MEP Aretha

[jsheffield]

Aretha arrived this morning from Florida via FedEx.

50g & 6.4cm.

Out of the box, she drank a lot, nose sunk deep in the soaking container.

She's now exploring her enclosure, the Vision 632 I recently found... I've been sneaking in, a lot, to make sure she's fine in her new home, seeing the sights, enjoying the features.



I'm very excited about this new addition to our family.

Jamie

 

[Yvonne G]

I had no idea you were interested in the Manouria species. Did you get it from Vic Morgan?

 

[Turtle girl 98]

View attachment 279519

Aretha arrived this morning from Florida via FedEx.

50g & 6.4cm.

Out of the box, she drank a lot, nose sunk deep in the soaking container.

She's now exploring her enclosure, the Vision 632 I recently found... I've been sneaking in, a lot, to make sure she's fine in her new home, seeing the sights, enjoying the features.

View attachment 279521

I'm very excited about this new addition to our family.

Jamie

Very beautiful species. How old is she approximately?

 

[jsheffield]

Bill Murray, the same guy I got my redfoot Darwin from... I've been thinking about broadening the range of torts I live with since Chili, the Russian, came to live with me.

I love the idea of establishing an assurance colony of such a beautiful and interesting tortoise, with the possibility of helping to preserve the species.

My son went to Thailand this summer for a service learning program and saw some mountain tortoises in captivity and at a refuge, and it affected him deeply.

I'm interested in getting to know Aretha over time.

Jamie

 

[jsheffield]

Very beautiful species. How old is she approximately?

I was told she's about two months old....

Jamie

 

[Turtle girl 98]

I was told she's about two months old....

Jamie

Oh how sweet [emoji846] I enjoy getting turtles as babies cuz then you can raise them how you want from the start and they will be more partial to you seeing you as mom [emoji846] she's so beautiful.
Good luck Jamie [emoji846]
Lexi

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm partial to Manouria. I tried for years to breed and hatch them with minimal success. Then my tortoise partner took them home with him to San Diego and has had breeding success every year since. I guess the weather just wasn't good here. But I did keep two that I hatched here, now three and four years of age.

 

[Turtle girl 98]

I'm partial to Manouria. I tried for years to breed and hatch them with minimal success. Then my tortoise partner took them home with him to San Diego and has had breeding success every year since. I guess the weather just wasn't good here. But I did keep two that I hatched here, now three and four years of age.

That's crazy how they wouldn't breed much for you and then for Will they are doing it successfully. Do you know if he has them in a different enclosure or is there any different variables for why they breed with more success ? I'm just curious.

 

[jsheffield]

Checked in first thing this morning and she's been exploring and nibbling at the food I put in yesterday, which seems a good start.

The average temps (according to the inkbird monitor) cycled from 77-83 degrees F during the 24 hours she's lived here, with a basking spot at one end up to about 90 when the light is on and the dark end a bit cooler.

Experienced keepers: should I aim for more temperature variation in the enclosure, or across the day/night cycle?

Humidity had been steady in the low to mid 90s.

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[method89]

View attachment 279519

Aretha arrived this morning from Florida via FedEx.

50g & 6.4cm.

Out of the box, she drank a lot, nose sunk deep in the soaking container.

She's now exploring her enclosure, the Vision 632 I recently found... I've been sneaking in, a lot, to make sure she's fine in her new home, seeing the sights, enjoying the features.

View attachment 279521

I'm very excited about this new addition to our family.

Jamie

ohhh, very nice... I want one now

 

[method89]

whats your plan for NH winters?

 

[jsheffield]

whats your plan for NH winters?

For now (and probably the next couple of years), the 6X3 enclosure is sufficient for her needs... once she gets bigger, I'm debating a heated greenhouse or retrofitting an unused attached garage that we have.

Jamie

 

[jsheffield]

I checked in on Aretha about an hour after the light in her enclosure went off and she'd burrowed down a bit into the mulch for the night's

She ate some hibiscus flower, mazuri, and a small amount of a reptilink with fruit and veggie today.

She's been swimming a number of times today and yesterday in the 8" underpot in her enclosure as a combination waterbowl and swimming pool.



Nerdy Manouria Question: what do you think is an optimal temperature range and cycle for Aretha's enclosure?

Her hide ranged from 72 to 83 with a hot bit by the light at one end of the enclosure of about 90, and a slightly cool spot at the far edge at about 68... warmest at about 5:30pm and coolest at 6:30am (in synch with her dusk and dawn).

My questions are: should I broaden that warm to cool spread over the course of her days, tighten it up, warm things overall, or cool them?

Thanks - J

 

[jsheffield]

Aretha went nuts for some flowers grown from a tortoise seed mix I bought and have been growing in a 4x4 raised-garden this summer.

Jamie

 

[Dena]

She is beautiful. Congrats on your new addition!

 

[JLMDVM]

Aretha is awesome! So gorgeous!

 

[jsheffield]

59g today, active, and soaking well.

Jamie

 

[Blackdog1714]

Have you started planning your rainforest enclosure. They are such lovely torts, but they need a lot of extra help to give them the right environment. I know you will do well!

 

[jsheffield]

Have you started planning your rainforest enclosure. They are such lovely torts, but they need a lot of extra help to give them the right environment. I know you will do well!

So far, just very humid, while being slightly less warm and bright than my redfoot's enclosure... it's roomy enough that I introduced a branch thick with maple leaves for her to browse and explore and hide among.

I've noted patterns of movement in the week she's been here: she often basks in the light at the warmer end for a half hour or so after it comes on in the morning, then walks the perimeter of the enclosure, then nibbles at some greens, then drinks or wades in the underpot, then repeats the process for the rest of the day before finding a safe spot in the way back of the enclosure, among the leaves.

J

 

[Blackdog1714]

You can see the humidity in your photo! That seems like a very happy baby!