The difference a year makes.
 

We've now had Jerry for a year...

https://s33.postimg.cc/3jwe5wdrz/Jerry_Maffz.jpg

It is amazing how the colour changes so much in a year. I really like the second photograph.

Lovely photos Keith.

One day you're going to need a bigger bath!

He's spent all of the spring and summer outside. I'm sure it's done him the world of good and helped make his carapace so vibrant.

He decided he didn't like this one after just a few weeks, Jonathan. I think he was getting freaked out by his reflection and the fact that it was a bit too shallow. I've just re-used it here for comparison.

Have been really pleased with his progress and am glad I have left him out to the elements through the warmer months without additional heating/lighting except coldframe, despite 'advice' to the contrary from elsewhere. Looking forward to his first hibernation now (yes, I am going for it).

Wow - he's looking great! :-)

Jerry looks great Keith, and I am sure you are right about the benefits of outdoor life. He really took to being outside didn't he. X x x hugs x x x

He really did, Stella..Unfortunately, we have just moved house so I have had to uproot all of his enclosure, including all the soil, plants and rocks, to be re-placed in the new garden.

It will be lovely for him next spring though x x x. Hugs x x

jerry is very sweet, lovely colourings too , CB

Awww what a little cutie x

With the return of the nice(ish) weather I got busy at the weekend so he was able to spend the day outside yesterday. The new garden doesn't get as much sun as the old one but still better than being inside.

Hi Keith will you be letting Jerry slow down outside or are you bringing him indoors for a man-made wind-down?

Hi Jonathan..I will be bringing him inside. I will be aiming for hibernation in January and February (so wind down will begin in December) as these are perhaps the coldest months here. I can control the wind down for this timeframe if he's indoors. I'm sure he would go down much earlier if left outside.
I would hope that in the future he will hibernate in a more natural way like Stella and Sandy's torts, but I'm nowhere near as experienced or confident enough for that yet.
I would be happy to hear member's views on my plans.

yes all makes sense ! conversely I've had one or two wake up on Christmas day! it was sort of weird, but nice in a way. CB

Keith I'm not very confident myself when it comes to the big sleep. But I agree with you that with the tortoise indoors we can control everything more accurately than we can with him or her outside. It's also easier to be certain if the tortoise has been eating anything during wind-down.

They were probably waiting for presents..:D

If it is any consolation Keith, I am not really very confident with the hibernation process, which is probably why I do it the way I do. I just have to monitor and the torts do the rest. A couple of weeks ago I was moving the large torts to the greenhouse and the smaller ones into tort lodge. All was ok until today when they have shuffled about and now the big torts are in Tort lodge, and the small ones in the greenhouse. I have hunted for ages for 'lived in a viv' Georgia only to find she is two inches down in Tort Lodge. X x x x hugs x x

Ha ! I have written a book actually ! About a Tortoise who saw Christmas. :lol: They did sit in the lounge in front of the wood burner and seemed to like it. didn't actually go anywhere the whole Christmas!

do you know Stellanne, I reckon you are right. I find it much easier when they hibernate naturally because they do all the planning and work:). I've had to dig a couple of mine up and put them somewhere drier that's the only thing. They didn't seem to mind too much. this time of year all I hear is scraping and bums in air ! Not many people except TK's can say that surely !! CB

Hi Stella..will the little ones be hibernated the same way as your adults? If so, would the length of their hibernation be shortened artificially by temperature management? Is this why you are segregating them, or trying to.:grin:

Keith, I segregate them because the oldies are very heavy and I don't really want them on the smaller torts. Also there is much more room for them in the greenhouse. When I say 'small ones' they are the five to fifteen year olds.....
I am not sure about the babes, I was hoping to have another outside run ready for their hibernation but didn't manage it. I have thought about in a box in tort lodge but not decided exactly what to do x x x. Hugs x x

Aah I see, I bet your wonderful oldies rule the roost. I'm sure you'll get it all worked out with the babes, please let me know what you decide. The size of your 'creep' puts my hibernation concerns into perspective really.

Ha ha ha, it is just as traumatic when spring comes around, or when one decides to wake in February..... X x x. Hugs x x x

So, another year has rolled around and we have had Jerry 2 years this week. As you know, he's been pretty much fending for himself in his outdoor enclosure since the start of June, grazing naturally on the weeds growing there.
It has to be said that he's perhaps 'thrived' a bit too much. I noticed some slight signs of faster growth on his marginals this week. Though, I'm not overly concerned by this, I may make some tweaks to the amount of food he has access to next summer.
That said, I don't think he's looking too bad in his birthday pic.:D

https://s33.postimg.cc/uuhpe3r27/Jerry_2016.jpg

He's looking great! :-)

Jerry is a very lovely little tortoise. I love reading about him. I bet you are so proud Keith. You have such a lovely environment have you thought about adopting some more? CB

Looking good to me Keith. One day you might need a larger bowl!

Thanks, yep, he's part of our family now. I always wanted to raise a hatchling and he came from some local breeders who keep their tortoises as naturally as possible, they have a quite amazing set-up. We would like to adopt/rehome more in the future, but we are waiting to see which sex Jerry is first...he might end up as Geri.:D

How lovely to Jerry growing year by year. What were the 3 weights? Just out of interest.

17g, 42g, 79g :p

that's a brilliant slow growth span. I am sure I feed mine way too much as they become far heavier quicker (appreciate unwell ones do because they make up for lost time often), but the growth lines on mine don't indicate rapid gain so it goes to show environment, 'genes' , nutrition etc all have a major part to play, CB

Well, the time flies by and we have had Jerry for 3 years,this week.
He has been outside since late May and is doing really well.
So far, we have had no health issues with him at all and I suppose he'll soon be getting ready for his third hibernation, I plan to wind down a bit longer this year.
I keep referring to Jerry as a male, though it is looking more and more likely that 'he' is indeed a 'she'.
Anyway, here's his 'Birthday' picture, still using his old bath for scale.

https://s33.postimg.cc/qzebb657z/hom...hixr_phixr.jpg

Keith that's a fantastic photo set you have there. Jerry looks in great shape from this angle!

Was he in the middle of his dinner when you took this year's pic?

Yeah, he's doing fine, Jonathan. I should really take some front on shots. He is forming a nicely domed shell.
I'd just retrieved him from being partially buried beneath a flowerpot so he was a bit dusty and grumpy. I placed a leaf in front of him to tempt his head out.

Jerry looks great, Keith. I love the annual comparison photos.

adorable ! good photo graphic record and idea. I like catching up on how he is doing, and his enclosure ! CB

He looks really good and the photographs are a great record.

How lovely to update us. Really enjoyed your post.

Happy Birthday to Jerry.
It's not actually his birthday, but it is 4 years since we brought him home to live with us.
He's had another fine year, including a ten week fridge hibernation which included power cuts due to replacing a boiler and an entire kitchen being built around his fridge! Not ideal, but he came through it all just fine.
He has been in his outdoor enclosure since mid May, without any additional heat, except his two coldframes, though he is starting to slow down a bit as the temps drop.
I'm quite amazed at how much weight he seems to have put on this year considering that I didn't water his enclosure at all (to mimic wild conditions),resulting in much of the lush green weeds dying back.
He has still not required a visit to the vet and remains a happy, healthy little fellow.

https://s33.postimg.cc/xdtesnybz/jerry_M_Small.jpg

Nice one Keith can we see the tail end from underneath and see if he needs a new name yet.:)