Multi Topic

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
I saw these two out front today, I was surprised to see them on a chilly windy day with the temps in the mid 50s. They were about 4ft apart.Picture 005.jpgPicture 003.jpgI saw this little once last summer while I was pulling weeds. The snake is one I have never seen in the wild, I believe it to be a Ribbon snake. When I first spotted it I thought it was a Garter snake which I've seen here before.Picture 010.jpgThis is going to be a heated hide for my young sulcata when I move him outside later this summer.Picture 001.jpgThis is a limb that I cut off a mulberry tree this past winter and found sprouting leaves while just laying on the ground. I cut about a 3rd off of it and stuck it in some water and the leaves are still growing. Going to keep it in water to see what happens.Picture 009.jpgPicture 008.jpgPicture 017.jpgThese are my original group of banana plants. Our winter was so mild I didn't need to cut them back.Picture 018.jpgI don't have many flowering plants growing but this one of my favorite.Picture 022.jpgThis is Kasey my sidekick cat doing what she is great at.Picture 019.jpg
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I saw these two out front today, I was surprised to see them on a chilly windy day with the temps in the mid 50s. They were about 4ft apart.View attachment 291541View attachment 291542I saw this little once last summer while I was pulling weeds. The snake is one I have never seen in the wild, I believe it to be a Ribbon snake. When I first spotted it I thought it was a Garter snake which I've seen here before.View attachment 291544This is going to be a heated hide for my young sulcata when I move him outside later this summer.View attachment 291546This is a limb that I cut off a mulberry tree this past winter and found sprouting leaves while just laying on the ground. I cut about a 3rd off of it and stuck it in some water and the leaves are still growing. Going to keep it in water to see what happens.View attachment 291547View attachment 291548View attachment 291549These are my original group of banana plants. Our winter was so mild I didn't need to cut them back.View attachment 291550I don't have many flowering plants growing but this one of my favorite.View attachment 291551This is Kasey my sidekick cat doing what she is great at.View attachment 291553
That Clematis is beautiful...I have a purple one and a white one...we still have cool weather so they are not blooming yet...and I love your cat photo...004.JPG
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
You've got a good eye to spot the torts and snake at all!

Would a banana tree survive summer with 123 deg days? (gee, I don't even have a tortoise anymore...why did I ask that? ??)
you don't have a tortoise? What happened?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
The banana trees you sent me are still coming up every spring. They get bigger each year, but are still not as tall as me (I?). The variegated banana trees that I bought several years ago died over the winter. I doubt they'll be coming back this spring. We had a very mild winter, but the stems, which are larger around than my upper arm, are all mushy and rotten. The cactus you sent me have many, many flower buds on them and are doing quite well.

You're so lucky to see wild box turtles running around your yard. But you can keep the snakes. I just don't like them.
 

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
You've got a good eye to spot the torts and snake at all!

Would a banana tree survive summer with 123 deg days? (gee, I don't even have a tortoise anymore...why did I ask that? ??)
I don't think the heat would bother them because they shade themselves. But they need a lot of water to do good.
 

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
That Clematis is beautiful...I have a purple one and a white one...we still have cool weather so they are not blooming yet...and I love your cat photo...View attachment 291570
I used to have a white one, If it's still there it just hasn't bloomed yet. Kasey is almost 12 years old. She has gotten lazy and fat, here are some pics of her from the past.100_0073 printed.jpg100_0279 copy.jpg100_1115 copy.jpg
 

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
The banana trees you sent me are still coming up every spring. They get bigger each year, but are still not as tall as me (I?). The variegated banana trees that I bought several years ago died over the winter. I doubt they'll be coming back this spring. We had a very mild winter, but the stems, which are larger around than my upper arm, are all mushy and rotten. The cactus you sent me have many, many flower buds on them and are doing quite well.

You're so lucky to see wild box turtles running around your yard. But you can keep the snakes. I just don't like them.
I have a few black snakes that live here also, but one thing that doesn't survive here very long is MICE. I had 2 hatchling box turtles escape their enclosure last fall, maybe I'll see them again in the years to come.
 

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
I put the self regulating heat tape on the crock and let it run all night without any insulation to test it, It is using about 29 watts. Picture 001a.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA

Len B

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
4,986
Location (City and/or State)
Southern Md - Northern Neck Va
Finished the heated hide today. It's insulated with Armaflex and weather sealed with aluminum tape and a heavy weight jacket. Picture 004.jpgPicture 006.jpgPicture.jpgThis system works very well for smaller tortoises, I have 4 others in use now, 3 outside and ! inside.
 

Sa Ga

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
653
Location (City and/or State)
MN
You've got a good eye to spot the torts and snake at all!

Would a banana tree survive summer with 123 deg days? (gee, I don't even have a tortoise anymore...why did I ask that? ??)
Wait, u dont have any torts left? ?
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,750
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Wait, u dont have any torts left? ?
I've only ever had one, a desert tortoise named Chug. When I went to get him out of his brumation fridge, he was dead.

I have no clue why he died. I used the same method I had used the 2 previous years without any problem. ?
 
Top