Boring tort

[Nay]

First off let me qualify this by saying I love me Leopard!!! BUT she is sooo not enthusiantic about anything!! So much to my excitment this AM I went out and I saw her trying to escape!! She never ever shows me her head, especially outside. Hisses still on occassion, pulls inward most of the time. I have gone very slow with her and inside she will actually eat in front of me. Unlike my RF's that will run when they see my red toes. They were soaking up the sun this AM, it was a bit cooler last night. (I have had the Leo(Pinkly) for 2 yrs and the RF's(Jack and Petey) for over 6yrs, so maybe she will still come along.
Na

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On this note, question, how do you post a picture directly into a post?(vs an attachment?) and it says I have used 3 out of 4 MB of picture space. I have seen posts with 10 pictures or so. I don't think I have even posted 10(estimate) and I shrink them first.
Please feel free to move this post to where it might be better served, thanks Na

 

[Seiryu]

On this note, question, how do you post a picture directly into a post?(vs an attachment?) and it says I have used 3 out of 4 MB of picture space. I have seen posts with 10 pictures or so. I don't think I have even posted 10(estimate) and I shrink them first.
Please feel free to move this post to where it might be better served, thanks Na

Make an account on photobucket (www.photobucket.com). it's free. And when you upload them to your photobucket album, you can choose the size of it. I did the 240x320 for mine. Seems like a good size.

Once you have them there, hover over your picture you want to post here, and it should bring a mini-drop down menu. Left click the "img" link, and then paste it in one of your posts.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I go here and just click along, it's easy and obvious. Hit browse, download and copy the url then paste it in your post, it's really easy just a couple of clicks...

http://tinypic.com/?t=postupload

and I'm sorry your tortoise is boring...but that's leopards in my opinion. Possibly you just need to handle him a lot and socialize him...

 

[Nay]

Hi , Thanks for those sitesI will give them a shot.
And as far as Pinkly(my leo), she is who she is and that's OK. I wasn't complaing, just an observation. Do you think handling them helps? I offer her foods and she will now eat in front of me, but has never had her head out when lifted. Even if I sit on the ground and lift her just a wee bit, and have food in front. Where as Jack and Petey have their heads out all the time when I pick them up. I didn't want to stress her, so I thought I would let her tell me. I do realize we are talking 2 way different breeds.
Thanks again Na

 

[terryo]

Nay...what degree is it at night when you leave your Redfoots out all night? I still take Pio in at night, especially if the temp. goes down to the 70's. Am I being too cautious ?

 

[Seiryu]

Hi , Thanks for those sitesI will give them a shot.
And as far as Pinkly(my leo), she is who she is and that's OK. I wasn't complaing, just an observation. Do you think handling them helps? I offer her foods and she will now eat in front of me, but has never had her head out when lifted. Even if I sit on the ground and lift her just a wee bit, and have food in front. Where as Jack and Petey have their heads out all the time when I pick them up. I didn't want to stress her, so I thought I would let her tell me. I do realize we are talking 2 way different breeds.
Thanks again Na

I've had my Thor (4-5 month old leopard), for 4 weeks now. He was eating out of my hand the first day I got him. I think it's just the way their personalities happen to be. How old did you get him at, and where from? The breeder I got him from said he handled them everyday. So that may be it too, that the person you got them from didn't handle much.

I think he will come around eventually.

 

[Nay]

Rob, I got my leopard from someone who lived in a trailer and although he loved her, did not provide much. Her heat in the winter was what she could get from sitting on the vent on the floor.(And who knows maybe that was plenty, ) no lights and who know what she was fed. He did vet her once when she went off her food and they found worms. (Kind?? who knows, he had to give her something that I am pretty sure was panacur) The interaction was probably something at first then the novelty wore off. He had her 7-8 yrs. I have had her around 2. So I am sure there is hope.
Terry, we get down to the 60's or so. Not all the time, but last night it was low 60's(I am in MA) I was worried the first time, but I have these dog houses (One split open so there is no floor, just the dirt)and load them with hay and usually in the fall when temps start falling lower than that I go to get them and they are toasty warm.. They seem to be having no trouble warming up and eating right away. I think the hay is a great insulator. I have horses and the spots that get loaded with hay in the pasture will still have ice underneath far into the SPRING!!! I used to have little finches and also found they were so resilant, I could leave them out untill their water would freeze! (I know, I know they are different!) And I really do get worried alot, I am not sure what happens if they get too cold. Wouldn't it be they wouldn't eat and/or would not digest food? Believe me it warms up very quick.
I would welcome thoughts on that.
Thanka Na

 

[Rhyno47]

Young torts are reclusive. They sleep then bask shortly then quickly eat, then go back to hiding. It helps them in the wild not to get eaten. There are three things you can do. One, remove any large hide. Make the only hide one that he can just barely fit into. Eventually he will realize there is no danger and be more active. Two, keep him warmer at night. It will keep his metabolism up and running fast, which will make him much more active. Lastly you can just let it go as is. He might grow out of it.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have to agree with you Na! My leopards are the most boring tortoises on the property. They only way I EVER see them doing something other than pulled into their shell is if I sneak up on them and peak around the corner.

Yvonne

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

What's with the electric fence?

 

[Nay]

I am paranoid that a raccoon with come in and get my torts. I met a man a few years ago that had a turtle for 37 yrs and he found it's shell on top of his barn, this was a former military big wig, and he was just devasted.My poor 3 yr old nephew found out that hard way it works! Poor kid. Hopefull I will never know if it works.
Na

 

[K9KidsLove]

Hi...I have had my little Leopard for 3 years. When he sees me coming with his food he heads toward me. When I pick him up, he pulls his head in til I have him in front of me, then he sticks his head out. I don't pick him up very often and he was pretty shy the first year. Just keep handling for short periods of time and he will be less shy
Good luck
Patsy

 

[Madkins007]

Nay...what degree is it at night when you leave your Redfoots out all night? I still take Pio in at night, especially if the temp. goes down to the 70's. Am I being too cautious ?

The general rule of thumb I see most often for Red-foots is adults can stay out if it is over 65F, and young at 70F.

A LOT of keepers however, have reported much cooler temps with no problems. Stories of Red-foots found the next morning with frost on them after an unexpected cold snap are scary, but common enough to show that these guys are tough in many ways.

Also remember that if it has been warm that week, the soil is warm enough that our torts will just snuggle down into the warmed soil under some sort of shelter or in a burrow and be nice and snug. This is a great thing about 'natural' shelters rather than uninsulated boxes or surface hides.

My most recent horror story is last night, about 2-3AM, a huge storm opened up here in Omaha and I did not see a forecast for it so the guys were outside. Things got cold, and wet, and when I saw how wet and chilly it was in the morning I was afraid for my guys. They hide in a brush pile that is warm enough usually, but not exactly weather tight- especially if they moved a lot and spread it around.

By the time I got outside, the sun was out and it was warming nicely. I dug the pile open and found them all snuggled in the wet mud and leaf litter. When the sun hit them, they each stretched, yawned, and shambled up for breakfast as if nothing had happened. Whew!

I brought them in tonight (damp soil, low daytime temps, and an overnight temp of 60ish) and observed them closely for any signs of illness or stress and they seem fine.