Live from the Katnip Lounge, The Kat Pack!

Starring: The Baby *Tiny Johnson * Felix * Rupert * Scouty * CC * Sweet Pea * Maui * May Ling * Salem

and...*Angels Grayce, KonaKitty, and Sylvester* always loved, never forgotten




Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tortoise Tuesday

Kitties!

Salem here.
Do you see what I see?

Daddy was taking the trash out on Sunday and saw what he thought was a pine cone--the fir tree next door makes big honkin' pine cones--but this "pine cone" was moving
 Slowly.  
Well, Daddy ran for the camera and the phone, and he called Mommy right away.  Desert tortoises are an endangered species here in the Mojave Desert, and believe it or not Mommy has had a Tortoise Training class sponsored by her employer!  So she knew a couple of phone numbers to call, as well as a pamphlet on what to do.

Daddy put the Tortoise in a tub, and offered him some cabbage, basil and parsley to eat.  He loved the cabbage, he ate two entire leaves, plus some basil.

Daddy decided to call him Ted the Tortoise.  It was OK to name him because he knew that Ted couldn't stay.   
Ted HISSED when Daddy picked him up!  He was pretty loud, and he did some weird grunting, too.

Ted also peed when Daddy moved him, but he was expecting that; tortoises pee when they are frightened and the subsequent dehydration can kill them.* 

So Ted had a tub of water waiting for him.

He had a nice drink and a soak.

And he pooped!
Then he ambled into his little hut for a rest.

Ted stayed in his deluxe accommodations overnight, until the Tortoise Rescue arrived.

We figure Ted must have washed out of the desert last week when we had such heavy rain.  When Mommy talked to the tortoise dude (official title) he said they usually get quite a few calls during the monsoon season.

hee hee...he's wearing gloves!

He estimated that Ted was probably 3 or four years old, and was too young to determine if he was a "Ted" or "Teddette".

Bye Ted...

It was fun to meet you!


Happy Trails, and Happy Tortoise Tuesday!

XX  Salem  XX

*Mommy made rude remarks about "hissin' and pissin'".  Her sense of humor is Neanderthalic.

65 comments:

  1. Wow, this was really a great story. I didn't think I would like a story about sumfing that dint have no furz at all, but I did. Ted is very cool! And look at that big ole poopie! Too bad he couldn't have shared your giant box. I didn't even mind that Salem kinda got short shrift today because that tortoise made me think about all the animals that are out there living their lives someplace without the stoopy humans around them at all. Course, it was good the stoopy humans weren't so stoopy and Ted gotted rescued and all. Good job, Lounge Humans!!!

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  2. How interesting! Do they release they into the desert? Or keep them as part of a breeding program?

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  3. We are impressed!!! Your Mommy is now forgiven for her comment on our blog - Tuomo was quite offended as he had no such intentions on Jura, and it was pure play! But all is forgiven because of your reptile post. And as you know we can quite rightly claim to be experts. Ted must be a youngster as his poo is about a third of the size of Tessie's and her pissing and hissing is on a much grander scale. We are so glad there's a tortoise rescue/relocation/pick up, and are very impressed your Mommy has had training from work.
    Mirsku would like to know if any of you were a little scared of Ted, him being a moving rock and all.

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  4. Wow! I am glad that there are people to rescue Ted when he gets lost. Good for you folks for helping out.

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  5. Oh wow, Ted is really cool. We are glad you Dad spotted him and made him comfortable until the tortoise dude arrived. All that hissin' would have been scary to us.

    Purrs,
    Cindi Lou & The Kitty Krew

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  6. Ok, that is a very cool story - talk about paying it forward! T.

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  7. Well that is just too cool for words. How exciting that they will come and rescue Teds and Tedettes

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  8. That tortoise wasn't even housetrained! Bleagh.

    I kinda liked that it pissed on the human. And hissed. The hissing was quite feline of it!

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  9. That is wonderful of your beans to rescue that Desert Tortoise! It looks so much like Gus, the Gopher Tortoise in our city museum. Gus just turned 90 years old and the museum staff held a birthday party for him and lots of people attended.

    http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnhnew/en/home/whattoseedo/gus/default.aspx

    We think it's awesome that there is a tortoise rescue that will help out.


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  10. The human was impressed Ted could hiss! She nefer heard of that. We are glad Ted got foodz and water. Yer were real kind to him. Haf a happy life, Ted!

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  11. Wow, a tortoise guy! What a job! MOL What a shame you kitties were denied tortoise soup... I'm glad the little guy gets to go back to his home. I assume that's where they'll take him?
    hissin' and pissin' made me laugh, I wonder what that says about my sense of humor.. MOL

    Thank you for coming to Leo's party!! Hope you had as much fun as we did!

