Recent content by Markw84

  1. Markw84

    Found a baby turtle, any idea how old?

    That is a baby that most likely overwintered in its nest and emerged when it warmed up this year. So it may well have hatched in Sept or Oct last year but if the ground above is colder than below they will often stay in their nest until the next spring when the temp above gets warmer than the...
  2. Markw84

    Could my baby turtle drowned?

    I use plastic plant garland similar to what you have with all my baby turtles. What you have is great! Live plants make too much of a mess with turtles as they will eat and pick at them and leave lots of little dead pieces of plant in the water. They find out right away the plastic plant is...
  3. Markw84

    The beginnings of an outdoor enclosure for a Leopard

    I have always used fences I can see through for better viewing of my tortoises. I want to be able to see the tortoises from sitting anywhere on the property to enjoy them! A visual barrier would be a visual barrier for me as well! I also am making this newer place as a future education center...
  4. Markw84

    The beginnings of an outdoor enclosure for a Leopard

    Your fence in your ideas collage looks very much like the fencing I build and use for my tortoises. Here's a new radiata pen I just completed and re-tilled and planted with grazing mix seeds and red clover. More plants to add. Looks very much like your fence in the picture.
  5. Markw84

    Water dish for large species

    I use this water dish. As you can see, the last time I purchased one on Amazon was 2017 and it is still like new. I used it for very large sulcatas, and now use many for my Galapagos. They cannot tip over and this 30" one is big enough for a tortoise up to about 120 lbs to self soak in...
  6. Markw84

    UVI Meter (Substitute of Solar Meter 6.5)

    In several conversations with the developer of the solarmeter, he explained the sensor used in the meter alone is over $100 wholesale cost. They try to get the cost of their meter as affordable as possible, but the accuracy of the sensor is paramount. The algorithm used is also a big part of...
  7. Markw84

    Musk Turtle Shell Care Questions

    Looks like old, retained scutes. Possibly it also could be calcium deposits on the carapace with repeated out of water basking/back and forth. Especially with your frequent water changes if you have high calcium/mineral levels in your water. Does not look like any shell rot or fungus. I do...
  8. Markw84

    Rescued Florida Soft Shell Turtle Lake Isabella California

    I would assume a female that large. A male is normally smaller than that and has quite an obviously large tail. The vent of the tail would be quite a ways past the end of carapace in a male.
  9. Markw84

    Painted turtle butt floats a little

    This often can be a sign of pneumonia or respiratory infection. However, it sounds like it could be a normal adjustment of buoyancy turtles do when diving. Inability to get underwater, and/or floating lopsided, is more often the signs of lung issues. Since yours is correcting by releasing...
  10. Markw84

    Rescued Florida Soft Shell Turtle Lake Isabella California

    Good luck with her! Must be extremely cold as they are normally very fast and aggressive. You could never approach one on land and if you did, they strike aggressively and have very dangerous, sharp jaws. Be careful as you warm her up! Handle her as you would a snapping turtle. They rarely...
  11. Markw84

    Pyramiding

    @Coconikki A couple of observations that I believe are causing pyramiding problems; That enclosure has way too much venting to be able to maintain humidity. I would suggest closing off the vents entirely. The substrate looks dry. Keep the substrate moist. Dump a gallon of water in and mix...
  12. Markw84

    How to raise a Healthy Star Tortoise.

    High humidity is always beneficial to tortoises with proper heat. Adults are much less prone to pyramiding, as pyramiding occurs with active growth, especially with a younger, less developed bone structure to the shell. So Adults will show less effects as far as pyramiding is concerned in...
  13. Markw84

    How to raise a Healthy Star Tortoise.

    Ventilation for air exchange is not necessary in a properly sized enclosure. Humidity does not cause respiratory problems with proper heat. I always shoot for humidity of at least 80% with heat always above 80°F (27°C). Ventilation is actually the problem with creating a controlled, warm...
  14. Markw84

    Mazuri tortoise pellet types

    The 'no supplementation necessary" refers to no vitamin or mineral supplementation necessary. Not that no other types of foods need to be offered.
  15. Markw84

    Largest sulcata on record?

    As a note... When I have talked with Bob and Andrew about this tortoise, they both said the main issue was it was constantly testing fences and could pretty much knock anything over. Last time I was at Andrew's he showed me the fencing that was destroyed and constantly needed to be redone to...
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