Yeah, I may use less vermiculite and do something more similar to this for the bigger clutches. I agree they touch in the wild I just try to prevent bad eggs from touching good eggs I suppose. I do like these deep ones but mine stack very nicely allowing me to fit more clutches in the incubator...
Hmm, they may turn to mush, I guess it could be media less with water containers in the incubator but I digress. I may give it a try for fun one day just to see how it goes.
For whatever reason I have always separated my eggs from touching. This makes it easier for me to push the eggs half way...
I had a guy I was messaging tell me he used to have a 33" female sulcata 200+ pounds. I call bullony. My large male is the largest sulcata I have seen in person actually and was 36-37" before his gular broke. I estimate over 220 pounds but he does not have the geometry/shape of a Sudanese...
Anyone here use or have used egg flats for incubation? This is mainly just for discussion. I have used vermiculite successfully for years but was thinking that putting a cardboard egg flat ontop of the vermiculite would be cleaner, less likely for hatchlings to eat vermiculite, a bit more...
Does anyone know if lighting can affect tortoise egg incubation? I have a large incubator that has always worked well. This year however, my eggs do not look chalked at all so a lot look bad. The only difference is now my large incubator has a light on for the hatchlings since I keep them in...
Love traveling to shows. I live in Texas and go to NARBC each year in arlington along with some smaller shows. I also sometimes drive to Daytona for that show as well. Usually disappointed in the lack of our shelled friends.
Anyone know the best show to go to in the USA for tortoises and turtles?
Trying to figure out bulk calcium options and I am confusing myself.... Agriculture Lime or "aglime", typically used as a soil amendment and is SUPER CHEAP at <$10 for 50 pounds, appears to basically be pulverized limestone which I always thought is calcium carbonate. I have been using this...
Karen, this enclosure design would actually be for a maximum of (2) groups of (4) tortoises. In other words, a single group of 4 tortoises would have half of the 8x4 house, half of an 8x4 cold frame, and 2 pens. The reason for 2 pens is I was trying to utilize the common practice of pasture...
Looking to redo some enclosures. Going for a good consistent design that will work for most species. The current target species would be leopards though. They are my first priority.
Here are my thoughts:
-Keep group numbers a bit smaller. I plant to keep no more than 4 adult leopards in these...
What size group do you guys typically limit hatchling's to? While on the subject, yearlings and adults? I have typically stuck with 10 or so before I feel it is overcrowded.
For the sake of discussion, would you rather have 50 tortoises in a 5x10 or divide it up into 5 different enclosures...
Probably about 10 houses, each with their own temperature controller but currently no way to verify that it is working without peeking inside or holding my hand in to make sure heater is on.
Just curious on people's thoughts. Most desert tortoise species specific sites seem to indicate that Agave is good to feed.... somewhat like cactus is. However, one tortoise plant database site indicated that it should be fed moderately. I have a bunch of it.
Good tips and thanks! Although, I have never heard of a sulcata tortoise burrowing under a 4' deep fence and getting out. That tortoise is one of a kind! In fact, none of my sulcata burrows have ever gone down then back up, they always just go down so even if they burrowed "under" the fence, I...
Thanks Tom. Might just go with standard plywood or hardiboard and simply replace it as it rots. If I want it to last longer I could use a waterproof paint or perhaps cover it with a sheet of HDPE but it might actually be better to leave the wood exposed to absorb pee rather than the tortoise...