- Joined
- Aug 5, 2012
- Messages
- 187
Here's another one "undercover" BMT. 5 new heat mats this year. Its to easy! Heat mat, tarp, Mt.Tortoise, your done! The Blacks know its getting cold,so, the get down. Emys emys dont know what cold is, so, they walk around until they run out of gas at about 50F. They learn to go into their low tec heated hut that took 10 minutes to build. Buttoned up tight with a heat mat and tarp works down to the 30'sF. When heat mats are placed on the ground we get fire ants under them. I have to do it upside down or check it everyday. More to come. Vic
Another low tech hut for E.E with heat mat. Heres how it works, when torts go inside, pull out the block. When it gets real cold like in 2009 and 2010 in the 20's they have a Fiberglass truck topper, covered with insulation and covered with tarp. With just one heat mat inside they stay warm. Babies are in the house in the Tortoise room. Now that is another story. Later VicHere's another one "undercover" BMT. 5 new heat mats this year. Its to easy! Heat mat, tarp, Mt.Tortoise, your done! The Blacks know its getting cold,so, the get down. Emys emys dont know what cold is, so, they walk around until they run out of gas at about 50F. They learn to go into their low tech heated hut that took 10 minutes to build. Buttoned up tight with a heat mat and tarp works down to the 30'sF. When heat mats are placed on the ground we get fire ants under them. I have to do it upside down or check it everyday. More to come. Vic View attachment 109157 View attachment 109158 View attachment 109155
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.....Oak, Sweet gum, giant woods bushes. North Fl. The oldest city in the USA St.Aug.Fl.Are those MAPLE leaves? Where in Florida are you?
Kyle, Glad to here your BMT are doing fine. They are Kane heat mats or Pig Blankets. They are not cheep but last for years as they are made for Pigs. One important thing about heating the Black or phayrei Mt.tort. They are hard wired to stop eating and become inactive when they get a signal that its Winter. So, If you are heating them up and they are not eating and their metabolism is high due to heat they will loose weight. Its best to have a night time low and then warm them in the day. Its the warm up the day after a cool night that is necessarily for them to stay healthy. Something else I do is use them as a top to a tub with hot side down for yearlings over night in mild weather. They even inter lock and can keep other critters like Rats, Hawks out. VicAwesome pictures as always Vic. Also thanks for some of the ideas. Here in ca out nights can get into the 40s and I usually use a red bulb but think I'll invest into a heat mat. I do have a hide I put leaves in and it stays warm. Also a green house for cold days. My guys all are doing alright this winter but with a heat may it will be better
Kyle
IKEA...but they dont make black anymore. Very sturdy slightly translucent. Not cheepWhere did you get those black tubs?
Well, thank you very much, she's a keeper! She put the wheels on the racks so I wouldn't have to carry them out one at a time. Ive known her sense high School. vicA lovely wife you have. I love seeing couples (or families) working together on tortoise projects. Makes it so much more fun for everybody. Really enjoying these peaks into your world. That is the one thing about tortoise keeping I dislike.... I seldom get a chance to really see how others are doing things. Thanks so very much for sharing.