Tom

Tom

10 Year Member! Platinum Tortoise Club
The Dog Trainer From Southern California
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  • Tolis
    Hi Tom. These days whenever I hear the news about California floods and bad weather I always think of you. I hope you and your torts are safe and doing well.
    samsmom
    Tom, you have helped me so much in the last 10 years and I just wanted to say THANKS! People always chuckle when I tell them that I learned all about caring for Samson from Tom The Dog Trainer, also from this forum. So thanks again and have a wonderful New Year!
    • Like
    Reactions: sissyofone and Allison Gray
    Tom
    Tom
    Thank you. My hope is that Samson is happy, healthy, and living a great tortoise life due to your efforts to house and care for him well. You had to do all the work. I just "led you to the water", so to speak.
    D
    Hello Tom. I have a quick question about enclosure temps for 18 mo sulcata. Should I be monitoring the air temp or the surface temps? Noticed that air temps have been several degrees cooler than surf temps taken with calibrated IR therm (ex: today, CHE temp controllers were reading low 80s but surface and tort shell temp showed low 90s). I don't want to "slow bake" my tort.
    Tom
    Tom
    Air temps in a closed chamber is what you want to look at. I don't find surface temps to be as useful. Surface temp of the carapace is interesting to look at to see what a tortoise is doing while basking, but the basking temp should already be verified safe at tortoise shell height.
    O
    Hi Tom, I have been reading on here and you give out a lot of great information. I was wondering if you set up affiliate links anywhere so people can order what you order. At the same time you can get a kick back?
    Tom
    Tom
    Nah. I've considered doing YT videos with all this info if I had a fried that lived close by that had lots of time, AV equipment and editing skills, but I don't.
    bigtortdaddy
    Hi Tom. I’m looking for a few Burmese stars (platynota) to bring home. When will you have babies next?
    Tom
    Tom
    Not until spring time. Try @Markw84 or Gus @G-stars Both start babies as well or better than I do. I'd buy from either of them.
    A
    Hi Tom,
    I've been wanting a radiated tortoise and I live in Cali. Do you have any breeder you would recommend?
    thank you

    -adam
    F
    Hi Tom! Thank you so much for your guides, all of it are very hefpul!
    I have a few questions for my baby sulcata.
    The temperature in the enclosure is around high 80s and low 90s during the day, do I still need to turn on the UVA light for 12 hours?
    I read in your guide that baby sulcata needs to get direct sunlight for 1 hour for every inch of the tortoise. Does that mean 1 hour per day?
    Thank you so much!
    R
    Hey Tom new to the group and tortoise husbandry, I read your article on care for leopards and found all the information fascinating.
    My question is….is this information and guidelines just for hatchlings? I believe I have a yearling and I want to make sure I have everything correct.
    The enclosure is a 4x4x8 ft everything to your specs as well. Just wondering when to switch to different specs as they grow
    Tom
    Tom
    I wrote it with hatchlings in mind, but it includes info about what to do as they grow, such as reducing soaks and giving them more time outside.
    Tinytony
    Tinytony
    Tom my tortoise was born in 2019 is he still classed as a hatchling ?
    Tom
    Tom
    No. Hatchling = up to about 6 weeks. 6 weeks to one year = baby. Yearling or juvenile after that, depending on size and species. These are generally accepted colloquial terms. Not "scientific" in any way.
    T
    What supplements do you recommend?
    View previous comments…
    B
    Becky7_RN
    @Tom I gave a 1/4 of a cuttlebone and my guy LOVED it. Some say that amount is good to give every 2 weeks. Others say it's not needed if they live outdoors fulltime. Thoughts? I have the 7 year old male sulcata.
    Tom
    Tom
    Living outdoors full time has nothing to do with calcium intake. That would be more about UV. No UV bulbs are needed if they live outside. Most leave cuttlebone available at all times. I just throw some out there when I think about it. With a good diet, the need to supplement calcium is minimal.
    B
    Becky7_RN
    Great! I already prepped the pieces (took the hard backing off) and cut it into 1/4's. I didn't think he'd like it but he smashed it in one sitting so that made me happy. I'm make sure to incorporate it more frequently :)
    L
    Hi Tom, I live in So. Cal. With the drought and water restrictions going on I need to significantly reduce the lawn irrigation. I have a sulcate desert tortoise who loves his back yard and eat the fresh Bermuda grass. I’m considering using the grass and lawn amendment AquaSmart, I would appreciate any input/advise whether this is safe for my tortoise or not. I would appreciate your input so I can order it. Thank you!
    View previous comments…
    L
    Luzmary Holt
    Hi Tom, thanks for the reply, I love your hearth fell fire regarding the water restrictions, trust me I feel the same, as a law avidin citizen I thought I would try to accommodate without endangering my pet. Thanks again, have a nice weekend
    BernieL
    BernieL
    Can't agree more. The leadership in our Coachella Valley communities--even the whole state--is disgraceful. They're literally considering a water-park themed new development just a mile from our drought restricted homes here in Coachella Valley, while telling us we shouldn't run our dishwasher or washing machines in the middle of the day.
    • Like
    Reactions: Tom
    Tom
    Tom
    Its so obvious, right? Why don't more people see what is happening? Why aren't more people mad as hell about all this? When they finally succeed at waking the sleeping giant, there is going to be hell to pay.
    C
    Hi Tom,
    New to site. so here's my question? I built the cinder block burrow for my tortoise put the cover on it but before covering it with dirt I peeked in on her and she's digging under the cinder blocks.. How do I prevent the blocks from caving in on top of her. She's got her head under one as I write. help..removing her from burrow for now..thank you
    Bonita and Brownie..
    • Like
    Reactions: Tom
    Tom
    Tom
    Cinder block burrows don't work. This is why.

