Torts in the snow! How neat!
A Pic From Today
- Thread starter Len B
- Start date
So cute, playing in the snow!
One of the new babies on Walkers back.
How warm is his enclosure? I think Walker has a high tolerance for cold weather, doesn't he?
Why don't we see pics like these on the annual calendar? I think Walker on snow would be so cool!!!
Why don't we see pics like these on the annual calendar? I think Walker on snow would be so cool!!!
You say they have a burrow? Is it underground with a wooden structure entrance? Do all your torts live in the burrow? How do you manage to keep the males from fighting for dominance /females? Oh, and, what state do you live in?
His house is 8x8 ft and reading 85 on the cooler end right now. Outside air temps are all reading above 50 and going up until the clouds move in later this afternoon. His house serves as his burrow and he is very protective of it. He also has dirt burrow under his house that is used during the hot months. Some people say sulcatas don't understand cold, I believe they do understand they are getting cold, because after being out in the cold for a while they head back to their houses to warm up. Walker is pretty big so he retains his body heat for quite awhile before he needs to head in to warm up. I didn't submit a pic for this years calendar, I had pics win in the 2nd and 3rd calendars,. Walker did win the Stanfield contest with a snow pic. I have 3 females and 2 males, 2 of the females, Enoch and Toad sleep in one house together, the other 3 each have their own house. They were all put together for the first time last summer.( I didn't know what to expect ) Everything went smooth and peaceful, Thankfully. In the fall when Enoch and Alex started laying for the first time the males would bother them while nesting, so I separated them into four separate areas. I put them back into the separate areas last week before the snow storm and will probably keep them this way until spring shows up. I have a couple sex toys for Walker that he still utilizes, a hard green ball about 6 inches in diameter is his favorite. I have not noticed any signs of aggression or dominance between the 2 males, They have never been together alone without females being present. I am in Virginia on the Potomac River southeast of Washington DC.
She is not a tortoise but has been with us since she was a tiny little thing. She is 10 years old and finished molting last night.. It was not to long before she came out of hiding so I could get a pic of her fresh colors.
Ahh!
Just curious, what is her demeanor typically like? Does she recognize you when you're nearby?
I want to say "how pretty colors"... But they just freak me out! I know it's crazy. Could you tell us about her? Maybe start her own thread in appropriate section? I'd be very interested in reading/following it. Snakes used to scare me out of my mind, but over time it got better as I made myself read as much as possible about them. To me it the unknown factor that's the biggest cause of fear. Guess I like to be in control
You are very brave!
Always good to be in control!
She is not real excitable most of the time, She has fuzzed me several times over the years though. I don't believe she recognizes me or anything larger than a big bug of some sort.Ahh!
What do you mean "fuzzed you"? Just curious! Know nothing about spiders
When she gets startled or feels that she may be in danger she can rub the top of her body with her back legs very quickly and throw some of the hairs in the air to help ward off a predator, The hairs can be quite irritating if they get in your eyes. If you see a spider with a bald spot on it's backside it's not because it is an old spider it is just an irritated or nervous one, When it molts it will look fine with a new full body of hair.
Thanks for explaining the "fuzzing" deal. Very interesting. It's really a shame that as passionate about animals and nature that I feel, I'd be so phobic about snakes and spiders. I grew up in Poland (cold climate) where the biggest spider was daddy longlegs and there was only 1 species of venomous snake which was so rare to see it was protected by federal law. I used to go camping all the time, and loved outdoors, lakes, mountains, rivers, big old forests, and never-not once did I encounter a live snake. I guess maybe lack of exposure and definitely lack of education, plus some stigma on those animals has caused me to have this stupid fear of them. I'm doing much better with captive snakes now. Can actually appreciate beauty of nature in their colors and adaptation to environment. I have yet to encounter one in my garden and see if I freak out.... Spiders though still give me little chill, so I must do what I did about my "snake fear": learn, learn, learn... and be freeWhen she gets startled or feels that she may be in danger she can rub the top of her body with her back legs very quickly and throw some of the hairs in the air to help ward off a predator, The hairs can be quite irritating if they get in your eyes. If you see a spider with a bald spot on it's backside it's not because it is an old spider it is just an irritated or nervous one, When it molts it will look fine with a new full body of hair.
That's a little frightening!When she gets startled or feels that she may be in danger she can rub the top of her body with her back legs very quickly and throw some of the hairs in the air to help ward off a predator, The hairs can be quite irritating if they get in your eyes. If you see a spider with a bald spot on it's backside it's not because it is an old spider it is just an irritated or nervous one, When it molts it will look fine with a new full body of hair.
A snapper out sunning today, for the first time this year The snappers are always the last to show themselves each spring.
Sweet! Always good to see from a distance...
