TheChubbyMermaid
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2014
- Messages
- 13
Hi experts.
I have two very neat little desert tortoise hatchlings. I think I've finally given them names- Fast Friend and Turtle Burd.
I am nearly completed with their tortoise table, I am letting it de-gas and making sure I have all the appropriate substrate materials. I was going to use coconut coir and dirt from the wilds of California... however would be be better to use that sand looking stuff I've seen at petco instead? It's made from ground walnut. The reason I ask is because when I take the little guys adventuring for their sun and exercise they try and eat the dirt. I can't imagine that's good for them. So I worry about having something in their habitat that they eat and get sick from.
The smallest of my torts has some shell lifting issues. It was given to us like that. There are two scutes at the edge of the shell that appear to be lifting. There is no desquamation and I can't see bone. One part looks like it has scarred a little. I have been soaking that one a little more often than the other one without shell issues. It eats and is very active and seems alert and happy. Aside from that, the larger of the hatchlings has new shell growth as indicated by the white lines in between the scutes, the smaller one doesn't seem to be growing.
Burrowing and temperature. It's still hot in southern CA. Today it's in the 90's. I imagine soon it will be time to hibernate these babies. The temperature in my house fluctuates as we don't have central AC and while we're not home it can get incredibly cold. In a shallow enclosure such as a tortoise table, do their burrows mostly remain constant? Should I move the tortoise table to the garage where it remains cold all day? I feel like I need some hand holding on how to keep the humidity and temperature constant in an open enclosure for hibernation indoors.
Play time. I let them roam around supervised for a few hours every day after their soak. I read in another thread hatchlings shouldn't be played with or exploring. They just seem bored in the enclosure.
My tortoise husbandry needs cultivation!
TL;DR
1.) Coconut coir and California (no bugs) dirt okay? Or ground walnut because they try and eat EVERYTHING.
2.) Shell lifting... is this somewhat normal? Do I need to do something special? Tort doesn't seem to have any behavioral indications that it's ill.
3.) Burrows and hibernation regulation guide anywhere for indoor open enclosures?
4.) Can they explore?
Bonus video of Fast Friend (foreground) and Turtle Burd (background) noshing on some hibiscus leaves.
I have two very neat little desert tortoise hatchlings. I think I've finally given them names- Fast Friend and Turtle Burd.
I am nearly completed with their tortoise table, I am letting it de-gas and making sure I have all the appropriate substrate materials. I was going to use coconut coir and dirt from the wilds of California... however would be be better to use that sand looking stuff I've seen at petco instead? It's made from ground walnut. The reason I ask is because when I take the little guys adventuring for their sun and exercise they try and eat the dirt. I can't imagine that's good for them. So I worry about having something in their habitat that they eat and get sick from.
The smallest of my torts has some shell lifting issues. It was given to us like that. There are two scutes at the edge of the shell that appear to be lifting. There is no desquamation and I can't see bone. One part looks like it has scarred a little. I have been soaking that one a little more often than the other one without shell issues. It eats and is very active and seems alert and happy. Aside from that, the larger of the hatchlings has new shell growth as indicated by the white lines in between the scutes, the smaller one doesn't seem to be growing.
Burrowing and temperature. It's still hot in southern CA. Today it's in the 90's. I imagine soon it will be time to hibernate these babies. The temperature in my house fluctuates as we don't have central AC and while we're not home it can get incredibly cold. In a shallow enclosure such as a tortoise table, do their burrows mostly remain constant? Should I move the tortoise table to the garage where it remains cold all day? I feel like I need some hand holding on how to keep the humidity and temperature constant in an open enclosure for hibernation indoors.
Play time. I let them roam around supervised for a few hours every day after their soak. I read in another thread hatchlings shouldn't be played with or exploring. They just seem bored in the enclosure.
My tortoise husbandry needs cultivation!
TL;DR
1.) Coconut coir and California (no bugs) dirt okay? Or ground walnut because they try and eat EVERYTHING.
2.) Shell lifting... is this somewhat normal? Do I need to do something special? Tort doesn't seem to have any behavioral indications that it's ill.
3.) Burrows and hibernation regulation guide anywhere for indoor open enclosures?
4.) Can they explore?
Bonus video of Fast Friend (foreground) and Turtle Burd (background) noshing on some hibiscus leaves.
