Search results

I just read the whole thread. It sounds like you were doing everything right, and I don't see an obvious cause of your problem. My best guess is the prolonged June gloom we had this year, so the warm temps probably helped prevent this from being an even bigger problem. I would leave the temps...

354 is small for for three years old. MBD occurs when there is not enough calcium available for bone growth and bodily maintenance. If the seller is telling the truth and this tortoise was outside its whole life, then the most likely explanation would be a calcium deficient diet. They can't use...

What species is Mabel? Tortoises can go outside when they are little hatchlings. Why would anyone say to keep it inside for years? That's lunacy. You do have to make sure they are warm enough, but not too hot, but outside time is great for tortoises of any age. I prefer to do about an hour of...

I'm sorry to tell you that this tortoise is not only heavily pyramided, it also had MBD. It was raised and grown completely incorrectly. I wish you had posted pics before you made the purchase. We would have told you to pass on this one. You really ought to share the name of the breeder/seller...

If you just plopped the tortoise outside today, it would survive. I prefer to gradually acclimate them as they are growing. This should have been done early in the spring before it got too hot. At this point, I would do and hour or two a day in the morning before it gets too hot. It's hard to go...

I agree. They are a really nice species, but few people seem interested in them, oddly. I don't have any, but if you do, perhaps you could show some pictures of yours?

You need both. Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials: Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and...

All of them are scared when they are small. Everything in the wild eats them. Sulcatas usually stop that around 3 or 4 years old, even if you don't do anything at all. I usually try to keep them mostly indoors until they are around 8-10 inches. I put babies outside for an hour or two a couple...

I would remove that. Penis injury is likely.

1. He needs much more ambient light. It should be bright and "sunny" during the day. 2. The coir needs to be kept damp and hand packed. It should not be dry, loose or fluffy. 3. The light timing should mimic the outdoors. It should come on around 6 or 7 and go off 12-14 hours later. 4. The UV...

Your neighbors have another male? That may be the source of his ire. Males sometimes get super territorial, and more so after brumation, and even more so in spring and summer.

Betadine should only be used once to disinfect. Repeated use kills the regenerating tissue. If those marks are on top and bottom, it could be damage from a dog attack. Check the temperature under the bulb. That will tell you if you need to make a change or not. I would not use reptisoil.

Here are the things that I noticed: 1. How close is the UV lamp to the tortoise? 2. Can we see a picture of the enclosure? 3. Where is the heat lamp and UV tube mounted? 4. Is there any additional lighting? 5. How long is the UV tube on each day? 6. There needs to be much more variety in the...

Two UV tubes is not how I would do it. I'd use LEDs on the cooler end. Your temps and conditions sound ideal. It may just be that once he has a full belly and he's warm, there is no reason to walk about exposing himself to predators.

At no age. A viv is always better and more controllable, unless the room temp and humidity is exactly the same as what you want in your table for the tortoise.

They all grow at different rates, so my question is the same as Tammy's: What size tortoise are we talking about? Smaller ones do better staying indoors in a large closed chamber most of the time. You can spray, hose or mist any size tortoise, and it's good for them. One caution though: If you...

Since your enclosure will have front opening doors and a solid top, you can put books, potted plants, or various types of art work on top. I like the idea of a tortoise food garden, and I'm a fish guy too. I'd put the fish on bottom and the tortoise higher up though. If the stand is 24" and the...

Check the basking temp by placing a digital thermometer on its back, at tortoise shell height, directly under the lamp, and letting it cook there for an hour or more. If it's over 100 and you can't raise the bulb any higher, get a lower wattage bulb, and save that one for winter. Alternatively...

I think you already know what is going on because you've mentioned it a couple of times already. He's determined to find a mate. It's that time of year. You brumated him, as you should have, and once they wake up in spring, its time to do that deed. Some Testudo males get super crazed with the...

Where do you live?