Hello from Sunny Palm Springs!

[luvsdaheat]

I'm new to this forum, `though Mrs. Luvsdaheat and I have been keeping torts for about 10 years.
Our big pair is Oscar and Luna - 115lbs, and 83lbs. respectively. We've had them a bit over 9 years. They slept in a made-over giant doghouse for first few years, then Oscar went to digging - Luna stole his first burrow, so he had to dig another for himself (which I don't think he particularly minded).

Last year, someone found a 90lb. male Sulcata on the FREEWAY unhurt! We took him in, and Luna really took to him - wink, wink. We placed Willie last summer - partly because the two males went at it all the freakin' time.

Before "Willie" our hatches were 40-60, and with Willie, it shot up to over 80! Mrs. Luvsdaheat thinks Luna was pissed off about Willie leaving, and shut Oscar down, as this year we have ZERO babies...

We recently managed to find a not-too-expensive a nice male Leopard to keep 8 year old Lazzie company...they seem to have bonded, so stay tuned for news of scuttling baby Babcocki!

I can't be a regular contributor, but I'm not an "all take and no give" kind of guy, either.

brad

 

[tortadise]

Welcome.

 

[Blakem]

Welcome. Thanks for sharing your stories!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

I don't recommend keeping your tortoises in pairs. It is usually pretty stressful on them. Best to have several females for each male. Assuming of course you want a whole lotta babies.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome.

 

[luvsdaheat]

Hello and welcome.

I don't recommend keeping your tortoises in pairs. It is usually pretty stressful on them. Best to have several females for each male. Assuming of course you want a whole lotta babies.

Tom,

We would love to have 1.2. herds - that said, Luna and Oscar have been together always. He dotes on her, and she definitely rules the roost. I've raised chickens before, and the similarity between these torts and chickens is eerie! Gratefully, Luna is not that bedraggled hen in the flock - heck, Oscar has built two smashing burrows for her over the years; it's a good marriage - they sleep in separate "beds."

 

[Tyanna]

Welcome!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Brad welcome to the TFO from AZ . Have a great tort day!


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[luvsdaheat]

You guys are awesome - way to make someone feel truly welcome!

 

[Alaskamike]

Would luv to see pictures of your torts. They sound interesting.

 

[Yvonne G]

...pictures of the torts AND their habitat!!!

Welcome to the Forum, Brad.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[puffy137]

Tom,

We would love to have 1.2. herds - that said, Luna and Oscar have been together always. He dotes on her, and she definitely rules the roost. I've raised chickens before, and the similarity between these torts and chickens is eerie! Gratefully, Luna is not that bedraggled hen in the flock - heck, Oscar has built two smashing burrows for her over the years; it's a good marriage - they sleep in separate "beds."

Love it . love it , love it , I have 2 pairs of 'courting couples' even with other singles near , they keep attached to the same ones.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Shakudo]

Welcome

 

[luvsdaheat]

...pictures of the torts AND their habitat!!! Welcome to the Forum, Brad.

Here's a few to get things started:



The first pic is Luna, years ago - we left the back door open....
Second is Oscar after crashing the laundry room!
Third is Willie (left) and Oscar mugging for the camera
Last is a photo of Oscar visiting with his little Leopard friend Lazzie (note the Sully babies scuttling in the background)

 

[CindyWho4]

I saw one of your posts on another thread and had to come see your torts. Love it love it love it.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can see the breeding wear marks on Luna's carapace. I've seen female sulcatas with very thin carapaces where the male's feet rub as he's mounted.

Those look like some pretty darned big sulcata tortoises!

 

[luvsdaheat]

You can see the breeding wear marks on Luna's carapace. I've seen female sulcatas with very thin carapaces where the male's feet rub as he's mounted.

Those look like some pretty darned big sulcata tortoises!

Those pics are a bit old, and I've since "hardfaced" Luna's shell with Quikrete crack repair. Here's a link to my post explaining it:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/posts/962833/