PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Tutti, an eight-year-old African Sulcata tortoise living in Broward County, is 57 pounds and can go on to live for 165 more years.
Local 10 News Anchor Eric Yutzy and his family have watched Tutti, also known as Tutti Frutti, grow for about a year in their backyard in Pembroke Pines.
“This tortoise walked down the double yellow lines of the street in front of us, beeline straight to our house, around the side, and into the backyard,” Yutzy said later adding, “It’s like having a dinosaur that lives in the backyard.”
The Yutzy family is in search of someone with a bigger yard to give Tutti a new home.
“It was really exciting when we first got Tutti because you know the kids were saying, ‘Oh mommy, there’s a turtle trying to get in the backyard!’ And I thought, ‘Oh! That’s cute, a little turtle. and I went and I saw this massive tortoise,” Jen Yutzy said.
Mya Yutzy said they also call Tutti the “bulldozer.”
“He will literally bulldozer anything like we put something up and two minutes later it’s gone,” Mya said.
They have also referred to Tutti as the “master criminal.”
“He will break through and escape with like no one knowing,” Mya said.
Eric Yutzy said they serve Tutti a steady stream of shredded salads.
“Lettuce, broccoli, kale, and shredded carrots are his preference,” Eric Yutzy said. “I tried a couple of peppers; its a no-go!”
Elias Yutzy said Tutti is like a celebrity.
“When we usually walk Tutti around the street to give him exercise, every time someone would walk by, they would always stop and start taking pictures,” Elias said. “It’s like the main attraction around this whole neighborhood.”
For now, Simon Yutzy has taken over the walks. He thinks of Tutti as a turtle wagon. Jen Yutzy said Tutti needs a new home.
“We just love Tutti, we really do,” Jen Yutzy said. “We have grown quite attached to him and we love having him here, but the bottom line is he needs more space.”
If you know of anyone who has the space and is willing to adopt Tutti, contact Jacey Birch or Eric Yutzy at jbirch@wplg.com or eyutzy@wplg.com.
