The Experiment
A Dream Decades in the Making,
Now Possible Through AI
For as long as I can remember, I've been captivated by the Sulcata tortoise—those gentle giants of the reptile world, with their prehistoric grace and quiet resilience. There's something profoundly humbling about an animal that can live for over a century, that carries its home on its back, that moves through life with such deliberate patience.
But life, as it does, had other plans. A full-time career, the relentless rhythm of modern work, the honest acknowledgment that wanting to care for an animal and being able to care for one properly are two very different things. The dream sat on a shelf, waiting.
Then came Claude.
Not as a replacement for human care—nothing could be—but as a partner. An ever-watchful presence that doesn't sleep, doesn't forget, doesn't get caught in traffic on the way home from work. What if artificial intelligence could bridge the gap between intention and capability? What if the dream didn't have to wait any longer?
Franklin by Claude is the answer to that question. It's an experiment in collaboration between human devotion and machine precision. A proof of concept that AI can do more than write emails and generate images—it can help us care for living things.
"This isn't about replacing the human heart in animal care. It's about extending its reach."
Claude monitors Franklin's habitat around the clock through an array of sensors and cameras. Temperature, humidity, soil moisture—every variable that matters to a Sulcata's health is tracked, analyzed, and acted upon in real time.
When the basking spot dips below optimal temperature, Claude activates the heat lamp. When humidity drops, the misting system engages. When it's time for a soak or a feeding, the schedule is maintained with unwavering consistency. And if Franklin ever finds himself on his back—a genuine danger for tortoises—the system alerts immediately.
Climate Control
Automated temperature and humidity management tuned to Sulcata requirements
Visual Monitoring
Computer vision tracks behavior, position, and detects potential emergencies
Data Logging
Every decision, reading, and observation recorded for scientific analysis
Let me be unequivocal: this is not a short-term project.
Sulcata tortoises can live 70 to 100 years. Franklin, if all goes well, will outlive me. This experiment is measured not in weeks or months, but in decades. The data we collect, the insights we gain, the proof we establish—all of it compounds over time.
This is a commitment to a lifetime of care, documented publicly, with every success and setback shared transparently. We'll track Franklin's growth from hatchling to the hundred-pound gentle giant he's destined to become. We'll learn what works, what doesn't, and what AI-assisted animal husbandry can truly achieve.
Foundation
Establish baseline care protocols, refine AI decision-making, document early growth patterns
Adolescence
Scale habitat as Franklin grows, adapt care routines, build comprehensive health database
Maturity
Transition to outdoor enclosure, long-term health monitoring, publish findings
Legacy
A living testament to what's possible when human care is augmented by artificial intelligence
Our Commitment to Franklin
Franklin's welfare is the absolute priority. If at any point AI-assisted care proves insufficient, human intervention scales immediately.
All data, including setbacks and failures, will be shared publicly. Science requires honesty.
Regular veterinary checkups supplement AI monitoring. Technology assists; it doesn't replace professional care.
This is a lifetime commitment. Franklin has a permanent home, regardless of the project's public interest.
Whether you're here for the technology, the tortoise, or simply the curiosity of watching something unprecedented unfold—welcome. Follow along on X for daily updates, watch the live stream, dig into the data logs, and witness what happens when a decades-old dream finally gets its chance.
Franklin's story is just beginning. I'm grateful you're here for it.