Thanks! That link is really helpful - 90 days seems long, but I have done longer periods before introducing sick birds to my own. I guess it depends on how healthy she remains and her vet check results.

This Plexiglas partition has always been there for Mishima, as up until recently (when I completely secured Martha's pond area to prevent raccoon invasion possibilities), I put Martha in the other side every night and during the day on occasion, too. The rest of the enclosure is wood, however. Mishe has never had an interest in the Plexiglas before, not at all. I built this enclosure about 6 years ago, so it's not new to him.

We lived in a tiny garden apartment previously (I'm in San Francisco, city of) and although we stepped out to a great garden there, we weren't permitted to house any of the pets outdoors, and I had limited space inside, so I made the biggest enclosure I could possibly make in our 500 sq ft adobe. The turtles and birds went outside regularly though as I work from home, and put them out while I was home during the day. We bought a lower level flat with a 100% concrete garden space (yuck!) very end of 2004, and we're doing a lot of construction, so I still use their old enclosure in the house, but Martha has her new pond area outside (which she loves!), and Mishima has full run of the garden area regularly since there's no way to escape the way it is situated. But I put everyone in at night and when I am not home during the day - just not comfortable leaving them out there without supervision - there's no way dogs can get into the area, but raccoons can. (Though I haven't seen any yet), and well - I just get worried about things that could possibly happen to them. Once we are done with all the house construction, we'll be landscaping the garden area, taking all the concrete out and planting with 100% turtle friendly plants to create one big turtle enclosure out of the garden.

Anyway...he only started clawing at it the minute he realized there was a new box turtle on the other side - basically, when he saw her. Today, she has only gone over to the Plexiglas to look at him a few times - but she isn't clawing at it, or pacing at it like he is. Actually, today (I wrote the original post last night) he seems calmer than he did last night, and less crazed.

But I need to get some stuff at the hardware store today and get some more silkworms for them today anyway, so I will pick something up to opaque out the Plexiglas, if you feel it will help them get along better.

Both of them went to sleep in their hidey areas after "lights out" last night - so, at least he's not staying up all night trying to see her.

Maybe he's just really excited to have a girlfriend???

Kasie

[ Show Entire Thread ]