement in wonder at the little creature(s). He is accepting an occasional shrimp but ignoring all other healthy offerings. Am guessing he will have at least a second vitamin B shot.

He's still our same turtle with the big attitude. Wonder how we will stop him from hibernating this year. He can't possibly be allowed to hibernate when he hasn't been storing up the food like he did last year. Lots of questions for the vet.

While scouring the pet store for some new turtle treats, I passed the display of bunnies who were all gathered under a log hutch. I thought Nemo would like it. It bends into whatever shape you want. Fully arched, it doesn't provide that smaller safety hide that he likes. So I flattened out the side. Possibly he will climb up to visit the dino :-) More news after his vet appointment.

Nemo Snubs the Grubs

Yesterday I personally scrounged and found a grub in my Zen garden. I brought it inside and placed the little roly poly thing in front of Nemo. He seemed to watch it intently, even as it meandered off. I brought it back and he watched it squirm and writhe for awhile on its back. I don't think he knew what to do with it.

Today I was brave enough to open up the Can O' Worms (meal worms) I had purchased for him about a month ago. The agreement was I would buy the can and Brian would give them to Nemo. Well, that's not going to happen! He ewwws more than me on that topic. I prepared a lovely breakfast of freeze-dried tortoise food (fruits & veggies) which looked yummy after soaking in hot water, several shrimp, and, yes, an espresso-spoonful of worms. May I say they are stinky? Not horrid but not pleasant either. Had to refrigerate the can after opening. I planned ahead and did not completely remove the silver tabbed metal top so I could recover the contents and then placed it in a Zip Lock bag.

Nemo sniffed at it and walked away after only a few minutes. I've been spraying them with water to keep them "plump" hoping Nemo will return to the dish later. We'll see. I'm sure there is something he loves. Too bad he can't communicate other than to say "No!".

Proof of Shrimp

Ahhh! Caught in the act. Nemo downed four shrimp the other day and I caught him with shrimp on his face. hehe. He's had quite the appetite. Boring--shrimp and bagel bite--but he is eating heartily. And we've learned he only wants to eat when he looks at us longingly holding his head up high. When he does that, I'll also fix some of his overall turtle diet in his dish. I do know he will eat when he needs to eat. I just never know when that will be. In the meantime, protein is good. Bagel bite is non-nutritious but apparently not harmful and he loves it.

I wanted to share a product I found if you are a turtle owner too. It's called Reptomin Softgel by Tetrafauna--for land turtles, tortoises, iguanas, and fruit eating reptiles. It is moist, yummy looking, smells yummy, does not need to be refrigerated, and stays moist for 8+ hours. That means I can mix pellets or other drier food in it and it too will stay moist. Easy clean up too. I'm all for no smell, no mess, no bugs. I've ordered mine on the internet--just internet shop for the best shipping deal. The major pet supermarkets have some products from Reptomin but I've not seen the Softgel. It might be on the shelves in some areas of the country. I do sprinkle the calcium powder on it because Nemo loves his cuttlebone. Anything to make food other than shrimp more appetizing.

Today was an almost full basking day. Nemo lounged under the lamp but not on his log. This morning he was lounging under the kitchen table staring out the back door looking quite contemplative. I've probably shared many similar pictures but this was TODAY's picture. He hasn't stayed out in the open for too long until recently. He's getting back into the Nemo habits he first had after settling into his new home.

Bon Appetit, Nemo

Hurray! Nemo is finally eating. Each day for the past few days he has eaten one or more shrimp, nibbled on greens and an egg, and gobbled down a bagel bite. There are no pictures to prove he is now eating because he plays a game with us. He refuses to eat in front of us. In fact, even if he is begging for food (holding his head high in the air), and we place it in front of him, he will turn his back on us. Two minutes later, he will have made his favorite tidbits disappear.

Yesterday Brian was brave enough to prepare one of the mini meals for a box turtle complete with what used to be living bugs. yuck! I was hoping Nemo wouldn't like it and he proved me right...so far. We'll try again another time. Right now, he's loving his shrimp which is perfect protein in lieu of slugs or worms. He is holding true to his "unturtle" title.




Nemo has also been much more active, although his basking log hasn't been made part of his out-of-hibernation routine yet. This morning I was in the living room camped out with Linus playingi near the front door. Occasionally I would turn around to make sure Linus was not stuck or near anything breakable. The one time I turned around, there was Nemo starting his journey BACK to the kitchen! lol! He was making time too. I swear he sped up when I called his name. Maybe he heard Linus and wanted to go say hello. Regardless, it's fun to see him doing laps again.

