A tortoise has appeared in my garden!

[Buda]

Our cleaner saw it yesterday but then it disappeared before I came home. Couldn't see it last night but I have just spotted it again.

I don't DO animals!

And I am in Budapest so it's not exactly easy to go an knock on neighbours doors as I don't speak Hungarian. And we are about to get a puppy.

Thing is some workmen were here late last summer and they saw one outside our garden so it could have been here for months I suppose. Would it have survived the winter outside? It was cold and we had lots of snow.

[cornsilk]

Aw - give it some food.

[Buda]

What though?

[southeastastra]

maybe it's ours who went missing in 1971. does it come if you call out 'timmy' .

(well it could have swam)

[Buda]

LOL!

[numptysmummy]

Post it to me - i'd love a tortoise! Not sure waht you do with them mind

[YanknCock]

Mine went missing in 1981! I left him on the grass to go get my wagon to take him for his 'walk', and he was gone when I came back.

They had to get me a puppy.

Am very amused by the mental image of Buda knocking on someone's door, holding a tortoise, speaking in a foreign language to some confused Hungarian person.

[Buda]

Glad you think it's funny Yankn!

I have just tried that! Nobody home though.

They move a lot quicker than I thought! It was behind the gate when I went across to the neighbours and when I came back it was nowhere to be seen!

Babysitter coming tonight so I might ask her to knock on a few doors and ask if they know whose it is.

Only me. These things only happen to me!

[cornsilk]

Thinking back to the 1980's when people had them as pets I think that folk used to feed them salady type stuff.
Why don't you keep it as a MN mascot?

[Buda]

No thank you cornsilk. I am getting shivers just looking at it! There are lots of dandelions in the garden so I am sure it will survive on them.

[Buda]

He now has a name. Speedy. He can sure move!

[bramblebooks]

I'm babysitting my friends tortoises. Give him salad stuff, dandelion leaves and grass. Hold him with his bum facing away from you. Once pooed on, never forgotten.

He will enjoy a planter saucer of water to 'bathe' in and drink too.

[RustyBear]

Our tortoises loved buttercups (do you have buttercups in Budapest? Nearest I've ever been to it was Transylvania)
And cucumber - they would really move to get to a slice of cucumber.

Your tortoise probably dug himself a burrow for the winter - they hibernate.

[Buda]

I am NOT trying to encourage it to stay ladies! It is an UNINVITED guest!

Cucumber and buttercups and water indeed.

Actually I will give it water as it is 30 degrees here today. I have been out since this morning and have had a quick look around for it but can't see it. We have a huge garden so it could be anywhere.

[Buda]

Well Speedy is still in residence chez Buda. Cleaner saw him when she arrived although I haven't seen him today.

Am about to draft a note for DH's secretary to translate in Hungarian for me and I will drop it into letter boxes. I'm sure that will brighten up her day. The things she ends up doing for me!

[chickchickchickee]

What was the outcome?