Recent content by COmtnLady

Here are two threads that have lots of pics of enclosures other people have made. You might want to consider two or three story enclosure - it would have the same footprint as a single story, but with a ramp and guardrails, that aren't at too steep of an angle , might be something to consider...

Please post several pictures of your tortoise and of the enclosure? What species, age, gender if you know it. What are the temperatures, humidity, and such in the enclosure ? Do you feel any resistance when you gently touch or push the legs? Does your tortoise retract the legs or are they limp...

I apologise for not posting this sooner. This is a home-made ant eradicator. Not sure what the borax might be called where you live, and it is import to have in the syrup (because it is what kills the ants). I'd put it in a place where the ants go all the time, but that your tortoise can't...

No matter how long we have with an animal we love, its never enough.

I'm sorry that you have lost your friend, but glad you had such a nice long time together. Because you say, "...He had spent the summer sleeping, ..." it sounds like you are in the Southern Hemisphere. Knowing the approximate area where someone is helps with suggestions on best...

Thank You! I had a lot of misconceptions this cleared up! Red Tails and Ferruginous hawks are wild around here, so its rare that I go much of anywhere without seeing at least one. They always seem wary, and if I'm walking will either sit very still to be invisible, or spook and dash away. I...

How do they not lose muscle tone being less flight-available than wild ones? (Basically can't fly whenever they want to.) Do you leave the hoods on a lot of the time or only when traveling or? Does it mess with their eyesight if they are hood too much? Have you flown any peregrines? What...

The tortoise Table says : https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=221&c=4 But "in moderation" as an occasional treat is a good idea. I have never heard of Eriophyllum lanatum - ('thought the PNW didn't have sunshine...), so can't help you there. .

What substrate are you using? It doesn't look right in the pictures, reminds me of coffee grounds. Just found where you said the substrate is topsoil and sand - neither of which is healthy for a tortoise in an enclosure. No matter how careful you are your tortoise WILL ingest some of the...

The word "pebbles" concerns me. Large flat stones that can be walked across and pushed around are fine, anything smaller, especially that can even marginally fit into a mouth, can kill your tortoise. Even if you think its too big, trust your tortoise to try to fit it into its mouth. So...

Red Foots are a tropical species and keeping the temperatures above 85F all the time is important. Sometimes in winter you get a freeze or at least close to freezing. You need to plan for keeping them warm during cold spells. Tom's advice is outstanding. Do as he suggests. I found this...

Each keeper has their own favourites. Each enclosure is different. As to your questions: 1. Its easy to use the coir by itself, but can be messy. You also have to be VERY careful it is NOT the kind with long fibers in it (they don't digest well and the tortoise inevitably will swallow...

Never use sprayers, humidifiers, foggers, or misters. They produce droplets that are too large, and cause reparatory problems. Those droplets don't create humidity, they only make the surface wet, then create an evaporative cycle that cools down the enclosure - thwarting your attempts to keep...

Each enclosure is more or less custom-made. What someone with a tropical species needs differs from what someone with a grassland or forest species needs. Talk with Markw84 for the best and clearest answers. These are not crummy pre-made, off the shelf, one-size-fits-all enclosures. Yes...