NEW ENCLOSURE!!!
- Thread starter PumkinRulez
- Start date
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Oh! And I forgot! I also have a large plastic baby pool that I can use as well!
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OK, listen up! 
Please go back and read all of this thread a couple more times, including all the links. You aren't using the info already given to you more than once. For example, your heat light. You come back and tell me if you should use it.
Your piece of tile is a nice hiding place, but not a great humid hide. When you read this again, you will find what works best. There's even a picture.
Did you see the plans for an outdoor enclosure? A kiddie pool can work, but they are too small for Pumpkin. She needs space to stretch her legs. As she grows, she will need a very large outdoor pen with strong walls. An adult sulcata is a powerful animal.
You mentioned seeds...I don't remember anything about seeds.
Here's a long list of tortoise safe foods.
Compiled by Tom:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. You may find a bag of "Spring" or "Spicy" mix that is good, just check the label to be sure it has some of the chicories I just mentioned. The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well. If you have any kind of Mexican/hispanic market near you, they will sell cactus, labeled "nopales." Cactus is a great food to rotate in the diet, as it is high in calcium.
You don't need to feed all of these at one time, just make sure your tortoise is getting access to different types of food. As you get more experienced, you can find the better types of food listed on the care sheets.
Here are a whole bunch of non-grocery store suggestions.
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Nasturtium
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:
kapidolofarms.com
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Ones that you can buy in every store:
Arugula
Lambs lettuce
Chicory
Kale
Mustard greens
Organic kohlrabi leafs
Organic carrot leafs
Organic radish leafs
Dandelions
Radiccio
Their main diet should be broad leaf weeds, succulents and grasses. Store bought foods are okay, but not the best. Collards and dandelions are a good food, but neither should be used every day. Check out the plant ID section for lots of ideas on weeds to feed. You can get spineless opuntia cactus pads from most Mexican grocery stores, or grow them yourself. You can also easily grow grape leaves, african hibiscus, regular hibiscus (if it will survive in your area), and mulberry leaves. You can try red apple, ice plant, and jade plant too. Also look into Gazania, pansies, nasturtiums, carnations, geraniums and many others. At the grocery store, favor endive and escarole, but also use cilantro, carrot tops, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, radiccio, swiss chard, watercress, parsley, all the lettuces, etc. Lots of variety is best. There are also tortoise "weed" seed mixes that you can grow. I like the "Testudo Mix" from Tortoisesupply.com.
Buckwheat; cactus; vetch; Mohave aster; creosote bush; desert four o’clock; tacoma stans; bladderpod; globe mallow; goldenhead; burro weed; so many things!
Please go back and read all of this thread a couple more times, including all the links. You aren't using the info already given to you more than once. For example, your heat light. You come back and tell me if you should use it.
Your piece of tile is a nice hiding place, but not a great humid hide. When you read this again, you will find what works best. There's even a picture.
Did you see the plans for an outdoor enclosure? A kiddie pool can work, but they are too small for Pumpkin. She needs space to stretch her legs. As she grows, she will need a very large outdoor pen with strong walls. An adult sulcata is a powerful animal.
You mentioned seeds...I don't remember anything about seeds.
Here's a long list of tortoise safe foods.
Compiled by Tom:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. You may find a bag of "Spring" or "Spicy" mix that is good, just check the label to be sure it has some of the chicories I just mentioned. The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well. If you have any kind of Mexican/hispanic market near you, they will sell cactus, labeled "nopales." Cactus is a great food to rotate in the diet, as it is high in calcium.
You don't need to feed all of these at one time, just make sure your tortoise is getting access to different types of food. As you get more experienced, you can find the better types of food listed on the care sheets.
Here are a whole bunch of non-grocery store suggestions.
