23/09/2013 15:30
HI ALL , WELL, LOLA IS DOING SO WELL AND IS SUCH A LOVLEY TORTOISE I AM SO HAPPY THAT SHE IS HERE. SHE HAS PUT ON 5 OZ IN WEIGHT WHICH IS BRILLIANT .NOW WHEN I PUT HER ON THE LAWN SHE HAPPILY MUNCHES AWAY ON THE GRASS AND I MAKE A TRAIL OF DANDELION FLOWERS WHICH SHE FOLLOWS AROUND THE GARDEN. SHE LIKES MITZI WHO AFTER LOOKING AT ME AS IF TO SAY "REALLY ANOTHER ONE !" NOW SITS ON THE PATH AND WATCHES AS LOLA WALKS TO HER;SOON LOLA WILL BE BIGGER THAN MITZI !!!!! HER HOUSE IS GREAT STEVE MADE A PERFECT JOB OF IT AS USUAL AND THE NIGHT TIME TEMPERATURE WON'T GO BELOW 65 DEGREES EVEN IN THE WINTER. SHE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO COME OUT EVERY DAY THOUGH BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HER TO HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING TO SEE AND DO EVERY DAY. I TOOK HER INTO THE MAIN GARDEN TODAY AND SHE HAD A GOOD LOOK ROUND BEFORE SETTLING DOWN UNDER MY SWING SEAT WHILE I HAD A CUP OF TEA..
12/09/2013 16:49
HI ALL. WELL, I HAVE HAD A FEW EMAILS ABOUT TORTIES SLOWING DOWN FOR THE WINTER SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TALK A BIT ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT. FIRSTLY ,WE HAVE HAD SUCH A HOT SUMMER AND THEN SUDDENLY IT WAS 12 DEGREES LOWER SO ALL MY TORTIES THOUGHT OH! OK TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT HIBERNATION... SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN POOING ALOT TO EMPTY THEIR BOWELS ETC AND SOME HAVE NOT BEEN OUT.. THEN, TODAY THEY ALL CAME OUT AND HAD SOMETHING TO EAT !! SO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOU TORTOISE IT KNOWS WHAT TO DO AND AS THE WEATHER COOLS IT WILL COME OUT LESS AND LESS; EVENTUALLY STOP EATING ,EMPTY ITS BOWELS AND FINALLY BED DOWN FOR THE WINTER. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE LONG TERM WEATHER FORECAST BUT IT MAY BE THAT THE DAYS WILL BE WARM AND THEN COLD AND THEN RAINY BUT I WILL JUST WAIT FOR THE REALLY COLD SNAP WHICH MAY BE IN OCTOBER OR EVEN NOVEMBER AND THEN MY TORTIES WILL ALL GO TO SLEEP FOR THE WINTER. IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR TORTOISE JUST MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THEIR HOUSE NICE AND DRY WITH HAY AND KEEP GIVING FOOD BECAUSE IT WILL KNOW WHEN TO STOP EATING ..ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE RING OR EMAIL ME......
