4.7 Billion Years Ago….

As the Earth formed out of rocky snowballs it grew hot and probably melted. One theory is that early in its history a large object hit the Earth, which threw out a shower of rocks. These collected together to form the Moon. If it is true this would certainly have made the Earth melt.
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October is a crucial time for the California Desert Tortoise. They are eating in preparation to sustain themselves while hibernating during winter. Traditionally we will box ours up and store them as close to Thanksgiving as possible so they still have about a month to build the reserves needed for a successful hibernation. Some time in late March or early April we will ceremonially reintroduce them to our back yard. We’ve found that our tortoises grow during hibernation so we make sure the boxes we use have plenty of room for growth. If you draw around the tortoises on a large piece of paper or cardboard before hibernating them and then trace their outline again upon wakening you will have a fun visual record of their growth over the years. Be sure to feed yours a variety of both green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit for optimal health before hibernating. Make sure they are clean and dry and never, never hibernate a sick tortoise. Call a vet for instructions.