“I can bring Georgie over to graze (she is also very cute).”
Sonoran Desert Tortoises: A Protected Species
“Sonoran Desert tortoises are a protected species here,” Antillon told The Dodo. “Tortoises that have lost their natural habitats due to new housing developments, or have been held illegally captive, are surrendered to the state. These tortoises can’t be re-released into the wild because they’ll spread diseases, so to protect the native population, the Arizona Game and Fish Department places captive tortoises with families that can provide a safe and healthy life for them.”
Building a Safe Habitat for Adoption
Before Antillon could adopt a tortoise, she had to build a habitat in her backyard and get it approved by the program. Once that was all set, she went to adopt a tortoise — and immediately fell in love with Georgie.
A Perfect Match: Georgie the Tortoise
“There were lots of tortoises of all ages that needed homes,” Antillon said. “I chose to adopt Georgie because she’s 30 years old, the same age as me. Sonoran Desert tortoises can live to be 100 years old, and I love the idea that we’re going to grow old together.”
Learning Together: Georgie’s Unique Preferences
Antillon did a ton of research and preparation before adopting Georgie, but her new best friend still had a lot to teach her. Georgie’s backyard habitat included native plants she needed to live a long and happy life. Instead, she chose to eat weeds.
“It’s possible that wherever she lived before she came to me, she didn’t have access to a healthy diet of native plants, which impacted her taste preferences,” Antillon said. Antillon supplements Georgie’s diet with things like kale and dandelion greens to make sure she stays healthy, and also lets her eat as many weeds as she wants.
Georgie’s New Weeding Business
Wanting Georgie to expand her diet, Antillon emailed her neighbors about Georgie’s new weeding business.
“If you’d like to get rid of any weeds in your yard, please let me know — I can bring Georgie over to graze (she is also very cute),” the email said.
A Neighborhood Celebrity
Before long, people all over the neighborhood were leaving out bundles of weeds for Georgie, and her mom started taking her on walks to collect her bundles and graze in people’s yards.
“Walking has been a fun way for us to connect with the neighborhood,” Antillon said. “Georgie loves to walk, and is actually much speedier than you’d expect!”
Georgie’s Favorite Snack: Prickly Pear Fruit
One of the neighbors even offered Georgie some of their prickly pear fruit — and that’s how Georgie discovered her other favorite snack.
“Georgie went crazy for it,” Antillon said. “It gets all over her face and looks like a bright red lip gloss.”
A Bright Future for Georgie and Antillon
Georgie has become a mini celebrity in her neighborhood through her weeding business. She went from needing a home to having the best life ever, and she and her mom can’t wait to spend the rest of their lives together.