Now that the hot season is here, my turtle herd is exceptionally hungry.

The heat has speeded up their metabolism. No longer do they peck at their food slowly.

The shrimp, worms and veggies I put in their tubs or on their plates are completely finished by the next day.

Even the baby star tortoise rescued last year is hungry, I'm happy to report. Slowly, very slowly, he's recovering from internal parasites, weakened kidneys - and the bad treatment any animal suffers when it's illegally smuggled into Thailand. His eyes have brightened, he's taking an interest in his surroundings, and he usually finishes most of the food in his dish.

Because of his growing appetite, I now have to change his water dish two or three times a day. Turtles - even those that don't live in water - drink and poo in their water sources, and now, because of his growing appetite, the baby is drinking and poo-ing much more.

In the two largest tubs on the ground floor, I've put air pumps that run in the water. The pond turtle loves playing with his pump. Since he's almost completely vegetarian, his water is constantly polluted, and I've attached a filter to the pump. He loves that filter because his food clings to it.

Since the snake-necked turtle in the other tub is entirely carnivorous and promptly eats his shrimp and red worms every morning, I use his pump to keep the water fresh. He loves playing with it, winding his long neck around the electrical wires that run the pump.

This morning, though, I make the unwelcome discovery that he's eaten the coating around the wires.

As I take the now dangerous pump out of the water, I realise that the boy is hungrier than I thought.

By Laurie Rosenthal

Daily Xpress