Turtles in snow

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
My Eastern Box fell over and I found her upside down after a couple of days. She want's to brumate. But I dig her out every so often and feed her - She pigs out!

Her environment is about 50 degrees fahrenheit and 40% humidity. I will turn her heat lamp on occasionally.
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I meant to reply. I knew sulcata could handle the 50's , but I didn't know they could tank snow.
Mary does not stay out past time for a photo op...she does not enjoy the snow or the cold. It stays a pretty constant ambient temp of 85 degrees in her shed. She has a pig blanket in a sleeping box where she spends most of her time....
 
Last edited:

jeff kushner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
2,688
Location (City and/or State)
North of Annapolis
My Eastern Box fell over and I found her upside down after a couple of days. She want's to brumate. But I dig her out every so often and feed her - She pigs out!

Her environment is about 50 degrees fahrenheit and 40% humidity. I will turn her heat lamp on occasionally.

Be careful Bob, they need mid-80F to digest their food or it can rot in their stomachs causing issues. She might be attempting to hibernate/brumate because of the low temps? What is she tipping over? If rocks, remove them....you don't want her on her back under the heater...

Mags, that Mary is freaking AWESOME and you get kudos for taking the time to take her out for her "shoot"! I have never seen anything like that, even when I worked at the Nat zoo in DC for a couple years....
 

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
Be careful Bob, they need mid-80F to digest their food or it can rot in their stomachs causing issues. She might be attempting to hibernate/brumate because of the low temps? What is she tipping over? If rocks, remove them....you don't want her on her back under the heater...

Mags, that Mary is freaking AWESOME and you get kudos for taking the time to take her out for her "shoot"! I have never seen anything like that, even when I worked at the Nat zoo in DC for a couple years....
She has the choice to go under her heat lamp, stay in her pond or go into a place away from the heat. I'm leaving the heat lamp at day time on until the winter is over. I need a new heat lamp though. I jerry rigged one from Home Depot. She parks herself at an appropriate distance and I only feed her maybe every two days. She is pooping in her pond. And she is growing.

I'm wondering how much UV I need to expose her to though. You can actually see the heat lamp darkening her shell.
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
Be careful Bob, they need mid-80F to digest their food or it can rot in their stomachs causing issues. She might be attempting to hibernate/brumate because of the low temps? What is she tipping over? If rocks, remove them....you don't want her on her back under the heater...

Mags, that Mary is freaking AWESOME and you get kudos for taking the time to take her out for her "shoot"! I have never seen anything like that, even when I worked at the Nat zoo in DC for a couple years....
Frankly taking and posting photos is something I seriously enjoy...My pleasure is to try and personalize my torts making them something more than a 'collection'. Thanks for appreciating Mary....I have been very fortunate to have had several common but exceptional tortoises under my care.
Bridgebob...I have decided that you must be super bored or just dumb...anything you post is for effect...your animals couldn't survive under the lack of care that you seem to give them. I just have to think that you really say that for reaction, not that you really keep your animals under such crappy care. I hate the way you post. So I'm just trying to tell myself that that you just trying to push our buttons...why do you feed 2 days outa 7? In the wild that turtle would eat every day. Yet you starve her...really?
 

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
She's not starving.

I tried to feed her everyday but she just won't eat every day. She goes into her cave. After a day she will eat a lot.

I have growth chart.

6/13/21 - .87 OUNCES;
7/02/21 - .9 OUNCES;
7/28/21 - 1.12 OUNCES;
8/01/21 - 1.13 OUNCES;
8/18/21 - 1.18 OUNCES;
8/21/21 - 1.23 OUNCES;
9/03/21 - 1.33 OUNCES;
12/16/21 - 1.37 OUNCES;
01/14/22 - 1.41 OUNCES.

These animals are tough and haven't been around for millions of years by being stupid.

I make sure she is ok everyday. She is now. She is stretchy and can see me and probably wants to be fed. I will later on. Eggs and fruit and reptivite!

By the way I'm not very bored in retirement! My date at 60+ years old. Didn't work out though.
 

Attachments

  • Clarendon Datel.jpg
    Clarendon Datel.jpg
    127.8 KB · Views: 21

jeff kushner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
2,688
Location (City and/or State)
North of Annapolis
Mags, you take some really wonderful pics. You are able to pull off "staged" shots that look every bit "candid"....like Mary Knobbins plowing through the snow! I would not have known that she didn't live in the outbuilding and simply was making her was towards the house up the path.......VERY COOL!



Bob, Matilda will do the same thing....go into her hide for 36hrs than come out and eat like a pig. Everyone is happy that you take good care of your little guy.....I've learned that Mags doesn't use her filter too often, a quality I actually adore in her.......but you should know that too by now so don't get defensive.

