Happy days with Joey the tortoise

A sequel to the tale of Joe the Tortoise!
When he comes home from the Vets refrigerated hibernation motel, usually in April, Alison (Granddaughter} would have his box set up in her kitchen complete with a small heater to help him acclimatise!
She's very compassionate about animals what with her dog, Millie, parrot Pop. and Joe; even including humans as she's a full-time hospital nurse!

Athlete Dr Roger Bannister - some may remember - broke the 4 minute mile in 1954, helped by Chris Chataway.

We had become owners of a Tortoise and named him Bannister, although he plodded only slowly around our garden. Our Aunt came to stay and my small Cousin begged for a tortoise. You could easily buy them then. ‘Chataway’ arrived and was introduced. Oh dear, Bannister was furious. We put Chataway in another part of the garden, only to see Bannister fully extend his legs, run at an amazing pace directly at Chataway, and retract his head completely prior to impact!!! We were amazed. Chataway was never invited to visit with his new family after that.

You’re neither silly or sentimental, Trisha - Joey has been a huge part of your life and, all credit to you that he’s still going strong, so well done, keep going Joey.

She's beautiful.. I love tortoises and wish I had one.

Not a pet, no, though we seem to be contributing to its food supply, but I was thrilled the evening before yesterday, when DH went out to close his workshop door and found a hedgehog happily eating the dry cat food in the outdoor bowl.

We hurried to supply water in a shallow saucer as well, as I doubted the hedgehog could reach the water in the cats' bowl,

I think tortoises are fascinating animals trisha. My neighbour had one who was also in his fifties and he could move really fast. He would also try to bite any human male that came into his garden. I used to look after him when my neighbour was on holiday. I used to sit on the grass with him and he used to let me tickle his neck for ages. He was lovely as is your Joey.

I too have a very old tortoise, about 70 we think. I inherited him when my parents died and I'm sure he will outlive me. My daughter is having him next. He also hibernates in an insulated box in the shed. He knows exactly when he's ready to go to sleep and wake up. He's a real old character and we are all very fond of him. I'm often to be seen foraging in the undergrowth for weeds for him most of the summer and I'm sure people think I'm mad.

Wow ! Not surprised you love her. Having her since you were five is amazing. Never had a tortoise but they fascinate me. She is lovely, greeting her after hibernation must be a great feeling.

It's lovely to hear about all of your pets. I would love to have a bird such as a canary or budgie Gwyneth and Julietbut my DH hates flappy things and won't even consider it. He has got a bit better after I kept chickens for 10 years but is still not keen. My Nan had a cockatiel, timetogo, and apparently his language was rather, ermmm, fruity! Rufus, that vet has obviously found a gap in the market! Wish I'd thought of that. My Joey just hibernates in her small kennel in the garage, well insulated with hay and newspaper. I've had to buy a kennel for her as none of the so-called tortoise houses are big enough for her to get through the doors! Whitewavemark, how traumatic for the poor tortoise and the indignity of a piggy bandage. Pleased to hear Sheldon recovered. Thank you all for your stories!

Thanks for sharing Trisha and I don’t think you are being sentimental. I was given a canary as a wedding present by a neighbour. I named him Tolly and was very attached to him until one day he managed to escape out of a window I’d left open. I was really upset and felt really guilty for ages.

I remember the Blue Peter tortoise being put in his box every year.

She is lovely. It brought back memories for me of my school friend having a tortoise, I forget the name now, but she was always in the back garden when I went round to play. I haven't thought about this for years, lovely memories.

rufus my sons tortoise over winters in their fridge!

My son has a tortoise named Sheldon. But he is a very young one about 8 I think. Unfortunately our terrier found him and came prancing towards us with what looked like a pork pie in his mouth. He had pierced the poor tortoises’ shell and off he was rushed to the vets. He has a bandage covered in pig faces?. He recovered beautifully.

Cost us £150?

My Granddaughter in Bideford has a tortoise named "Joe" who has recently come out of hibernation, which he spends along with 50 mates in special refrigeration units at the Vets!
Probably a lucrative side-line for 4 months.
She also has Millie, her dog and Pop her parrot, but they stay indoors during the Winter!
Otherwise she's living on her own!

I fully understand an attachment to a tortoise. I had Tilly (who turned out to be a male) when I was a child. We couldn’t find him to hibernate him in the autumn before the very hard 62/63 winter and never expected to see him again but he turned up in the spring having buried himself underground. We left him to hibernate himself each year after that but after I left home, mum and dad didn’t check him one spring and sadly he died.
We’ve recently given a home to an elderly tortoise who is blind in one eye and we hibernated him (as recommended) in a spare fridge we keep in the garage. At least we knew where to find him and he was fine come April. Not been much of a summer for him so far.
We also have a canary who landed exhausted next to my DH when he was fishing. Obviously an escapee (the canary not my DH) and as we couldn’t find the owner he’s been ours for the last 12 years. He was a wonderful singer but stopped singing a couple of years ago and now tends to attack us when we put food in his cage. Dementia maybe!! At least he still eats well and looks healthy so hopefully he’s still happy.

AHHHH bless,thanks for sharing Trisha 57 she`s a beauty for sure.
I had a cockatiel called Caypso,sadly she died.

Joey looks absolutely lovely !!
I love tortoises, we had one as children.
My aunt had a tortoise that she said was over 80 years old, she’d inherited it from her own aunt. I remember it was huge, more like something you see on a David Attenborough programme. I don’t know how long that lived, as due to a family falling out my parents stopped visiting them. They were in South Wales, a long way from us.
I hope Joey continues to thrive ! She’ll probably outlive all of us ? Our tortoise disappeared when a fence blew down one summer and we couldn’t find him.