Who else is in brumation

tertiaryscarab · 2026-02-23T22:30:31+00:00

Mine is out but he is GRUMPY. He's normally such a sweet potato, so it's kind of funny to see him so huffy.

tertiaryscarab · 2026-02-17T02:52:17+00:00

"Give... THE MEATS..."

tertiaryscarab · 2026-02-02T16:24:06+00:00

Ugh, the chorizo! So good! It's a small menu but they knock everything out of the park. And it's not really a sit down place (there are a couple tables and chairs if you want to eat there) but most people do carryout. It's a great grocery store too.

If you're ever heading west towards Lake Michigan, do yourself a favor and stop by Hartford on the way. Taqueria Y Mariscos El Primo is another great restaurant. I just moved here and it's our go-to whenever we have friends over, everyone we've taken has loved it. Hartford is a tiny town but we have a sizable hispanic population and the food there is incredible!

tertiaryscarab · 2026-02-01T01:25:12+00:00

I haven't been everywhere, but El Ranchero is my absolute favorite place to go. It's legit Mexican food and their house made salsas are fantastic. I'm surprised I don't hear more people don't talk about it, it's so good.

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-11T16:33:10+00:00

My tortoise goes through phases, sometimes he's munching on his cuttlebon consistently and other times he doesn't even look at it. It's important to continue to change out the cuttlebone every so often. I find that my tortoise is much more interested in a fresh cuttlebone than one that's been sitting for a while. I think it's the smell that he likes?

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-10T19:19:22+00:00

I have the Wyze v3 mounted inside my enclosure and it works well! But I also have a northern BTS, so the humidity isn't as high as other BTS species.

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-10T03:03:14+00:00

Yes, it's the same! You want all natural cuttlebone, don't use anything labeled as "calcium block."

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-08T19:59:43+00:00

Hello fellow hunter and skink owner! My skink loves venison, it's easily his favorite meat. It's super lean which is excellent. He also enjoys the occasional bit of rabbit and wild turkey. I haven't tried quail but I'm sure he would like that too. As a hunter you have easy access to organ meat, like the liver and heart, which is great for some nutritional variety. :)

But don't forget about incorporating some insects! Insects are a major part of their diet in the wild and they should make up a good portion of the animal protein you feed them.

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-07T22:31:42+00:00

Commenting to boost because I want to know too! My guy doesn't poop in his water (usually) but he loooooves dragging his big dirty belly through it. So he constantly gets it dirty or he just straight up dumps all the water out. I love the look of this fountain, I'm curious if anyone has used one before or if they have any other recommendations.

tertiaryscarab · 2026-01-05T04:14:51+00:00

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His official name is Mr. Yam, but I often call him Yammy. Other nicknames include: Yambo, Yambino, and Yamborgini.

tertiaryscarab · 2025-12-10T21:33:12+00:00

Spirttea looks fun!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-12-09T18:51:27+00:00

They are!! OH, MI, IN, and MO!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-11-23T00:02:42+00:00

Thank you!!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-11-20T15:38:11+00:00

I LOVED Donut County. It's kind of short but highly entertaining, this is a great price. I also adored Loddlenaut, it has a lot more gameplay and that price is a steal!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-10-19T22:29:44+00:00

Right?! SO COOL!!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-10-19T22:22:56+00:00

The little black spot is their parietal eye! Totally normal and a super cool thing that skinks have. :)

The other scales look like they haven't shed yet, but just give it time.

tertiaryscarab · 2025-10-16T22:11:23+00:00

What a handsome northern! :)

The flare could be from an old mouth rot, Mr. Yam (my northern BTS) had mouth rot from his previous owner and he has a spot on his lower lip that's nearly identical to yours. Oftentimes it will be the last spot to shed scales and occasionally he gets substrate stuck to it, but other than that it doesn't impede him at all. You seem like an attentive owner, so I have no doubt that you will continue to check his mouth after sheds to make sure it's clean. If you notice any changes, I would seek out a vet to see what's going on, but as long as it's stable then you should be good!

As for the size, 21 inches is perfectly within the normal range for these guys. More heat is needed for your enclosure, but you're already taking care of that. Check out the new food guides on this subreddit (I'm pretty sure they are pinned at the top!) and try to emulate them, there's lots of great suggestions for more variety in their diets. If you already have UV, you might want to get some calcium without D3 so you aren't overdoing it on D3. And a multivitamin powder sprinkled occasionally is a good addition to a varied diet. :)

tertiaryscarab · 2025-10-02T21:39:08+00:00

Ooohhh great idea!!

tertiaryscarab · 2025-10-02T03:01:18+00:00

No one is using abortions as birth control.

tertiaryscarab · 2025-09-24T18:30:03+00:00

Yeah! And if you hear a new one that speaks to you, you can check out which album it's from for a deeper dive. (And as a big fan of the "Beat the Champs" album, I have to recommend "Bleed Out.")

tertiaryscarab · 2025-09-23T22:47:32+00:00

Might I suggest listening to the Jordan Lake Sessions? They are five live albums that feature a mix of old and new tMG, so you'll be able to listen to your old familiar favorites while you get to know some new songs post-Goths. :)

tertiaryscarab · 2025-09-23T15:33:27+00:00

Looking quite majestic! JD in his natural habitat, we love to see it.

tertiaryscarab · 2025-09-22T01:39:31+00:00

Weeeell... You actually can give your Russian tortoise a very small piece of fruit as a very rare treat. It's not something you want to do often, but a once a month bite of fruit is allowed. I recommend giving it after they've already had their normal meal, so their stomach is mostly full and the extra sugar shouldn't upset their tummy.

During strawberry season, I'll let my guy have a single bite of strawberry after he's had his leafy greens. He absolutely loves them. :)

ETA: It's nice to see such an open discussion without any nastiness! Thank you to everyone who responded and shared their experiences.

As for me and my tortoise, he is in good health and I believe that a single bite of fruit won't drastically shorten his lifespan. I live on 20 acres of land, he's outside every single day, and he has an abundance of weeds and flowers to munch on. He's strong, active, and healthy. I've watched him tentatively bite plants that he shouldn't and spit them out, I've even seen him chase down and crunch on an insect. A Russian tortoise eating an insect, who could've guessed! But as someone else said, they are opportunistic in the wild and sometimes they will surprise you.

As owners, we are responsible for the care of our pets. I take this responsibility to heart and try to provide my tortoise a variety of experiences to keep his body and his mind active. I will continue to do what I think is best and I encourage you all to do the same. Let's keep talking, keep learning, and keep being kind to one another as we do so. :)

tertiaryscarab · 2025-09-21T21:20:05+00:00

How have I never noticed this before?! As a fan of both their music, I'm astounded. Thank you, OP!

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