12/09/2013 16:39
HI ALL, WELL, LOLA HAS REALLY SETTLED IN AND TODAY SHE ACTUALLY CAME TO ME !!! YES REALLY , NO SHE WASN'T JUST WALKING MY WAY SHE REALLY CAME TO ME.. I HAVE BEEN USING HER NAME ALL THE TIME AND TODAY WHEN SHE WAS IN THE GARDEN I STOPPED NEAR HER AND CALLED TO HER SHE LOOKED UP AND MADE HER WAY OVER !!! I TRIED IT AGAIN IN CASE IT WAS JUST COINCIDENCE BUT SHE DID IT AGAIN...I AM SO EXCITED BY HER IT WILL BE SO LOVELY SPENDING TIME WITH HER THIS WINTER WHILST ALL MY GIRLS AND BOYS ARE ASLEEP.HER HOUSE IS WONDERFUL AND I KEEP ALL THE THINGS I NEED TO CLEAN IT ON SHELVES STEVE PUT UP FOR ME. I WIPE THE FLOOR EVERY MORNING WITH ANTI BACTERIAL WIPES AND BECAUSE STEVE LAID VINYL IT IS SO EASY TO KEEP CLEAN. I TOOK HER INDOORS AS WELL TODAY AND MITZI (BORDER TERRIER) LOOKED AT ME AS IF TO SAY "INDOORS, REALLY MUM !" SHE HAD A SNIFF AND A LICK AND PROMPTLY WENT BACK TO SLEEP.LOLA LOVES THE GARDEN AND WALKED NEARLY ALL DAY STOPPING NOW AND THEN TO SAMPLE SOMETHING ON THE LAWN. I HAVE JUST PUT HER BACK IN HER HOUSE.MY NEXT JOB IS TO GET A PVC STRIP CURTAIN WHICH WILL GO INSIDE HER DOOR SO THAT I CAN OPEN THE MAIN DOOR BUT ALMOST NO HEAT WILL BE LOST AND SHE CAN COME AND GO AS SHE PLEASES. I WILL UP DATE ONCE IT IS HERE.
10/09/2013 11:35
THIS MORNING LOLA MY NEW SULCATA WAS WEIGHED MEASURED AND BATHED ! SHE HAS SUCH A LOVELY NATURE AND IS AN ABSOLUTE JOY! AFTER THE BATH THE SUN WAS OUT SO I THOUGHT SHE MAY LIKE TO BROWSE HER NEW GARDEN WELL.... SHE WAS OFF LIKE A ROCKET AND TOOK A BITE OUT OF EVERY THING SHE PASSED ! I AM SO PLEASED BECAUSE NOW I KNOW SHE IS EATING OK AND LIKES THE GARDEN EVEN ON A COOLER DAY LIKE THIS.SHE IS STILL OUT THERE AND I WILL LEAVE HER UNTIL I SEE SHE IS LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP THEN SHE WILL GO BACK INTO HER NEW HOME. I AM NOT LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE THE HEATER ON AND IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF HEAT BUT NEXT SPRING/SUMMER WHEN THE HEAT WILL BE OFF DURING THE DAY I WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE HER DOOR OPEN AND SHE WILL COME AND GO AS SHE PLEASES.. MITZI MY BORDER TERRIER MET HER THIS MORNING AND SHE HAD A SNIFF AND LOOKED AT ME AS IF TO SAY "ANOTHER ONE REALLY" !!! THEN SAT DOWN AND LOLA STAYED BY HER QUITE HAPPY SO THAT WAS LOVELY TO SEE. MITZI IS VERY GOOD THOUGH BECAUSE IF ONE OF THE BOYS OR GIRLS GO MISSING IN THE GARDEN I ASK HER WHERE THE TORTIE IS AND SHE FORAGES AROUND UNTIL SHE LOCATES IT FOR ME ! AS FOR LOLA WELL, IN A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY BECAUSE SHE WILL BE BIGGER THAN MITZI!
