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Tebbs RepticTay Reptilefreak23 Reptilefreak23 Dinkanber Dinkanber J&C RepticTay Dinkanber |
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Tebbs View Profile |
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| 05/19/08 04:50pm |
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RepticTay View Profile |
Message To: Tebbs In reference to Message Id: 1740251 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
second get rid of that pellet bedding! its horrible! you can use a bedding called Hemp or Hemcore, also ASPEN is also fine to use. if soil is not wanted. www.africantortoise.com < BEST site for you. |
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| 05/19/08 05:09pm |
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Reptilefreak23 View Profile |
Message To: RepticTay In reference to Message Id: 1740271 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
2. you already have the 10.0 reptisun 3. Bedabeast or 50/50 pot soil play sand mix 4. diet - 70 percent grasses and weeds.... (Orchard grass or hay:Timothy or Bermuda grass or hay: Leafy greens : (dandelions, clover, endive, grape leaves, mulberry leaves, weeds etc.) Cactus pads ,not alfalfa... to much protien).... High fiber low protien diet - African Spurred tortoise cannot tolerate wet conditions. If sand is used in the substrate this area should also not have food placed directly upon it as the sand can build up in the tortoises GI tract leading to possible impaction and even death. A completely separate sand-free area in the habitat should be utilized to feed. - Romain lettuce green leaf and red leaf lettuce may be given as a treat (accasionally) - Things to avoid .All fruit (although fruit is often recommended, its sugar content can lead to parasite blooms....just not worth it) the exception is apples due to the high quantity of pectin....but still not frequently. Iceberg lettuce Bok Choy All grains (including bread, pasta etc) Dog and cat food Meat Pellet type foods (An often overlooked factor of pyramiding is grain based diets. These are the pellet food that some claim to be essential to health. They typically contain soy, wheat and or rice. These are high in omega 6 fatty acids which has a negative effect on health. They also have an acidifying effect which causes a leaching of bone. They are high in phytate which binds calcium and other minerals. They also have an unfavorable ca/ph ratio and a low ca/mg ratio which has a negative impact on calcium metabolism. Grains alter Vit D metabolism. Diets high in grains can have a negative impact on bone growth in spite of adequate exposure to sunshine. - The water dish in the habitat should be large enough to allow the tortoise to soak in if it wishes, it must also be shallow enough to allow easy exit to protect from drowning. For larger tortoises photographic developing trays work well for this purpose. - sulcata fed on cat or dog foods frequently die from renal failure or from impacted bladder stones of solidified urates. Avoid over reliance upon ’supermarket’ greens and fruits, which typically contain inadequate fiber levels, excessive pesticide residues and are too rich in sugar and should be avoided. African Spurred tortoises are a grazing species; every effort should be made to duplicate this diet in captivity. Fruit should be offered very rarely or not at all as the Spurred Tortoise’s digestive system is not equipped to handle high sugar content foods. - Dust food in Repcal calcium d3 supplement on tortoises food 3 times a week - Medical Issues: While in general, individuals of this species are extremely healthy, there is a wide array of medical conditions that can arise. First and foremost, proper husbandry is a must with the species. Moderate to severe shell pyramiding from an improper diet is seen in a large majority of juvenile sulcata. While it may not "feel" right to feed items such as grass hays and weeds, this is what thousands of years of evolution have designed the gastrointestinal tracts of these animals to do. A second dietary problem that is often seen is diarrhea. With bulky, high fiber, low "quality" feeds, solid GI health can be maintained and healthy, bulky stools formed. Easily digestible foods can lead to diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and even intestinal prolapse . - He will outgrow your 20 gal remarkably fast so get ready. - outdour grazing is required and a outdoor cage as well (4 hours of natural sunlight is worth about 7-9 hours on your 10.o) - OUTDOOR HOUSING - Predator proof outdoor habitats offer many advantages over indoor accommodations and should seriously be considered as an option during warm weather. In particular because of their large size and grazing habits African Spurred tortoises should be kept out of doors when the climate allows if at all possible. - Also indoor housing needs to have a warmer side and a cooler side (cooler at 70-75 degrease and warmer at around or above 80 degrease....... also need to have dark hiding spot on cool side) Hope this helps! Have Fun with your baby! Ps. ( on warm side... make sure there is nothing that it can flip over on. If it does she will bake and have SEVERE burns if under basking lamp) Good Luck! |
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| 05/19/08 06:00pm |
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Reptilefreak23 View Profile |
Message To: Reptilefreak23 In reference to Message Id: 1740350 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
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| 05/19/08 06:02pm |
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Dinkanber View Profile |
Message To: Reptilefreak23 In reference to Message Id: 1740354 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
Quote: you can use a bedding called Hemp or Hemcore, also ASPEN is also fine to use. if soil is not wanted.
Not for a leo..he pretty much has to have the 50/50 mix ..they are VERY prone to RNS more than almost anyother tort and when you dont have the right substrate they can catch it fast.I almost lost my leo because of substrate.Trust me it is practical.i have it in my table it dosnt get anywhere like seeping through the cracks.
You can put hay on top of that but without the soil your leo will dry out too easyly |
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| 05/19/08 07:36pm |
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Dinkanber View Profile |
Message To: Dinkanber In reference to Message Id: 1740501 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
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| 05/19/08 07:37pm |
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J&C View Profile |
Message To: Dinkanber In reference to Message Id: 1740504 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
Jackie:) |
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| 05/19/08 07:57pm |
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RepticTay View Profile |
Message To: Dinkanber In reference to Message Id: 1740504 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
can you use bed-a-beast? |
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| 05/20/08 05:48am |
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Dinkanber View Profile |
Message To: RepticTay In reference to Message Id: 1740981 Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
I had a big probelm with Iggy then last year Anna had a problem with chuga Both cases was RNS and both cases was because they were too dry. As soon as we switched the substrate they cleared up |
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| 05/20/08 09:34am |
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Help care of Leopard Tortoise!!!!!!
