Alex and Walker 19 months later

[Len B]

I took the first pic the day I received Alex in late May 2012, just a few days old. The others were taken today. Alex is 4 lbs 9 oz and just under 9 inches in length. Christmas brought us cold, but sunny sky's, it never got above freezing.

 

[Yvonne G]

What a difference! And he/she's growing a very pretty shell. Walker looks pretty good too. Is the sulcata in the calendar this year Walker?

 

[Len B]

What a difference! And he/she's growing a very pretty shell. Walker looks pretty good too. Is the sulcata in the calendar this year Walker?

Hopefully Alex is female, the shell is doing nice, I believe it has something to do with me getting it just after hatching, and it has never bask under a hot light or che, almost all the heat I am using now both inside and outside is from my home made tile thingys. Yes, Walker is in the 2013 calendar, he is getting heavy but not growing much in length.

 

[TortieLuver]

What great pictures

 

[Dizisdalife]

Len, they are both handsome tortoises. Great job.

 

[mike taylor]

They are looking good ! Great job !

 

[Lilyloveslettuse]

How old is Walker?

~lll

 

[Len B]

Thanks everyone, Walker is 17 years old.

 

[kathyth]

I love the pictures!
Beautiful tortoises!
[SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

 

[diamondbp]

Both truly impressive

 

[J_W]

I know this tjread is a few weeks old, but I was hoping to get more info on your home made tile thingies. It seems to be working out well for your torts.

 

[Len B]

I know this tjread is a few weeks old, but I was hoping to get more info on your home made tile thingies. It seems to be working out well for your torts.

They work for me and the tortoises, they have reduced the electric bill also. I use 2 different types of heating sources, the first one I experimented with is a type of self regulating heating cable that is used to keep liquid containing pipes from freezing in cold weather, this system works best inside, where the room temperature doesn't fluctuate a lot, I do have some hides outside that are heated with this cable that are used in spring and fall when the nights are still to cool for them. The one I am now using for the outside winter houses are ceramic tiles with flex watt in between them sealed with silicone caulk to moisture proof them. The most important thing to get these to work properly out in the very cold is a well insulated house, we just went through a super cold spell (single digit nights and teens for highs) and everything went fine in all 3 of the houses.The largest(8x8) and first house built is heated with a 3x4 ft Stanfield heat mat and a 100 watt CHE only. I see you are from Colorado, I believe it is doable there. There is a house on Skyview Lane in the Springs that is exactly 1700 miles from my house in Virginia. If I can I will answer any questions you may have.

 

[J_W]

Thanks for the reply Len. Do you have a picture of one of them? I think I understand what you are talking about, but I would like to see one if I could. Do you put these straight on the ground, or is there a barrier between them and the torts?

 

[Len B]

Here are some pics of what they look like, and a closeup of the electrical connection.I use them placed on insulated floors and standing on edge against insulated walls with nothing between them and the tortoises. I am in the process of doing one to hang above the tortoises with a pan of water setting on top of the tiles. The fourth pic is how the 3 tiles are set in the last (young) sulcata house built. I needed to add a 60 watt black light bulb above to get the temps I needed for them, so that is why I am working on the hanging heated tiles.

 

[J_W]

Those are cool. I'm going to incorporate that into the table I'm building. I really like the idea of hanging them from above. Thanks for the ideas and your input.

 

[bouaboua]

How cool, How cool!!!!!!

You sure take a good care of them. Thank you for share those pictures and info.