Re: Couple more questions -- Stress, Day/Night information

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Posted by Leslie on July 14, 2000 at 13:27:23:

In Reply to: Re: Couple more questions -- Stress, Day/Night information posted by Terry on July 14, 2000 at 12:45:24:

: Hi again Terry.... You people are so nice to me.

I, to the best I can, try to keep a good schedule.

I am assuming that since the russians are outdoors (wish my weather was nice all the time)
you don't see what time they retreat for the night or how much they sleep per day.

Aladar was getting up with the rest of us on the week days (I have to work) and I was taking him outdoors for his breakfast. Today he was not ready, today was the first day he was not ready. On weekends we all tend to sleep in and sometimes Aladar is up when we get up and sometimes he isn't - but I don't bother him until he gets up. I too have a Rubbermaid (large) that I keep him in while indoors (in a sunny room) (he still likes that darn aquarium to sleep in a night, and I don't know how to shake him of that ... he seems not to mind looking out at us in the AM and going down when we all go to bed. He burrows himself in the corner and snoozes. I know that Aquariums are not good for the tortoises, but there is so many new things happening in my house that I hate to change the very first place he felt safe in our home. I have a large outdoor enclosure (that so far is NOT dog proof) and a large kids pool that Aladar is used to. There are two special rocks he likes to burrow in at night and I let him, and when we go to bed, I gently carry him inside and he burrows in the corner of that darn aquarium... I did purchase a Reptarium (another new thing for him) and as soon as I get it all fixed up (maybe tonight) I will change from the aquarium to that .... It is larger and has much more ventilation (I bought it from HerpSupplies.com) (am I allowed to say that?) Anyway, my husband is coming home from a long trip and I am going to try and enlist his help in making that area outside for Aladar SECURE. We do have a dog and so far she has been really good, but I know dogs and Torts do not mix... (and we always keep them apart)-- So I need to get this done. I, about 3 times a week come home on my lunch and put Aladar outside and the dog in - that way Aladar gets some sunshine (he seems real happy when we get home. I just always worry about if it rains (the places I put him are able to drain, so he won't drown, but he might get wet.
We are into a sub-routine this way. When I get home from work, I let him in the yard to graze for about an hour and then back into his area outside until bedtime (dog is in house).
The only reason I take him outside in the morning (for about an hour) is to get the morning sun (but maybe I should just leave him alone until I get home for lunch and let him out then... Not wake him...
When I get the enclosed area done, I am going to have to get him up in the AM to put him out for the day... Cause I think I am going to have to bring him in at night if the weather goes below 65.

Kathy mentioned about stress (and not eating) --
but you say he may turn his head up at the new food and not eat for a couple of days.... I don't think he likes the mustard greens, I am going to go get red lettuce... darn I am making a trip a day just to find out what he likes....

I am heading home for lunch now to see if he ate... Something tells me he was too tired to eat this AM or maybe he just doesn't like mustard greens.

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: : Hi again Terry.... You people are so nice to me. : I, to the best I can, try to keep a good schedule. : I am assuming that since the russians are outdoors (wish my weather was nice all the time) : you don't see what time they retreat for the night or how much they sleep per day. : Aladar was getting up with the rest of us on the week days (I have to work) and I was taking him outdoors for his breakfast. Today he was not ready, today was the first day he was not ready. On weekends we all tend to sleep in and sometimes Aladar is up when we get up and sometimes he isn't - but I don't bother him until he gets up. I too have a Rubbermaid (large) that I keep him in while indoors (in a sunny room) (he still likes that darn aquarium to sleep in a night, and I don't know how to shake him of that ... he seems not to mind looking out at us in the AM and going down when we all go to bed. He burrows himself in the corner and snoozes. I know that Aquariums are not good for the tortoises, but there is so many new things happening in my house that I hate to change the very first place he felt safe in our home. I have a large outdoor enclosure (that so far is NOT dog proof) and a large kids pool that Aladar is used to. There are two special rocks he likes to burrow in at night and I let him, and when we go to bed, I gently carry him inside and he burrows in the corner of that darn aquarium... I did purchase a Reptarium (another new thing for him) and as soon as I get it all fixed up (maybe tonight) I will change from the aquarium to that .... It is larger and has much more ventilation (I bought it from HerpSupplies.com) (am I allowed to say that?) Anyway, my husband is coming home from a long trip and I am going to try and enlist his help in making that area outside for Aladar SECURE. We do have a dog and so far she has been really good, but I know dogs and Torts do not mix... (and we always keep them apart)-- So I need to get this done. I, about 3 times a week come home on my lunch and put Aladar outside and the dog in - that way Aladar gets some sunshine (he seems real happy when we get home. I just always worry about if it rains (the places I put him are able to drain, so he won't drown, but he might get wet. : We are into a sub-routine this way. When I get home from work, I let him in the yard to graze for about an hour and then back into his area outside until bedtime (dog is in house). : The only reason I take him outside in the morning (for about an hour) is to get the morning sun (but maybe I should just leave him alone until I get home for lunch and let him out then... Not wake him... : When I get the enclosed area done, I am going to have to get him up in the AM to put him out for the day... Cause I think I am going to have to bring him in at night if the weather goes below 65. : Kathy mentioned about stress (and not eating) -- : but you say he may turn his head up at the new food and not eat for a couple of days.... I don't think he likes the mustard greens, I am going to go get red lettuce... darn I am making a trip a day just to find out what he likes.... : I am heading home for lunch now to see if he ate... Something tells me he was too tired to eat this AM or maybe he just doesn't like mustard greens.

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