Update on Tank Girl and Embers

Reptilian Feline

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I thought I'd tell you all about how my (our) two redfoots are doing.
Tank Girl (the larger one) has gained about 300 gram and Embers (the smaller one) has gained abpout 70 gram since I bought them home in August.
Autumn is bringing the new weed growth to a stop so most of their food comes out of a bag... the truly enjoy Versele-Laga Crunchy Fibre snack... it's easy to feed them, just pour some hot water on and leave a couple of minutes and it's ready. We give it to our GALs as well (Giant African Landsnails). We also give them some soaked dog chow and sometimes soem ZooMed Grassland pellets (that's out of a bottle though, not a bag). The frozen strawberries and mangos are also well recieved (thawed of course) and some mixed sallad greens with radicchio and so on. Champignons and other mushrooms are always a favorite.
They don't like kale, nettles or thistles, but they love the sawthistles that I am keeping as a special treat. I managed to get them some late blooming dandelion flowers and that was popular too. They devour the leaves of course.
I've offered Embers some chicken heart and he likes that. Tank Girl doesn't want any. They both liked the kitty treats though.

Tank Girl has gotten uded to me comming home from work and fixing dinner and stuff. She waits until we've eaten or at least has started eating, then she will start banging on the glass... bomp... bomp... bomp. Then I feed them. Then she will go bomp.. bomp... again to let us know she wants her evening walk on the floor.

Embers seem to enjoy swimming, but Tank Girl really doesn't like the bath. Embers will poop in the water and then one more time in the bath or when he has been taken out. It always look fine. He looks so funny when he does it... pulling his head as far back as it will go and close his eyes, and then the other end expands to produce the green poop. They have both peed properly Maneken Pis-style and on the floor of course. I guess they are well hydrated?

They sleep most of the time, sharing the hide. The UVB-tube light seems like a waste... they always hide when it's on.

No bullying yet, but I always make sure Embers can get to the food. They both takes food from my hand now, even Tank Girl. I think it's time to start training the "Come here" sign with food. Visual cues are important, right? I was thinking of tapping the floor, but the sign ought to work outside in the garden as well.

Can't wait for summer and torts outside again.
 

MysticCaribou

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So glad to read that they are doing well. Gaining 300 grams in 2 months sounds like a real lot to me. How was Tank Girl in August?
 

Reptilian Feline

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May 17, 2017
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Tank Girl - 23 aug - 1364 gram, 15 oct - 1611 gram.
Embers - 23 aug - 283 gram, 15 oct 347 gram.

I've noticed new growth on Tank Girl, maybe 1 cm or so, and think I overdid her feeding trying to get her to know me. She is a bit more reserved. Embers have always been the people tort of the two, but he is smaller and younger so that might have something to do with it.

I feed them less now than in the beginning, but always make sure Embers gets a head start. I started out when I brought thme home to try and find out what weeds and plants they liked or disliked... adding a new bunch several times a day. Now with most things whilting and me knowing more what they eat or leave, feeding is more controlled.

I'm failry certain that I did a stupid thing with Tank Girl and the food, not watching her properly, but in the beginning I was more hands off to let her settle in, so the new growth surprised me a bit. I really don't want them to pyramid and it looked like I had started her on that in two months of keeping her. I know with bathing and humidity it's less likely that they will pyramid, but it sure made me think. She has such a nice shell, I hate to make it bad.
 
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