Igloo update!

Clementine

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Dec 13, 2012
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almost one year ago, I joined this forum because we planned to order our first sully right after the first of the year. It is almost time to celebrate Igloo's birthday! When we purchased him, we were told he was a yearling (and paid higher for a yearling) but he was in fact, only a few months old. At six months old he weighed half a pound. Now at 11 months, he weighs in at 2 pounds! We are trying to keep him on slow and steady growth - maybe this was just a growth spurt...but I'm concerned he's growing too quickly. He eats a mix of at least 5 different greens daily including kale, radicchio, romain, collards, cucumber, spinach, okra, squash, cactus, aloe, arugula, orchard grass or Timothy hay. The portion is as big as he is but he rarely finishes it. I occasionally try to give him a little mazuri or zoo med but he doesn't really like either. He's on moist coir, gets a cuttle bone and calcium supplements, daily soaks for 20-30mins and one weekly soak at 45 mins. Heat lamps and UVB are all good. We've backed the humidity down a little but it's still in the 72-77% range since high than that means we end up heading back to the Vet...which leads to more shots...which means Igloo hates me for at least 24 hours. Does his weight sound like its on track? I need ideas for a larger hide. He's outgrown 2 and I don't think plastic under the bed tote is going to last another six months!
That is Patchouli who snuck into his bed while the cat barrier was down. The cats like the heat and Igloo doesn't seem to mind them - but they are never left together unsupervised!
 

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sibi

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There's barely enough room for your tortoise! You may not think your tort is stressing about the cat invading his space, but the truth is that sullies get stressed out with the slightest change in environment. The cat sneaking into his enclosure is unsettling enough. Don't, for a moment, think that your sully doesn't seem to mind because he does. Please, please don't let the cats sneak into the enclosure even if they like it because it's warm. Cats have their space, and your tortoise deserves his space. What did you think your cat would do if a 200 lbs sully walked over to his favorite bed and laid there? I can tell you, your cat will not like it at all!
 

Clementine

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5 Year Member
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O..K...if you'll notice in my thread, the enclosure has a cat proof barrier that I state I removed while giving him a bath. The cat doesn't have regular access to the enclosure - nor was she in there more than the amount of time it took for me to put him down, take a picture and push her out. Additionally, when igloo is outside in his 1000 foot enclosure, and the cat curls up up in the sun - within a few minutes he's made his way across the enclosure to cuddle up beside her. Although I would never allow them to mingle unattended, Igloo bonded to our cats long before he bonded to us. He chooses to approach them and then basks beside them when out - that isn't stress induced behavior. I appreciate your concern but you missed the mark here. If a 200lb sully decided to sleep in my cats bed, she wouldn't do a darn thing - I don't know what kind of mountain lion you think I own, but she's a Maine Coon and the most passive, docile feline. She is also 14 years old and has endured 2 major cancer operations in the past 3 years. Trust me, she doesn't fight for anything.
 

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