Soefianto
Active Member
Sorry for that, must have been really tough for you and all the people are affected.
My prayers always with you all!!
"Cupcake"
- Thread starter Alaskamike
- Start date
My prayers always with you all!!
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Finally got internet & TV back today 
So will be back to bug y'all
So will be back to bug y'all
Finally got internet & TV back today
So will be back to bug y'all
~ Same here Mike!
Yay! I can continue living vicariously through Aldrabra tort keepers! XDFinally got internet & TV back today
So will be back to bug y'all
N
no one
Guest
Just read this whole thread. What is Cupcake georgeous!!
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Weighed CupCake today. She's 20 lbs. seems to be putting on a spurt. I'll post some new pics soon. Just getting used to having internet & TV back. Hard to believe how much we depend on that.
Time to construct a new heated hide for this winter. The old one is too small , & wood is rotting away.
Haven't decided exactly how I'll do it. But have a few ideas. CupCake is needing more room. So that needs to be worked on too.
A tort keepers work is never done. Hahaha.
Time to construct a new heated hide for this winter. The old one is too small , & wood is rotting away.
Haven't decided exactly how I'll do it. But have a few ideas. CupCake is needing more room. So that needs to be worked on too.
A tort keepers work is never done. Hahaha.
So true, especially with the giant torts!
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2016
- Messages
- 934
Agree!!!!
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Well Got thru hurricane Irma just fine. Thought I'd post a short vid of her at my house just to keep a record. As I suspected - it was windy & wet
Still have tree limbs to cut off & cut up. Still have piles of debri & brush out by the road to be picked up. But all my torts are fine & no major damage. We were very very lucky , many had it much worse.
Here is the video. We sat through the whole thing downing beer and eating barbecue out under the overhang on my lanai. At one point ( after " several" beers ) I was yelling at Irma " Is that all you got !" Thankfully no one recorded that part. Hahaha
Still have tree limbs to cut off & cut up. Still have piles of debri & brush out by the road to be picked up. But all my torts are fine & no major damage. We were very very lucky , many had it much worse.
Here is the video. We sat through the whole thing downing beer and eating barbecue out under the overhang on my lanai. At one point ( after " several" beers ) I was yelling at Irma " Is that all you got !" Thankfully no one recorded that part. Hahaha
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
CupCake weighed 21 lbs today. Here she is with little Natty.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2013
- Messages
- 436
fantastic shot Mike! I am super envious of his beautiful smooth shell. Excellent husbandry - obviously!
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Had CupCake our in a new area for grazing & when she was done, she kinda dug in along the chain link fence & put scratches on her shell
You can see them in the pic with Natty. I suppose in nature then do this all the time but I felt bad. Like a bad Daddy , not being careful.
She is doing fine. It’s just me being over protective
You can see them in the pic with Natty. I suppose in nature then do this all the time but I felt bad. Like a bad Daddy , not being careful.
She is doing fine. It’s just me being over protective
These creatures live to be over 100 years old easy, markings are inevitable. I totally understand how you feel though but don't feel bad. Cupcake is a beautiful Aldabra!
I couldn't even tell; she's just so pretty!Had CupCake our in a new area for grazing & when she was done, she kinda dug in along the chain link fence & put scratches on her shell
You can see them in the pic with Natty. I suppose in nature then do this all the time but I felt bad. Like a bad Daddy , not being careful.
She is doing fine. It’s just me being over protective
Slow and steady
Active Member
I'd be interested in what you decide to do, Mike. I need to build an outdoor heated hide for my herd of leopards. I've always pulled them in for our sporadic South Florida "winter" days, but it's time they get their own house. I hope you post your build on here.
Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
I’ve decided to try something different this winter. Ordered a Stanfield Heat Mat for the floor of her hide. Got the F1911 controller to go with.
These are made mainly for piglets , to keep them warm & away from mother so they don’t get squished.
Really heavy duty. But not cheap ($150) The surface never gets over 100f. I won’t even turn it up to that.
Couple reasons.
1, here it rarely gets real cold. In several yrs now it’s not gone below 45f , and usually up to 70f + in day with sun. And this only a couple months.
2. The mat will not desiccate the caprice like heat lamps can.
3. In an enclosed hide with a flap door the interior will likely heat up to the mat temp or close to it.
4. These are extremely tough & durable. Made of fiberglass composite.
5. They are easy to clean.
We have had a few winter nights get down to 32f in the past. If this happens again & the heat pad is insufficient ( I have a digital monitor ) I’ll bring her inside for the night. But those temps are very rare.
Still deciding on the box construction. My CupCake is 21lbs+ now. But her night hide I’ll probably make no more than 4’x4’ since she will be out grazing in the sun almost daily. It will have shelf to hold water pan for humidity.
I’ve tested her caprice with heat gun on 70f days in the sun & it’s always around 80f if it’s not windy.
I’ll keep ya posted how this goes. I’m doing the project this next weekend.
I have used a Stanfield piglet mat for years as an additional heater for my RFs warm house. I’ve heat gunned mine and it stays right at 80F, just a perfect addition when night temp drop and their 2 CHEs can’t keep up. You can even use them on the walls if you don’t want your tort laying directly on it. My warm house has heaters and over the winter gets covered with moving pads/blankets for insulation.
Just looked, my Stafield mat is over ten years old. Back then cost 95$. Pretty reasonable for the life you get from it. Heard about it from sulcata keepers who couldn’t move their torts easily. That’s why I keep RFs, not too big, not too small for an old man like me to handle.
Slow and steady
Active Member
Thanks guys. That's probably the simplest heat source for me as well. I've seen some builds using an oil filled radiator, but I'm leery of those, and they take up a portion of floor space. I'm interested in what you put together. Have fun with your build, Mike, please post pics.
Dave
Dave
