Arizona "yard pets"

[EdinAZ]

With the monsoon (rainy) season here, our two tortoises are out and looking food food. During much of the year, winter and very dry times, they hibernate in thier burrows, but rain brings them out instantly.

During this time of year they eat like little pigs. We have lots of the native plants that they like, and a small patch of grass strictly for tortoise food. In about a month, the prickly pear cactus fruits will be ripe, and they REALLY love those. Most be tortoise candy the way they attack them.

They get water from the plants they eat (strictly vegetarian), but whenever there is an opportunity for a "real" drink, they take it, so we leave a saucer of water in the yard for them (birds enjoy it too).

They are VERY tame, and will take food from our hands (or anyone's hands, if they have food) and come to my wife when she calls them, or follow us around the yard "begging" (in thier own quiet way).

By the way, they ARE a protected species, but ours are from a state-sponsored "adoption" program, so ours are "legal". Legal or not, many people around here have tortoises as yard pets.

Ed