Maybe it’s not all for nothing though. Some friendships aren’t made to last forever and that’s okay. They help us be present and sometimes they fade away. I hope that Tuk Tuk will always carry appreciation for dog for and snuggles with him after Everest is gone.

Everest has always been a gentle giant with newborn humans, kittens, baby rabbits, and now tortoises. Little does he know that he may live long enough to see Tuk Tuk grow the size of a watermelon.

Every time we put Tuk Tuk in his outdoor enclosure, Everest lays right next to him and Tuk Tuk crawls up to the side to greet him.

Now, even in his indoor enclosure, Tuk Tuk burrows at the edge of his enclosure and Everest lays next to him.

Although Tuk Tuk has a massive enclosure, he only has access to half of it because he’s still small. We have wood planks around his enclosure to keep the humidity in and monitor it with sensors.

Regardless, he’s a cold-blooded animal who needs sunlight/heat lamps. That’s why people find bunches of them where we live in the desert. Most of the tortoises here live outside. After a certain age, it’s encouraged for them to live outside in safe areas.

Tortoises, unlike water turtles can’t swim. We rely on short low baths and short periods of natural sunlight with the ability to find shade to keep him healthy. (As well as a large variety diet). He also has a heat lamp in his enclosure.

We know how gentle Everest is and so two months later, they now have very short supervised sessions together. Everest typically falls asleep and so does Tuk Tuk.

Animals never stop surprising me with the love they carry. Sometimes it’s a little tortoise finding a soft place to rest, and a big dog making room for him. Such a small moment, but it makes the whole world feel a little gentler. 🤍

#UnlikelyFriends #GoldenRetrieverLove #TortoiseLife #AnimalFriendship