ALDABRA TORTOISE BREEDER

[ALDABRAMAN]

very informative aldabraman..
i hope to learn more.. keep updating with those beautiful photos..

* Thank you!

I thought I just posted something about Hopie, but I don't see it. // I
My posts aren't not showing up.

* This is a common and frequent issue for me also, for some reason my post will not post either, making it impossible to alter or correct if necessary. However, they usually will appear directly after someone else makes a post. I been experimenting and think that if you limit your post to just one picture it usually has no difficulties posting immediately, just an observation and it could just be coincidental.

He's doing so well. I'm so glad you saved him and probably have him there for life.

* He has been thru extensive evaluations and several procedures so far. This issue seems to be somewhat permanent, however we will manage and provide any care and treatment possible for him as long as his spirit and life is good and happy. He is always placed inside during the night and kept very warm, he sleeps so good and seems very comfortable at night under the heat. I will often throughout the night go check on him and just smile! It is amazing how we get so attached to these creatures. I can still remember the day he hatched out, what a mess he was! He is now five and one half years old, hatched June 4th of 2008. His mother was Sandy.

* Here he is this morning (12-10-2013) waiting for me to pick him up and take him outside in the sunshine with his cousins. He is about twenty one pounds now.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

83f & 87% Today!

 

[wellington]

19 and dropping today I think I need a trip to FLA. Enjoy the warmth, your the only one getting it

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If Hopie is eating and drinking, how much longer will he need the feeding tube? If his blood work comes out all normal, will the tube be removed?

* This is his third feeding tube and his blood work is all within normal ranges, actually it always has been. The cat scan showed a small section of his spinal cord narrowing or damaged, Dr Mader could be certain if it was genetic or an injury. Eventually we will remove the tube, however this pattern seems to be perpetual in that he eats and drinks and then stops again so we are reluctant at this point to remove it just yet. We push water every night insure good hydration, mainly because he is housed over night inside under heat.

LOVE this pic. So sweet.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

19 and dropping today

* WOW, not nice!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[Yellow Turtle]

* Our adults are usually up and browsing by dawn and tend to find shade options during the hottest part of the day. Sometimes they will start browsing again in the late afternoon when the temperature goes back down. If it is a cooler and sunny day some will browse all day and never find shade options. A lot of this behavior depends on food availability, if no easy food sources are available they tend to browse longer. If they have an abundant of easy accessible food, they tend to eat until full and retire for the day, usually i the barn. Our young ones do the same, except they eat much less and hind more.

This looks to be the case for mine as well. It's just mine tend to go browsing for food much later at around 9 am. But usually before that, I'd have already give him morning soak, so I could never determine what time he starts wandering around.

* We soak our hatchlings twice a day for the first ten days or so and then at least once a day for the next twenty days or so. The majority are leaving our program between thirty and forty days old. (about 3")
For Tuff, since his size is about mine, have you stopped giving him routine soak? And if you still soak him, when would you stop giving him soak?

* We are always providing sources for hydration at all ages. Either thru electronic and manual valve control systems for irrigation, plenty of fresh water in bowls and daily showers by hand!
Hmm I agree on this, my area reach like 38-40 C during hottest days. Mine keeps hiding during that hot temperature. I wet his favorite hiding place everyday to provide him with enough humidity during those time.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

For Tuff, since his size is about mine, have you stopped giving him routine soak? And if you still soak him, when would you stop giving him soak?

* We actually soak Tuff more than we would normally for one his age and size because of his medical issues. For one that size and age that was not compromised we would not soak them hardly at all.

* We do give showers on a regular basis for any that size that are receptive!

* And of course, always plenty of fresh clean water!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[mtdavis254817]

Love the Aldabra butts

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[wellington]

So Greg. You have been working so hard over there, with Tuff, Hopie, all the little ones, etc. I think you need a vacation. I will house sit for you, for free, if you leave now, while it's still warm there..
Great pics as always.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I think you need a vacation. // I will house sit for you, for free, if you leave now, while it's still warm there.

* LOL, you might have a good point, this is right in the middle of our egg laying season!

Great pics as always.

* Thank you!

So Greg. You have been working so hard over there, with Tuff, Hopie, all the little ones, etc.

* Labor of love!

* Hopie stood on all four today for his shower, this is wonderful!

If Hopie is eating

* Today was a very monumental day for Hopie, his appetite appeared to be back to normal. He ate two cactus pads, some lettuce, and a little bit of hay!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[wellington]

I think you need a vacation. // I will house sit for you, for free, if you leave now, while it's still warm there.

* LOL, you might have a good point, this is right in the middle of our egg laying season!

Great pics as always.

* Thank you!

So Greg. You have been working so hard over there, with Tuff, Hopie, all the little ones, etc.

* Labor of love!

* Hopie stood on all four today for his shower, this is wonderful!

If Hopie is eating

* Today was a very monumental day for Hopie, his appetite appeared to be back to normal. He ate two cactus pads, some lettuce, and a little bit of hay!

That's such great news. Sure hope is keeps improving.

 

[T33's Torts]

What is that syringe-looking thing hanging off Hopie's shell?