Moishe the Tortoise

 

 

 

My college friend  Yael that visited us yesterday brought her tortoise. I wish I had taken a picture of her holding this magnificent creature so you could see how huge he is. Definitely looks prehistoric. I asked her this morning to text me his name as I didn’t know how to spell it. She sent me a story of how he came to belong to her. By now he is over 100 years old based on how long she and the previous owners have had him. This is what she texted me: “My tortoise’s name is Moishe. A regular Jewish name!!!!

I have had him for 36 years. He had 2 previous owners. The one who gave him to me, an old Jewish guy, had Moishe for 40 years. According to him Moishe was given to him by a guy who had Moishe for 40 years as well!

Moishe lived with his partner a slightly smaller female tortoise all these years in Fairfax. His second owner finally decided to give the tortoises up since his kids left home long ago.

Dana who was a neighbor of his took the female and I got Moishe (I named him!!). The female unfortunately ran away and was never found!

Moishe escaped 2-3 times when we lived in LA but luckily not too far from home. We fortified the gates and he never ran away again.

When in Arcata he has a large area to roam so all is good. He has an enclosed large grassy area but he still wants to get out and explore. I only let him do it when I am right behind him watching him!! Once when I got busy and failed to watch him he got into the shed where my kiln is, got under the kiln and it was quite a chore to get him out.”