my egyptians

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Hi everybody, just wanted to post my new little crew. They are eating very well and gaining every day weight. They are sooo small, but so adorable.

 

[wellington]

Nice looking group. Do you soak them? I on,y ask because the two larger ones look a little dry. Possibly the lighting or just the pic.

 

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Nice looking group. Do you soak them? I on,y ask because the two larger ones look a little dry. Possibly the lighting or just the pic.

I soak all of them 2-3 times a week. I think it is suggested every day, but they are very shy and prone to high stress, which results in hiding and not eating. I put them several day in a row in a very shallow water dish until they run out.

 

[Tom]

They look great. You are doing a great job of preventing the pyramiding that is so typical of this species.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Nice looking group. Do you soak them? I on,y ask because the two larger ones look a little dry. Possibly the lighting or just the pic.

Wellington, I think that might be from the oyster shells, like a residue of sorts. I learned about sand getting in the grooves from another thread. Is that what the haze on the shells might be Annette?

They are extraordinary! Very beautiful and you are brave to work with this species. Yay! : )

 

[[email protected]]

Nice looking group. Do you soak them? I on,y ask because the two larger ones look a little dry. Possibly the lighting or just the pic.

Wellington, I think that might be from the oyster shells, like a residue of sorts. I learned about sand getting in the grooves from another thread. Is that what the haze on the shells might be Annette?

They are extraordinary! Very beautiful and you are brave to work with this species. Yay! : )

they are wonderful healthy. The breeders are awesome and helpful. They have to have a very low humidity and I spray the enclosure in the morning and evening, so they are not really dry. I was not sure what the dryness was refered to, but the haze on their shells is the lime, calcium carbonate from the water. They were like this when i got them. So no worries they are ok. I soak and spray the enclosure actually with filtered water. I live in CA. so next year I hope I can take them outside most of the time, since I'm more concerened with their ca. intake/metabolism.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

They look great. You are doing a great job of preventing the pyramiding that is so typical of this species.

YEAH, I agree, they look real good. Will

 

[Tom]

I don't want to rock anyone's boat... Wait. That's not true. I DO want to rock the boat...

Anyhow, in years past nearly everyone said to keep sulcatas, leopards, Russians, CDTs, and other species dry too. It turned out to be dead wrong and actually opposite of what they experience in the wild. Given that most of the Egyptians I see are heavily pyramided, I wonder if its true for them too?

I have no experience with Egyptians to draw from, but I do wonder...

 

[[email protected]]

I don't want to rock anyone's boat... Wait. That's not true. I DO want to rock the boat...

Anyhow, in years past nearly everyone said to keep sulcatas, leopards, Russians, CDTs, and other species dry too. It turned out to be dead wrong and actually opposite of what they experience in the wild. Given that most of the Egyptians I see are heavily pyramided, I wonder if its true for them too?

I have no experience with Egyptians to draw from, but I do wonder...

Tom I do think that it is a matter of anybodies own ideas how to handle different species. You could show that pyramiding can be reversed.I think that there is not a one rule and you will avoid problems.It is sayed to keep them very dry. I observe my animals and from several years of experience with tortoises, greeks russians hermanns I will get the humidity higher or lower for the egyptians. I see also a lot of pyramiding in egyptians even in Sabine Branser atrticle and pics you see pyramiding. Though she has stunning success with her breeding. The other question is whether the focus should be sooo much on pyramiding, I'm more watching the ca. intake so they do not get MBD. I might put them outside in a pen next year when it is hot.

 

[tortadise]

I don't want to rock anyone's boat... Wait. That's not true. I DO want to rock the boat...

Anyhow, in years past nearly everyone said to keep sulcatas, leopards, Russians, CDTs, and other species dry too. It turned out to be dead wrong and actually opposite of what they experience in the wild. Given that most of the Egyptians I see are heavily pyramided, I wonder if its true for them too?

I have no experience with Egyptians to draw from, but I do wonder...

Tom I do think that it is a matter of anybodies own ideas how to handle different species. You could show that pyramiding can be reversed.I think that there is not a one rule and you will avoid problems.It is sayed to keep them very dry. I observe my animals and from several years of experience with tortoises, greeks russians hermanns I will get the humidity higher or lower for the egyptians. I see also a lot of pyramiding in egyptians even in Sabine Branser atrticle and pics you see pyramiding. Though she has stunning success with her breeding. The other question is whether the focus should be sooo much on pyramiding, I'm more watching the ca. intake so they do not get MBD. I might put them outside in a pen next year when it is hot.

