Emaleigh,
Although so very late, I wish to present you my condolences... Terry was an adorable man, and my "fights" with him were a pleasure- I always saw the MAN in him, the humorous, protective, great guy. Even if we had different opinions on tortoise keeping, I felt we would have been close...
Wow...I can edit only for half an hour after posting, so now unable to correct it. Sorry, it will stay 101%...
... it's a metaphore, man... forget it.
QED.
I do not antropomorphyse... look for other kind of kepers, like the ones fearing their tortoise will not like to be alone, claustrate in cold and dark, for months, if you just like to use that word so much... but first, learn to identify it.
I am not projecting nothing, it's just realising the...
Well, I did not expect to be understood by everyone- but i am pretty sure there are some here. For me, it's just common sense, for you, an opportunity to make an irony. No big deal, I am quite accustomed.
And we have a word here: "exactly because of that it will not rain anymore in...
I am quite positive about that... they know just a few things, but they knew them very well. You cannot erase their ancestral memory, they are too old for that to be possible... you just can offer them decent care, and they will accept it, since survival first, dreaming second... but just give...
Will,
Certainly PETA is not an angelic organisation- only some of their members are sincere... but to call them terrorists, is quite a lot of error.
You said "not your opinion, but FACT"- because FBI considers them that way? Well, I would rather care about YOUR labelling, than the FBI one...
Quite late, maybe redundant, maybe someone will find something new...
In order to find THE ANSWER, not "opinions", "views" etc., that may be ok or totally aberrant, we should first to cut loose all our ego, involvement, attachements, weaknesses, selfishness, interests- otherwise, our "answer"...
Terryo,
We are all aware, as already said, that such organisations are powered in a minuscule proportion by love for animals!! I obviously agree some of the PETA objectives (!), but I am still a grown-up and see the other side, and those "idiotic approaches"are unacceptable for me.
I wasn't...
Nicky, you can let him outdoors, your place is so warm that he may not even hibernate continuously.
About low temps overnight, do not worry. Mines spent quite cool nights with morning frosts, OUTSIDE their hide, just stuck at the base of a grass clump or digging a 1-3 cm excavation and just...
Student,
I was once at the same point as you were, but... for only one - but persistent- detractor and a few ignorants that make me regret the time afforded, when I could have been helping someone else with an advice, it was not worthy to lose contact with THE OTHERS, interesting people...
Well, Ice, it is not patronsing, at least from me... but you really let some important factors to just happen, and that will always bring some criticism- it is justified, not patronising, since some mistakes can be dangerous, and a slightly abrupt tone just means "be more careful!", with all...
Babies are not reliable to tell the subspecies.
Yes, you are right, Nabeulensis is not a true hibernator (like 5*C for 3-5 months), but it will do fine outdoors in Malta. Check the weather data, it is the same climate.
They will emerge and hide following the weather, not true burrowers. They...
Biochem, if that is what Russians needed, they would have been in Romania at this time :P. That is good even for Boxies! It needs humid enough not to be dusty and irritant, but not really feeling "moist". That level you described is maybe appropriate for Hermanni, or just for the humid hide of a...
No, definitely not from Ibera-group, but I don't know if nabeulensis... for me, even marokkensis and cyrenaica may be suspected. I really don't know, maybe from better pictures, carapace, plastron and lateral view.
So, clearly a north-African, no match in hardiness for an Ibera, but quite fit...
Not necessarily now- but even if not right now, it is a matter of only a week or two, no more! You are still feeding her, or she just eats weeds from her enclosure? How consistent were the urates- fluid or gritty?
Is she still basking, despite the cold? If so, let her enter hibernation by...
I just warned you that there is no way a hermanni can be "poorly" due to cold, and better find the real cause. It's not a "just my opinion"-type of reply, it's fact.
"Feeling" about or "happier torts" is so subjective, that is irrelevant... and "healthier", when you told about a "poorly...
Yep... just like I thought so.
And if you say "some hatchlings", that means you can try something: let at least half of them to burrow naturally, and just protect that place against abundant rainfall; not allowing to became bone dry, of course. Do not fear, underground they will be safe, and...
No Hermanni can be "poorly" due to the "cold" in a house, Snowy!!
Mine are still active at 0*CNight/10*CDay, sunny. Well, just getting out of the bushes and slowly walking to basking areas, but no way "poorly" looking.
Keep in mind that they live in areas with cold winters, may be active...