Southeast people

carolinaboy165

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This is a question regarding insulated outdoor housing, for Sulcata owners throughout the southeast, preferably in South Carolina. I'll be in vacation in a couple weeks, and during that time, I'm planning on starting an upgraded house for my Sully's. I saw a post where Tom added shelves in his to keep containers of water on them to add humidity, which is an awesome idea, so I've been planning on doing that..UNTIL I recently thought of the dreaded summertime bugs that find moisture and humans just irresistible... mosquitos! So my question is, would adding small containers of water for humidity inside their house be a welcome sign for mosquitos?
 

surfergirl

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No worries I use a mosquito dunk in it. Last about 30 days and safe for everything but mosquito's it interferes with the larvae process to inhibits development. Use it in my ponds and barrels all season too.

They make some liquid products that do the same.
 

Patti50

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Hey carolinaboy, I am in North Carolina and we have a 5yr old male sully. I'm thinking of starting him a house in his pen. Right now he has a room for winter and bad weather. He has a nice burrow under one of his food boxes but we need to look at the big picture. Since we are similar temp wise I'd like to hear some of your ideas.
 

jojay327

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Elgin, South Carolina
I'm in Elgin, where are you. I keep a large sully. I have a big house for him and also have a run in shelter as well, when we hit the 100's we run the sprinkler for him and he loves it
 

Patti50

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We are in between Sanford and spring lake. We converted a spare room into his room. We also set aside 1/4 acre for him. He goes out in the morning and colder weather and heavy rains I cart him back in the house. It won't be much longer before he's too big to carry
 

carolinaboy165

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I'm located in Greenville county. Temps definitely not an issue now until late November. But I'm planning on building a house large enough for them with insulation so that they can stay warm throughout the winter. And on the warmer winter days, I'll just open their door so they at least have the option to roam and graze until they feel cold enough to go back in
 

Patti50

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How many do you have? I have one large male. He's 5 yrs now. He dug his burrow under a 4x8 flower box we planted his food in. Its in the middle of his pen so that's good. We want to try and build his house around that since its where he wants to be. Just haven't figured out how. We just planted a new box last weekend and got it growing.
 

carolinaboy165

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We have 4 total. 3 Sully's and a redfoot. 2 of the Sully's and the redfoot were rescues. The people we got the redfoot from only fed him peaches, bananas and iceberg lettuce. His health was so bad that he literally had no use of his front legs. With a lot of patience, changed his diet, soaked him a few times a day with pumpkin In the water, and now he's slowly gaining strength back! Only had him for almost 2 months but he's coming along! Now I just have to upgrade everything so he'll have his own space, so for now we're just making lemonade out of lemons. Planning on starting everything this week. And I've thought about making a little box garden just to grow stuff for them but do not have a green thumb! Any advice on starting one??? Kind of like a raised garden or whatever. Nothing that takes up a lot of space!
 

Patti50

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We went to lowes and got 2 4x4 bed kits. They are frames you stake into the ground. Back fill it with bags of plain dirt. I get our seeds from carolina pet supply. They have the grass seeds and grazing seeds. They ship also. Since he has dug under one of the boxes we took our patio out and turned it into a big box. Tossed the rest of the seeds out and planted some hibiscus. The seeds sprout really quick. He loves it.
 

Patti50

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The mixes grow pretty good. Just water them and they will take off. We plant one hibiscus in the box but pot the rest. Those he will make short work of. Its a learning experience for sure. He's doing all kinds of new things that have me scratching my head
 

carolinaboy165

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Yea I have a pound of that tortoise seed mix. Won't cover much of what I've been cleaning up in our back yard so I'm going to plant it somewhere and I guess find a variety of seeds that they like that can grow in the shade as well. Currently researching that. Also currently having a battle with the English ivy that I've recently pulled up (it was EVERYWHERE!) hoping growing new grass will another it out!
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I've planted some of that seed mix a few years back.
You'll find that if you trim the green leaves off of most of the plants, they will grow back many times. I ended up with an ever ready source of food.
When I finally decided to use that planter for something else, I unearthed some gigantic vegetables in the ground. Turnips, carrots, beets, etc.
It was pretty impressive.
 

Patti50

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Try those raised kits from lowes. The 4x4 can hold a lot. We purchased 2 and it makes a large area. He pretty much stays out of it. We grab a bunch and he goes to town. Had cactus going but year before the ice hit it. Had it covered but I guess it was too young. Luckily we have a produce guys that ships some in for us every week
 

Patti50

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I know right? The only plants that I have to replant are the red clover. But the rest comes right back. And hibiscus. The cold weather kills it right off. We bring the potted ones in for the winter and replant the ones outside.
 

carolinaboy165

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I'm wanting to find a good mixture of grass seed to grow on the shade to make our tree bed area look better. What would be good shade tolerant grasses for tortoise to eat?
 

Patti50

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Orchard grass is pretty shade tolerant. Centipede is growing under one of our trees and he seems to like it. Kentucky bluegrass grows well. We throw a lot of fescue down. Its making its way across a rocky area on one side of the property. Try the bluegrass first.
 
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