I had some Wild Collected kleinmanni years back. They had some pyramiding on them. I would definitely not recommend to keep these guys very humid at all times. However. This species is found along coasts as far 100km inland where it does get drier. The rainfall is very very low where they are found. But they are exposed to moisture in the air from the early morning dew, and coastal breezes. Soaking these guys is best to achieve the hydration levels.

Another thing to consider is captive care. In the wild these guys will aestivate during the hottest parts of summer. Summer storms will hit, and naturally they will get water and humidity from these environmental changes. all goes in play with the hatching season. In Captivity we can control the temperature and humidity to a sustainable equality that is comfortable and safe for the animals.

I try to maintain a natural keeping for these guys. In the summer I notice they will aestivate and I let them. When the summer storms hit(Texas) I see them become more active throughout the entire day, rather than just in the early morning and late afternoon. As they would in the wild.

Also I keep them on substrates that will hold moisture during the morning hours and dissipate off around late morning to early mid day. Which tends to coincide with the natural weather patterns in Northern Middle east Africa(or kleinmanni territory).

Anyways, blah blah on my part. But I think a good balance of a living ecosystem in captivity that replicates spikes of rain, humidity, heat and cool spells, should allow good nice growth of this species.

You shouldn't have to worry too much about MBD. Just provide a good UVB source and a good varied diet rich in fiber and calcium(in the food).

And yes good looking little guys.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Annette, those babies are awesome. I had read that they stress easily so comfy, cozy is super important so they feel safe.

I was wondering, in the wild, in their native land, does this species burrow like say, a California desert or sulcata, deep and far, or does it just hide itself in depressions/pallets like a Texas tortoise or leopard tortoise, where you can still see their little butts?

So tiny, so cute. So lucky to have a caring keeper.

 

[tortadise]

Annette, those babies are awesome. I had read that they stress easily so comfy, cozy is super important do they feel safe.

I was wondering, in the wild, in their native land, does this species burrow like say, a California desert or sulcata, deep and far, or does it just hide itself in depressions/pallets like a Texas tortoise or leopard tortoise, where you can still see their little butts?

So tiny, so cute. So lucky to have a caring keeper.

They do not dig burrows. But they will use other animals burrows. They have a hinge on the plastron that allows the hind legs to sprawl sideways. So when the heat of the day comes they face plant as far as they can into substrate and suck their legs sideways from complete sun exposure. Kinda funny. Even the little guys will do it.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Kelly and I must have been typing at the same time. Interesting about the ambient air/humidity/coastal areas.

---

Thanks Kelly. Fascinating read. How nature has helped them adapt. Hinged butts. LOL. Hey sun. Can't touch this. I always love reading your blah-blah-blahs. : )

 

[tortadise]

Kelly and I must have been typing at the same time. Interesting about the ambient air/humidity/coastal areas.

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Thanks Kelly. Fascinating read. How nature has helped them adapt. Hinged butts. LOL. Hey sun. Can't touch this. I always love reading your blah-blah-blahs. : )

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Yeah the WC ones in the 90s didnt seem to fare well. But speculations were probably from poor shipment, and longevity of being crated. The hinge also helps with females laying their eggs too. It is quite funny when its hot seeing them splay their legs sideways though. Interestingly perfect evolution this species developed over several centuries/millennium of years.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

That makes me so sad about the ones from the 90's. To pluck them out of their land, collect them and then stress them out so long in the getting to the US part of the process that they are past the point of surviving when they get here, is just so bloody awful. Poor little 1990's Egyptians. Happily, people are successfully breeding them and we can do right on that wrong. They are little diamonds. : )

 

[[email protected]]

I don't want to rock anyone's boat... Wait. That's not true. I DO want to rock the boat...

Anyhow, in years past nearly everyone said to keep sulcatas, leopards, Russians, CDTs, and other species dry too. It turned out to be dead wrong and actually opposite of what they experience in the wild. Given that most of the Egyptians I see are heavily pyramided, I wonder if its true for them too?

I have no experience with Egyptians to draw from, but I do wonder...

