#lokittyofcatsguard

[ask-a-vetblr]

My cat is absolutely obsessed with bread, any kind of bread. If we leave it on the floor he steals it. Is there a reason for this? Is there something appealing about bread to cats? I know they can't taste sweet.

Hello, mod bendyblitzle here.

As Dr. Ferox once explained, cats like cooked carbs because they’re similar to the glycogen found in tasty meat.

[i-m-snek]

Hey! So in regards to gut loading, I'm a little worried I've been doing it wrong? I usually give my feeders a leaf of whatever my beardie is eating that week (kale, collards, etc) a day or two before feeding them, but I'm concerned that that might not be enough nutritional diversity to make it matter? I picked up what I think is chicken grit from a guy at an expo I bought feeders at, is this good? What should I be using?

So you def don’t want to gut load feeders with more protein since they are a protein source already in themselves, but feeding them collard greens or mustard greens or even yellow squash is good for the beardie :)

[beardeddragonspy]

Hey! So I saw you said Spy had an outdoor enclosure, and I'm planning on building one for my dragon, Kyle soon, and I was hoping you could tell me how much it cost to build, and how often you use it? Is she only in it when you're outside or is it literally an outdoor enclosure that she sleeps in?

Mine was actually super cheap because at the time I had it built we had builders doing other work on the house. So I just asked nicely if they’d use some of the scrap wood to put one together for me and they did it for free! They also bought the hinges and lock for me, which are the only bits I didn’t have on hand. Charm 100% will get you there. Charm and letting the builders grandkids hold your lizard and giant african land snails. That’ll do it! 

It’s built with old wood beams and chicken wire, and the dimensions are somewhere around 65 x 28 x 23 and that’s basically it. Apart from the above mentioned hinges and lock for the door, but I might call those optional depending on what kind of design you’re going for. So even if you can find scrap wood somewhere and just buy the mesh, it’s a pretty cheap investment!

For me it’s definitely something that sits in the garden unused most of the year. Because Irish weather sucks. Two months ago I was shovelling snow off the top of it to try save the wood! But even for the 2 - 3 weeks it might be hot enough to justify having it, I’d say it’s worth it. Spy has always gone outdoors in the hot weather, this just allows me to let her out in a controlled and safe way that doesn’t require me to hover protectively around her the entire time. So she’s able to stay outside for longer, and I can go about my day inside and just peep out on her every now and again. 

I wouldn’t ever leave her out there overnight. She might do 4 - 5 hours maximum during the day. It gets too cold at night, even in the summer, and I don’t trust that small mice couldn’t squeeze through the mesh and hassle her. Or that we won’t get an unexpected rain shower. She’s just a sentient beanbag she needs the safety of her indoor home!! 

Anyway there’s a couple pics of the enclosure from a couple of summers ago for reference for you (haven’t yet gotten good enough weather to get better pics this year!) 

that’s from inside of it, just to give you an idea of the scale. Peep Spy hiding underneath the branch! 

We were expanding the pond at the time I took this hence the odd angle, but it’s deceptive. It’s roughly 5 and a half feet in length. 

[waterloggedfrog]

Lipid's first boop

[tort-time]

Do you have an instagram for your torts? I'd like more reptiles on my homepage but I can't find many accounts that are active/not stealing photos.

she and I share an Instagram. I’ve been thinking about separating the two but right now we share. I’d say it’s 75 % Zoya pants, 10% the animals that live at my house despite the fact that I live in the city, and the rest are my artwork/nice (who I’m training to love shell friends) and pics I take of events.  

You should feel free to follow! its @nofunnicole (<–human’s nickname. she’s way less fun cause she’s the human).  If we separate human & Tort this one will stay tort-worthy!  Thewhimsyturtle and Wafflesworld are both on instagram. if you check out the tag “Tortoisesofinstagram’ you’ll find some good folks. 

Here on tumblr we like to share the love of everyone’s turtles and torts as well as Zoya pants, and news, etc.. we always credit. No stealing allowed (this goes for noms too so back off other torts!) 

We also have a twitter account! we share other turtle/tort news, answer questions, share pics and the posts from this blog. 

its @Torttime just like this blog! 

[i-m-snek]

Do you think it would be okay to build a bearded dragon enclosure and use chicken mesh/wire for all the sides and doors? Or would there be an issue with keeping heat in?

It would be much better to build with something solid, not only because it will let the heat out, but also because the beardie could hurt itself on the wire trying to escape :(

[i-m-snek]

Hey, so I sent you a message on mobile but I'm not sure if tumblr is just eating all the asks I send on mobile or not. I had a couple questions; 1: can I use timothy hay as a foraging material for Kyle? Like, hide his food and bugs in a layer of hay so he has to dig through it? is it safe for him? and 2: could I use carefresh paper bedding in his hides so he can burrow around a little bit? I'm just trying to come up with ways to make his cage more fun for him.

I did get your first ask! Just took a break from asks to get used to my new job, haha. But yes, that all sounds perfect! :)

[i-m-snek]

I just wanted to thank you. I found out from you adult bearded dragons need over 100 degree hot spots, and I've since upgraded Kyle's heat lamp, and now he's got a 108 degree spot, and he's more bright and active than I've ever seen him. I thought he was sluggish because of old age but he was just sluggish because my care wasn't 100% on point. (If you dont remember me, in an earlier ask I replied and said they only need 95 and you corrected me). I just wanted to thank you. My son is thriving now

Aww I am so glad to hear that! :D It is crazy how just a few degrees difference can make all the difference in the world. Makes me so happy to hear he is more energetic! :)