Re: the [Russian] tortoises and diet and D3

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Posted by Maia on August 29, 2000 at 13:14:53:

In Reply to: the [Russian] tortoises and diet and D3 posted by lisa on March 14, 1999 at 17:57:31:

What is the best method of keeping a Russian free of hookworms? What is the best way to clean a cage that is too big for me to pick up? I have a female that I really like a lot and have those two problems.

: Sedwic!

: You have just answered the $64,000 question! ;-)

: The absolute best way to raise tortoises is to feed them dark green and leafy veggies, like you do, eg. collard greens, dandelions, chicory, and let them spend as much time as possible outside in the sunlight! Ain't Mother Nature grand?!

: Lots of people use "full spectrum" lights indoors for their tortoises. (I used to, too.) These will work to an extent if: 1) the animals are within 3 ft. of the light source for however many hours a day is necessary for them to absorb enough light, because the concentration of UV rays decreases radically past a distance of 3 ft., and 2) although these lights last for quite some time, depending on the brand they quickly cease to emit the necessary UV portion of the spectrum after about 6 months or so. Unless you have some sort of device to monitor the spectral output of these lights, you really have no way of telling just how much UV they're emitting. So they need to be replaced every 6 months, regardless of whether they've burned out or not. And they're costly. I don't know about you guys, but I can't force my torts to sit 3 ft. away from a bright light for hours.

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: What is the best method of keeping a Russian free of hookworms? What is the best way to clean a cage that is too big for me to pick up? I have a female that I really like a lot and have those two problems. : : : Sedwic! : : You have just answered the $64,000 question! ;-) : : The absolute best way to raise tortoises is to feed them dark green and leafy veggies, like you do, eg. collard greens, dandelions, chicory, and let them spend as much time as possible outside in the sunlight! Ain't Mother Nature grand?! : : Lots of people use "full spectrum" lights indoors for their tortoises. (I used to, too.) These will work to an extent if: 1) the animals are within 3 ft. of the light source for however many hours a day is necessary for them to absorb enough light, because the concentration of UV rays decreases radically past a distance of 3 ft., and 2) although these lights last for quite some time, depending on the brand they quickly cease to emit the necessary UV portion of the spectrum after about 6 months or so. Unless you have some sort of device to monitor the spectral output of these lights, you really have no way of telling just how much UV they're emitting. So they need to be replaced every 6 months, regardless of whether they've burned out or not. And they're costly. I don't know about you guys, but I can't force my torts to sit 3 ft. away from a bright light for hours.

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