Tortoise pictures (big and small!)

The largest is Herbie, an African spurred/sulcata tortoise. He weighs approximately 170-200 pounds. The other two large tortoises, next to Herbie, are also African spurred tortoises. They're females and are much younger and smaller, but I'm not sure how much they weigh.

The little tortoise in the background is one of two. They were rescued after they'd been in a house fire, hence the blackened shells.


Herbie is also a sex pest. He actively chases down the females in order to mount them, making loud old man noises all through.

Those are huge!

They're quite impressive animals!

Naughty Herbie! lol. They are lovely   
We had a wee tortoise when I was about 7. He was tiny compared to those ones lol.

I love them to bits, even though they are evil and dangerous!

Herbie broke (we think) Eleanor's finger!

Fingers and yes, he did - the monster!

How does a tortoise, even one as big as Herbie, break fingers? Did he bite or sit on them?

I remember seeing a wild tortoise on a Greek island umpteen years ago, it was very exciting!

LyndaW wrote:How does a tortoise, even one as big as Herbie, break fingers?  Did he bite or sit on them?

I remember seeing a wild tortoise on a Greek island umpteen years ago, it was very exciting!

OK, I've seen another post where you explain all! Eee-ouch.

For those who haven't seen the other post:

I was lifting Herbie's rear end to perform a health check on an injury near a back leg. My hands were on his shell, in front of his back legs, well away from the legs. The other person was sitting to the side of Herbie and was supposed to make sure he didn't move forwards. However, when the person leaned down to take a look, Herbie started forwards suddenly and my fingers slipped in between his leg and his shell. When his leg moved forwards, my fingers were crushed against the inside of the shell.

I heard a noise from my fingers as it happened, but I assumed it was just my latex glove tearing. It hurt a bit, but it was more of a short, sharp pain that faded quickly. It wasn't until I took the glove off at the end of the session that it really started to hurt. And I, being daft, refused to get it x-rayed, as this would have meant taking recovery time away from the animals. Stopped by the nurse (who also said I should get it seen to by a doctor) and got my fingers taped up, then was on my merry way!

Kuchar broke my finger last year when the thin extendable lead got wrapped round my finger just as he pulled maniacally. Oh MY GOODNESS it hurt! But I didn't go to the hospital or anything either and just did what I knew they'd do anyway and buddy-taped it to the next finger for about a week or so. It took a while to stop hurting and it still has a wonky bend, but is otherwise OK now and I saved the NHS a squillion £s. I hope you're OK now as well Eleanor.

Unless the break needs setting, I'd probably do the same each time! Ice it, then buddy tape it. Glad your finger's better!

Everything's fine with my fingers. Took a while, but completely normal after they'd healed! A little more cautious with Herbie afterwards though!

I'm glad to hear that your fingers have recovered, Eleanor.

Wouldn't it have been a laugh though to see the doctors'/nurses' faces when you explained how it happened.

It was enough to see the look on my parents' faces when I told them!

LyndaW wrote:Kuchar broke my finger last year when the thin extendable lead got wrapped round my finger just as he pulled maniacally.  Oh MY GOODNESS it hurt!  But I didn't go to the hospital or anything either and just did what I knew they'd do anyway and buddy-taped it to the next finger for about a week or so.  It took a while to stop hurting and it still has a wonky bend, but is otherwise OK now and I saved the NHS a squillion £s.  I hope you're OK now as well Eleanor.  

You're like me Lynda, I tend to treat myself too because getting an appointment at the Dr's can be a pain.

Eleanor wrote:

I was lifting Herbie's rear end to perform a health check on an injury near a back leg. My hands were on his shell, in front of his back legs, well away from the legs. The other person was sitting to the side of Herbie and was supposed to make sure he didn't move forwards. However, when the person leaned down to take a look, Herbie started forwards suddenly and my fingers slipped in between his leg and his shell. When his leg moved forwards, my fingers were crushed against the inside of the shell

that has to be the strangest way to be injured I've heard and that's from someone who is accident prone  

Caroline wrote:

Eleanor wrote:

I was lifting Herbie's rear end to perform a health check on an injury near a back leg. My hands were on his shell, in front of his back legs, well away from the legs. The other person was sitting to the side of Herbie and was supposed to make sure he didn't move forwards. However, when the person leaned down to take a look, Herbie started forwards suddenly and my fingers slipped in between his leg and his shell. When his leg moved forwards, my fingers were crushed against the inside of the shell

that has to be the strangest way to be injured I've heard and that's from someone who is accident prone  

We don't do things the easy way in this family!  

It's probably my strangest injury, although I've also been bitten by a llama!

Male tortoises are notorious sex pests. They will even boink rocks for lack of females.
I have a wild Leopard tortoise that appears every so often to eat the Kikuyu grass on my lawn.

Caryll wrote:

Caroline wrote:

Eleanor wrote:

I was lifting Herbie's rear end to perform a health check on an injury near a back leg. My hands were on his shell, in front of his back legs, well away from the legs. The other person was sitting to the side of Herbie and was supposed to make sure he didn't move forwards. However, when the person leaned down to take a look, Herbie started forwards suddenly and my fingers slipped in between his leg and his shell. When his leg moved forwards, my fingers were crushed against the inside of the shell

that has to be the strangest way to be injured I've heard and that's from someone who is accident prone  

We don't do things the easy way in this family!  

 

Eleanor wrote: It's probably my strangest injury, although I've also been bitten by a llama!

 ouch!

Shisa wrote:Male tortoises are notorious sex pests. They will even boink rocks for lack of females.

Typical male   
(I tried really hard to not say that but I gave in, sorry)

Eleanor wrote: It's probably my strangest injury, although I've also been bitten by a llama!

Star the Llama - what a sweet natured (not!) lady!

Caroline wrote:

Shisa wrote:Male tortoises are notorious sex pests. They will even boink rocks for lack of females.

Typical male   
(I tried really hard to not say that but I gave in, sorry)

The truth is always the hardest to hear!  

Shisa wrote:Male tortoises are notorious sex pests. They will even boink rocks for lack of females.
I have a wild Leopard tortoise that appears every so often to eat the Kikuyu grass on my lawn.

They're definitely that. Doesn't matter where 'it' goes, as long as it goes. He's mated with her head on several occasions.

Caroline wrote:
 ouch!

Wasn't too bad, thankfully!

Caroline wrote:

Typical male   
(I tried really hard to not say that but I gave in, sorry)

Caryll wrote:

Star the Llama - what a sweet natured (not!) lady!

Moody mare!