My 50# turtle & sungold

[pete]

[Sherry_AK]

Great pictures! Good thing that turtle didn't find the whole basket of tomatoes.

[stormymater]

How's that turtle on mockingbirds? LOL - awsome pices!

[ddsack]

Great pics! Is that really your tortoise? What kind of living quarters do you have for a 50 lb-er there in Cincinnati in the winter time?

[pete]

"Hank the tank" lives in the garden from april to december, he has a heated matt in a shed he goes into at night (all by himself). From dec. to april he is in a 8'X4' box with a heated matt in my basement. As long as it is 55-60 degrees out during the day he will come out and feed, his heating matt keeps it about 30'F above the outside temps. He eats anything and everything- grass, dandylions, clover, turtle chow, cat chow, and any leftover veggies. He ate 1/2 of a 12" diameter pumpkin last fall in 1 day.

He is an African Sulcata, and when you read about their care you will see much higher temps for captivity. The heated matt is hog farrowing matt that is 2'X4' and completely adjustable. I bury the matt in 4" of sand and crank it up when its cold and Hank will go to it to warm up. The sand acts as a heat sink and helps transfer the warmth to him.

I've had him for 7 years and he weighed 11# when I got him (free from a reptile rescue). I have 3 others that he tries to "pitch woe" to and he is a really rude dude in the company of other sucatas. He makes noises so loud I can hear him 200' away.

He would eat a mocking bird if he could catch it. Pretty easy keeper once you have the set-up, but you have to wall or cage any plants or he will eat or run over them.

[David Marek]

Originally Posted by pete

" Pretty easy keeper once you have the set-up, but you have to wall or cage any plants or he will eat or run over them- -Hank does not bite at all, but he has RAMMED my leg once (I must have been in his way). He follows me around when I am picking-

Reminds me of a different post about horses... and of Penelope the potbellied pig nudging my foot for a handout. I usually share.

[stormymater]

Awesome!
Is he stinky in the basement?

[pete]

Only when he poops!!!

I cut way back on his food when he is in so that he only poops every 2-4 weeks. They evolved in the desert so they can tolerate fasting well.

I also turn the heat down so it is like a mild hibernation period. I have not heard of other people doing this, but it works well for me so far (7 years). When he is outside he poops every morning in the same spot outside his shed, then ventures out to see how much he can eat.

[stormymater]

OMG - what a coool buddy to have around!I was telling DH about Hank & we were notioning about how there are these really fascinating (albeit "exotic") pets/buds around that are either really expensive or absolutely free - depending on circumstances.
We opened our home to a 46 yo parrot this January b/c his original owner had died & our DF who took him on was overwhelmed with family illness. This creature sings, talks, interacts (& bites really hard) & would be very expensive to buy but needed a home that could handle him so he now lives with us - for free. Admittedly we would have never paid money for a bird but we really are getting a kick out of our latest adoptee. This suggests I need to assiduously avoid any kind of reptile rescue place because I used to have my pet box turtles as a kid & therefore am at risk of toting home a great big bruiser (but not a snapper LOL).

[pete]

What kind of parrot do you have?

Hank does not bite at all, but he has RAMMED my leg once (I must have been in his way). He follows me around when I am picking and truly likes the best tasting tomatoes. If I throw sungold, ss100, snow white, or any other tomato, he picks all the sungold and leaves the rest. He also likes cherokee purple and suddiths, but he only gets the ugly blemished ones.

The reptile rescue guy keeps trying to give me a 200# python. A very nice snake but I don't have the room or the wife for that kind of critter!!!

The sulcatas can live 50-100 years, Hank is @ 20. I'm 43...

[ddsack]

Fascinating hearing about Hank.

Turtles are some of my favorite creatures. Any chance of you posting a video on You Tube of Hank and his vocalizations? I'd love to hear what he sounds like.

[Barbee]

I Love him! More pics please

[stormymater]

Ooooooohhhhh - I want a Hank!
Boris is a Double Yellow Head Amazon who was brought to the US as a naked chick from Panama in 1963. He sings the first lines of The Star-Spangled Banner (cool esp. w/his own syncopation)and the Sound of Music (less cool b/c he sounds like operatic version of Julie Andrews - mercifully brief). He loves blues & acts like he's going to break into song sometimes ... he really likes that creepy Beach Boys tune (Up in my Room). Has all kinds of phrases (most clear, some muttery).

But he bites - wickedly & w/o provocation. He can bite if frightened of or for you, po'd, loving you, jealous of someone near you, or simply to get a taste of you. I'm sporting a scar I'll have the rest of my life across my thumb from a happy crunch back in January.

Hank sounds like more predictable fun. Love that he sorts his maters too. Boris likes cherry tomatoes so we'll be doing a tasting for him this summer. Plan to dry him maters & peppers.

edit - I would dig hearing Hank awooing too!

[veggie babe]

what great stories, thank you for caring for Hank and Boris. Could we see a pic of Boris?

Neva

[stormymater]