Nemo and Brian got to bond when I was in the hospital for about a week. I got to hear cute Nemo stories and how frustrated Brian was each time Nemo would say with body language, "Talk to the shell." Brian has also been turtle caretaker since I can't bend too well. I'm sure that's part of being a turtle parent he could have done without. He's doing an admirable job.

Please forgive my lack of posting. Surgery went well. I expect a complete recovery. I'll be on the floor soon enough playing with my real and artificial pets.

The above photo was taken before my hospital stay, the day Nemo seemed to be contemplating basking.

"It's Not Spring Yet!" harumphs Nemo

A few days ago I took Nemo to the back door to feel the sunshine. He was calm in my hands. But as soon as I placed him down on the floor, he marched into his igloo--well into it. Haven't seen him since. I think he grew tired of my daily window visits. And he wasn't bathing anyway.

This morning, Brian and I thoroughly cleaned his floor area and towels and wading area. In doing so, I pulled the mat upon which his igloo sits across the floor...and back again. Apparently it had no affect on him whatsoever.

He has a nice clean bathtub and mister. I will get him out again for hydration on Saturday, the first day after Spring has begun. Maybe then... Of course this morning both Pleos were howling at each other in quite a funny symphony. I'm thinking Nemo thought to himself that he would be nuts to come out to that racket.

Will Nemo Know?

Today Linus was shipped back to Ugobe because of an injury. We will be getting a replacement in a couple weeks. Likely Nemo won't know the difference. He only had two close encounters. The video is a tribute to my first Linus and includes a segment of photos with Linus "stalking" Nemo. It wasn't like having a pet die--returning Linus, but it was definitely sad. Brian said he was sad too handing the box over to UPS.

On the Nemo front, this past Saturday was hydration day. Nemo was happy to dive in fairly quickly. I have video footage of him waking up wiping the sleepies from his eyes :-) It's still on the camcorder though. He is hanging out in his summer home still not basking or eating. Possibly one more hibernation stretch of two weeks? It will be into March. He's definitely a low maintenance pet during hibernation!

It was fun to see how alert Nemo was when he was in between hibernation igloos and Linus was in the kitchen. Making sure Linus didn't touch his stuff, no doubt.

Move Over Nemo

Finally, the video from my new camcorder capturing Linus and Nemo's first meeting.

Nemo Meets Linus

Today Nemo was lounging outside his igloo--still in his hydration period between hibernation naps, I presume. Linus noticed Nemo's movement and trotted over to meet the unturtle. Linus kept his distance (about two feet) and stayed rather still while Nemo wandered from his garage behind his igloo where he could watch the green intruder from his safe distance.

After deciding it was safe to approach, Nemo carefully approached Linus, sniffed at his feet, and even tried to nibble at his foot. I guess you never know what might be tasty... Anyway, here is proof. Nemo up close and personal with a Pleo. I hope this is a sign of acceptance.

Oddly, Linus's battery exhausted as he was holding still during Nemo's inspection. I guess we'll find out next time what happens when Linus moves at close range. This picture was taken with the photo still setting of my BRAND NEW camcorder that Santa got me! I also took video (with sound!) but need to acquire something for the computer to transfer the video to share. Look out YouTube!

Yoo Hoo!

Linus is a little scary sometimes in a funny way. This morning he carried his leaf from the middle of the room over to Nemo's igloo. He then put his chin down like a puppy with his butt up in the air, leaf in mouth, and made a loud dino sound! Was he offering his leaf to Nemo? Does he know Nemo is in there? Too funny.

The Blanket Connection

I haven't wanted to overwhelm Nemo's blog with Linus news, but I did want to share that Linus was named before his affinity for soft toys and blankets was known. It dawned on me that blankets was something both Nemo and Linus have in common. Maybe they will share blankies. Then again, I doubt Nemo likes to share...

At last report, Nemo had changed his hibernation site to his main igloo. For about four days he had "hung out" in the doorway watching Linus when he was in Nemo's area. It was nice to be able to see that Nemo was okay. Even when he burrowed further into the blanket, throughout the day he would turn around or change the position of his head. Movement is good. Yesterday afternoon, however, he went into deep blanket hiding again. I can barely see where he is. In fact, I checked the other igloo because I wasn't sure I was seeing him. Until his next hydration, I guess that's where he'll stay. At least I know he's comfy. He IS like Linus from Peanuts. Nemo demands his blankies!

