Horsfields Tortoise Indoor Care -- Testudo horsfieldi

General Information

Also known as Russian Tortoises, these are among the most commonly seen tortoises in the pet trade today. Thousands of juveniles are exported from Russia every year. Horsfields tortoises are small, reaching approximately 15cm long or a maximum of 20cm. Being a Russian species, they make an excellent choice for UK keepers. They can tolerate the English weather and will hibernate over the winter period. The shell is a light olive brown colouration, with darker brown blotches. The head and legs are a lighter, yellowish brown.

Housing

It is recommended that for the first few years of your Horsfields tortoise life, you keep it indoors in a controlled environment. A perfect enclosure would be an open top, box style enclosure measuring L120cm x W60cm x H45cm. This box can be constructed from a number of materials, although melamine coated wood is preferable.

These tortoises need a dry substrate with the ability to dig. They are persistent diggers and like to build their own burrows to hide in. It is not essential to provide a deep substrate, but preferable. The choice of substrate really depends on you as a keeper, however you must bare in mind that it must be kept dry at all times. Horsfields tortoises do not tolerate damp surroundings and will slowly deteriorate if kept under these conditions. Sand, soil, mulch, fine gravel and Repti-turf are all good substrates for your tortoise.

Heating and lighting is vital for your tortoise to grow a healthy shell and live a long life. Horsfields tortoises are a diurnal species and therefore require UVA and UVB rays normally gained through the suns rays. A two in one heat / UV bulb is the best option and should sit no further than 12 higher than where the tortoise will bask. This heated area should reach approximately 90˚F, allowing the opposite end of the enclosure to drop to around 75˚F.

Dcor is an important part of enriching your tortoises life. By placing some foliage, rocks, wood and other items in your enclosure, your tortoises mind will be more stimulated and it will allow for more exercise. Be careful not to place any objects in the enclosure where the tortoise could accidentally fall up-side down in an area where it could not turn itself upright again.

Many keepers choose not to place water into the enclosure. Rather, they bathe the tortoise every few days allowing for an adequate drinking and cleaning session. It does not matter too much whether you do this or not. However, water must be accessible to your tortoise at least twice a week. If you place a water bowl in your enclosure, it must be shallow and have easy access in and out of it. Be careful not allow spillage either, as damp surroundings is not tolerated well.

Feeding

Horsfield tortoises are generally very good feeders, and eat almost anything you could put in front of it. Many keepers will place a variety of foods into a shallow bowl and place it in the same spot every day. Try to stay away from this habit; it is important to stimulate the tortoise and make it work for its food. Spread the food out across the enclosure and offer different feeding methods. For instance, put a cabbage leaf higher up on the wall of the enclosure. This will force the tortoise to stretch its head upwards and pull chunks off the leaf.

Most fruit and vegetables can be fed with little problem. However, certain foods should be avoided. Such foods include iceberg lettuce and tomato. These have little nutrition and will often give your tortoise diarrhoea. Some of the best foods include: greens, romaine lettuce, kale, shredded carrots and kale. Fruits such as apple, banana, strawberries, blackberries and pears can also be fed, although should be limited. Specialist tortoise diets are an excellent addition to a tortoise keepers cupboard. They can be fed every day, although this is not stimulating for your tortoise and should only be fed sporadically between fresh food feedings.

Supplementing your foods with calcium and mineral dusting powders are vital, along with UV rays these will help ensure your tortoises shell and bones are kept strong and healthy. Reptavite dusting powder, specially formulated for tortoises is an ideal supplement.

By Chris Jones

Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.

http://www.petclubuk.com

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Easy Science Project Using Pencils

Show how you can do electrolysis which is separating the hydrogen from the oxygen in water.

When you put some chemicals together in a reactive way they create electricity. You have seen this before because it is used every time you use a battery. This type of chemical electricity can be used to make things work like flashlights, toy cars, DVD players and more.

Water has oxygen and hydrogen within it. A molecule of water contains an atom of oxygen and 2 atoms of hydrogen. If electricity runs through water between electrodes of a battery you can split the parts of water into two. They are oxygen and hydrogen. When you have done this you did electrolysis.

Create a science project which separates the part of water.

