Sometimes its the humans

[lyle]

Ok I have to say after reading here I raised mine wrong. we bought it from the pet store in 2008 and for the first 3 years was an inside pet. On the 4 yr we moved him/her outside. That is where she stays year round, dug a hole one time then lost interest . I hate to say this but Shelly loves to play in the snow !! Never had a uvb or a light? or a heat source.I live in VA. on the coast. I was asked about what it eats so here it goes from a 1 3/4 inch shell ,yes we got Shelly... young, till about 4 inches she ate baby food(human) and dark greens. When the shell was 4 inches shelly ate and tasted everything including but not limited to carpet, furniture, candy, books and left over bird food( from my macaw). And of course dark leafy greens. On the 4 yr we moved Shelly outside and stop eating food that we put out . from then till now no feeding grazes ! although we have had to start raised bed gardening cause Shelly will help herself to strawberrys till sick! Also we have to keep the apples and peaches that fall from the trees picked up or again Shelly gorges and gets sick!

 

[Tom]

What species are we talking about?

 

[lyle]

 

[lyle]

( sulcata tom) year round home up till 2 months ago ! building a large (and i guess heated and lighted one) now that i know

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

looks like a sulcata from the picture

 

[Tom]

Are you offering a heated shelter now that Shelly lives outside?

 

[lyle]

Still working on that ! I ,We were surprised to say the least that shelly needed one(been living out side little over three years) . Pardon us as I am behind the learning curve. Started reading all this stuff because we were looking for a second and possibly a third one! Our experience with this one has been very rewarding!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Still working on that ! I ,We were surprised to say the least that shelly needed one . Pardon us as I am behind the learning curve. Started reading all this stuff because we were looking for a second and possibly a third one! Our experience with this one has been very rewarding!

tortoises don't work well in pairs, they are solitary animals.

 

[lyle]

Yes and they shall have divided pens! And I only want rescues ! Been designing a indoor space that is divided that has three exits one for each pen.

 

[WillTort2]

Must have anti freeze in her veins. I'm in eastern VA and it will usually drop into the teens a couple of times each winter.

 

[lyle]

Again now that I know ! it explains why shelly buries its self in my compost piles!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lyle, and welcome to the Forum!

They seem to be quite a bit more resilient than we give them credit for. Doesn't mean it's good, though. I think you were just lucky.

 

[puffy137]

Rotting compost might be warmer than regular earth .

 

[dmmj]

AH HA, the compost pile, anyone who composts, know how warm they get, that explains it.

 

[puffy137]

Yes , I remember reading about a heat camera finding decomposing bodies in an orange grove in California some years ago. In UK it became part of a conversation I was having with members of the police force ( relatives ) & another lady who stated that dead bodies were cold & would not produce heat. A few months later a corpse victim of crime who had been missing for months ( husband suspected ) was discovered , I often wonder if the cops used a heat finding camera on a helicopter to find her.

 

[Tom]

Here are some examples of outdoor boxes that might help you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Lyle welcome to the TFO from AZ. Have a great tort day !

 

[leopard777]

any close up pic ?

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[lyle]

ty for the info tom !
and I will take some closer pics