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  1. M

    Orchard Grass Hay for DT, stems and all?

    Maybe I need to refine my approach there with the chopped up cactus, I was cognizant of that PSA article (seems logical), but since I don't have a food processor I cut it up into very small pieces about 2mm or less. Still too large? I could invest in a food processor, or the grating idea (I...
  2. M

    Orchard Grass Hay for DT, stems and all?

    What is a good vendor that would have "correct" orchard grass hay that I could compare to? It's not that expensive, if I have to toss what I got that's ok, he wouldn't be eating that much of it either way. I got Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay, in the package it looked similar to what I've seen in...
  3. M

    Orchard Grass Hay for DT, stems and all?

    Well now you've got me wondering. This is definitely not just blades of grass.
  4. M

    Orchard Grass Hay for DT, stems and all?

    Ok very good to know, thanks. I thought orchard grass hay was common for DT's.........see as much as I try to absorb all this info I still get it wrong sometimes lol. I'll mix it in rather than give him it to him straight. He does get opuntia at least 3 times a week, more if he's in the...
  5. M

    Orchard Grass Hay for DT, stems and all?

    I've long given my 4 year old DT lots of fresh grasses, grassland pellets, etc., all of which he loves, but only now am starting with orchard grass hay. I chopped some up yesterday into maybe 3mm pieces, dampened, and he loved it all by itself. Even with orchard grass hay, I noticed there's...
  6. M

    1st Brumation Rpt - Meet Charlie

    Hi folks - A quick FYI update regarding Charlie's weight, if you recall in my first post he was 819g going into brumation, 776 coming out. I weighed him again about a week or so ago, and he was back to 820g. I'm guessing that's a combination of restoring some fat supplies as well as being...
  7. M

    1st Brumation Rpt - Meet Charlie

    Thanks folks. I wanted to post my experience in hopes maybe it helped out other folks down the road, everyone's specific situation is different and I don't claim to be a expert. Most everything I know I know gleaned from this web site and applied it to my particulars, sometimes with some...
  8. M

    1st Brumation Rpt - Meet Charlie

    Meet Charlie. This was his 4th winter but it's the first time I brumated him, the previous 3 winters I kept him up and active.; the first couple years I wanted to be sure he was healthy (he was a rescue and in rough shape, see pic of tiny tortoise) and last year I was just plain scared and felt...
  9. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Yep I’m waiting for her to start slowing down and then start decreasing her food, 2 weeks without at the end. One thing that I haven’t figured out with my fridge is humidity. Inside the box it’s pretty high, like 50-60%, whereas outside the hibernation box it’s like 30%. And I have no idea how...
  10. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Update on the fridge prep for hibernation, I’ve been able to get the temp variance to about a 4 degree swing, 50-54 for the most part, that’s inside the hibernation box (wireless sensor). Sometimes my thermometer may drift a degree on either end for a couple mins but that’s prob just...
  11. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Btw how big it your tort? I'll post pics when I get a moment in the next day or so, you can see my setup.
  12. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Thanks, helpful info, as are the pics. I think I'm making progress, temps were a little more stable overnight. I think part of the problem is the hibernation box is on the large side (13x11) which means that's a good portion of the overall fridge space that just air space (prob 50%) which of...
  13. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Still working on stabilizing temps even tho I have a lot of water bottles in there. the fridge itself seems like a quality unit, I’m tracking the temps and it definitely corresponds to the compressor on/off cycle. When you say put “stuff” around it, do you mean putting some small water bottles...
  14. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    What I meant was the box was a tighter squeeze in the fridge than I expected, plenty big for the DT, perhaps unnecessarily so, that’s my question. Or it’s OCD kicking in.
  15. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Regarding the hibernation box, how big should it be for a DT with a shell of 5.75” x 4.5”? I just test fitted my 13” x 11” box and its a bit of a tighter squeeze than I expected. I wanted it to be wide enough for her to turn around, so I went with 11” but maybe that’s not necessary. Just...
  16. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    Do you just open up the door now and again for air? I’m using a beverage cooler 4.3 cu ft capacity.
  17. M

    Substrate for Hibernating DT (first time)

    We're hibernating for the first time this year (yikes) using the fridge method (double yikes) and would like to know if orchid bark is a good substrate for fridge hibernation. That's what I use in her indoor enclosure, so I have plenty and would prefer to keep using it but was wondering about...
  18. M

    Revamping lighting setup - input on mixing UV and LED ideas

    Yeah I’ve been working on the plant thing, my problem has been getting things to grow in there. Light or heat, not sure, but I’ve been having a tough time. Plus I wanted some things she could nibble on too. I have some things germinating now in fact, will try again.
  19. M

    Revamping lighting setup - input on mixing UV and LED ideas

    My 18 month old DT lives in the below enclosure, 3‘ x 4‘. Eventually she will have an outdoor habitat but for now it’s indoors, although I take her outside nearly every day for as long as she wants to be out there, that’s usually 30 to 60 minutes per day. The lighting in her enclosure is good...
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