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06/23/2006: "Sluggo Lives!"

I don't know if tortoises are like cats, but I know one that has at least 2 lives - and has used up the first.

As I said this morning, Sluggo the tortoise appeared to have met a gruesome end at the hand ... er, paws ... of a neighborhood raccoon, and I was left with the unfortunate task of explaining the law of the jungle to my 6-yr old nephew. Today after work, I once again searched the area around the tortoise pen, looking for any evidence of Sluggo's fate. Finding none, I went in the house and was working at the sink when something caught my eye outside the window. Over there, next to the bench - could it be? Yep - a tortoise shell. Fearing the worst, I headed outside. Something seemed wrong, though - it was in plain sight. There was no way that I had missed it during my search last night. As I approached, I saw a more or less intact tortoise with its head laying to the side. That can only mean one thing for a tortoise - dead or sunbathing. Fortunately, it was the latter. Somehow, Sluggo survived being plucked out of its pen and carried across the yard. I can only assume that at some point, the raccoons got frustrtated and gave up, and Sluggo went into hiding, only to come out when the sun beckoned.

Here's the little bastard looking pissed because I interrupted its post-adventure meal:



Needless to say, tonight Sluggo spends the night in the house. Tomorrow, we begin work on the Mark II Critter-Proof Tortoise Pen ...