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  12. Great story! We didn't even know the desert had tortoises! Thanks fur helpin Ted/Tedette get back home. XOXO

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  13. Wow, you Lounge Kats have some cool visitors. Glad your hoomins knew what to do to make Ted comfy until he could go back home.

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  14. There's a person near where I work that I see walking his tortoise. His is about a yard or so across.

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  15. Wow, how exciting that you got a visit from Ted the Tortoise. We hope he/she goes on to live a long and happy life :)xx

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  16. MOL! That's just like our friend Soup The Turtle's story! Ted must have been relieved to have been picked up by you. Now let's hope those rescue folks know where the pretty lady turtles hang out.

    PS Target still looks twice before going into the indoor garden, just in case Soup is lurking there.

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  17. Hiya Ted. Or Tedette! Nice to meet you! Hope you have a less hissypissy day today, wherever the rescue places you.

    We have red eared sliders here at the Swamp. They are kinda big.

    Have a YAYful day, kitties!

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  18. Well done to your humans for rescuing Ted/Tedette and giving him/her a second chance - good to see you Salem - hope to hear more from you another day!
    Purrs ... Rainbow

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  19. That's a great rescue story! How cool that there's a desert tortoise pickup service. :)
    Have a great life, Ted(dette)!

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  20. Wow, what an awesome rescue! Ted or Tedette was lucky s/he wandered into your yard.

    Tortoise training? Really? That sounds so odd, but certainly understandable with respect to an endangered species!

    We hope Ted/ette has a long and happy tortoise life, wherever s/he was released!

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  21. Ted(ette) was quite a cutie! Good thing he washed up at your house.

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  22. Wow ~ how exciting! i'm so glad Ted was rescued. Looks like he had a nice little vacation at a 4 star hotel before being taken back home. :)
    xo C

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  23. You and our Mummy would get along great...she sometimes used to call our big sister cats (in heaven now)Shit and Shat the Pussy Cats.
    Rehabbing tortoises is the way to go...you can ALWAYS catch them!
    The Maple Syrup Mob
    xxxxxx

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  24. we never knew that tortoises hissed - it never occurred to us that they would! Are they kept in a safe place or are the released in a less hostile
    climate?
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

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  25. ted and i have a lot in common- slow movers and peeing when frightened to name two things.

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  26. Wow, we are glad your mom and dad knew what to do! He is a lucky tortoise.

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  27. Your mom and dad are good, good people. This is just another example!

    Patti in KY

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  28. Ted is so cool, he's not very big is he? We use to have a lot of tortoise in the UK, every kid had one..Now you hardly ever see them..
    Thanks for sharing Ted..We enjoyed that :) xx00xx

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  29. That is so freaking cool! The hissin' and pissin' reminds us a bit of a little white fluffy kitten...

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  30. Good job. Mom laughed at the sign on the turtle dude's truck. :) So glad there is someone out there looking out for these guys....

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  31. BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO TO YOUR DAD AND MOM FOR RESCUING TED/TEDETTE. OH MY GOSH WHAT A GREAT ANIMAL STORY. WE HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE ENDANGERED.
    Mom LOL'd at the cabbage eating followed by the poop...cabbage seems to do that to all species.
    hugs and well done
    madi and mom

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  32. Ted came to the right place!! He must have known there was 5* overnight accommodation!!

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  33. Oh goodness! How exciting! Look at his big claws of doom on his back feet! We are so glad you took such good care of him. And it is very cool that your Mom knew who to call and how to take care of him for the short term.

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  34. Aww!! we love love love Ted, and we're glad your Daddy was there just on time to find and rescue him/her!

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  35. Well, if Mommy's humour is rude (which I applaud, by the way), what is Ted? He's the one who actually did the hissin' and pissin'!

    Once again, we are amazed at your kindness towards all creatures. You constructed Ted his very own turtle lounge even though he was just a guest. I hope he or she can return to the wild where he or she will be happiest.

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  36. Salem, your mom and dad are truly amazing. Ted is so very lucky!
    From all us animal loving humans, thanks for tsking such good care of him.

    Live long and prosper, Ted!

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  37. Ted is REALLY cool.. (I have a thing for turtles) and Thank you for rescuing him.

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  38. How cool, you kitties got to meet Ted!

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  39. What a distinguished visitor! And you provided all the hospitality Ted could have ever needed. He must have been pretty hungry and disoriented getting washed out of his habitat.
    Mom rescues turtles off the road near our house too. They're regular pond turtles but sometimes they decide they want to cross the road. Mom learned the hard way to pick them up with the back end pointing away from her!