You will need these items:

• A nine volt battery

• 2 pencils

• Salt

• A glass tall cup

• A piece of thin cardboard

• Electric wire

Take your two pencils and sharpen both ends of each. You will have to remove the eraser and metal end before sharpening.

Punch two holes into the cardboard with the pencils and push them almost half way through the cardboard.

Put warm water into the glass far enough so that the pencil bottoms will be able to be submerged by at least an inch or two. Stir about a teaspoon of salt into the warm water until dissolved.

Using the electric wire attach one piece to the top graphite/lead of one of the pencils and to the positive part of the battery. Now cut another piece of electric wire and attached to the lead of the other pencil and the negative part of the battery.

Set the cardboard on top of the glass with the pencils hanging in the glass at one end and the other end of the pencils extend above the cardboard.

Now sit back and watch the electricity from the battery run through the pencils. You should notice small bubbles at the tip of each pencil submerged in the water. The bubbles you see are hydrogen and chlorine gases

Why would you see chlorine? A secondary reaction occurred. Oxygen does not release in this experiment. The reason for this is that oxygen combines with the salt in the water. Because salt has a chemical makeup of sodium chloride, the chlorine gas from the chlorine in the salt is given off. The bubbles you see are hydrogen and chlorine.

Enjoy the science project with your friends.

Get more science project ideas and plenty of science projects

Lesa Bolt is a contributor to science projects

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Trash Talk Your Way to a Better World

North Americans account for less than 10% of the world's population, yet we produce 50% of the world's garbage and consume more than 33% of it's resources. If everyone consumed like the average North American, we would require three Earths!

Authors Dave and Lillian Brummet offer an upbeat, proactive look at waste and resource management with their inspiring new book Trash Talk. They explain that every one of us can do something to help our world - starting right where we are, right now. Trash Talk is not a quick fix solution - it is about changing consumer's mind-sets by providing ideas that inspire participation from the ground level. Not everyone can afford to donate cash or time to a cause but by implementing the concept of Trash Talk, the average person can make small alterations in their lives that affect positive changes for the Earth.

Canadian writers Dave and Lillian Brummet reside in the southwest region of British Columbia. Their work has appeared in a variety of Canadian publications. In addition, the Brummets also wear many other hats - as gardeners, seed savers, cooks, photographers, business owners and outdoor enthusiasts. Ultimately, it is a love of nature and healthy living that is the major driving force and inspiration for their many projects.

Their website (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit) has a page of links to like-minded organizations where one can learn modern waste management techniques. The upcoming Tip of the Month page will provide readers with insightful reduction and reuse ideas.

"...An effective well-researched book... embraces waste as a resource that creates jobs and new products... head-and-shoulders above other environmental texts. " ~ Sherry Russell, Midwest Book Review (USA)

"Trash Talk is easy to read...a positive approach to managing waste...a valuable guide for anyone concerned about their impact on the environment." ~ Georgina Bloomfield, Waste and Resources Campaigner, Friends of the Earth (UK)

"...This is something that should be in every household...a good reference on providing reducing and reusing tips without being preachy" ~ Tim A Dueck, Public Education Coordinator, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Canada)

"I was recently expressing concern to a friend about the environmental state of our planet....how I feel as though I can't make a difference. Well, now I have access to the information you are sharing and know that I can. Thank you!" ~ Yvonne Caldwell, Library Cataloguer, Okanagan University College (Canada)

Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the concept of their new book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment, that offers useful solutions to reduce waste and better manage resources. http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit

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Scientific Dream Interpretation - How to Solve All the Problems of Your Life

There is only one method of dream interpretation that can exactly translate dream messages. This method was first discovered by the fame psychoanalyst Carl Jung and simplified by me, when I continued his psychological research through dream analysis.

Jung was considerably obscure in several details and his psychological research is very difficult to understand. However, I continued from the point where he stopped his research and saw all the neglected content of the psychological sphere; therefore, I can give you clear explanations and exact definitions.

Dream messages primarily function to prevent the irrational content of the anti-conscience from invading and destroying the conscience. This is why dream interpretation using the correct method is like free psychotherapy from the wisest source that exists-the unconscious side of your psyche, which has transformed and developed many thousands of years ago. This side possesses goodness, wisdom and balance, and today it can teach you everything you need to learn in order to completely develop your personality, by eliminating your depression and the danger of craziness forever.

