How my tortoises made friends with lizards.

Tom

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Diatomaceous earth? Just what is this? What comprises it? Can I use it in my snake, rat and tortoise enclosures if I notice any fleas or mites? Does it have a "brand name" that may be more familiar to me and others?

Some people swear by it, but others, like me, have tried it and it does nothing.

It is the skeletons of little itty bitty microscopic sea creatures.
 

TammyJ

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Some people swear by it, but others, like me, have tried it and it does nothing.

It is the skeletons of little itty bitty microscopic sea creatures.
Right...diatoms. Like plankton. Thanks!
 

Beasty_Artemis

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I think there is the possibility that the blue bellied fence shifts and the alligator lizards are feeding on the flea larvae. I had never known that fleas had a larvae stage until a couple of years ago. My little dog has the perfect shaggy coat for flea outbreaks, and it was a warm summer so the little things were everywhere outside. I remember spotting a tiny wiggly worm on the floor, and found out it was a baby flea basically.
Fence lizards (blue bellies) probably have no trouble spotting those larvae down in the grass easily at their scale. I also doubt there has been too much serious research on Blue belly husbandry to make too many assumptions about their natural behavior....
 

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