10/09/2013 09:50
MORNING ALL; HOW COLD IS IT ! AND SO SUDDENLY..I WANT TO TALK ABOUT NEW HATCHLINGS... FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ONE OR 2 EVERY YEAR FROM ME YOU WILL ALREADY BE SETTLED INTO A ROUTINE AND HAVE IRONED OUT ANY LITTLE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE HAD..FOR THOSE JUST STARTING OUT IT CAN BE A PRETTY DAUNTING TASK TAKING CARE OF SUCH A TINY CREATURE.WELL, DON'T BE WORRIED THEY ARE MUCH HARDIER THAN YOU THINK AND IN THE WILD WOULD HAVE TO WALK MILES EVERY DAY IN THE HOPE OF FINDING FOOD AND SHELTER. WE GIVE THEM EVERY THING THEY NEED AND MUCH MORE BESIDES. WHAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN IS, THEIR METABOLISM BEING A REPTILE IS MUCH SLOWER THAN A MAMMELS SO IT IS FINE IF THEY ARE FED EVERY OTHER DAY . IF YOU DO GIVE THEM TOO MUCH FOOD IN THE EARLY STAGES IT CAN CAUSE PYRAMIDING OF THE CARAPACE.YOU WANT A SLOW STEADY GROWTH SO THAT THE SHELL STAYS NICE AND SMOOTH. IF YOU CANNOT BRING YOURSELF TO NOT FEED FOR A DAY THEN YOU CAN GIVE LAMBS LETTUCE OR SIMILAR AS IT'S CONTENTS IS MOSTLY WATER. FEEDING ONCE A DAY AS WELL IS THE CORRECT WAY; YOU MUST REMEMBER EVEN THOUGH YOUR BABY WAS BORN IN THIS COUNTRY IT WILL STILL BE INBRED IN IT TO EAT ANY FOOD IT FINDS BECAUSE IT MAY NOT FIND ANY MORE FOR A FEW DAYS, IT WON'T KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE FED EVERY DAY! SO, ONCE A DAY ONLY AND TRY THE EVERY OTHER DAY WITH A LITTLE LETTUCE IF YOU MUST. LOTS OF LIMESTONE FLOUR FOR HEALTHY BONES AND CARAPACE.PUT YOUR LITTLE ONE ON THE LAWN EVERY DAY FOR A BREATH OF FRESH AIR DON'T WORRY IF IT IS COLD YOU WILL BE HELPING TO HARDEN IT OFF FOR OUR CLIMATE. EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE CLOUDY THE SUNS RAYS WILL STILL BE GETTING THROUGH. REGULAR BATHS ARE SO GOOD TO HELP KEEP THEM HYDRATED AND ALSO TO KEEP THE BOWELS MOVING. I HAD A WONDERFUL EMAIL THE OTHER DAY FROM ONE OF MY BUYERS WHO GOES CAMPING TWICE A YEAR AND TAKES HER 2 LITTLE ONES WITH HER, THIS YEAR THEY HAVE BEEN TO DEVON AND NORFOLK !! AND CHRISTMAS THEY ARE GOING TO SCOTLAND !!! SO HAVE HATCHING CAN TRAVEL....UNTIL NEXT TIME....
09/09/2013 19:51
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE "KATHLEEN" WHO ARRIVE ON SATURDAY ALL THE WAY FROM NOTTINGHAM. SHE IS SUCH A PRETTY SPUR THIGHED AND IS ABOUT 50/60 YEARS OLD BUT IS TINY ! THE FAMILY HAVE DONATED HER BECAUSE THEIR MUM WHO IS IN HER 80'S IS NOT ABLE TO LOOK AFTER HER ANY MORE. SHE SETTLED IMMEDIATELY AND IS WITH THE SMALLER GIRLS. I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO TAKE CARE OF HER AND KNOW SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME ...
