Nemo As Focused Goalie

Nemo's expressions are priceless. He sure looks like he's determined to make sure no one enters HIS space! Also reminded me of a goalie preparing for that puck to coming flying from any direction or watching that soccer team run down the field and the goalie knows "I gotta stop that ball!" Nemo is ready. Wonder if they make little iceskates or goalie padding for turtles?

Nemo - Before & After

Brian and I were looking at Nemo photos on his new 22" high def computer monitor today. We were noticing the incredible detail in his shell (that would be Nemo's shell). And how gorgeous his shell looks. I recalled that his shell had been dull and cracking a bit when I first got him. I don't think I found the "turtle wax" until about six weeks ago online. I've been using it once a week. In one of the earliest photos of Nemo (below) you can see how dull his shell was and especially dry around the bottom rim. You can also see his body language! Yikes. Poor little guy was scared and unsure about everything. But look at him now. Just scrolling through the blog you can see how comfortable he is and happy. I'm glad he adjusted so incredibly well and is so healthy.

For those with pet turtles who are interested, this is an unsolicited endorsement of Turtle VitaShell (shell and skin conditioner). He doesn't like it when I massage it in but I make a big deal out of praising him and saying things like, "Oooh, doesn't that feel sooo good?" Like it makes a difference. lol. We'll just call it tough love.

Poor scared, dull-shelled Nemo:

Nite Nite Nemo

The quality of this photo is not the greatest. I was up in the wee hours of the morning and could barely see Nemo in the corner. I didn't want to turn the light on and wake him. I took the picture with flash and then used about every touchup filter to make his snuggledness visible. He is so relaxed. Love his left arm tucked backwards and how he is under the blanket so just his shell is covered with his little leggies sprawled out the back. Shhhh, he's sleeping.

Posing Pretty For The Camera

Nemo has trained Brian and I to get down on our stomachs on the floor to take his picture. I think he's thinking "good human" whenever we do that. He certainly isn't camera shy. Looks like a dog show pose. Head up and arched pretty for the camera. Look how innocent he looks in this!

Nemo has occasionally been seen meandering a certain path from the kitchen into the living room, around the chair and ottoman, and back into the kitchen. I was up about 4:30 am today. He came out of his cozy blanketed sleeping spot to look at me. He even came over to my area of the room which scared me. Thought I saw a huge spider at first. lol. I went into the living room to look at computer a few minutes before returning to bed. I happened to notice him coming around the corner from the ottoman.

He was trying to be nonchalant about actually seeing me. Of course he wouldn't be in the room just because I was there! It's fun to watch him become more comfortable in getting closer to Brian and me...but not too close. It will be on his terms. I guess we do laps around the kitchen and the living room now.

Too Tired To Climb?

I turned on Nemo's basking light a bit earlier than usual this morning--5 a.m. The next time I entered the room he was posed in this position. He was not climbing the log. He was simply in this position for about half an hour. Fell asleep climbing? Although his expression tells me to just leave him alone, thank you very much. For whatever reason, this was comfortable to him. Silly turtle.

Nemo Meets the Roomba

My Roomba stopped working around the time Nemo came into my life in June. Yesterday, a new Roomba moved in. This morning I had the energy to Roomba and Swiffer the floor which included Nemo's space. As I began to move his igloo, jungle gym, and other hides and accessories out of the room, he retreated to his summer home and watched me with disdain as I touched and actually relocated his stuff. By the time I cleared the room, Nemo was in the back of his summer home withdrawn into his shell. I put a gate around his little spot since the Roomba would simply touch the gate and move away.

The Roomba went to work with its loud whirring. Rather than stay hidden, Nemo came out to see what the commotion was. He watched the Roomba and moved quickly to whichever side of his gate the Roomba happened to move. He soon started to try to climb the gate and stick his head out of the spaces. When the Roomba moved to the other side of the room to clean, I removed the gate. Nemo was quickly on the move--not away from it--but toward it! For awhile he watched it from behind the wall as a cat would watch its prey. When the Roomba started to come toward him, he quickly turned around and scampered but the Roomba caught up and bumped his shell before moving in another direction. I wish I had a photo of the expression on his face. "What the heck was THAT?!" He looked so confused. lol.

This picture shows Nemo and the Roomba only about three feet apart.

It is just before the Roomba went toward him and he made a run for it. He was so brave until that point. Then he wandered into the living room to escape the round intruder. The kiddie gate kept him out until the floor dried. He watched as I set up his summer home and immediately came back into the kitchen into his hide and watched carefully as I returned all his belongings. When I was done, he explored all of his areas as if to make sure everything was where it should be. Quite an exciting turtle morning I would say.

Talk to the Shell

Brian is so funny. Last night when he saw Nemo's photo stomping back into the house from the terrace, he proclaimed Nemo was thinking "Talk to the shell." As you may recall, Brian is also the source of "Does this shell make my butt look big?" I think he likes "our" pet turtle.

By the way, Nemo's "tough love" diet has been harder on me than him. I seem to have great difficulty not feeding him for three days. Am trying to get better. Today is just fruit. Now if I could just not feel guilty about 2 pm when he still hasn't eaten anything and offer him a shrimp... "The Dog Whisperer" says there are no bad dogs, only bad owners--or something to that effect. I'm not being a very good turtle mom. And he looks so cute when eats a bite of bagel. He LOVES his bagels. What's a mother to do?