Well, I have to say that finding my girls didn't go exactly as planned, but it seems to have worked out well. My original intent was to find some captive bred female Home's that I could go pick up. However, I've come to the conclusion that captive bred Home's hingebacks must be one of the rarest torts out there. As a result I pretty much had to go with WC, despite how distasteful I find importation to be. After I made that decision it was just a matter of when and who.
In terms of when, I figured that I could either a)get them now, and free them into a spacious outdoor pen in 6 months or b)get them when it warms up in the spring and free them into a much smaller (though recently very much improved, I think) indoor home. I figured that they'd appreciate the great outdoors much more.
In terms of who, I found someone in PA who had a couple girls. They were even willing to send me pictures of my torts ahead of time (more on the pics later...). Actually, I haven't seen any mention of the individual I got them from on this board, but I had a fairly good experience all considering the whole sight unseen/shipping necessary nature of my adoption.
After looking at some projected overnight low temperatures, I set up a date and got my girls in. My wife actually took them in and they were a little stressed out from the trip. By the time I got home a couple hours later, though, they were much improved. They're both adults, maybe sub-adults, measuring in around 6" each. One of the girls is actually rather pretty. She has some odd shell growth at that scute right above her head, making it really pointy, but is otherwise quite smooth and in good shape. She is the tort I got a side-view and bottom-view picture of. The other girl... well, she obviously got chewed on by something in Africa. Her shell has some marks that are obviously teeth shaped, and she has a couple scales on her legs that look like new growth. The front part of her shell above her head got the worst of the abuse... I believe that she is missing a layer of shell (in spots) and some bone is exposed (in spots). Once again, I'm no expert, but the area looks old and well scarred. She's the tort that I only got a bottom view picture of. I guess that I should have been a little more suspicious.
Anyway, so the girls are now in quarantine. They're on newspaper so I can collect some poo (the seller said they had been through two deworming regimens, but... you know). Their water is being fortified with electrolytes and I'm trying to get some calcium in them by offering cuttle bones and finding foods they'll eat that are dusted with Ca. I also plan to give them daily betadine baths for about a week (warm water bath with betadine scrubbed on with an old toothbrush, then prompty washed off and removed from the bathwater). I know it inhibits new shell growth, but a week's worth of betadine should definitely eliminate external parasites. No names yet, but I really haven't thought much about it.
Quick question for anyone who has had a pregnant hingeback- can I tell, without the aid of x-rays, whether or not one of my girls may already be carrying eggs? I'd post this in the general area, but hinges have such a funny shell that I almost think I'm going to need some slightly more specific advice. If I'm wrong, please share pregnancy-related advice. I'm not aiming to get eggs for at least a couple years, but if they've already got them I don't want to lose one to being egg bound. To help with the diagnosis, neither are fully grown, but I obviously don't know their ages or whether they've reached sexual maturity yet. I can definitely tell they are female based on tail size. Their SCL is about 2" shorter than it will be when they reach full size.
I do have questions on the shell care on my chew toy but I am going to post that in the general tort section. I'm hoping to get them healthy and happy soon. However, given their weights and levels of activity, I think they're already much better off than either of my boys were. I'll post pics later tonight.
In terms of when, I figured that I could either a)get them now, and free them into a spacious outdoor pen in 6 months or b)get them when it warms up in the spring and free them into a much smaller (though recently very much improved, I think) indoor home. I figured that they'd appreciate the great outdoors much more.
In terms of who, I found someone in PA who had a couple girls. They were even willing to send me pictures of my torts ahead of time (more on the pics later...). Actually, I haven't seen any mention of the individual I got them from on this board, but I had a fairly good experience all considering the whole sight unseen/shipping necessary nature of my adoption.
After looking at some projected overnight low temperatures, I set up a date and got my girls in. My wife actually took them in and they were a little stressed out from the trip. By the time I got home a couple hours later, though, they were much improved. They're both adults, maybe sub-adults, measuring in around 6" each. One of the girls is actually rather pretty. She has some odd shell growth at that scute right above her head, making it really pointy, but is otherwise quite smooth and in good shape. She is the tort I got a side-view and bottom-view picture of. The other girl... well, she obviously got chewed on by something in Africa. Her shell has some marks that are obviously teeth shaped, and she has a couple scales on her legs that look like new growth. The front part of her shell above her head got the worst of the abuse... I believe that she is missing a layer of shell (in spots) and some bone is exposed (in spots). Once again, I'm no expert, but the area looks old and well scarred. She's the tort that I only got a bottom view picture of. I guess that I should have been a little more suspicious.
Anyway, so the girls are now in quarantine. They're on newspaper so I can collect some poo (the seller said they had been through two deworming regimens, but... you know). Their water is being fortified with electrolytes and I'm trying to get some calcium in them by offering cuttle bones and finding foods they'll eat that are dusted with Ca. I also plan to give them daily betadine baths for about a week (warm water bath with betadine scrubbed on with an old toothbrush, then prompty washed off and removed from the bathwater). I know it inhibits new shell growth, but a week's worth of betadine should definitely eliminate external parasites. No names yet, but I really haven't thought much about it.
Quick question for anyone who has had a pregnant hingeback- can I tell, without the aid of x-rays, whether or not one of my girls may already be carrying eggs? I'd post this in the general area, but hinges have such a funny shell that I almost think I'm going to need some slightly more specific advice. If I'm wrong, please share pregnancy-related advice. I'm not aiming to get eggs for at least a couple years, but if they've already got them I don't want to lose one to being egg bound. To help with the diagnosis, neither are fully grown, but I obviously don't know their ages or whether they've reached sexual maturity yet. I can definitely tell they are female based on tail size. Their SCL is about 2" shorter than it will be when they reach full size.
I do have questions on the shell care on my chew toy but I am going to post that in the general tort section. I'm hoping to get them healthy and happy soon. However, given their weights and levels of activity, I think they're already much better off than either of my boys were. I'll post pics later tonight.
It is possible for a 6 inch female to lay eggs, though 6 1/2 to 7 inches is more usual. Like most gravid tortoises, they will pace the enclosure to find a place to lay. Thats the best way to know if a Hingeback is gravid, that and just a general change in behavior. The last will be hard to spot as they are new to you.
