I don't think they are stressed as much as we think...I don't coddle any of my big boys...some I can no longer pickup.. So when I give them a quick check.. I flip them over to see there underside...some times for 2-3 minutes to give them a good scrub if they need it...I then just flip them back...
I am aware there toxic....They have been around the confederate jasmine going on 5 yrs now... There pens are shadowed by the pool house..which is covered in Jasmine...Not once have I seen any of the three try to eat any of the small flowers that occasionally fall into there pens.....Now I have...
My big sulcatas... Always sample everything...I have there pens screened from the pool house by Giant elephant ears... at the beginning they all sampled a few bites... Now they just leave it alone.... Same with the confederate Jasmine...The flowers constantly drop into there pens... I see them...
I have a rather lg bougainvillea that is in full bloom... Was going to pull some of the flowers for the tortoises...just keep getting contradicting info.... Some say toxic.. Some say fine, some say fine in moderation..
Wondering if bougainvillea flowers were considered safe to feed Russian tortoises? Seems to be some contradiction..Whether it's safe or not....any info would be appreciated...
I use mp rotor heads in my pens to simulate rain and on more than one occasion I have noticed a few actually leave the hide to lay out in the rain..as soon as the sprinklers stop..they head back in with no help from me..
I use a Reptibator( was given to me).. I can't compare it to any other incubator as this is the only one I've used for years ..Never any issues... Yes ...it's very flimsy basically a styrofoam box with a double walled clear lid which houses the heater and controller... Comes with a large egg...
Tom ..I keep a few containers filled with water in there...But what would you recommend for a dry media...Dry Vermiculite? Or will that draw out the moisture?
Funny they were on either side of the pen... Then one of them abandoned the nest and moved less than a foot away from the other one and started digging....8 eggs total..
I keep one large group together.. 2 males 10 females... In a lg outdoor pen..I have not seen any aggression at all...Lots of planting and sight barriers ...I can tell you they don't interact much...Other than when mating. and at night when they all return to the same hide to sleep...
Well as I walking by one of the pens I noticed two females Russians laying eggs... After they finished there business .. I removed the eggs and placed them on Vermiculite and in my incubator... Set temp at 89* humidity at 80%. .. ..Is this correct? I have incubated plenty of Sulcata...
If you have a problem with critters... I would use a electric fence..I have a serious bear issue... I use an electric fence and never lock my animals in... On that note.I don't make it easy... I make the hide entrance for my lg sulcatas just big enough for them to squeeze in and out... And use...
My Sulcatas spend all year outside... They have a heated hide... My big sulcatas over 100lbs) and some under 6" that come out and lay in the sun for a few hrs on 40* days.... Return to the hide warm up and come right back out.... Don't underestimate there ability to thermoregulate...
Tom....This isn't about you..I'm offering advise.. I wouldn't nor would I advise anyone to just stack cinder blocks 3 high without a way of locking the blocks together.... Blocks do shift and a cinder block can do a lot of damage.... Your way is not always the correct way Tom.... Most will...