Re: Message for Dan from Leo

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Posted by Eric S. on December 17, 2000 at 13:06:09:

In Reply to: Message for Dan from Leo posted by Leo on December 16, 2000 at 21:53:22:

I have to heartily disagree with the suggestion of using sand. Young tortoises should not be kept on any kind of sand.. In small quantities it's harmless for them to ingest, but for a small tortoise the quantity is relatively large if it's only a little bit sticking to it's food. I do agree with the timothy hay. What we use is a reptile carpet to absorb fluids and provide traction, with timothy hay cut up on top of that. Skeeter eats the hay but it's actually good for her (fiber) so we don't have to worry..

-- Eric

: Dan - Get your Sulcata off of the wood chips!This is what is causing his eye irritations. When its eyes are irritated, do they look like the nictitating membrane is stuck over the eyeball? Does it look all red and nasty? If this is the case, switch the tortoise back to sand, don't wait, it should be on sand anyway. If you can't get a hold of sand right away, use green (edible) hay, such as timothy or alphalfa. In a pinch use Rabbit food pellets. Also, Lower the Heat! If you use sand, then an under tank heat source is fine and the sand will distribute the heat giving you a nice gradient. My babys I keep under full spectrum TUBES, but noe heat emitters. The ambient temperature for the little guys is 82f (as long as the substrate is warm). In the summer time, get them outside for some nice natural grazing, sunsoaking and growing! Good luck, p.s., scroll down and view the series of four photos I had posted previously of the tortoises I breed each year. Leo

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Re: Message for Dan from Leo Marissa 12/17/00 (0)

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: I have to heartily disagree with the suggestion of using sand. Young tortoises should not be kept on any kind of sand.. In small quantities it's harmless for them to ingest, but for a small tortoise the quantity is relatively large if it's only a little bit sticking to it's food. I do agree with the timothy hay. What we use is a reptile carpet to absorb fluids and provide traction, with timothy hay cut up on top of that. Skeeter eats the hay but it's actually good for her (fiber) so we don't have to worry.. : -- Eric : : Dan - Get your Sulcata off of the wood chips!This is what is causing his eye irritations. When its eyes are irritated, do they look like the nictitating membrane is stuck over the eyeball? Does it look all red and nasty? If this is the case, switch the tortoise back to sand, don't wait, it should be on sand anyway. If you can't get a hold of sand right away, use green (edible) hay, such as timothy or alphalfa. In a pinch use Rabbit food pellets. Also, Lower the Heat! If you use sand, then an under tank heat source is fine and the sand will distribute the heat giving you a nice gradient. My babys I keep under full spectrum TUBES, but noe heat emitters. The ambient temperature for the little guys is 82f (as long as the substrate is warm). In the summer time, get them outside for some nice natural grazing, sunsoaking and growing! Good luck, p.s., scroll down and view the series of four photos I had posted previously of the tortoises I breed each year. Leo

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