Quick pictures
- Thread starter Redstrike
- Start date
Absolutely beautiful!
Thanks Yvonne!
Wowee gorgeous! I'd watch them all day! 
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,431
Could not have said it better! What is the substrate? They are looking fantastic!I adore them
I use mulch from most hardware/home improvement stores. Currently they're on "Pine Bark Nuggets". I know some will raise an eyebrow or two on this since there's a lot of alpha/beta-pinene theoretically in this mulch but I haven't seen any major issues yet and it's really driven by availability. I always give it the sniff test. If it smells like Pinesol, it doesn't come home.
When I can get it, I prefer either cypress or hardwood mulch. Its surprisingly unavailable in NY. Sometimes I purchase 20 gallon trashbins of hardwood mulch from landscape supply companies when its available.
Probably more than you wanted to know... thanks for the compliments!
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,431
Looked like pine, I have never used since we have pine in the backyard. Those pines are fragrant. I have read about the general condemnation of pine products, but cypress is not exactly neutral either. I like the test, pine sol bad. Keep it up, the look happy!
Beauties!
Thank you gentlemen! Did you guys keep your torts out most of the winter down there? It's been a relatively mild winter in the north Atlantic states, curious about your conditions down there...
@allegraf - I wonder if those fragrant pines of yours are long leaf? Seems to be one of the most abundant pines of FL. I bagged some beautiful Red Cockaded woodpeckers in a fragrant long leaf pine stand about an hour north of Panama City last time I was in your home state (2012). They were marvelous!
I've been able to keep my animals outdoors for most of the winter although there have been many nights they've slept in the laundry room. For me it depends on the conditions each morning. If it's in the low 60s but sunny, the ground temperature (and a dark tortoise) will warm up quickly and even if the daytime high is only 70 something. My guys will be out and about---unless it is dry and windy. That is a combination they do not like one bit.
So on mild days that are dry or windy (high pressure weather conditions) my adult tortoises typically will say in their hides or will bask out of the wind.
All pines produce a sticky, aromatic sap that reptiles do not like when it is fresh. Some more than others. But then there are commercial 'bark chips' that many of us have used with no problems at all and I think they are made from pines. Of some sort.
The red-cockaded woodpeckers that you mentioned (high on my list of favorite peckerheads) nest in living but unhealthy longleaf pines and they intentionally chip around their nest cavities and cause the pines to exude long trails of sticky sap. It is believed/assumed that this has a repelling effect of the rat snakes that inhabit the same region.
BTW, the western portion of the Apalachicola National Forest south of Bristol, Florida is a great place to see nesting red-cockaded woodpeckers this spring.
Mine have stayed out the entire winter but I've added a CHE and covered the enclosure with plexiglass. If it's very cold at night I'll cover everything with a tarp as well.
They can get where it's 95 or 65. I leave the plexiglass on and keep it mostly covered on windy days which helps it from drying out. If it's not really windy I'll remove half of the plexiglass and usually find them basking in the sun for a short while. Our sun is very strong here and they love it.
Our nights are warmer now so things are looking up.
The only woodpeckers in the pines here are huge pileated ones.
They can get where it's 95 or 65. I leave the plexiglass on and keep it mostly covered on windy days which helps it from drying out. If it's not really windy I'll remove half of the plexiglass and usually find them basking in the sun for a short while. Our sun is very strong here and they love it.
Our nights are warmer now so things are looking up.
The only woodpeckers in the pines here are huge pileated ones.
Excellent looking Brazilians. Have you got a positive on sexes yet?
Looks like Mandarin and Rafiki have got some marbling coming along now.
No positives but it's looking like 3 female and 1 unknown.
Cool. Either way you can have 1,3. Or get a male at a later date when your sure for 1,4.
That's funny
I mean children and torts.
Nice torts BTW.
Made me laugh. Mine do the same. They all want what the other has.
I mean children and torts.
Nice torts BTW.
Last edited:
Similar threads
