The Tortoise Table

Oh wow! What an amazing shell. Where was that photographed, Joe?

Nina

PMSL -- yes, stick with Jesus, it's a brill name. By the way, do you pronounce it the English way (geezus), or the Spanish way (haysoos)? The Spanish way does have a sort of flair to it

So true. I'm not particularly inventive with enclosures -- not a patch on BigJoe -- but it's sometimes fun to see what you can do with very little!

Nina

Hi Sally, Whew! So glad to hear that he is all right -- they do know how to worry us, dont they? When you do go to the vet, remember to take a relatively fresh sample of poo with you, so that it can be analysed for parasites (worms, mainly). Worms are fairly common and easy to get rid of, so no prob...

What a handsome Beardie! She is lovely and looks so healthy -- but the thought that Jesus laid eggs sort of boggles the mind! Alll the creatures in your mini zoo are so lucky to have found you Bex!

Nina

Great photo! There is a whole ecosystem on that tortoise's shell!

Nina

That reminds me of an outdoor enclosure I had once, in a previous house. It was surrounded on two sides by the wall of the house, on one side by a garden wall, and on the fourth side I just put breeze blocks up. It was a concrete patio, so I dumped loads of soil and sand on it until it was about fiv...

Oh dear, the poor little one in your hand! Was he partially run over on the road? They are such an attractive species -- really pretty shell patterns and sweet heads.

Nina

Joe, you are undoubtedly the king of outdoor enclosures -- I always love what you do, and I'm sure people will get lots of inspiration and great tips from your photos -- thanks so much for posting them! Nina P.S. People ain't seen nothin yet -- wait until they get a look at your turtle ponds -- whic...

Really nice enclosure, Bex! and pretty escape proof from what I can see!

Nina

Great tortoise table, Joe! And I completely agree about the 'L' shape. Another advantage is that the tortoise can't see from one end of the enclosure to the other, so it's a more interesting environment for him, and encourages him to explore (lol -- 'now I wonder what I'll find round that corner'). ...

Oh my, what a sight -- great photos! Is the big lizard yours too (forgive me as I'm not good at species ID on lizards -- lol I'm not even good at species IDs on tortoises!). What species is he -- he's gorgeous!

Nina

Hi Sally, Sorry to hear that Tuga is a bit under the weather. I don't think that tortoises get colds as such, but they can get something called Runny Nose Syndrome (RNS) which is a respiratory infection and can be serious. Keep an eye on him over the next few days and if his nose is still running a ...

Great to see you here, Laura. We're still ironing out a few little wrinkles, but we're really pleased with the way it's turned out.

Nina

Helen breeds only the best!

Nina

Hi Bex,
Here is the sort of thing Lin was talking about (this is one of Helen's enclosures and I'm sure she won't mind me posting the photo.

Nina

Hi Bex, You've put the reflectors on perfectly, and no need to angle them. There are two things though: 1. How far away from the top of the tortoise's shell is that strip light? If it is new, I think they shouldn't be less than 12" above the shell -- but the instructions on the box should tell ...

LOL, yes I am.

You're having a good day! I'm just going to test this myself to see if I can add graphics from other sources. Nina

Thanks for emailing the photos, Jacquie -- they were good and I've sent you emails with IDs for both. And we are going to be looking at our instructions for uploading photos. I've just been informed that the version of this forum that went live last week was slightly different in the area of photo u...

Oh my goodness, Natalie, you have had a good weed-picking session! Yummy! And I love the giant tortoise graphic too.

Nina

That is the sweetest looking little tortoise! No wonder you rescued him from that pet shop -- and he is so lucky to have found a home with you!

Nina

I agree -- they are absolutely gorgeous, Lin. Can you post the photo of the large tortoise with the baby sitting on top? It's such a good way to let people know what to expect when they acquire a baby Sulcata.

Nina

Aww, he is so lovely! Are you growing to grow grass (or other plants) in the holes in those bricks? I think that is a very clever idea, because Speedy could eat the grass once it was a bit established and was sticking up out of the holes, but maybe couldn't destroy it completely. I think I might use...

Thanks, Sarah. We're going to look at our instructions again and try to make them clearer! We're really grateful to get feedback like this. And I hope your tortoise enjoys his sowthistle!

Nina