My neighbour was just chatting to me about the trouble he's been having with a local cat leaving surprises for him in his veggie patch. He told me he has installed three (THREE!) of those high pitch emitting cat deterrants. Of course these are silent to human ears, but anybody tell me if these...
Thanks Tom, this is where I've gone wrong from the sounds of it. Thought I did make her fast for 3 weeks before putting her away and during that time she was still quite active. I'll know for next year!
Until Bella I'd never tried bringing an indoor tortoise to hibernation. It was a bit...
Thanks Yvonne, I have her tortoise table on standby. Guess it's a case of there's no harm to come of waking her up but I could be endangering her by leaving her in hibernation.
Bella is a 7 year old Russian and this is her FIRST year of hibernation. Her previous owner kept her indoors year round so did not see a need for her to hibernate. I have gone through the hibernation process before with Lulah who was my Greek Spur-Thigh but she was a 54 year old veteran who...
Thanks Yvonne :) God only knows where the slugs come from, there are only yards around where I live. Bella only has a 4x4 ft 'garden' of weeds (as well as roam of the rest of the concrete yard). Its a wonder to me how the slugs locate us from nowhere.
I have noticed in the past if I find Bella down a burrow later at night I will often find slugs on her. Tonight I have pulled off seven - SEVEN! - from large to tiny. I doubt they do any harm but they are gross. Does anyone else find this?
Thanks Maggie :) I bet your Salcuta's a bit bigger than Bella but she's a grown Russian so hopefully won't be too traumatised by the chip. I think you're right Kele, Bella certainly isn't chipped yet and Lulah before her who was a Greek wasn't either (though I think Lulah will have pre-dated...
I have Bella booked in to be micro-chipped next week - eeeek! I feel very mean but I know it's necessary. Micro-chipping Bells has been on my to-do list for a while now but is one of those things that never made top priority. However, after a little escapade on her behalf this weekend I...
I am considering getting a second female Horsfield as a companion to my Bella. I understand males can be aggressive when housed together but can anyone tell me how two females fare? I am not keen on getting her a male friend as I don't want her getting harassed.
Bells is 5 y/o and about 7.5...
I'm having to keep my Russian tort, Bella, awake through this winter but am concerned about her diet as the weeds start dieing back in the cold weather. I've been experimenting with the greens available in the supermarket to replace Bella's diet of weeds for this period but she really doesn't...
Just an update on Bella's weight: Since posting this I have changed from bathing Bella 1ce/2ce a week to EVERYDAY in slightly warmer than usual water ~35C. I have kept the type of food she always has available to her; a live lettuce in the corner (realise this has very little nutritional value...
I was really keen to try having her hibernate this year as to me it seems more natural than to have her eating and growing 12 months a year as she has been so far. Is it ok to never let a tortoise hibernate? (I realise if her health is seriously at risk an awake tortoise is better than a...