09/09/2013 19:18
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIBERNATION AS I HAVE HAD ALOT OF QUESTIONS RECENTLY ABOUT HOW TO HIBERNATE. YEARS AGO WHEN THESE LOVELY CREATURES FIRST ARRIVED HERE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT OR HOW TO LOOK AFTER THEM AND ALOT PERISHED BUT ALOT ALSO HARDENED THEMSELVES OFF TO OUR CHANGING CLIMATE AND ADAPTED THEMSELVES TO THE WINTER MONTHS BY HIBERNATING IN THE GARDEN SHED, COMPOST HEAP, UNDER THE HEDGE, IN THE OUTSIDE TOILET! AND SIMPLY BY BURROWING DOWN IN THE VEGGY PATCH TO NAME BUT A FEW PLACES. OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE THEM MORE AND REALISE WE CAN HELP KEEP THEM SAFE DURING THE HIBERNATION PERIOD. OVER THE YEARS MY GIRLS AND BOYS HAVE SHOWN ME WHEN THEY GO TO SLEEP AND HOW AND WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.I HAVE ONE BOY "GRUMPY" WHO CHOSE TO DIG VERTICALLY !! AND A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE WE MOVED HERE A FEW YEARS AGO HE GOT OUT OF THE TORTOISE HOUSE AND BURROWED 3 FEET !! YES 3 FEET VERTICALLY DOWN.. WELL, YOU CANNOT DIG WITH A SPADE OR FORK FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AND SO THERE WAS I ON MY HANDS AND KNEES IN THE SNOW USING A LITTLE FORK TRYING TO FIND WHERE HE HAD DUG DOWN (THEY DON'T LEAVE ANY SOIL TO SHOW WHERE THEY HAVE DUG). ANYWAY, EVENTUALLY WITH DIVINE HELP! I FOUND HIM...NOW HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN OK BUT WITH FROZEN GROUND THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GO BLIND AND ALSO SHELL ROT DOES HAPPEN.SO... OVER TIME I HAVE REALISED IT IS BEST TO LEAVE THEM TO DO IT ALL THEMSELVES AND WITH THEIR HOUSES FILLED WITH HAY THEY ARE HAPPY TO BED DOWN AND EVENTUALLY SETTLE THERE. I MAKE SURE THERE IS ALOT OF HAY UNDERNEATH THEM AND LOTS ON TOP THEN CLOSE THE DOOR FOR THE WINTER..NOW, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM OUTSIDE ONCE THEY HAVE BEDDED DOWN IN THEIR HOUSE YOU CAN LIFT THE WHOLE THING AND PUT IT IN A SHED OR GARAGE. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LIFT THEIR HOUSE OUT OF THEIR AREA YOU CAN ALSO LIFT THEM OUT AND PUT THEM IN A HAY FILLED BOX BUT IT IS NICER NOT TO DISTURB THEM AS THEY WILL BE AWARE OF BEING MOVED AND THIS CAN BE DISTRESSING AS THEY WILL THINK YOU ARE A PREDATOR! I DO LEAVE MINE OUTSIDE IF THE WEATHER DOES NOT GET TOO BAD AND HAVE DONE SO FOR OVER 35 YEARS NOW. THIS YEAR ,I AM GOING TO PUT SOME OF THE NEW DONATIONS WHO HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW MONTHS INTO THE SHED ONCE THEY ARE ASLEEP. I WILL LET THEM STAY IN THEIR HOUSES SO AS NOT TO DISTURB THEM; BUT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ALL THEIR HISTORY AND SOME HAVE ALSO COME FROM VIVIARIUMS AND HAVE BEEN HARDENED OFF OVER THE SUMMER I WANT TO BE SURE THEY HAVE A GOOD SAFE HIBERNATION. HUBBY IS GOING TO INSULATE MY SHED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND IS PUTTING UP SHELVES ETC SO IT WILL BE A REALLY LOVELY HIBERNATION SHED WITH LIGHT AND STORAGE AREAS. I AM SO LUCKY! ONCE ALL TORTIES ARE ASLEEP THIS IS THE TIME TO CLEAN OUT THEIR PENS ETC AND ADD NEW THINGS FOR WHEN THEY WAKE UP. CLEAN AND DISINFECT THE WHOLE AREA. I WILL BE ADDING MORE STONES AND SLATE AND HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY PLANT CUTTINGS OF ICE PLANT IT IS EVERY WHERE ! WHAT I WILL SAY IS I DON'T RECOMMEND SHREDDED NEWSPAPER OR SIMILAR, I THINK GOOD SOFT HAY WORKS REALLY WELL AND KEEPS THE HIBERNATING AREA DRY.SO I HOPE THIS HELPS BUT PLEASE EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.......
