It is not often that our new arrivals at Old Macdonald’s Farm here in Brentwood arrive with an autobiography, but Bob, a 2 year old African Spur Thigh Tortoise, is an exception to the rule. Read on to learn his story, and above you see on the left a photo of Bob at birth and then on the right Bob on his first day here at the farm aged nearly two.

Hello, my name is “Bob” and I was born in May 2006. I was brought to Old Macdonald’s Farm by Damian & Claire Walters and their children Harvey & Alfie in March 2008, because I needed a BIG enclosure and some new friends! 

I am an African Spur Thigh Tortoise, and when I grow up, I’ll weigh around eight stone! I’m one of the largest tortoises in the world, and will live to a grand old age of over 100 years – I will be one of the few living creatures around today (including you humans) that will be around to see the next Century and the year 2100!

I come from a part of Africa called The Sahara Desert, where the temperature often reaches over 140 degrees! In the wild, I would eat grasses and weeds, but here at the farm I each veggies and greens – Mmmmm! I can’t live outside here in England because the weather is too cold, although I can go outside when it’s nice and warm! I need a special ultra violet light to make sure I get all the vitamins my shell needs, and special heat lamps so I don’t get cold.

You can find me with my new playmates in the Rabbitry and I am now waiting for one of the Hares to agree to race me round the farm to test out Aesop’s Fable once and for all!  Bob wishes us to pass on his thanks to Damian who helped with the typing of this story!

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