Tom I do think that it is a matter of anybodies own ideas how to handle different species. You could show that pyramiding can be reversed.I think that there is not a one rule and you will avoid problems.It is sayed to keep them very dry. I observe my animals and from several years of experience with tortoises, greeks russians hermanns I will get the humidity higher or lower for the egyptians. I see also a lot of pyramiding in egyptians even in Sabine Branser atrticle and pics you see pyramiding. Though she has stunning success with her breeding. The other question is whether the focus should be sooo much on pyramiding, I'm more watching the ca. intake so they do not get MBD. I might put them outside in a pen next year when it is hot.

I had some Wild Collected kleinmanni years back. They had some pyramiding on them. I would definitely not recommend to keep these guys very humid at all times. However. This species is found along coasts as far 100km inland where it does get drier. The rainfall is very very low where they are found. But they are exposed to moisture in the air from the early morning dew, and coastal breezes. Soaking these guys is best to achieve the hydration levels.

Another thing to consider is captive care. In the wild these guys will aestivate during the hottest parts of summer. Summer storms will hit, and naturally they will get water and humidity from these environmental changes. all goes in play with the hatching season. In Captivity we can control the temperature and humidity to a sustainable equality that is comfortable and safe for the animals.

I try to maintain a natural keeping for these guys. In the summer I notice they will aestivate and I let them. When the summer storms hit(Texas) I see them become more active throughout the entire day, rather than just in the early morning and late afternoon. As they would in the wild.

Also I keep them on substrates that will hold moisture during the morning hours and dissipate off around late morning to early mid day. Which tends to coincide with the natural weather patterns in Northern Middle east Africa(or kleinmanni territory).

Anyways, blah blah on my part. But I think a good balance of a living ecosystem in captivity that replicates spikes of rain, humidity, heat and cool spells, should allow good nice growth of this species.

You shouldn't have to worry too much about MBD. Just provide a good UVB source and a good varied diet rich in fiber and calcium(in the food).

And yes good looking little guys.

Thanks that makes me calmer, since i have good experience with chameleons which are prone to MBD and mine never had a problem based on good UV and calcium. intake. I actually let the enclosure dry out during the day and I have most of the time 30% humidity.

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Annette, those babies are awesome. I had read that they stress easily so comfy, cozy is super important so they feel safe.

I was wondering, in the wild, in their native land, does this species burrow like say, a California desert or sulcata, deep and far, or does it just hide itself in depressions/pallets like a Texas tortoise or leopard tortoise, where you can still see their little butts?

So tiny, so cute. So lucky to have a caring keeper.

actually mine are sometimes burrowing so i see only half of the body, but sometimes they just stick their head and front of the body in the sand oyster shell mix.Sometimes they are outside head tucked in

 

[sopo]

I don't want to rock anyone's boat... Wait. That's not true. I DO want to rock the boat...

Anyhow, in years past nearly everyone said to keep sulcatas, leopards, Russians, CDTs, and other species dry too. It turned out to be dead wrong and actually opposite of what they experience in the wild. Given that most of the Egyptians I see are heavily pyramided, I wonder if its true for them too?

I have no experience with Egyptians to draw from, but I do wonder...

I had an Egyptian tortoise hatchling 10+ years ago. The breeder didn't use the humid way.. in fact I raised her like I was told and it wasn't humid at all... other than 'soak her a few times a week'.... She died after a few months and I always wandered why. After coming here and reading Tom's articles, she had the beef jerky syndrome symptoms. I still miss her.

 

[billskleins]

I agree with tortadise - they do need some humidity especially when young.
Annette what kind of chameleons do you have?

 

[[email protected]]

I agree with tortadise - they do need some humidity especially when young.
Annette what kind of chameleons do you have?

Bill, I decided to move on to tortoises, so I do not have them anymore, but I had rudis, hoehnelii, fishers, pygmys, the rare Mt. Meru, Jacksonii,jacksonii. Babies from all except Mt. Meru..... I had a lot!!. Since my job as an animal therapist picked up i had not really the time anymore and they needed special food, I decided to go with tortoises since I have them since 8 years. I started out with russians greeks (I'm selling trio goldens, sorry this is not the place, but fresh into the forum I'm not able to post yet), now hermanns and egyptians.