ALDABRA TORTOISE BREEDER

Holycow

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 26, 2012
Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
Homestead ,FL
Wow. That's a lot of hibiscus. Do you have any tips on getting it to grow? I have several plants but they grow slowly and always seem on the edge of death. I have not found a fertilizer that seems safe to use (since the plants are a food item). Any suggestions on it's cultivation?
Thanks.
-Jeff
 

ALDABRAMAN

KEEPER AT HEART
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
28,446
Location (City and/or State)
SW Forida
Wow. That's a lot of hibiscus. Do you have any tips on getting it to grow? I have several plants but they grow slowly and always seem on the edge of death. I have not found a fertilizer that seems safe to use (since the plants are a food item). Any suggestions on it's cultivation?
Thanks.
-Jeff

* We do not use fertilizer, just tortoise poo. What works for us is elevation, good soil and low volumes of water. We use them as a food source on a regular basis.

IMG_7455.JPG
 

Holycow

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 26, 2012
Messages
173
Location (City and/or State)
Homestead ,FL
* We do not use fertilizer, just tortoise poo. What works for us is elevation, good soil and low volumes of water. We use them as a food source on a regular basis.

View attachment 96996

Hmmm.. well there is no shortage of tortoise poo here either- so I will give that a shot. I will start piling all the sulcata poo I can find over the roots of one of my many hibiscus plants and see if that plant perks up a little. I do know that tortoise waste works well to grow optuna cactus.
Thanks.
Jeff
 

ALDABRAMAN

KEEPER AT HEART
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
28,446
Location (City and/or State)
SW Forida
Hmmm.. well there is no shortage of tortoise poo here either- so I will give that a shot. I will start piling all the sulcata poo I can find over the roots of one of my many hibiscus plants and see if that plant perks up a little. I do know that tortoise waste works well to grow optuna cactus.
Thanks.
Jeff

* We find it works great on the cactus also!
 

ALDABRAMAN

KEEPER AT HEART
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
28,446
Location (City and/or State)
SW Forida
Maybe it's the pic, maybe me, but his shell seems flatter then some the others, is that normal and will get more dome looking with age and size or do some have a flatter looking shell?

* That is a fantastic observation and that is exactly why he is being held back for further growth. He is for sure flatter than most we produce, maybe he has Alfa genes, LOL. The majority we produce is typically more domed. We also have his sister, she is also more wide and less domed than the majority.

00f0f_cXbgQ2DzZ71_600x450.jpg
 

Alaskamike

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
1,742
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
* No name, 6.5" and almost two pounds!
My Cupcake is now 6" and just hit 2 lbs. was he in same clutch? I know he was also born in Jan He/she is doing great BTW. Such a healthy little devil. Stands up to get legs rubbed now. But I spend time with him everyday, and this has gotten him used to me. Cupcake has the more rounded shell.
It will be interesting to see how they all grow, and what differences they show as they age. Florida is indeed a great place to raise an Aldabra. :)
 

New Posts

Top