Recent content by sulcatadude

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    Peculiar Beak Growth

    Good question - it seems to be hardened skin (it's not a hard growth), so blood flow to the area is likely.
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    Houston, TX yard weeds (toxicity question)

    I don't want to sound so skeptical, but how de we know they can "sense" which plant species are good/bad for them outside of their native habitat? Perhaps tortoises of the mojave have resistance to toxins in the spurge which African species do not? Dogs love chocolate and the sweet flavor of...
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    Peculiar Beak Growth

    One of my yearling sulcata tortoises recently started developing a pecular growth below her lower jaw. My question is, should I just leave this alone or clip/grind it down? I'm fairly adept in terms of my fine motor skills and am certain I could cleanly remove it, but am I best off just...
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    Houston, TX yard weeds (toxicity question)

    Are there any common weeds tortoises like to eat that are toxic?
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    Houston, TX yard weeds (toxicity question)

    I have three yearling sulcatas that have roam of the yard and eat a combination of grasses, weeds, and mazuri that I soak and lay out for them every other day (the yard has not been exposed to chemicals or fertilizer). The sulcatas are growing and active, but I'm concerned that their favorite...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    Looks like my experiment with straight 5% vinegar has mixed results. The mold growth reduces after spraying & wiping with vinegar, but inevitably comes back within a week! I can only assume this much mold is not healthy for tortoises, or for human residents of our home! Time to take my mold...
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    Petsmart and petco

    Improper husbandry of tortoises, while unfortunate, will never be illegal. At least not before it becomes illegal for parents to feed their kids an exclusive diet of fast food and park them in front of TVs all day.
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    Lancecham

    Lancecham Review I ordered two sulcata hatchlings from Lance and the experience has been great! Both sulcatas arrived healthy, active, and eager to eat! I can tell that Lance is dedicated to his animals. His tortoises have great appetites and aren't picky about their foods which proves...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    I wiped away some of the mold growth on the wood with undiluted vinegar, and it looks like the vinegar (even after it has dried) is keeping the mold at bay. I think the wood's PH remains low even after the vinegar dries, and that lower PH inhibits the mold growth. and Fortunately, once the...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    the mold simply goes away on its own? Is your wood sealed and/or pressure treated? My enclosure's wood is unsealed, and not pressure treated, so maybe my wood won't hold up over time?? I'll wipe away the mold I see growing on the wood with vinegar, and see if I can inhibit future growth with...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    Thanks Tom - that's reassuring.. I'll keep the temps as they are. BTW, I notice there is mold developing at the top of the enclosure on the pine wood (I didn't put any type of sealant on the wood when building the enclosure.) I keep the temps high, and humidity stays between 80 and 90%. Is...
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    Mold or mildew in tort table

    My temps are no lower than 85 during the day, and drop to a minimum of 80 at night. I just noticed that my new closed chamber is developing mold at the top, on the pine wood used to build the enclosure.. Is there any way to inhibit this mold growth, or kill it? I didn't want to seal the wood...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    That's what I did at the top of my enclosure.. Eye hooks, with S hooks connected to chain so I can quickly adjust how far the fixtures hang, I have extra eye hooks so I can quickly tweak the place where the chains hang from..
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    That's a good idea, but in my enclosure, I'm not sure how I could set up the flourescent fixture low enough to the ground for the UVB to reach the tort since fluorescent bulb UVB doesn't reach very far.. My enclosure is very very tall, so i'd need to get some long chain to hang it low enough...
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    Lower Wattage Mercury Vapor Bulbs with UVB?

    I currently use a 100 watt PowerSun UVB bulb on the hot side of my enclosed chamber for my sulcata. The problem is that this brings the lowest temperature in the enclosure up to 88 or 89 degrees, which is a tad bit too warm. Does anyone know if there is a reputable manufacturer of a lower...
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