Hatchlings eating worms for first time

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jojodesca

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just asking...is that too much water in the enclosure?? it looks flooded...
 

shellfreak

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You are correct, it is pretty flooded. On one side of my enclosure I keep extremely soaked. In the beginning of my breeding adventures I lost alot of babies due to drying out; misting the enclosure just wasnt cutting it. A few years ago I started treating ebt hatchlings like aquatic hatchlings and I haven't lost one since. In fact, they spend most of their time on the soaked side. It's funny, I will drop worms and bugs on the dry side and they drag them into the "flood" to eat.
 

shellfreak

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I am always worried about shell rot. They have access to a complete dry side of the enclosure, but tend not to like it. I keep them in this "aquatic" stage for about 2-3 months after being hatched. Then put them in a semi-aquatic stage with moist soil until 6 months. After 6 months they have normal substrate. I have been doing this for 5 years and haven't got shell rot on the babies that I have kept, I hope it's not harming them. Prior to doing this I lost Alot of babies due to dehydration. So I guess I started to this out of hope...I'm always up for suggestions and help with making my hatchlings thrive.
 

Vishnu2

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shellfreak said:
I am always worried about shell rot. They have access to a complete dry side of the enclosure, but tend not to like it. I keep them in this "aquatic" stage for about 2-3 months after being hatched. Then put them in a semi-aquatic stage with moist soil until 6 months. After 6 months they have normal substrate. I have been doing this for 5 years and haven't got shell rot on the babies that I have kept, I hope it's not harming them. Prior to doing this I lost Alot of babies due to dehydration. So I guess I started to this out of hope...I'm always up for suggestions and help with making my hatchlings thrive.

I think you're well spoken and seem to have a rhythm down. If something works well for you and the babies you're raising by all means keep doing that for now. Change is good but not at the risk of young lives. Your system seems functional and works so why change it? ;)
 

shellfreak

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They are also eating small crickets, silk worms, Pill bugs, and meal worms. Plus any moving bug my kids throw in their enclosure. At dusk, I put them outside in a shallow enclosure and put a lantern in the middle of the enclosure. Attracts a ton of random bugs, on occasion they snatch up a bug or two. After their snack they come back inside for the night.
 

ellie99

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Can a red footed tortoise eat worms ?? :D cute pic btw !!!! :D
 

shellfreak

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I give mine meal worms once in a blue moon, every few months. Good source of protein. She eats them up.
 
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