Hi there guys,

For ST, difficult to get the humidity down to 40-50% even with Repti Glo Neodymium 50W basking light. The exoterra hygrometer is only reading 60% at best but the ST seems to be enjoying the heat
75W feels too hot as I have another tight beam at 75W....so not using that for now. What are you guys mainly using? These buggers do get some natural sunlight 3-4 times a week for 1-2hours each time.

Cheers

Yup, MV still have leopards at RM888 per pop..I think 4 left if my memory didnt fail.

Ironic why ST can't be traded with so many successful captive breeders in Msia, but the leopards can be openly sold.

CITES concept is just plain silly to me.

Anyway, the leopards there is kept together with a bearded dragon (same housing) using rabbit pellets as substrate...not our usual stuff

reccomended here...I happen to read a tortoise book in MV MPH that rabbit pellets are quite good as bedding as the torts enjoy digging a bit..

Wonder if Fat^Cat's "Cat Litter Recycled Paper" is still available at its usual place? Plan to get some..now using big wood chips...no smell though but

obviously not as soft and fluffy as recycled paper and I don't pile wood chips 10cm high

Cheers

Exactly...can't help but agree, but in a way, it does make the IST a more exotic pet with the ban on as much I dislike the way things are.

BTW, does radiata carapace pyramid once they get bigger? Yes, I read many articles online that radiatas don't pyramid naturally but has anyone despite good diet and UVB/D3 still get pyramiding?

Thanks..

Brother, ikano leopard gone liao, only left cherry red foot and another sulcata variant only

I heard this species will pyramid in 1 year's time

But luckily it doesn't need to eat or pass motion in its lifetime, very cost effective pet

Just wanted to share some pics of my friend's STs with LYN friends with similar interest in these little buggers

Planned to share earlier but was bz with work and stuff...

Pics taken off hp only...so pls don't mind the low res quality k...

This post has been edited by Omegaminx: Nov 2 2008, 12:19 AM

Thx beardiekid

Anyone has got any idea regarding where to get Baytril (enrofloxacin) nasal drops or injectables? And any vet who knows how to inject Baytril(im route) into tort's forearms?

Picked out something interest from chelonia.net
"A tip for vets from Chris Tabaka DVM: Do you use gentamicin Sulfate/betamethasone ophthalmic drops much there for tortoise URT disease? I've been using them two to three times daily in the eyes and also nostrils of a couple of recent cases in combination with the classic baytril 10 mg/kg every other day for two weeks with 100% success in a couple of chronic cases here. I think it is primarily the betamethasone that is decreasing the inflammation in the airways and thus eliminating the classic wheezing but the antibiotic duo seems to be knocking out the responsible bugs at the same time. Nothing like transforming "wheezy" the drippy eyed tortoise into a healthy, bright eyed tortoise."

What do the veterans here use for RNS..apart from sun-basking and Vitamin A.

Cheers!

This post has been edited by Omegaminx: Nov 2 2008, 08:35 AM

Samperth, u from Sabah mah, just go and dot-com dot-my with them, maybe u can get some eh?

BTW, what torts are they? Didnt really mention whether they were ST, leopards etc...

Cheers!

What happens when u overdid the basking/sunbathing for them like say 1 hour under the sun with water? I know consequences is not good, but if possible, kindly expand on that a bit?
Will they die of heatstroke?
Or become sick thereafter?
Become hyperactive for few minutes out of the sun then sleep whole day or become very lethargic?

Thanks!

Anyone here use Mazuri tortoise diet? thanks

Hey Kenn91, hows ur STs doing? Still clicking?

Is it some pellet crumbs stuck in the URT? NO bubbly nose rite, if yes taht could be RNS or URI....

Sorry cant be of mcuh help as not much info supplied

Hope it recovers with time...

Cheers

Thx for your input jinwee28, I find that concocting Baytril nasal drops from tablet form is still not as neat as getting a commercial preparation
premixed solution. The Baytril tab I bought was 50mg per tab....the dosage recommended is only 5-10mg/kg...and the ST is only 105g.
That makes it 1.05mg ~1mg requirement every other day=give Day1, skip Day 2, give Day3 again etc...
Just say u dilute 1 tab of 50mg Baytril into 10ml of saline or water...u would need ~0.2ml for its daily requirement and this is not the actual nasal drop requirement but just the enteral or perenteral dosage. I find that the gentamicin-betamethasone combo is more easily administered...just
make sure to give them 1-2 times per day and not 3 times a day as gentamicin =aminoglycoside group, has risk of inducing renal failure due to its nephrotoxicity (in humans with impaired renal function too).

My fren's ST RNS has resolved after adding some regular sunbathing, infrared heat lamp (use 75W and below as it gets VERY hot), now it's back
with the gang, actively eating...and no more disturbing bubbly nose. Baytril was given initially for a few days but aborted as it has notorious side effects and wasnt easy to give, not to mention the fact that u could overdose if given more than u should...imagine giving 0.2 mls to the ST, how sure are u adequate amounts are received...

Anyway...nip the prob early with sunlight, heat lamp, antibiotics would be the way to go

Cheers

Sulcatas are originally African based, so something semi-arid or dry would be best...try using big woodchips or recycled paper pellets..

Avoid alfalfa or woodbark....

Sulcata will grow to large proportions if u intend to keep them for many many years...otherwise they are pretty cute fellas...

Just my 2 sen

Cheers

Apparently my friend has consulted our wildlife (PERHILITAN) on keeping of Star Tortoise and other CITES appendix I and II torts and was told that no licence is needed to keep or rear them unless trading/selling in big numbers or involved in import and exportation of these buggers

So to date, people can't come into your house and confiscate the torts as PERHILITAN claims no need to apply for licence. When asked where is the source, just say CB or given by a friend. That is the standing rule at the moment. Just be a bit more careful if planning to sell and buy new ones...

