I wondered if anyone might be interested in a really simple, but effective, modification of outdoor sleeping boxes. This modification cost me 10p and extends the torts daytime activity by an hour or more, even on dull days.Simply buy a clear plastic LP sleeve protector ( for the younger members, these are the clear covers we older folk used to protect our record collections in the days before CD's or i pods)You can buy these from a charity shop..in York they cost 10p. Staple it over the entrance to your torts sleepin box to reach ground level, and cut the sleeve into dangling strips of around 2 cm wide. This forms a transparent set of flaps which torts easily push through. This then insulates the sleeping area...it warms up earlier in the mornings, and stays warmer during the night. Thus torts wake earlier, and are already at a higher temperature than surrounding ground when they emerge, and so feed sooner. A simple idea, but believe me I have used this system over many years and it works!

Got plenty of those Dave:-)

Yes good idea Dave, people have also used the clear carpet runners which are a bit thicker and cut those in strips too.

Thanks for that, Vivienne

Big thanks Vivienne for your reply...what a great improvement on what I thought was my easy idea. I even have some carpet runner in the loft! This is precisely why this forum is so useful, for disseminating best practice. Come on everyone, don't keep your ideas secret...let us all benefit from each others' experiences in keeping chelonians in the best possible conditions! Ultimately it is about keeping our torts in conditions as near perfect as we can manage. Here's to a bumper summer.

ps...Anyone know a sun dance that works?

Lol  David!!  You are so right, it is about sharing best practices.  New keepers and experienced keepers can all learn something new.

Can I be cheeky and ask what species of torts you keep, and can we see some pics?

Kind regards Vivienne 

Thats not cheeky at all. I have kept my current tort almost 25 years. Sadly her male partner died just over a year ago, and her female buddy died 2005. The ibera trio were rehomed to me by a vet all those years ago, each needing slight restoration!. When male was alive I had lots of tort eggs...alas always infertile. Accoring to the vet, male was sterile, so I've never bred. However I have been a tort keeper since I was a teenager. I am now 55! (Hope the photo comes through! Darren already has a copy if mine fails.)

Oh wow she is gorgeous, so smooth and lovely colours for her age.  Are you thinking of getting her a partner in the future?

Thanks for showing her, regards Vivienne

Hello Vivienne, yes she is a real beauty! She came to me well underweight years ago. I would love to get her some company, but it is proving very difficult. I started hunting a year ago. Lots of small juveniles available, and recently I have tracked down some sub adults, but cannot decide for certain that they are ibera. Have sent  some pics to Darren. They are 250 miles away from here, so I am in a dilemma! Any offer of help appreciated! David

Yes its hard to find the perfect match, it would be good to get another two females and a male.  It might be worth you checking/watching the torts we have in for rehoming incase a match come in.

Darren is our expert on Iberas, so he should be able to help you.

Regards Vivienne

Vivienne, again thanks for reply. I actually check your rehoming section 3 times a day!. Mind you, I do accept that I am very much the new boy, having only discovered your group in May 2010. Having been a paid up member for many years of the 2 major rival tort groups, I feel most supported, and empathetic towards the TPG. I am amazed that I have got more support (free gratis) from TPG in  one month, than I received (at a cost ) from rivals over many years. Your altruism is laudable. Long may your ethos continue. David