New Tort

[Scubaroo]

His weight is climbing again!

 

[Scubaroo]

I enjoy your updates. When I look at them it reminds me of my first year with CupCake. I was taking her weight once a week for a long time & marveling at how fast she grew. Now I am lucky if I weigh her once a month
It’s not that she’s any less interesting to me , just confidence in her health I think. With winter here ( what passes for winter in South Florida lol ) she usually slows a bit in her activity. I keep her hide at 85f but the days , while sunny , can be chilly. She doesn’t eat as much nor is she quite as active. Though today will get up to 83f.

There must be hundreds if not 1,000ds of people raising Aldabra by now. But only a handful here on TF. It’s great to observe & learn from each other.

I would love to see your measurements of her first year!

 

[Scubaroo]

He had some big gains this week!

 

[Alaskamike]

I noticed a fairly broad difference in CupCake’s gains in the 2 nd year. When compared by month her weight would go from 5%- 11% increase. Now moving towards 4yo in Jan, she still has pretty significant differences in growth rates month to month. Never been entirely sure if rates were result of food availability , weather changes , or just her own genetic & behavioral differences.

Since I raise her outdoors , seasonal changes must have a larger impact. Even in South Florida.

Indoors ( mostly ) we can mitigate the weather changes with more consistency.

I have found that keeping her night box at 85f seemed to stimulate more feeding & activity daily. An this in turn seemed to increase her gains by a few % on average.

Interesting to see the variance in the Aldabras. Always informative & facinating
Mike

 

[Scubaroo]

I keep him on my patio. Which I've turned into a very humid enclosed for him. But I've learned with the cold week we had that the cold seeps up from the wooden flooring. I had him indoors after that for the really cold several days we had. And am going to figure out some sort of insulation I can put down to cover the floor. But I'm going to have to redo his 4 x 8 home to do so which Is filled with dirt and grass and mulch and rocks. Won't be an easy task, but by next years winter I need to get it done. Then after that hopefully he will be big enough where I will feel fine for him to be in the yard. bigger than ever!
Merry Christmas all

 

[Kittivan]

I keep Kaci’s hide humid and hot (mid 80’s) as well. She seems to be much more active since I’ve increased the temp in her hide. I keep Kaci indoors during our rough winter with regulated temps and humidity. I still notice distinct growth/activity/eating cycles.

 

[Scubaroo]

Been awhile since I posted. I just moved and started back in school, haven' had much spare time. But I've kept up with weighing my boy. He' grown quite a bit since my last update.

 

[Scubaroo]

Hit the 2lbs mark today!!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hit the 2lbs mark today!!
View attachment 229471

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stuart S.]

Beautiful little guy!

 

[Scubaroo]

There's no stopping him now. Growing like a weed.
The weather here is almost up to where I feel comfortable having him outside again. ( north Florida ). I'e felt bad that he has been in a much smaller enclosure for the winter. But I'm also using the time to revamp and better his outdoor enclosure from all I've been learning.

 

[Scubaroo]

So since it' been cold and Albus has been in his inside enclosure for the winter I've taken some time to revamp his home on my patio. I moved recently into a town home and have a little patio and little backyard, but I still am afraid he's too small for the yard so I set him up in the patio again. He gets more sunlight on this one, but I still sealed it with plastic because we will be getting some more cold nights soon, it also helps keep out all the Florida bugs.

Then I lined the enclosure with plastic and added some irrigation. Just some pipe with holes drilled in so I can pour water in and release it underneath the substrate. Another great part of the plastic lined patio is I can build up the humidity.

 

[Scubaroo]

Then I added the dirt, some grass and mulch as the substrate. I added the rocks to give him more things to build up strength in his legs like the last enclosure. He's got a nice big hide and some stones to bask on.
I'm going to add a few more hides and perhaps another plant or two. And of course the lights for him. That will all happen tomorrow when I move him out here.
He will be so happy to have grass again. He loves the grass for some reason!

 

[no one]

Sounds good. I think Albus will be very happy!!

 

[Scubaroo]

Still have more lamps to put up but he loves his place so far.

 

[BevSmith]

Absolutely awesome. Looks like your little guy is growing beautifully!!

 

[Scubaroo]

He' getting so smooth. Makes me happy. I soak at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes. May be over kill but little albus likes letting the water gentle fall on his head and neck now. Just had to share!

 

[BevSmith]

He's so pretty!!!!!

 

[jjaymeza]

They are beautiful guys I’m loving the pictures!

 

[BevSmith]

How old is he nowadays?