Recent content by Tom

You will always be able to keep yours indoors. I keep species that get too big for any indoor enclosure. My climate makes this easy for me. Don't be afraid of brumation. It's natural and it's better for them. It is only risky and dangerous when done incorrectly. When done correctly it is no...

You "can" leave them in the ground, but since Testudo eggs don't diapause, I'm not sure there is any "benefit" to leaving them. It definitely won't hurt the legs to stay in the ground for a few days or a couple of weeks until the incubator is all set up and stable at the correct temperature. Not...

What she said. Plants take several months. Trees can take up to a year, depending on their size and how much poison they've absorbed. It's not an exact science because there are many unknowable variables. I find it best to just grow your own from seed or from cuttings, if you don't have access...

After a soak, try to remove that stuff with a soft bristle toothbrush or a Q tip. If it doesn't easily wipe off, it's probably shedding skin. It is not a fungal infection. The substrate needs to be lightly damp, and coco coir needs to be hand packed to make it firmer. Its should not be sopping...

An 8x4 foot is the minimum I'd recommend for an adult greek tortoise. This works best if they also have a large outdoor enclosure to roam, graze, and explore in warmer weather. Here is the difference between a table and the viv in concept: A table is wide open and the temperature and humidity...

Good guess! You are very perceptive. :)

Why are you letting the turtle out loose on the floor? It should not have access to the carpet or the floor.

I've never tried that, but it might work. You'd need a meter to verify and be sure of how much UVB is reaching the tortoise.

16 inches is too close for a 12% bulb, so its way too close for a 14%. The normal recommendation for 12% bulbs is 18-20 inches from the tortoise, so the 14% should be higher than that. You really need a meter to know what is happening under your bulb. Put a digital thermometer under the heat...

That is likely your problem. Spot bulbs should not be used. They focus too much desiccating IR-A into too small of an area. You need a flood bulb. Arcadia sells them. Check the temperature under your bulb by laying a digital thermometer that records highs and lows directly under the bulb, and...

You've made a mistake. Introducing the dogs to the tortoises is the wrong way to go. I say this because I have personally seen it fail time and time again. I'm not telling you this to hurt your feeling or insult you. Quite the opposite, I'm telling you this in an effort to prevent a tragedy that...

The simple answer is to always keep them separate, and each animal should have its own dedicated area that is not shared. That is the only safe way to do it. Another issue that people seldom think of is the poop. The tortoise will eat the dog poop and the dogs will eat the tortoise poop...

HA! That's funny. Yes. Yes I did. I will enjoy being allowed to help and participate. You know how much you enjoy caring for and marveling at your tortoises every day? Do you remember the daily joy you had when they were little babies just growing up and eating and exploring the world you...

What kind of bulb? Flood? Spot? Halogen? What wattage?

I think you are okay. I'd drop the basking temp down closer to 95, and what kind of basking bulb are you using?