Donald's Thread

[Len B]

I got a little work done on Donald's new house. I cut out for the door opening and framed out for the outside walls supports.Insulated the walls with two layers or 1 1/2 inch fiberglass board with an ASJ jacket as a vapor barrier. I haven't screwed it on yet but hung one outside wall panel in place. It was time to take Rocket on his daily golf cart ride. This is what Donald did while I worked on his new house

 

[Len B]

Got everything complete except the electrical hook ups, weather protection, door flaps and ramp. We had a chance of thunder storms today so I stapled some poly to the top until I can do it right. Donald doing what he is great at "eating" He has a craving for opuntia this fall. I weighed him and he is almost 10 pounds at 15 months

 

[Len B]

I worked on Donalds floor today. I put 2 layers of black 6 mil poly down then some imitation wood flooring to help keep the plywood sub flooring dry.I bought a small electric oil heater and am going to protect it with 1/2 x 3 inch wire instead of wood to get better air circulation.Also got a new 18 x 24 Stanfield heat matGoing to mount a couple of my home made heated tiles on the walls, (the one in the pic is an example) need to hole saw a wall and feed the cord through for the electric connections I don't think I will need a CHE but going to mount a ceramic light socket just in case.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Donald is going to live in style!

Home made heated tiles? Tell us about them, please.

 

[Len B]

Donald is going to live in style!

Home made heated tiles? Tell us about them, please.

They are easy to make to whatever size you want. I use ceramic tiles and use either flex watt or self regulating heat cable. Cut the heating element to size and connect the electric wires by soldering . I use liquid electric tape on the connections and the open ends at the other end of the heating element. Place this between the 2 tiles and use silicon to seal, water proof and glue the tiles together. For the electric sorce I just cut the female end off an extension cord and strip the wires back. If needed to regulate the heat output I use a rheostat. My largest home made are 16 x 32 inches and if I remember correctly they max out at about 30 watts of use. They are not good for quick heat, but after warming up are a great sorce of constant gentle heat.

 

[Len B]

Got a little more done on Donald's new house. This is how I laid it out on the insideIn the pic above it looks like the light fixture is hanging directly over the heat mat, it's not, It's off the mat towards the oil heater a bit. Below is the front with the ramp not attached.When complete all the wires will be protected from damage.

 

[Len B]

Donald turns 16 months this week and doing fine. With the shorter days and cooler temps he is only coming out twice a day to eat and drink now.His weight today is 10 pounds 11oz

 

[Len B]

Donald has settled in quick in his new house and enclosure, also with the cooler outside air temps. Today was the first time I saw him drinking from his new water bowl.Weighed him this morning and he has reached 11 poundsI have some coconut oil that I got for my 2 hairless pups skin and am going to use some on his shell, something I've never done before. I probably should put some on Walker too.

 

[Len B]

I put coconut oil on Donald's shell and he looks like a new tortoise.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I put coconut oil on Donald's shell and he looks like a new tortoise.View attachment 312776View attachment 312777

He looks great! I use coconut oil weekly on Sulafat.

 

[Len B]

Donald is coming along fine. His new house is working out the way I hoped it would while building and laying it out. I picked up one of those panel heaters from Tractor Supply as another heat source if ever needed. I hung it on a wall opposite of the Stanfield mat on the floor.Weighed him today, he has reached 12 pounds.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Donald is coming along fine. His new house is working out the way I hoped it would while building and laying it out.

It looks to me that Donald likes his new house! Great!

 

[Happytort27]

Donald looks great! I can’t wait to see his new growth as we proceed into the new year.

 

[lazybfarm]

Wow , he sure looks great ! My sulcata is around 335g now , about where Donald was this time last year, unbelievable, to go from less than 1 pound to12lbs in 1 year . Great job with him ??

 

[Len B]

Wow , he sure looks great ! My sulcata is around 335g now , about where Donald was this time last year, unbelievable, to go from less than 1 pound to12lbs in 1 year . Great job with him ??

Thank You, Donald has a great apatite and eats a large variety of food items. Most of what him Thomas and Walker eat I have growing here in the Beach for most of the year. This is what I picked today for Donald and Thomas to eat tomorrow along with the mazuri. Whats in the pic Donald will eat most if not all tomorrow with a small amount going to waste. One bowl is mostly mixed grasses and the other is weeds, chick weeds, dandelion, thistle etc. They also have access to spineless opuntia and cuttle bone.He gets 2 offerings of the mazuri twice a day which weighs about 40 grams dry each.

 

[lazybfarm]

I am feeding Baxter almost exactly the same diet as Donald is getting, results speak for themselves

 

[Len B]

I am feeding Baxter almost exactly the same diet as Donald is getting, results speak for themselves

Baxter should do fine then. I offered Donald kale and turnip greens today for the first time just in case we get heavy snow or I can't pick from what is growing in the yard to make sure he would eat them and he ate both along with everything else. A pic of him eating his first turnips.I weighed him today and he's up to 12 pounds 12 oz going into the new year.

 

[Len B]

Donald hasn't slowed down for winter. He's still active and eating good. He passed the 13 pound mark

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Donald hasn't slowed down for winter. He's still active and eating good.View attachment 314942 He passed the 13 pound markView attachment 314943

Looking great man! Nice job

 

[Len B]

Looking great man! Nice job

Thank You, I believe Donald is doing something special, I'm just providing his needs.