Before this, we were always told that if authorities find out you have some ST or the like, they might barge in and confiscate them...well not the case in real life but nevertheless, keeping a low profile is always the way to go.

And please beware of tortoise farms from Cameroon. They are 90% fraud/scams and offer you torts at ridiculously cheap price. When a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is
Cheers!!

Well, I am just stating what was told by the Officer to my friend at Wildlife, his name is Ahmad.

It's very simple, just use your cousin's house phone and make a call to Wildlife and ask around, if you are asked to

apply for licence, then pls state the name and designation of the officer who told you.

All the news articles about IST being confiscated at airports and the like are due to unlicenced importation and smuggling.

CITES Appendix I licence can be issued if you look at CITES website. Annex I doesnt mean impossible to issue.

Anyway, no need to retract statement, if you want the truth, just ask wildlife...pls update yourself and enlighten us ya.

Dont live in the past...Happy New year!

I think u shld just call wildlife malaysia and ask (but do it discreetly by using an outside number..duh!), dont waste time by posting stuff that incite a lot of controversy. Unless u claim to be involved in some bigtime smuggling of wildlife and got caught before, thus your unreasonable doubt or maybe u have tried applying for a permit and was trapped ad hoc, then perhaps u can share your exp with us. Was there any newspaper clipping about wildlife barging into a residential home and seizing a few endangered TTT? All the headlines were usually for hundreds of smuggled stuff (IST) that have no proper licence or permit, mostly at checkpoints ie airports etc. There's no provision under the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act regarding keeping them so far(but I believe they might be changing this rule soon or may have already?) but mainly on trading activities involving import/exportation across borders.

We are simply hoping to have more info, that's why it's a forum for discussion. Posts made here is open for discussion and not the law or fact.
I am not royalty and not a high ranking politician but I serve quite high in a company related to the ministry..I know where to ask around. When I say a friend, i hope u r not so naive to think just that. Anyway, it's open for discussion...no point speculating so much, anyone from the forum can simply call up and ask, and post back who the guy was over the phone and what his designation was & conclusion from wildlife. For those like you who are on alarm bells, just ignore it as u shouldnt be troubled if u knew so much. BTW, i did mention that you should be discreet and low profile despite not needing a permit just to keep, not like you shld go and shout around to inform everyone that u have this and that in your care.

However, pls be aware that selling or trading activities are strictly against the law without relevant permit though. Just browse and update wherever relevant:
***this link has been omitted for security reasons, kindly google search it if interested in wildlife website***

There's one table on Fi licence where you can see the charges for poaching activities allowed and licence needed. There's one part that states any activity involving a protected species requires a licence. So out of sheer curiosity, my source contacted them to clarify twice..they did ask where did u get the TTT, say CB or given by friend and unsure where he/she got it from, reply was no need apply for licence if just keeping unless u are trading or importing..then need CITES permit, shortly they hung up..maybe as you figured, a few pieces they arent interested. Anyway, if u happen to be well informed, kindly shed some light on this and update us IF u can I am always looking for exp sharing but keep it friendly and not argumentative I like the way how Valjean and Samperth phrase things, you should learn from them.

This post has been edited by Omegaminx: Jan 2 2009, 03:28 PM

U remind me of someone who cant have his/her opinion doubted from your comments above. If comments are not accurate, you can courteously correct them and give your opinion like uzairi or valjean. No need to recourse to foul language and brute force. It gives ppl an idea that you have a very big ego and can't stand to be corrected or even accept the fact that everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. You may be quite helpful sometimes in your post about TTT but pls show some manners and courtesy in your post even if you disagree. It's just about sharing. Kindly see how ppl with some integrity and manners reply..eg samperth, uzairi and valjean. . . these will be ppl whose opinion i accept and respect, not someone who curse and mock others albeit sarcastically. We are in this for the same interest on TTT, otherwise you think I would bother to reply or even post anything. From your reply and mannerism, I can gauge your level of maturity and humility..although I had much higher expectations of you from your earlier posts and I really hope you would maintain your earlier standards.

BTW, the address of PERHILITAN is all over the google search..I have read most of the available news clipping that happened in the past and even some overseas ones. It's new year, and to just leave things as it is, I wish u and family a happy and peaceful new year. There is no need for any hostility or insult but thx again for your comments above. Just hope that readers take things with an open mind here. I rest my case. Take care guys.

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Added on January 2, 2009, 3:25 amThanks uzairi, point taken. Happy New Year to u and fam ya!

This post has been edited by Omegaminx: Jan 2 2009, 03:25 AM

LoL

Maybe try sun bath 20-30min few days, if still persist, on the heat lamp at night for few hours...maybe contemplate using an infrared bulb.

Medical treatment: Enrofloxacin(Baytril) drops via nostril or add to water for drinking (they usually avoid food stained with it. Can also add few drops of gentamicin + dexamethasone combo aka Garasone(as a nasal drop) in addition to Baytril. But dont overdo it...Rmbr to isolate the dude for now, maybe about 1-2 weeks

However, RNS may recur if humidity or environment is unfavourable.

For hatchling ping pong sized ST, please don't overdry them...they might come from arid grassland, but they still need some moisture especially at night, otherwise they can get 'Hatchling Failure syndrome'

Hope ur ST recover in due time..can take up to 2 weeks

Cheers!

This post has been edited by Omegaminx: Feb 16 2009, 10:07 PM

Hi yellow ST are quite nice..can go up to RM600 for 1..saw some pics online..but value is in the eyes of the beholder...

any1 has any nice hi yellow star(thick yellow markings all over instead of the regular thin/semi lines)...some are almost close to cream and off-white colour if you have seen enough....

Cheers guys...pics on request (my friend's)