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  40. OH.WOW! Oh you are all super duper wonderful sparkly stars for saving this sweet little endangered ravishing reptile!! Awwww Ted, lucky lucky Ted!! Yay for pooping and peeing! LOL!! Brilliant! Take care
    x

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  41. Well, that was a fantastic story and we are so glad you shared it. Ted could not have appeared at a better place. You all knew just what to do to take care of him until he was picked up. That was meant to be if you ask us. Good job!! The world is very blessed to have people like you. Hugs and nose kisses

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  42. OMC this was BEYOND COOL!!

    I had to chuckle at the tortoise shuttle service MOL!

    That was one lucky tortoise that he ambled into your yard. Now, not only are you adept at rescuing kitties but you have expanded into TORTOISES!!

    Great job!
    xoxoxo

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  43. Aw and aw. I love turtles and tortoises and happy endings.

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  44. I am truly grateful and proud that you had the tortoise training, that Scott found him and that he was rescued. I stop and help turtles across the road but that is as far as I have been able to help. This was just the best reading ever.

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  45. LP's sister has a desert tortoise named Cedric. He was once someone's pet and wandered into their yard.Since he was once a pet he can't go back to the desert as he could make his desert cousins ill.Cedric is now twenty-five years old and has been with LP's sister for ten years... or more.The live in San Diego.Ted is very tiny compared to Cedric!!

    the critters in the cottage xo

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  46. wow what a cool experience that is for you kitties and for hte humans as well. didn't know 1)they are endangered and 2)that there is monsoon season in the desert.

    we missed you all.

    pawhugs and licks,
    emma and buster

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  47. squeeeee!!! we love tortoise!!! and how cool you got to help save a desert one Salem!! Way cool...high paw pats for the whole Katnip Lounge cloud!!! You guys totally ROCK!!! Savannah

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  48. Hey, Ted is pretty cool! And it was great that your humans knew what to do to make him more comfortable until the rescue arrived!

    (Um, I pee when I get frightened too. - Zoey)

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  49. That is cool!!! Me would much rather has Tortoises than bears. They is way more interesting! Me never knew they hissed!
    Kisses
    Nellie

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  50. This is SO COOL!!!
    We've never heard of desert tortoises! Especially ones named Ted. And who know there would actually be tortoise dudes driving Desert Tortoise Pickup Trucks!

    But the thing that is most surprising...and endearing to a (often unfriendly to strangers) kitty like me is the HISSING!!! Go Ted!!!

    So glad the mom knew what to do.
    Hopefully this means that Ted is now running (albeit slow as a turtle) free.

    xo,
    Katie & Glogirly

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  51. What a good deed you all did by keeping turtle safe until the turtle dude came to pick him up.

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  52. That tortoise was very lucky to have been found by you. It's nice that he was taken such good care of till the tortoise rescue came.

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  53. I had no idea there would be tortoises in the desert - I guess I always assumed they needed more water.

    Congrats on the rescue!

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  54. Your humans are so wonderful. I know that every time I look at your blog header. But this is great - I think Ted found your home due to some kind of divine guidance.

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  55. That is such a way cool rescue story! Ted is lucky he wandered into your yard...but then again, who wouldn't since I'm guessing your house is marked like our house is marked with the great big heart invisible to humans but in plain site for animals in need.

    Good luck Ted! Hope you are off to bigger and better things!

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  56. Okay I LOVE THESE GUYS! Saw several on my trip to Arizona. AND I illustrated one for that kids' book my friend wrote. If you wanna see my drawing, go to:

    http://www.scbwicanada.org/east/newLeavesAuthors/natalieRowe.htm

    and it's the drawing at the bottom of the page.

    They are such amazing creatures, and I am so happy there is a Desert Tortoise rescue service. Who knew?!

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  57. Too bad that Ted couldn't stay with you, he would have made a cool friend!
    Purrs

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  58. We are very impressed that your Mommy knew exactly what to do for Ted!!
    We wish more people were aware of the wildlife all around us.

    Very cool that there is a rescue just for the Desert Tortoise.

    Our Mom helps out at a wildlife rescue and they are trying to capture a goose with an arrow through it's neck. He flies away when the rescuer gets too close. We sure do hope they can get him soon.

    We enjoyed Ted's story!!
    ~ The Bunch

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  59. Holy cow, that's a big poop for a little tortoise!! He had a nerve hissin' and pissin' at your dad when he was trying to help him, but we are glad your mum knew what to do and the rescue took him back where he belonged.

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  60. He/she is gorgeous! Fancy digs you fixed up for his overnight stay! Thank you for saving him!

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  61. Wow, that is amazing!!!! We think the turtle condo you made for him was very cool :-)

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  62. We've been catching up with your adventures and especially liked this episode. Wow cool to meet such a special wild animal!

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Oh Boy...this is gonna be GREAT!