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  1. bioteach

    How many Prickly Pear plants should I grow?

    I live in Phoenix and my native Desert Tortoise has access to all of the Prickly Pear pads that she could possibly eat. That being said, she refuses to eat them. I "dethorn" them as much as possible, I cut them up as well as offer whole pads; and the same goes with the fruits that are...
  2. bioteach

    Two tortoises living together??

    Hello, As long as they are both female it should not be a problem. The Desert Botanical Gardens here in Phoenix have two females Desert Tortoises (Penny and Poppy) that live in the same enclosure. The enclosure is roomy and they seem to get along just fine. Two males or one of each is not...
  3. bioteach

    Tortoise worries

    Hello, My Desert Tortoise is picky too; but my vet says NO LETTUCE of any kind. My girl Sunshine gladly eats carrots (cut into matchsticks), Hibiscus, Roses (and their leaves), Yellow Bells (Tecoma), Mexican Petunia, and Globe Mallow. I have a lovely patch of Bermuda grass in her enclosure...
  4. bioteach

    The pain is unbearable. Goodbye Uno.

    Please accept my sincerest condolences for the loss of Uno. I know how you feel because when I lost Timmy 10 years ago I cried for days. I raised him from a hatchling. He became entangled in some fencing and if I had seen him in time I could have rescued him. We can't be there every minute...
  5. bioteach

    Tortoise worries

    My girl "Sunshine" is very picky about food; but when she is hungry enough she will graze on the patch of Bermuda grass that I planted in her enclosure. I tried a huge variety of foods with her including pea pods (the vet says NO on them because they have too much protein - so no more)...
  6. bioteach

    Tort passed away.. frustrated

    So sorry to hear about your loss. Little ones are so delicate - no matter how hard we try some don't survive. I'm sure that you did all that you could; and it was probably not likely that a vet could intercede and save him. It is truly heartbreaking to see a tiny hatchling perish.
  7. bioteach

    Tortoise worries

    I bought pellets because Sunshine's blossoms that she loves have died back with the intense heat we have had in Phoenix this summer. Sunshine wouldn't even try them. I tried stuffing a few of them in a few blossoms and she only ate the blossom part - so I hope that you have better luck with...
  8. bioteach

    What edible plants to grow in tortoise yard?

    The list is long! One thing that I learned, is that if a tortoise finds a particular food item it favors it will totally destroy it to the roots! At the suggestion of my vet, I purchased some landscaping blocks about 6 inches high that fit together to make a circle or whatever shape you like...
  9. bioteach

    Our beloved Buggy passed away

    Please accept my deepest sympathy. I know how attached I am to my "Sunshine" and I truly understand how you feel. Unfortunately, tortoises do wander. I live on an acre; but my tort is confined by block walls. I know that she would probably like to get beyond those walls; but I know that she...
  10. bioteach

    Burrow question: does a dog house replace a burrow in the ground? Do they need both?

    We have a "Dog a loo" (looks like an igloo) without the bottom, and our girl uses it for shade. During one summer she constructed her burrow underneath it. She varies on where she spends her winter. Some years she has used the Dogaloo, a couple of years she chose a south facing planter pot...
  11. bioteach

    Fully landscaped backyard looks nothing like the Sonoran desert but still want a desert tortoise. Anyone in my boat and how can I make it work?

    I have a specific section that is walled in on three sides. The only access is a gate. The area faces south and I have planted desert plants that are good for tortoises such as hibiscus. Giving a tortoise the run of the yard could result in the tortoise getting lost because at the end of the...
  12. bioteach

    The rhythm of the Sonoran Desert

    I'll take a pic the next time that I see her soaking. This morning (5:00 AM) she was in her little pond; but no rain in sight. We had numerous warnings and distant thunder/lightning but the front moved to our north and missed us.
  13. bioteach

    The rhythm of the Sonoran Desert

    It's amazing how my Desert Tortoise can predict the weather. Rain is rare here, even in the summer. We hear the Cicadas, we have an explosion of small black beetles, and my DT Sunshine seeks out her little "pond". Every evening when rain is predicted she has her cloaca in the water before it...
  14. bioteach

    Abnormal desert tortoise behaviour

    Good morning, I also live in Phoenix and I've had my girl for a while too - she is about 25 years old. On the advice of my vet (Dr. K in Cave Creek) I only feed her desert plants such as Mexican Petunia, Bermuda grass, Hibiscus, Yellow Bells, and Globe Mallow. These foods are very attractive...
  15. bioteach

    Runny Nose, Possible RI, to vet or not to vet?

    Hello, From what my tortoise's vet has told me, about 95% of desert tortoises carry mycoplasma (a funguslike bacterium). It is usually asymptomatic; but now and then it may become obvious. Sunshine (my Desert Tort) had bubbles from her nose last summer (after a decade with no obvious...
  16. bioteach

    My 33 year old Desert Tortoise has a runny nose

    My DT had this issue earlier this summer, and our vet diagnosed mycoplasma. Apparently, 95% of DT's carry micoplasma in their noses; but most of the time it is not symptomatic. Since she was symptomatic I took her to the nearest exotic animal vet her in Phoenix where she was treated. The...
  17. bioteach

    Mycoplasma in a Desert Tortoise

    Thank you! She probably had it for a long time but I didn't notice it. Her vet says that 95% of the Desert Tortoises that he has seen over the years (he specializes in exotics) have it. Perhaps the fact that her favorite spot has been very wet is the cause. In any case, she is getting...
  18. bioteach

    Mycoplasma in a Desert Tortoise

    We have had unusually wet weather in Phoenix (not complaining - we need the rain), and Sunshine, my adult Desert Tortoise will be headed to the vet tomorrow for treatment. I noticed that when she was eating every time that she bit down there was a milky discharge from her nose. Because she is...
  19. bioteach

    White spots are often caused by an infection from sap-sucking insects called Cochineal Bugs...

    White spots are often caused by an infection from sap-sucking insects called Cochineal Bugs. These insects are not toxic; but they certainly will harm the cactus over time. They can be removed by a strong blast of water; but it is likely that they will return (eggs have been laid), so you...
  20. bioteach

    Best weatherman ever!

    Sunshine, our Desert Tortoise is better at predicting the weather than the local TV stations. She only soaks herself when it is likely to rain. Yesterday afternoon she was soaking in her water dish even through the skies were blue and we were given a chance of rain less than 10%. We had quite...
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