    What species are we talking about? What size? Where are you? Best to make a thread in the general discussion area, or in the area for your species, instead of on my profile.
    C
    cacowit
    got it..Thank you
    ReptileHabitats0203
    Is grass hay good to out in a baby sulcata enclosure or grass clippings from the lawn ? I feed him mustard greens , kale , bell pepper with sprinkle of calcium powder over each fresh serving. I have not tried flowers yet but have been seeing that 90% of their diet needs to be grass or hay .
    Rocki
    Hi Tom, can one use castor oil instead of mineral oil for a constipated Sulcata? Thanks!
    Tom
    Tom
    I have no experience with castor oil, so I don't have an answer for you. Mineral oil is fine.
    • Like
    Reactions: Rocki
    Tolis
    Hi Tom, my aldabra really likes black eyed peas. Is it best to feed them raw or boil them first?
    Tom
    Tom
    That is not a good food for them. Legumes are too high in protein to be a large percentage of the diet. What size tortoise? Where are you? What percentage of the diet are you making the peas? I don't think it matters much if you feed them raw or boiled.
    Tolis
    Tolis
    Ive been feeding leftovers around once a week. Usually Im giving the pod which they never eat then left over boiled legumes. They like them so much I figured I should cook more just for them or better feed it raw thats why I asked. I m pretty sure I read somewhere they were on the safe list, must have fallen victim to internet misinformation on that one. Tortoise is juvenile 3 pounds in Cyprus. Thanks for the advice!
    Mindy Robinson
    Hi Tom,
    I am starting to build an outdoor night time enclosure for my Sulcata (Sherman Tank), and the thread you had previously posted about your best night box yet has great text, but none of the images are showing up... is that something wrong on my end or has something happened to the post? I remember viewing it previously and would really appreciate that helpful starting point!

    TIA!
    View previous comments…
    H
    howardb
    Tom, Like others, I've tried to find your post "My best night box design yet," and I've discovered that what's available has no photos or dimensions. If you could send me a file, a link, or whatever's convenient for you, I'd appreciate it. Don't know if this is relevant: I can use SketchUp files (my version is 2017, I think). Thanks!
    B
    Becky7_RN
    I would love those pictures as well please :) Thank you!
    Tom
    Tom

    Single Tortoise Night Box

    I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...
    tortoiseforum.org tortoiseforum.org

    Double Door Night Box

    As the years have gone by and I build more of these boxes, I learn more and more each time. This one is the latest and I incorporated everything I've learned over the years. I also tried to take lots of pics so I can explain in more detail some of what is going on. It will take multiple posts to...
    tortoiseforum.org tortoiseforum.org
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