Sri Lankan Stars last summer and this summer

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,750
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I’m not a good person to ask. I would ask Zovick, MarkW, Tom, G-stars, ScottP, KenS, Kingsley, and others who have more experience with them
OK. I'm already watching his tail and looking for a curved plastron, but wondered about the glands. Thanks anyway.
 

G-stars

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
1,889
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
You're a good person to ask...does a male Burmese get chin glands as he matures? Any other secondary signs of being male?

I may be wrong, but I believe only desert tortoises get chin glands. Never noticed them on any male of other species. Maybe didn’t look hard enough. How much does your star weight? Males typically start flashing around 300-500g. That’s usually the first sign.
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,750
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I may be wrong, but I believe only desert tortoises get chin glands. Never noticed them on any male of other species. Maybe didn’t look hard enough. How much does your star weight? Males typically start flashing around 300-500g. That’s usually the first sign.
He's 448 gms and 5". 2 years old.
Yes, I had a desert tortoise with obvious chin glands. That's what made me ask about it.

Thanks for responding!
 

turtlesteve

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
711
Here are some of my pens in different stages

Wow. Those pens are more lush and green than any of mine, and I irrigate on top of 50-60 inches of rain a year.

Clearly adequate humidity is present. I have no problem with the observation that natural UV is superior, but I want to know why. Is it wavelength, intensity, or something else?
 

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Wow. Those pens are more lush and green than any of mine, and I irrigate on top of 50-60 inches of rain a year.

Clearly adequate humidity is present. I have no problem with the observation that natural UV is superior, but I want to know why. Is it wavelength, intensity, or something else?

I have to trim down the pens a couple times a month depending what time of year. Phoenix averages about 9in of rain a year. This year has been very dry. The forecast for the next 6 days here is 114-116f highs and 89-91f lows. So, looks like I will try to spray down the tortoises when I’m in town.

I don’t know about the UV stuff. I don’t think baby tortoises need a lot since most times they are hiding but the sun is an optimal source even if only for 15-30mins a day.
 

g4mobile

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2018
Messages
208
Location (City and/or State)
Fort Lauderdale, FL
He's 448 gms and 5". 2 years old.
Yes, I had a desert tortoise with obvious chin glands. That's what made me ask about it.

Thanks for responding!
I have a Burmese Star and confirmed male at 600 grams. Slightly concave plastron, the tail grew longer between 500-600 grams and I got a confirmed flash during a good soak.
 

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
I’ve had a Burmese Star male flash at 400g and a Sri Lankan male flash at 400g. After “the flash”, their tails started to grow bigger and so did their “little friend.” The plastron is starting to become more concave
 

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Here are closer up pics at different angles of several of the stars
 

Attachments

  • 072CD1AB-02C4-4A67-8682-3EB9EDAE56FC.jpeg
    072CD1AB-02C4-4A67-8682-3EB9EDAE56FC.jpeg
    515.4 KB · Views: 36
  • 5AAAE68B-8C8A-4F72-BD68-E99C3B065CD2.jpeg
    5AAAE68B-8C8A-4F72-BD68-E99C3B065CD2.jpeg
    465.5 KB · Views: 34
  • F46B3E72-CDB6-4EE1-9B78-D9D4BE95EC9D.jpeg
    F46B3E72-CDB6-4EE1-9B78-D9D4BE95EC9D.jpeg
    411.4 KB · Views: 34
  • 5119D7D1-B26A-4723-9447-C2B4190847FF.jpeg
    5119D7D1-B26A-4723-9447-C2B4190847FF.jpeg
    473.7 KB · Views: 33
  • 5461D865-C1DE-4B7D-8102-139100613EFD.jpeg
    5461D865-C1DE-4B7D-8102-139100613EFD.jpeg
    501.6 KB · Views: 34
  • 97EF4870-2FF7-4F27-9A73-145DCE4F98F2.jpeg
    97EF4870-2FF7-4F27-9A73-145DCE4F98F2.jpeg
    520.3 KB · Views: 34

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
That being said, some of the babies I have raised are slightly pyramided, which could be related to genetics and/or activity.
Here is a photo of one of the “pyramided” stars that I raised from a hatchling in the same conditions as the ones in the photos in the previous post.
 

Attachments

  • 7E703A14-DF04-49C2-BE8C-76C0659FD3A1.jpeg
    7E703A14-DF04-49C2-BE8C-76C0659FD3A1.jpeg
    477.3 KB · Views: 39

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Here is a new photo of a “head-started” animal that I bought at 6-8 months of age that already had some pyramiding going on. It still continues to pyramid a bit
 

Attachments

  • FF9688DE-9541-404D-A9DD-13B2880E77B3.jpeg
    FF9688DE-9541-404D-A9DD-13B2880E77B3.jpeg
    436.1 KB · Views: 37

mrnewberry

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
331
Location (City and/or State)
N.W. Arkansas
Here is a photo of one of the “pyramided” stars that I raised from a hatchling in the same conditions as the ones in the photos in the previous post.

Of the three Burmese Stars that I raised up from hatchlings at the same time the smallest one always was a bit bumpier. I think some are just predisposed to it. But, it is possible something else plays a part that I am just not aware of.
 

Neal

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
4,967
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Nice tortoises Norm, and great looking pens.

Are your pen pictures recent? If so, I'm surprised at how lush they are. I have everything automatically watered all throughout the day and its all brown. Even my squash plants are super stressed.

Did you use any seeds to plant in your pens?

How is your cricket population with all those plants in your backyard?
 

gummybearpoop

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
760
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Hi Neal! Are you still in Phoenix?
The pens are recent. Actually they probably have more growth and need to be cut down. I’ve never had an issue with keeping very green pens in a Phoenix. Maybe it’s the plant species I pick? Everything is grown from seeds except for my exotic plant species in pots. Some of the plant species reseeds itself so I don’t have to put new seed. Tons of crickets, insects, daddy long legs, slugs, snails, lizards, and I even found a ground snake in my yard! Unfortunately, I find some black widows and scorpions now and then.
 

Neal

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
4,967
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Hi Neal! Are you still in Phoenix?
The pens are recent. Actually they probably have more growth and need to be cut down. I’ve never had an issue with keeping very green pens in a Phoenix. Maybe it’s the plant species I pick? Everything is grown from seeds except for my exotic plant species in pots. Some of the plant species reseeds itself so I don’t have to put new seed. Tons of crickets, insects, daddy long legs, slugs, snails, lizards, and I even found a ground snake in my yard! Unfortunately, I find some black widows and scorpions now and then.

Yes, still in Chandler.

I need some alternatives for my fountain grass plants. I love fountain grass because it grows large, fast and is the perfect plant for tortoises to tuck into and hide during the day, but they are also clumpy and cricket breeding grounds. I can tolerate some crickets, but they get out of control when the plants get too big.

Your pictures are inspiring. I need to find some good seed sources for plants that will do well here. Do you use any sort of mixed/bulk package seeds?
 

turtlesteve

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
711
Where are you located and what species are you working with?

I’m in South Carolina, working with a half dozen species at present: leopard, Indian / Burmese star, cherryhead redfoot, chaco, spider.

I have made major enclosure changes this year, both indoor / outdoor, and relocated my irrigation system to keep them wetter and more densely vegetated. However, between the tortoises feeding habits and plant growth rates, the pens always revert to a monoculture of whatever grass is least appetizing to the inhabitants.
 

New Posts

Top