So true and the reason I got out of red-foots. When they hit their larger size it was just so hard to provide a large enough space with clean, fresh, warm, humid air and provide adequate basking areas when I had to bring them inside.
Our summers are also getting hotter and drier, which meant...
The BEST way to supplement calcium (and vitamin D) for reptiles and humans is through diet. Many supplements are not well absorbed- either they do not break down quickly enough (any chunky calcium, for example), or it takes other factors to 'unlock' the process (calcium cannot be properly...
Hi!
Greek's are not really my thing so I am not going to offer any care advice on that front. (I've got several thoughts, but no real experience with the species.) However...
It's my experience that unless the shop has STRONG experience with torts, their advice is iffy (especially if the sell...
Like it says in my signature, I don't have any torts now and haven't for a few years. If I run across the photos (they are on CD right now), I will post some.
With my redfoots, I used a 'two bowls' system.
Bowl 1, offered every day or two (or less as they get bigger but are not breeding or pregnant), is about the size of the shell and is filled with the really good, basic stuff. For a redfoot, this was dark leafy greens, squash, bell peppers...
While there are some avid supporters of canned and kibble pet foods for tortoises, it is only a mediocre food option. Fats, fillers, oils, calories- it is quite a bit for the tort. Having said that- it is also perfectly OK as an occasional option in reasonable amounts. Think of it more in terms...
1. Dosage: Tortoises should get about 1.8 to 3mg of calcium per kilogram of tortoise (Mader, Douglas R., DVM, ed. Reptile Medicine and Surgery. Saunders Elsevier, 2nd Edition 2006. 1,242 pages.) A 1lb tort should get about 60-100mg a day. Good luck getting that all measured out! Overdoses are...
Field studies of redfoots in the wild, by people like Moscovitz, shows that MOST of the 'meat' they get in the wild is from butterflies and termites. (Yes, butterflies. Butterflies in the jungle are EVERYWHERE and they like to lick the salt around the eyes of lots of animals, like torts. A quick...
My point of view...
1. Free-roaming in a room or apartment- doable, but takes real dedication and planning. Drafts, dealing with poop and pee, other pets, things it can eat that can hurt it, lack of warm basking sites and UVB, etc. etc., etc. I would avoid it, but it CAN be done.
2. Under the...
Wild redfoots are well-documented swimmers and show no hesitation to swimming small bodies of water for food, etc. There is not a lot of evidence that they 'need' to swim, but I did love letting mine choose to, like Toddrkfl1, by using a large tote tilted up a little.
Come on guys, this has been studied in the field, in labs, on live animals, during dissections, and more. Lots of good, if sometimes hard to read, articles and books on it. Also- why are we debating personal experience under non-controlled conditions when there is so much real research already...
Your dog will respond to your voice calling it's name on a phone call or recording. It may be confused since it cannot hear or see you, but it will perk it's ears and look for you, and generally respond to any command you make.
Turtles and tortoises won't do this. When they seem to be...