Livingstone's update #5

[Livingstone]

Hey sulcata crew,

Livingstone is living the life as usual, seriously spoiled tortoise here. So I wanted to share some photos that I took recently. I have to reiterate "WOW" these guys are growers, he is getting big. Just shy of his 3rd birthday in march, he cracked the 12" mark in length, but its the girth that amazes me, one solid tortoise. Attitude wise, he is still a very mellow fellow, he does get a bit up tight sometimes but on the whole still very reserved. Anyways on to the pics... with captions of course.

He outgrew his second bath tube, carapace was wider than the bottom of the tub, so this is number 3. (100 degree farenheit warm water for 20-25 minutes)

Getting towelled off and measured.

This is the 3rd interation of the enclosure, dimensions still 5' by 10'. He loves the ramps.

Ruler of all he surveys.

You again... Well at least you brought food.

Mmmmmmm.....

Nom, nom, nom....

As always my friends I hope you have enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoy taking them. If you have any questions, criticisms, or comments please share.

 

[TaraDodrill]

Love the pics!

 

[Livingstone]

Thank you.

 

[DanaLachney]

The water isn't too deep?

 

[Brittany6]

He's lovely and so is his encloser! I can't wait until Asha, Pipa and Gupta get that big! Although I love them as babies too!

 

[Livingstone]

The water isn't too deep?

Nope, he likes it like that. The whole theory about water only coming up above the gular and below the head is alot of baloney. The more of the tortoise that is submerged the more good the bath does to keep the shell soft and growing smoothly. I wouldn't put a hatchling into water that deep but he's been getting a daily bath every morning since he was 1-2 months old, he knows the drill.

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He's lovely and so is his encloser! I can't wait until Asha, Pipa and Gupta get that big! Although I love them as babies too!

Thank you, and the size thing will happen very quickly, you need to stay a couple steps ahead of the growth.

 

[dmarcus]

Nice photos, and he'sgetting big..

 

[mary t]

Forgive me for asking but how old? And how much does he weigh? Ver very pretty, if pretty is appropriate...

 

[Kristina]

I think he is a pretty tortoise Very nice job with him. I noticed too that his carapace shape is identical to my Kendall and Kasey. My other three are more domed shaped and have less of a slope to the back of the carapace. I think that fits in with the theory that there are more than one "locale" or subspecies of Sulcata.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

He looks great!

 

[Jacob]

One Nice Looking Tort

 

[l0velesly]

What a handsome fellow

 

[Livingstone]

Nice photos, and he'sgetting big..

Thanks, I have a buddy that thought I was joking about exponential growth. He thought I bought another tortoise when livingstone hit 1 year old. Lol.

Forgive me for asking but how old? And how much does he weigh? Ver very pretty, if pretty is appropriate...

His birthday is in April, so he is about 2 years 11 months old, sadly as OCD as I am about his health I do not have a bathroom scale.I apply to the philosophy that a tortoise should always feel heavier than it looks.
He's very solid.

I think he is a pretty tortoise Very nice job with him. I noticed too that his carapace shape is identical to my Kendall and Kasey. My other three are more domed shaped and have less of a slope to the back of the carapace. I think that fits in with the theory that there are more than one "locale" or subspecies of Sulcata.

Alot of males seems to share that characterisic as well. Dean I think had a male named diesel that is stunning and has that same tapered carapace at the back, could very well be a genetic variation too.

He looks great!

Cheers man. Just following your lead.

One Nice Looking Tort

What a handsome fellow

Thank you.

 

[Tom]

Wow wow wow.

Now that is a growth spurt. It was just a couple of years ago that he was a little baby. He looks great. Did we determine male for sure?

5x10' is a great size. I never get that big. My biggest indoor enclosures are 4x8'. Once they outgrow that, I move them outside permanently. Tuck and Trey are enjoying their last indoor winter. They were just borderline size/age for staying outside this winter, but I figured a little cramped on our occasional cold days was better than lots of space, but too cold to enjoy it outside. I still put them out most days, as long as temps are in the 60's and sunny. When spring finally arrives they will enjoy their outside pen 24/7 from now on.

I have to agree about the water depth. I usually do mine around that deep too. I go along with the chin deep recommendations for fear of a noob going TOO deep. I would feel really bad. I'd rather have it a little too shallow than a little too deep for a new keeper with a hatchling. Maybe we should all be a little more realistic about it and trust every one to have some common sense. I don't know... just thinking out loud here, so to speak. Maybe this would make a good debatable topic.

Anyhow, love the update. Always good to see Livingstone.

 

[Livingstone]

Wow wow wow.

Now that is a growth spurt. It was just a couple of years ago that he was a little baby. He looks great. Did we determine male for sure?

5x10' is a great size. I never get that big. My biggest indoor enclosures are 4x8'. Once they outgrow that, I move them outside permanently. Tuck and Trey are enjoying their last indoor winter. They were just borderline size/age for staying outside this winter, but I figured a little cramped on our occasional cold days was better than lots of space, but too cold to enjoy it outside. I still put them out most days, as long as temps are in the 60's and sunny. When spring finally arrives they will enjoy their outside pen 24/7 from now on.

I have to agree about the water depth. I usually do mine around that deep too. I go along with the chin deep recommendations for fear of a noob going TOO deep. I would feel really bad. I'd rather have it a little too shallow than a little too deep for a new keeper with a hatchling. Maybe we should all be a little more realistic about it and trust every one to have some common sense. I don't know... just thinking out loud here, so to speak. Maybe this would make a good debatable topic.

Anyhow, love the update. Always good to see Livingstone.

Thanks Tom. Kate and I are going to be moving further south in the not too far future which will afford livingstone the outdoor space he needs and more time in it. I am facing the reality that I care about his life a great deal, and he will have a full room in our next household to call his own when he's not outside. The room, its amenities, and construction will be well documented on the forum so keep a look out around june.

As far as the water depth thing is concerned, I agree, you said it perfectly. Let's face it owning a sulcata as a first tortoise is like being given a ferrari as your first car. You will crash, its not "if" its "when".

By the way, you wouldn't happen to know what the UVB reading is on the ground in direct sun light in senegal do you??? Its a long shot, but I thought I saw a post of you with Diagne? I figured you of all people would know (no pressure). Im curious for the next setup, I want to get it about perfect.

Cheers, and thanks mate.

 

[Tom]

No idea about the UV levels anywhere in the world. I just go by the assumption that lots of sunshine, where ever your tortoise lives, is a good thing. The range of the sulcata pretty much straddles the tropic of cancer, so the UV levels should be as high there as about anywhere on Earth. I don't think this matters a lot though as Tomas told me the wild sulcatas are hardly ever above ground during the day. I've been watching the weather in a few random spots across the stated range of the sulcata and in most places the day time temps are right around 100 with nights around 50-60F. It IS Northern Hemisphere, so it IS their "winter", but I'm wondering how it will change during their "summer". I'm guessing that the night time lows will not be as low. I'll know in a few months...

Either way, as interesting as African weather is, they all seem to do fine anywhere in North America as long as they get lots of sun and exercise where ever they live, when weather permits.

 

[baron101]

hes pretty big

 

[Livingstone]

hes pretty big

Thanks, yah he's doing ok for 2 years 10 months.

 

[Jerry7777]

He looks great! Nice shell and the enclosure is nice also.

 

[Tom O.]

Very nice tortoise you got their!