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Re: African Sulcata - hybernate?


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Posted by Georgia on November 01, 2000 at 21:32:31:

In Reply to: Re: African Sulcata - hybernate? posted by Laura R. on November 01, 2000 at 18:51:58:

: I put some detail in the post above.

: Inside I have him in a 20 gal tank with a "reptile" substrate - I can't really say what exactly it is. It is not sand, not bark... it is commercially made and says it is animal safe. I have the tank sectioned off - 1/3 of it is closed off with cardboard, with an opening (opening has cloth hanging down to black out) and it is capped with cardboard. In that corner I have an undertank heater.

: I generally do not keep him in there too much. It kills me to see him try to scrape his way out - I want him to have as much room as possible. If the weather is good I put him outside in the morning and put him back in at night. I leave at 5am where it is way too cold so I made a little enclosure with blankets to keep him warm until it warms up outside - I tested this... he keeps his little head facing forward and creeps out when the sun comes up. When it gets dark I bring him in and let him roam around inside, then when I go to bed, he goes to bed.

: I have been growing him green leafs and the European lettuce. I also have tons of Hibiscus plants for him. The plants are babies but they are slowly producing. He must be eating, he leaves little presents behind (he is so small - I am amazed on the size of them!!). And when I soak him he urinates, in the urine there is white - which tells me he is getting calcium. I have a cuttle bone in his tank.

: It seems like he has been slower than normal since the weather changed... it might be because he hasn't been able to go outside as much. I thought he might be trying to hibernate.

: I am going to be making him an outdoor enclosure... an open one - one where he can roam the whole yard. There are no animals to fear of and I have completely blocked any possible gap in our house enclosures. I just don't want him to be rained out and drown or be too cold.

: Thank you everyone for any advice or suggestions you can offer. He is my little baby... I spoil him. :-)

: Laura

Laura..Do you have any heat on him in the early morning? How cold is it when you leave him outside? Our two are 15 and 30 lbs., outdoor 24/7 but they have a heat lamp on 24/7 right now because even though it's sunny out, our temps are in the low 70s. When the temps drop into the 40's at night we even add pig blankets to their house. Ours will stay in their houses with their noses sticking out. When they see the sun hit their normal sunbathing spot they go toward it to bask. But if they aren't warm enough they go back to their houses. Rapping him in blankets I don't think is enough warmth in the early hours of the morning. They don't generate body heat like dogs. It is amazing how much their shells do absorb the heat from the sun. How do his nose and eyes look? Any running liquid, although the eyes do tear for cleansing. I have no idea what might be your problem, but if his patterns have changed significantly, I'd watch him closely and maybe have him checked out by a vet. I'm know expert by far but I wouldn't let him go too long. Has he been checked for worms/parasites? Good luck.





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