Recent content by dabayliss

Phiedippies, Andromeda, Callista, Cassandra, Archimedies, Deborah, Socrates, Cham, Hippolytes and Pentheselia

I am planning a similar pen; 8ft wide, 32ft long. The idea is to build a set of 8x4ft lids and line them along the length of the pen. Alternate lids would be screwed down. Idea being - each lid is 8x4 (relatively tractable) - haven't decided whether to hinge them yet.

We have heat-ropes that are attached to an agricultural thermostat - the ropes are 3 inches below the surface; the probe for the thermostats are almost surface level. We set them to 72 for the larger torts and 75 for the babies. We also have remote temperature sensors that lay upon the surface...

Well; at least with our redfoots (we have 8) - they have all wheezed at some point - but it is always down to hydration. Usually just keeping their enclosure humid (90%+) is enough - if we get audible whistles then we put them in 'baby bath' temperature water for 10 minutes. Initially the...

One of our redfoot's had a case of shell-rot a couple of months ago. We treated with the usual athletes foot cream and anti-fungal wash - most of the rot cleaned up in a couple of weeks - this is all normal. However - the 'wells' in which her two back legs are - towards the front of her shell...

We do give them protein; and she absolutely loves it - the other one not so much. Could that be a problem? All the other torts get protein once a week....

All ten of ours LOVE mushrooms; it is one of the foods we use to teach them to forage - scatter them all around the place - they will get hunted down ...

We have two baby yellowfoots; have had them for just under a year. Both eat like hogs, explore everything in sight -and generally seem healthy and happy. Except, starting a couple of weeks ago - one of them seems to have developed a sporadic 'spastic' back leg. Rather more specifically - we...

Wow Madkin; I haven't been to your site in a couple of months - it is even better than before! Love the tBMI! I was a little suprised by the idea of humidy not fixing hydration though; they all seem moist and full of beans - but I can go back to the baths ....

The best way we have found for humidity (and it helps with heat too) is: a) Get yourself a deep substrate (we use 3 inches) b) Use one of the underground 'heater cables' and run it around the pen about 2 inches below the surface (we use 100w for the 4x10 pen, 50w for the 4x4 pen and 25w for the...

Well - we have now officially stopped acquiring tortoises (honest). But not before another couple slipped through the gate. Our two previous babies are here for comparison: the little two are Amazonian Yellowfoots (per Sam of Florida Iguana)...

Hey there; we now have a couple of (very) baby Amazonian yellowfoots. 25g and 35g. Now the winter is coming. Generally I keep the overnight temperatures at 70; using under ground cables this year. I am wondering if the yellowfoots could use it a little warmer - maybe 75? David

We're working on the plants for our outdoor tortoise enclosure and have come across a few plants that haven't been listed on any plant list, good or bad. Does anyone know if these plants are redfoot friendly? mandevilla sea grape bluebutterfly pea ixona Thanks!

Is it really only a few minutes a day? Like 10? I realize it doesn't help someone it North Dakota - but down here it would be quite feasible to shove the torts on the patio for ten minutes at noon even in our 'severe weather' (overnight in the 40s). If I can avoid UVB in the pen I would like too ...

I figured I would try to narrow down my 0.0.7 tagline a little - I'm sure the smallest is too small - but any opinions on the Race/Gender of these four would be appreciated: Candidate 1 (Andromeda)...