misting the subtrate nd safety questions

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Kolorbl1nd

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Hi,
I mist Tankers subtrate (coco choir/ soil mix) everyday but it just keeps drying out...suggestions?

also should i spray the water just on the top or all throughout the substrate?

I had an incident the other day...tanker fell from his half log (like he does all the time) and he ended upside down. he gave up trying to flip himself over. luckily my boyfriend was home to flip him back over. I dont know what to do to make it safer. he's such a dare devil everything i try doesnt work.... i have a old dresser that i was thinking of turning into a tort table for him. it would be safer and alot bigger. he is in a two level right now and i think a one level would be safer for my silly tort...ideas?
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Beckie:

I hope you'll excuse me going off topic just for a bit. You say that you are an artist and that you are "color confused." I'm just curious what type of art you practice. I have trouble imagining painting, etc. because of your color blindness. Can you post a thread in "personal promotions" and show us a bit of your work?

Now, as to the misting thing. Your tortoise isn't a baby, right? So the wet/moist substrate isn't that important to him. You might want to wet it a bit to keep the dust under control, though. Pour a whole bunch of water over it and stir it all up. Then just go ahead and allow the top layer to dry out. It will stay damp underneath for quite a while.

Those half logs are great little hiding places, but they are also suicide shelves. Tortoises usually figure it out by themselves (not to jump off the cliff), and hopefully Tanker will get with the program too.
 

Kolorbl1nd

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emysemys said:
Hi Beckie:

I hope you'll excuse me going off topic just for a bit. You say that you are an artist and that you are "color confused." I'm just curious what type of art you practice. I have trouble imagining painting, etc. because of your color blindness. Can you post a thread in "personal promotions" and show us a bit of your work?

Now, as to the misting thing. Your tortoise isn't a baby, right? So the wet/moist substrate isn't that important to him. You might want to wet it a bit to keep the dust under control, though. Pour a whole bunch of water over it and stir it all up. Then just go ahead and allow the top layer to dry out. It will stay damp underneath for quite a while.

Those half logs are great little hiding places, but they are also suicide shelves. Tortoises usually figure it out by themselves (not to jump off the cliff), and hopefully Tanker will get with the program too.

I will definitely put up some of my art work. thank you for the advice. Tanker has been diving off his half logs since i got him and every time he gets hurt. He is not a baby, and I've had him for almost a year.
 

Yvonne G

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Well, then, its time to ditch the half logs and find something he can't climb on. Something with straight up-and-down sides would work better for him.

I've seen some folks to pile up the substrate all over the half log so it looks like a hill with an opening/cave for the tortoise. Maybe something like that would be safer for him. You'd have to add a lot more substrate though.
 

Kolorbl1nd

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emysemys said:
Well, then, its time to ditch the half logs and find something he can't climb on. Something with straight up-and-down sides would work better for him.

I've seen some folks to pile up the substrate all over the half log so it looks like a hill with an opening/cave for the tortoise. Maybe something like that would be safer for him. You'd have to add a lot more substrate though.

thank you for your thoughts. I just added the art work in the personal area you told me
.
 

Akronic

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i noticed alot of other ppl torts liked to climb on their half logs.......i thought i was ok till i saw one swan dive off the ledge. the hide i got for my RT looks like the carapace of a larger tort w/ some pyramiding (got it at Petco) he tried to climb it but he just cant get a good enough grip. i have a sunken living room and when i let mine out he will walk all the way up to the ledge and look down but he has never tried to jump........YET
 

ascott

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LOL...the infamous face plant....I have two CDTs that are masters at suicide ledges....seeking them out....climbing to the peak of said suicide ledge ....and the step off...face plant....get back up on all fours and hey, lets do it again and again and again....I have now had to remove all ledge areas except for their half dome hides burried by dirt (the natural dug burrows are no fun for the swan dive)...and yes they walk right up to the hide entrance and move to the edge and get their front legs up and shimmy on their back legs holding onto the top of that entrance with their front legs and then they try and try and try to get their fatty butts up and- dink, right onto their backs...a few wiggles and flinging of their arms and whoop right back onto their feet and yup...do it again over and over again until they get bored with it....I have stopped running out to aid them and now instead I wait and watch from where ever I am in the yard or house for a few minutes and the two ruffians seem to get themselves back up and moving...so I let em alone...silly boys :p;)
 

Kolorbl1nd

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Akronic said:
i noticed alot of other ppl torts liked to climb on their half logs.......i thought i was ok till i saw one swan dive off the ledge. the hide i got for my RT looks like the carapace of a larger tort w/ some pyramiding (got it at Petco) he tried to climb it but he just cant get a good enough grip. i have a sunken living room and when i let mine out he will walk all the way up to the ledge and look down but he has never tried to jump........YET

haha. I feel like my tort would. he is such a dare devil. :) me and my boyfriend joke around and say we need to tanker proof everything lol
 
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