09/09/2013 18:48
HI EVERYONE, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN RATHER HECTIC WHAT WITH THE HATCHLINGS AND THE HOT WEATHER. LAST SUNDAY I MET A WONDERFUL FAMILY WHO DONATED A YOUNG SULCATA . I HAVE CALLED HER "LOLA" AND SHE HAS SETTLED IN REALLY WELL IN HER NEW CUSTOM FITTED HOUSE !! HUBBY HAS DONE A BRILLIANT JOB OF FITTING OUT A BRICK HOUSE WITH FULL UNSULATION, ELECTRIC AND A SEALED VINYL COVERED FLOOR. IT HAS TUBE HEATERS FOR THE WINTER, 2 OVER HANGING LAMPS THAT ARE ON A SWING SYSTEM SO I CAN MOVE THEM OUT OF THE WAY WHEN I WANT TO CLEAN THE AREA. SHE HAS A SOLA GLO BULB FOR THE SUN UVA/UVB AND THEN A HEAT BULB FOR THE VERY COLD WEATHER TO BASK !! IT HAS A WINDOW FOR NATURAL LIGHT THAT HAS BEEN DOUBLE GLAZED. I HAD ONE TUBE ON OVER NIGHT AND THE TEMPERATURE DID NOT GO UNDER 60 DEGREES WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE WHEN IT GETS REALLY COLD WITH THREE OF THEM THE TEMPERATURE WILL BE FINE. SHE IS REALLY LOVELY TORTOISE AND IS VERY CHILLED .SHE DOES HAVE SOME PYRAMIDING BUT IT WON'T GET ANY WORSE NOW. LOLA IS ABOUT 3 ALTHOUGH NOT HUNDRED PERCENT SURE OF EXACT AGE. I WILL UPDATE AS TIME GOES ON AND WILL POST SOME PICTURES. SHE IS EATING MEADOW HAY AND I AM LOOKING FOR A REALLY STURDY CONTAINER TO USE FOR WATER SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS PLEASE LET ME KNOW. IT HAS TO BE MEDIUM SIZE AS SHE IS REALLY STRONG AND ALREADY 11" LONG. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND HOPEFULLY SHE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LOOK AROUND THE GARDEN TOMORROW AND EAT SOME FRESH GRASS ETC. I CAN ALSO GIVE HER A LITTLE LETTUCE AND WATERCRESS BUT WANT HER TO HAVE MOST OF HER FOOD FROM THE GARDEN. I AM GOING TO TRY HIBISCUS LEAVES TOMORRW WHICH SHE CAN HAVE AND ALSO ICE PLANT . WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW HOW IT GOES. SHE WILL BE WEIGHED AND MEASURED TOMORROW AS WELL AND I WILL BE KEEPING A LOG OF EVERYTHING IN MY TORTOISE DIARY .
13/08/2013 21:57
I thought I would talk a little about plants for your Tortoise. Obviously they love dandelions and clover etc and you can buy tortoise seeds which I tried with great success this year. There are other plants you can grow lots of even if you don't have alot of space. One plant that is great and easy to grow is Ice plant , it is a succulant that is full of water and really good for your tortoise. You can grow it in tubs and to take a cutting all you have to do is break a stem off, remove the lower leaves and push into soil ; I am growing it every where; You just break stems off and give them to your totoise they don't usually eat the stems only the leaves.They love clematis so grow it up fences etc .Hibbiscus is another good one as is mallow leaves and flowers ,it was a weed originally but has been cultivated and now comes in lots of colours. Try lots of different foods with your tortoise so that it does not become a fussy eater!
13/08/2013 21:39
Hi all, well, how busy have I been ! Hatchlings are arriving thick and fast and leaving me just as quickly!! I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those of you who have picked your little ones up and to those of you awaiting your arrival especially the NEWBIES who are just starting their journey with these wonderful creatures.Don't forget ,you can ring me or email me any time should you have any concerns at all.