Please brother, don't post pics of a date.....especially hiding her face.....<LOL>....buttaface? I'm joking folks, don't tar/feather me!
I was a lifestyler for over 25 yrs, and never told anyone till after I had left it. I'm 64 now & 484 is the mark, if you get close stud, you let me know.....It was fun for a while okay but a sucky way to have relationships. Easy there Boss, relax, no one is attacking your manhood........we sure get funny about that over 60 don't we? FWIW: Eharmony is where I bought Kerry....not cheap but quality stock(You all know that she would punch me in the face if she heard me say this....right?)! For finding a person of real integrity, its a Godsend! I wouldn't take the time to tell you this if I didn't like you brother.....
 

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
Mags, you take some really wonderful pics. You are able to pull off "staged" shots that look every bit "candid"....like Mary Knobbins plowing through the snow! I would not have known that she didn't live in the outbuilding and simply was making her was towards the house up the path.......VERY COOL!



Bob, Matilda will do the same thing....go into her hide for 36hrs than come out and eat like a pig. Everyone is happy that you take good care of your little guy.....I've learned that Mags doesn't use her filter too often, a quality I actually adore in her.......but you should know that too by now so don't get defensive.

Please brother, don't post pics of a date.....especially hiding her face.....<LOL>....buttaface? I'm joking folks, don't tar/feather me!
I was a lifestyler for over 25 yrs, and never told anyone till after I had left it. I'm 64 now & 484 is the mark, if you get close stud, you let me know.....It was fun for a while okay but a sucky way to have relationships. Easy there Boss, relax, no one is attacking your manhood........we sure get funny about that over 60 don't we? FWIW: Eharmony is where I bought Kerry....not cheap but quality stock(You all know that she would punch me in the face if she heard me say this....right?)! For finding a person of real integrity, its a Godsend! I wouldn't take the time to tell you this if I didn't like you brother.....
She wanted this photo. I complied. It was a PHOTOBOMB. Look it up. Young people are experts in this man!

One date and that was it! I'm the chief of a cooking and socializing group. So most are young women.

I dated one woman who was a model I took a photo of her and she told me 'You made me look fat!'

I was on another date and then she met someone much younger, smarter and better looking!

And then I was gone!

My EBT is spoiled and she now knows I mean food. She is stretched out in her pond. She can see me and I won't feed her. She won't eat for at least a couple of days.
 

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
She ate today.

And is under her sunlamp and UV light now in Northern Virginia.

She loves eggs and fruit! Keep the shells on a couple dozen boiled eggs and mash them with fruit and reptivite. Freeze most of it and you have food for a whole year!

I put greens in the mixture also.
 

Bridgebob

Active Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Arlington, Virginia
Mags, you take some really wonderful pics. You are able to pull off "staged" shots that look every bit "candid"....like Mary Knobbins plowing through the snow! I would not have known that she didn't live in the outbuilding and simply was making her was towards the house up the path.......VERY COOL!



Bob, Matilda will do the same thing....go into her hide for 36hrs than come out and eat like a pig. Everyone is happy that you take good care of your little guy.....I've learned that Mags doesn't use her filter too often, a quality I actually adore in her.......but you should know that too by now so don't get defensive.

Please brother, don't post pics of a date.....especially hiding her face.....<LOL>....buttaface? I'm joking folks, don't tar/feather me!
I was a lifestyler for over 25 yrs, and never told anyone till after I had left it. I'm 64 now & 484 is the mark, if you get close stud, you let me know.....It was fun for a while okay but a sucky way to have relationships. Easy there Boss, relax, no one is attacking your manhood........we sure get funny about that over 60 don't we? FWIW: Eharmony is where I bought Kerry....not cheap but quality stock(You all know that she would punch me in the face if she heard me say this....right?)! For finding a person of real integrity, its a Godsend! I wouldn't take the time to tell you this if I didn't like you brother.....
I won't post anymore date photos.

I'm single and I hate to say this but there are about 5-1 female to male meetups.

My last hike was in Snickers Gap. I shamed myself. 13 girls and two boys!! I was hung over and didn't bring enough hydration. I have a lot of issues.

I've ordered a heatlamp for my EBT, My jerry-rigged heat lamp is too dangerous.
 

Oxalis

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
3,040
Location (City and/or State)
Michigan
That was a neat video. I'd love to work in a place that manages reptile care. I'd even enjoy just designing the enclosures!

I didn't learn a ton but this is definitely the kind of video I'd share with all the people who keep asking me about hibernation this time of year. ? I was a little surprised that the native turtles are so quick to initiate mating despite the cooler temps, but I suppose it's not as harsh of a temp for them than we initially thought. Good stuff!
 
Top