- Joined
- Feb 25, 2011
- Messages
- 33
I have a few questions,...
I currently live in Indiana (it's spitting snow here today - yuck!) and am curious about outdoor enclosures. Obviously it is too cold for them to go outside yet.. but I do like to think ahead.. in fact I am curious about long term, when these guys are huge. Do people in the midwest house these guys outdoors? even in the winter?? I know it might be far off, but we are shopping for a new house so I need to know to look for a tort room... or yard space.
Also, when they were dropped off to me, I was told it is a male and a female. Can you even tell at this age? One is 3 or 4 inches long... the other is 4 or 6 inches. will I need to separate them?
And a few questions about food too... I purchased some Mazuri as had been suggested but my torts wont eat it. Is there some trick to getting to eat this? I tried adding water to it to soften it up and they still are not interested. I also tried feeding them some cactus pads today (thinly sliced for their little mouths) and they don't seem very interested in that either... In fact today they have been grazing on dry timothy hay. I have some seeds started for them, grasses and weeds, but they are just now sprouting. They also get fed spring mix now but I just want to add variety.
Those of you that have read my intro post know that I am the new owner of 2 young sulcatas. I admittedly don't know much about these tortoises (thats why I came here!)... First let me explain how they came into my posession; I am known in my area for taking in unwanted animals and out of my own pocket I rehab and often find them new loving homes. Up until this point everything that has been sent my way has been warm blooded and furry.. cats, dogs, a ferret... a horse... and now these guys. I took them because I hate to turn anything away, and now I happen to be fond of the little guys/girls and have to learn all I can about caring for them properly. Please understand that if I would have been looking to get these as pets I would have done my research before hand.
I currently live in Indiana (it's spitting snow here today - yuck!) and am curious about outdoor enclosures. Obviously it is too cold for them to go outside yet.. but I do like to think ahead.. in fact I am curious about long term, when these guys are huge. Do people in the midwest house these guys outdoors? even in the winter?? I know it might be far off, but we are shopping for a new house so I need to know to look for a tort room... or yard space.
Also, when they were dropped off to me, I was told it is a male and a female. Can you even tell at this age? One is 3 or 4 inches long... the other is 4 or 6 inches. will I need to separate them?
And a few questions about food too... I purchased some Mazuri as had been suggested but my torts wont eat it. Is there some trick to getting to eat this? I tried adding water to it to soften it up and they still are not interested. I also tried feeding them some cactus pads today (thinly sliced for their little mouths) and they don't seem very interested in that either... In fact today they have been grazing on dry timothy hay. I have some seeds started for them, grasses and weeds, but they are just now sprouting. They also get fed spring mix now but I just want to add variety.
Those of you that have read my intro post know that I am the new owner of 2 young sulcatas. I admittedly don't know much about these tortoises (thats why I came here!)... First let me explain how they came into my posession; I am known in my area for taking in unwanted animals and out of my own pocket I rehab and often find them new loving homes. Up until this point everything that has been sent my way has been warm blooded and furry.. cats, dogs, a ferret... a horse... and now these guys. I took them because I hate to turn anything away, and now I happen to be fond of the little guys/girls and have to learn all I can about caring for them properly. Please understand that if I would have been looking to get these as pets I would have done my research before hand.