The Turtle Blog » Q & A http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com Turtle and tortoise information from Martins World Exotics Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:27:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 How do I keep my monitor lizard tame? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-do-i-keep-my-monitor-lizard-tame.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-do-i-keep-my-monitor-lizard-tame.html#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:35:15 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=195 Having a 5 foot monitor hanging on my shoulder at the shows leads to my being asked this, at minimum, 20 times a day. After dealing with various lizards (small and large) and snakes, we have found that the key to keeping them tame is by avoiding feeding live food. Feeding your reptile a live, moving target triggers an aggressive response used to protect themselves or capture their meal. This is why they try to bite when you go to take them out of their enclosure.  To them, they just see a moving target….like their attacker or prey.

Your alternative to live prey is frozen/thawed food. You can easily purchase frozen rats, mice, chicks, bunnies, etc., online, at your local reptile shows, and even at some pet shops.

Of course, feeding frozen/thawed does not solve it all. The 2nd part is  handling your animal daily (or as close to it as possible). I always recommend to people that they can do this when they watch a 30 minute TV show. It’s easy to fit in 30 minutes every day of handling and it will certainly pay off!

Granted, there are some animals that just have a wild nature about them and I tell people it’s just like some humans…no matter what you do, some are just plain ornery :o )

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-do-i-keep-my-monitor-lizard-tame.html/feed 0 The Summer Heat http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/the-summer-heat.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/the-summer-heat.html#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 22:10:21 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=170 With Summer upon us, we feel there are some very important precautions our customers should be taking with their animals that they may or may not be aware of. We hope the following is helpful to you and if you have any further questions that you will take the time to e-mail us or comment.

When traveling with your reptile or amphibian, do not leave them in your car without the air conditioning running. Also, do not leave them in direct sunlight. Most people will place their animals in deli cups- clear plastic containers with holes around the side that are provided when you buy the animal- this can prove lethal if sunlight is hitting the container. Animals will quickly suffer heat stroke- this can occur in less than a few minutes! You may also want to consider using cold packs to keep the container cool. To do so, place the container in a box and surround the cold pack with newspaper so it is not in direct contact with the animal.

If you keep your pet outdoors, make sure it is capable of living in the elements of your location. Some areas suffer from major extremes where it is upwards of 90 degrees during the day and drops down to the low 50’s at night. This kind of pattern can cause respiratory problems in some species and can actually kill others! Be sure to check their water bowls numerous time throughout the day, not only to check the levels but to be sure that the water isn’t too hot and is clean. To prevent the water temperature from rising to dangerous levels, you may want to place it in a shady area or build a covering for it (kind of like a car port). Also, be sure that you have areas where the animal can retreat to be out of the sunlight. For smaller tortoises and even box turtles, we find that the dog igloos work perfect. Plants that are full around the base are also a great way to provide shade (be sure the plants in the enclosure are not toxic-see our toxic plant list).

Good luck this Summer and be safe!

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/the-summer-heat.html/feed 0 What plants in my garden are poisonous to my box turtle or tortoise? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:29:43 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=159 There are many plants that could prove lethal to your turtle or tortoise so the following list consists of just a *few* of the more common ones:

  • Chrysanthemums (“mums”)
  • Daffodils
  • Euphorbia
  • Privet
  • Crocus
  • Cyclamen
  • Delphinium
  • Foxglove
  • Hydrangea
  • Jasmine
  • Lilly of the valley
  • Lobelia
  • Lupine
  • Mistletoe
  • Potato leaves
  • Rhubarb leaves
  • Rhododendron
  • Wisteria
  • Yew

It is imperative that you do not use any toxic garden chemicals such as weed killers, pesticides, mouse/rat/slug poison, etc.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html/feed 1 What are some beginner tortoises? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-are-some-beginner-tortoises.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-are-some-beginner-tortoises.html#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:42:00 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=157 We always recommend Redfoot tortoises for beginners. They are very hardy and easy to take care of. Some other tortoises you might consider are Russian and Hermanns tortoises as they stay small (4-6″ and 8″ respectively).

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-are-some-beginner-tortoises.html/feed 0 How can I be sure my female tortoise/box turtle is getting enough calcium? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:45:04 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=155 During egg-laying season it is very important to be sure that your female tortoise/turtle is receiving adequate amounts of calcium to ensure proper egg formation. We do this by placing multiple cuttlebones in their feeding area. We do this every 2 weeks during egg-laying season and once a month in the off season. It is also a good way to ensure that both males and females have calcium available to them at all times to support their bones. Cuttlebones can be found at your local pet store, most grocery stores, and can also be ordered online at http://www.reptilesupply.com.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html/feed 0 Why is iceberg lettuce not recommended for reptiles? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:05:31 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=153 People have long been told not to feed their reptiles iceberg lettuce because it does not contain enough of the essential nutrients necessary to keep your animal healthy and because it is “mostly water”. Both varieties of lettuce contain the same nutrients however romaine lettuce contains almost 3 times the amount found in iceberg.  Iceberg can be fed to your reptile but should not replace romaine or other greens in their diet.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html/feed 0 Why is my turtle’s/tortoise’s shell peeling? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-my-turtlestortoises-shell-peeling.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-my-turtlestortoises-shell-peeling.html#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:03:33 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=124 Turtles and tortoises shed their scutes as they grow. As long as what you are seeing underneath the shed is not discolored, this is perfectly normal. When the scutes are shedding, you should not peel the scute but rather let it fall off on its own as you could cause permanent damage to the shell.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-my-turtlestortoises-shell-peeling.html/feed 0 Do you have questions? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/do-you-have-questions.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/do-you-have-questions.html#comments Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:36:23 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=53 We welcome all types of questions regarding your reptiles and amphibians. If you have questions, please email us at info@martinsworldexotics.com and we can answer them via email and respond on our blog. Or, you could leave a comment on one of our blogs and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/do-you-have-questions.html/feed 0 What does an ear infection in turtles or tortoises look like? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:58:11 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=49 When turtles and tortoises get ear infections, you will most commonly see a swelling on the side of their head. This is more commonly known as an abscess. Unlike infections in humans, when turtles and tortoises develop pus, it solidifies into a ball. This occurs because, although turtles/tortoises can absorb moisture through their skin, they cannot release moisture from underneath the skin. When this happens, it is imperative that you take your animal to see a veterinarian, preferably one that specializes in herps. If left to heal on its own, it can lead to serious complications such as eye problems, the rupturing of their ear, and even death.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html/feed 0 Why are my baby tortoises eyes closed? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/why-are-my-baby-tortoises-eyes-closed.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/why-are-my-baby-tortoises-eyes-closed.html#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:23:21 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=33 Baby tortoises are highly susceptible to dehydration. It is important to soak them at least 3x a week. Also, you may want to make sure that the water dish you have provided him/her with is in the corner of the cage. Tortoises have a tendency to walk around their dish constantly and never even know it is there if you leave it in the center as they usually walk around the perimeter of their habitat.

You may also want to provide your baby tortoise with a vitamin/mineral supplement added to their water soak 1x per week. This will ensure that they are receiving proper nutrients that may be left out in their diet.

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