My ceramic friend Rita gave me a young red footed tortoise/turtle that my grandson named Max.  We won’t know if Max is a boy or girl until he/she is older.  For now I will assume he is a boy but Rita says that I would really want him to be a girl.

I have always had doggies, but now that I am older and really into gardening and growing a nice grassy lawn, I don’t want the headache, heartache, and constant responsibility of having a dog.  A turtle fits the bill – dry food, water, and very little doodoo to pick up.

The only problem with Max is that he hides constantly.  I ring a bell in the morning while I am putting out his food and water and sometimes I find him, sometimes I don’t.  Once, in the early stages, he was missing for a week!  Such panic, overturning pots, bushes, searching everywhere and anywhere.  Turns out he was under the house in a ABS pipe stacked on other pipes.  Phew!  It was SUCH a relief to find him!  He was very hungry and thirsty and I sealed up all spaces that he could use to go under the house.

He still stumps me from time to time – his latest hiding place is under the washing machine.  He is getting bigger so he might get stuck one day and learn that it is not a good place to be.  Somedays I can’t find him and give up.  I don’t worry as much because the food I put out for him is eaten at some time during the day – though I had to bird proof his eating spot.

Although a cold blooded creature such as a turtle does not give me the same warmth and love as a doggie, Max is a good second choice.  I think he likes me.  And I definitely like him.  That’s good enough for now.

Here’s a YouTube video of Max chewing on a cuttle bone stick.  The reason?  I had to upload a video to YouTube to keep my channel active.