The first dreams that you see will cure your sadness, insecurity, depression and psychological problems. Only after curing you, will your dreams inform and direct you about anything else of your interest.

You can ask questions to the unconscious and wait for the answer in your dreams. The answers are not direct; however, the unconscious illustrates where and how you have to look for solutions, encouraging you when you are near your goal or warning you if you are looking in the wrong places or in a wrong way.

After learning how to interpret your dreams by translating their symbolic language in words that your human conscience can understand, you will be able to interpret facts and events of your daily reality in the same way because everything in our world has a symbolic meaning and can inform you about the present and the future.

This is why many people dream about the solution for their problems and they awake up enlightened, with all the answers for the questions that were torturing them for long. For instance, Elias Howe, inventor of the sewing machine, said that he received guidance on how to build the sewing machine in his dreams.

A communication between the wise unconscious and the dreamer occurs as soon as the dreamer takes note of his or her dreams, trying to decipher their mysterious meaning.

Dream messages are symbolic because the anti-conscience that tries to destroy the conscience through craziness would distort them if they were comprehensible to the human conscience.

This is why the symbolic language of the unconscious in your dreams is indispensable for availing benefits from all the information and guidance you receive.

Prevent Depression and Craziness through the scientific method of Dream Interpretation discovered by Carl Jung and simplified by Christina Sponias, a writer who continued Jung's research in the unknown region of the human psychic sphere.

Learn more at: http://www.scientificdreaminterpretation.com and http://www.booksirecommend.com

Click below to download your copy of the Free ebook
Beating Depression and Craziness

Hermit Crabs - Helpful Tips for Care

First, remove from your mind the idea that these creatures are very low maintenance. Its not that they require a huge amount of your time, but they do require weekly bathing, new food every few days, new water every day, heat, and a regularly cleaned environment.

Habitat:

A hermit crab will be very comfortable in a 10-gallon or bigger aquarium with a few inches of sand or stones at the bottom. Two shallow dishes of water are required one for salt water and one for dechlorinated fresh water. You can buy additives at pet stores in preparing each water dish. Sponges sitting in the dishes work very well to help add humidity to the habitat.

Youll also need a thermometer and humidity gauge. The tank needs to be between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use either an under-tank heater, or low wattage lighting to provide heat. The humidity must also be between 70 and 80 percent to keep your hermit crabs healthy.It helps to have a lid on your tank to keep in moisture, and to keep in your crabs. They can be quite the climbers!

Food:

Commercial hermit crab food can be purchased at any pet stores that sell the animal. Supplement their daily food regiment with assorted fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, or small pieces of fish and meat. You can also offer some pieces of cuttlebone or boiled egg shells for calcium.

You will need to clean food dishes daily and remove any uneaten bits of food from the tank. Also rinse and refill water dishes daily.

Shells:

Be sure to provide plenty of empty shells in a variety of sizes. Make sure to also have a variety of shells in different shapes and styles, and with various opening sizes. You never know what type of shell a hermit crab may like, and if a good selection is not provided, crabs can fight over the best ones!

Bathing:

Hermit crabs need to be bathed once per week to stay healthy. (This is also a good time to clean the rest of the habitat) Fill a bowl about one inch deep with lukewarm tap water. Very slowly place the hermit crab feet first into the water. Often, the hermit crab will seek shelter inside its shell during this process. As the crab emerges, the water will go into his shell and rinse it clear of any debris. After a few minutes of walking around, take the hermit crab out and place it into his newly clean tank. (This may also be a good time for a treat of fresh carrots or any other type of treat)

Cleaning the habitat:

About once per month, do a thorough cleaning with hot water. Avoid detergents and chemicals as these can be harmful to your pets. Sand can be washed and boiled or baked to sterilize it for re-use, if desired.

Hermit Crabs are very friendly and fun pets. While they do require a good deal of care to keep them healthy, they are very rewarding pets and can be quite the stress reliever. As with any pet, research should be done before you make the decision to adopt it.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Tonia Jordan is a freelance Journalist and a writer on http://www.Writing.com which is a site for Writers.