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Nasturtium
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:
Category: Organic sourced diet items
kapidolofarms.com
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Ones that you can buy in every store:
Arugula
Lambs lettuce
Chicory
Kale
Mustard greens
Organic kohlrabi leafs
Organic carrot leafs
Organic radish leafs
Dandelions
Radiccio
Their main diet should be broad leaf weeds, succulents and grasses. Store bought foods are okay, but not the best. Collards and dandelions are a good food, but neither should be used every day. Check out the plant ID section for lots of ideas on weeds to feed. You can get spineless opuntia cactus pads from most Mexican grocery stores, or grow them yourself. You can also easily grow grape leaves, african hibiscus, regular hibiscus (if it will survive in your area), and mulberry leaves. You can try red apple, ice plant, and jade plant too. Also look into Gazania, pansies, nasturtiums, carnations, geraniums and many others. At the grocery store, favor endive and escarole, but also use cilantro, carrot tops, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, radiccio, swiss chard, watercress, parsley, all the lettuces, etc. Lots of variety is best. There are also tortoise "weed" seed mixes that you can grow. I like the "Testudo Mix" from Tortoisesupply.com.
Buckwheat; cactus; vetch; Mohave aster; creosote bush; desert four o’clock; tacoma stans; bladderpod; globe mallow; goldenhead; burro weed; so many things!
"You mentioned seeds...I don't remember anything about seeds."
I can feel the anger in you, Luke!
I can feel the anger in you, Luke!
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I'm sorry, but I don't get your reference here? I know I'm sometimes kind of dense, but you've lost me on this one.
You KIDDING. Not a Star Wars fan? The evil emperor or Darth Vader speaking to Luke Skywalker.
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- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
Oh, OK. No, I'm not a Star Wars fan.
Now Star Trek!! That's a different story! I actually went to a Trekkie convention many years ago.
I always wanted to learn Klingon, but never did. At the convention, people conversed in it. ?
Love TREK as well! Have seen about 6 of the stars at conventions from original series and TNG.
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Um... I’m putting these projects on hold for a bit... I’m preparing for a flood...
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- 5,942
- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
PumkinRulez
Active Member
I’m in Texas yeah. I think it’s Laura or something... I’m moving my pets into my bedroom, it’s one of the safest places in the house, no way is water getting there... I’m just scared about the power going off and not having heat...
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Tnx
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
(Major) Hurricane Laura. Be careful on this one.
Make sure you have containers ready in case you have to evacuate or relocate.
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Yeah, thanks, I have stuff pack, I don’t think I’m going anywhere but it’s here anyways, I have moved her to the safest place in my house and all I have is drinking water, a bowl for food and a bowl for water, mazuri tort diet, warm water to spray her with if it gets too cold and power goes out, and a big tub
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Unless the water is in some kind of thermos or insulated container, it will cool down to ambient temperature. Keep in mind, you DO have a another source of heat you can use in a pinch: YOU. You can hold her against your chest for a while and let your body heat warm her up. It's probably more effective if you have a towel, small blanket, or piece of clothing to put over her while she's absorbing your body heat. It doesn't need to be constant. Just DON'T fall asleep while you're holding her. That poses a bigger risk to her than the cold. If the ambient temperature is 80F or better, you probably won't need to do anything.
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Tnx! Great idea! It is now in a thermos, and I also have rag for her
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- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
If you can get online, please just let us know if you are safe!
PumkinRulez
Active Member
PumkinRulez
Active Member
Making a hide
So I want to want to make a hide with a smallish clear tub, it’s like a plastic shoe box... but I wanted to paint it, or make it look a little less like a shoe box. I’m not sure what paint I can use, I have spray paint and even spray foam. I can also glue on pebbles or rocks to make it look nice...
www.tortoiseforum.org
This page is for making the humid hide
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- Location (City and/or State)
- Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
What I did was cover it with substrate, so it's a hill for Sulafat to climb and walk.Making a hide
So I want to want to make a hide with a smallish clear tub, it’s like a plastic shoe box... but I wanted to paint it, or make it look a little less like a shoe box. I’m not sure what paint I can use, I have spray paint and even spray foam. I can also glue on pebbles or rocks to make it look nice...
This page is for making the humid hide
The problem is that at places, like the front, the substrate falls away from the hide.
I'll be curious to see what you come up with. Why do you want it to be clear? Torts hide to not be seen. I don't know if yours will feel secure in a clear one.
This is Sulafat's enclosure. I've made a couple changes since this pic, but you can see the entrance to his hide on the right.
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