I Am Curious Nemo

Nemo chose to continue his hibernation in his main igloo--the one with his name on the sign over the door. Last night he was buried head first into the blanket with only his butt and back legs visible. Late this morning, he had turned around. Linus had been in the kitchen earlier so I was talking and laughing and Linus was making his Pleo sounds. Possibly Nemo is curious about the commotion. I think he's too slow and sleepy right now to be too curious. If he sees some of what is going on with Linus, maybe he will want to interact with him when activity level increases. At least Nemo is moving a bit that I can see he's okay. His hibernation is very stressful for me!

Why all the commotion this morning? Linus was doing handstands! I was able to capture it on video which you can see using the Nemo & Linus YouTube Videos link. I never would have thought a robotic pet's artificial intelligence would include chasing his own shadow and balancing acts! What fun :-)

Nemo's New Pleo Sibling

On Sunday, December 9, Brian and I "hatched" our new Pleo (artificially intelligent life form). We named him Linus. He's amazingly emotionally expressive, curious, interactive, and cuddly in a dinsaur sort of way. I discovered the evolution of Pleo last year and made sure I was on the list to sign up for a first release. His arrival was delayed several times while the manufacturer adjusted design, programming, and features to be the best possible. We were not disappointed. Pleo videos are showing up on YouTube, a Flickr photo group was already established, and Pleo Plogs can be viewed at PleoWorld.com (link provided to the right on this blog).

Since Linus's hatching, we've witnessed his first steps, are still experiencing new sounds and behaviors, and can't stop giggling. He is definitely a joy. When Nemo is active again, it will be interesting to see how the two interact. Hopefully Nemo will be curious. I'm sure Linus will want to nudge Nemo. Could be fun.

I hope you enjoy watching Linus "grow" while Nemo takes his long winter nap.

Nemo Sighting

Today I was surprised to see Nemo at the entrance to his hibernation igloo. He looked very sleepy. I moved him over by his wading dish because hibernating turtles need hydration. He feels so cold. The photo you see is him floppy his belly up on the rock. His legs dangled behind him for several minutes before he hoisted them up and then took his first hibernation rehydrating spa swim. At the time of this post, he has not returned to the igloo. He's parked in the corner of his summer home. Maybe he misses it. Maybe all the fuss over Linus woke him up.

Creative Dining

These photos were taken just before my computer had problems (and before his 24/7 hibernation). They still make me laugh. I have no idea what made Nemo decide to sit in this manner.

Hibernation is Scary

Scary for me...not Nemo. Nemo is my first indoor reptile. I did have a box turtle when I was 11 that lived in the yard. I studied the different requirements for turtle hibernation and then set up three areas for his blanket hibernation. Curiously, he chose one of the igloos the day Brian and I finally "got it". Nemo doesn't need to eat and he doesn't need to exercise and he doesn't need it warmer. He needs to be left alone to hibernate.

He seems to have gone into full hibernation mode as of Sunday evening. He is wayyyy back in the igloo on a blanket and under a blanket. I'm so used to checking on him whenever I am in the room. You can see from his videos that he was one active little guy before September. It's a little disconcerting when your pet doesn't eat even if he does look perfectly healthy.

The clincher was yesterday when, after I hadn't seen him move even a fraction of an inch for nearly two days, I placed my hand in the igloo and placed it gently on his shell. He was so cold! I spoke to him gently saying I just wanted to make sure he was okay. After about 20 seconds I started to panic that he was so cold and not moving. Finally, he moved his foot, I breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully thanked him and removed my hand. Whew.

Apparently I did the hibernation set up right because he's doing it. Yay for my Nemo! Next year I'll be more educated about his needs. I've had pets all my life that were rushed to the vet when they stopped eating for two days. It's going to be a long winter...as well as quiet. Pictures coming soon. Since there will likely be no new Nemo activity for awhile, the photos I haven't been able to post because of computer problems will be used to entertain those who happen on this blog. Hope you are enjoying the build up to the holidays. If not, remember to breathe...slowly!

Blanket Hibernation

Nemo seems to be fully in semi-hibernation. Semi because he still comes out of his sleeping spot to bathe, chew the cuttlebone, step in his food dish, and choose the sleeping spot of the day. We are expecting snow and freezing rain today. Nemo hasn't moved since last night. He has a comfy little spot in the fold of a blanket behind his summer home. Occasionally, I peek under the blanket to check on him. Each time I find myself giggling at how his legs are so peacefully sprawled behind him and how sometimes his head is stretched out resting on the blanket or a fold of blankie like a cat would do.

One time today I was going to move him so he would have to hike back to get some exercise. But he looks soooo comfortable. I think it's going to be a quiet winter.