Hot Tub

I got to see Dr. Johnson today. He was glad to see I'm recovering from the respiratory infection, but he's very concerned about my scale loss and says it's a symptom of low protein. So I had another blood test and we'll find out soon if my anemia and protein levels are improving. If not, well, it will be very bad news. Very bad. Especially at hibernation time. Dr. Johnson said if the protein level is not improving after all the tube assist feeding for extra nutrition and vitamins, it would be a sign of intestinal malabsorption, or even worse, liver dysfunction. So we're all hoping the blood tests show improvement.

In the meantime, Dr. Johnson says to keep feeding me and keeping me warm indoors for as long as possible to let my body get stronger before hibernation. Unless I'm a lot healthier, well, let's just say hibernation would be way too hard on me to survive. Gulp. We don't want that. So we're hoping for good news from the lab test results this week. (Cross your fingers and toes, please!)

I've been waking up hungry and alert and really enjoy a nice Mazuri and shredded kale breakfast in my blue pan every morning. Then I get cleaned up and munch on a romaine leaf in the bathtub until I finally get tired and tuck in my little box again. The best part about staying in the bathtub is that's so warm that it boosts my metabolism and immune system. A reptile UV light hangs at one end of the tub keeping it at about 95 degrees, and my little box is at the other end so I can cool down to about 85 degrees. I adjust my body temperature just by moving from one end of the tub to the other. This is working well for now as it keeps me alert and hungry. Poor Tortellini is slowing waaaay down as it has cooled down so much at night and the days are shorter. She comes out to bask for a few minutes almost every day, but she's not very active or hungry anymore. Her metabolism is slowing down right on schedule for hibernation.  

But I'm staying in my hot tub, at least for a few more weeks. I know I'm lucky to get such good care, and get the guest bathroom all to myself (no magazine reading, ahem, with a tortoise for company!).

I'm glad I finally finished all the antibiotic injections - 7 of them over 14 days and hope I don't get another respiratory infection as this was my first in my whole life, and it was really hard to breathe plus I was so sick. I just want to feel better so I can go outside and live the tortoise lifestyle again. I'm sure grateful to Dr. Johnson and all my friends at Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital for not only helping me, but being genuinely kind and affectionate to me too. Thanks too to my Tortoise Mom and Dad and all my friends who are pulling for me. I hope to give you good news about the lab tests. Meanwhile, I'll just keep enjoying my hot tub.

No more winter soaking!!!

Great News!! Dr. Johnson said I don't have to soak every two weeks while I'm hibernating. Yippee, Skippy!! I'm so happy I could just, uh, well, you know I'm hibernating, so I guess snoring is the appropriate happy response.

Now I get to stay cozy and dry in my burrow until I decide to come out to look around and get a drink myself, maybe next month. The days are already getting longer and my body will start adjusting accordingly due to the amazing, complicated internal regulatory systems of tortoises that bromate (similar to hibernation but for tortoises). We know exactly how long each day is and our bodies change hormones, calcium levels, and other blood chemicals to accommodate each season.



Right now I'm blogging via Cacti WiFi so I didn't come out for a new photo. But here's a reminder of my winter digs, so you'll know just how comfortable I am right now. I am so grateful to not be disturbed until I'm ready to start waking up in another month or three. I am pretty lazy in the Spring, but I will come out and bask on warm, sunny days to rev up my nervous system for more activity later on.

Thanks for letting me sleep, Dr. Johnson. My dreams will be all sweet now... Zzzz....

Winter Solstice Blues

It's that time of year and we're having trouble fooling my internal clock. I stopped eating my leafy greens three days ago and I've been agitated and looking for a place to burrow. So my tortoise mom called Dr. Johnson this morning to discuss what's going on with me since I don't seem to be in physical distress otherwise. That's a polite way of saying that the hay and water from my feeding tube are coming through just fine. Plus I'm alert and breathing fine. But I am showing an exaggerated startle response which is a clue that my body is slowing down.

Dr. Johnson said to block all outdoor light near me as it could be triggering my brain to brumate (the reptile version of hibernation). So maybe all those recent romps around the Christmas tree and peeking through the patio door weren't such a good idea after all? Maybe they gave me exercise but also reminded my body that it's really not summer.

So they've blocked out the window in the bathroom and added more bright artificial light to my UV light during the day in hopes my body will reset to its summer metabolism instead of responding to this big winter solstice signal. Did you know that while mammals hibernate through a complicated process of regulating body temperature, reptiles simply slow down all metabolic activity? That's why we don't need much oxygen in the burrow all winter.

Ooooh, I'm having a tough day. It's like tortoise detox as I shred newspaper while trying to get out of my tub, because I really just want to snuggle in my backyard burrow. I haven't figured out that it's not going to happen, and I'm pretty determined, so I guess we just have to wait until this extra artificial light and heat go to work on my nervous system. I do calm down when my tortoise mom or dad pat me and talk to me. So I'm sure they'll help me through this metabolism revving up process. But no peeking out windows for me anymore until it really is June!