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emysbreeder Apr 05, 2011 11:32 AM

As requested by popular demand.....introducing Molly the 90 lb Bloodhound and Raccoone eratacator. I found her at the dog shelter at age two. They have a "play yard" you can take the dogs outside to get to know them. I placed a juvie mt. tortoise before in the yard before I took her out.(washed hands first)She ran around a few minutes then found the tortoises. She sniffed it,licked it, then went back to playing with us only to check on the tortoise when it moved. I went back in and said I'll take the bloodhound. She has never hurt the tortoises but will bark at them until I come if they are out of their normal enclosure. I take them out every now and then to test her. She has killed full grown male Raccoons and a few unfortunate opossums.(which she had to tear apart a huge tree stump to get to) She also barks and scares away Halks, Owls, and Eagles that land in the trees or post around the enclosures,that could take the smaller tortoises. Of cource my yard looks like I had a morter attack when she hears moles under ground then diggs them up. She loves people "only" if I let them in but after "the smell test" in witch you get slimmed! Vic

Replies (14)

unchikun Apr 08, 2011 02:14 PM

clever testing method for tort-friendliness! she looks like a sweetheart, and i'm sure she's grateful that you gave her a home. my parents have a rottweiler, and times when they kept my tortoise for me when i was out of town, sasha (the rott) showed only a little interest in junior(the tort), but was primarily concerned with getting a little bit of whatever junior was being fed. yes, a "bloodthirsy" "vicious" rott... eating bits of banana and blueberry... and rolling onto her back.

emysbreeder Apr 08, 2011 07:26 PM

Thanks ! I had a Golden Retriever that was a Veggy consumer. Molly will eat any remaining Mazuri on the tortoises food plates. She sleeps all day and patrolls all night. VM

tripletoes Apr 10, 2011 03:12 AM

"like button" pics of Blue to come soon!

unchikun Apr 10, 2011 05:17 PM

funny, my cat sumo (the siamese who thinks he's a tortoise) likes mazuri, too -- i usually have to give him a few pieces of his own to keep him out of junior's plate. i can't imagine whether it's because he really likes it, or because he sees her eating it and figures that if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for him...
Image

Calparsoni Apr 10, 2011 10:04 PM

I don't have so much of a problem with raccoons as much as I do with bears in the late fall months. My husky mix dogs do a good job of keeping them away from the turtles although the nears have ripped through the fence to my enclosure 3 or 4 times now in the last 2 years.
One of the 2 dogs loves to raid the tortoise veggies the problem is sometimes the tortoises nip at his feet while he's raiding their food and he sometimes flips them so I have to keep a close eye on him. I also have the occasional box turtle turn up on my couch. Since he never actually tries to eat them and it is apparent the bears would like to if they could break all the way in I deal with the occasional annoyances from the dogs.

emysbreeder Apr 11, 2011 08:04 AM

Bears! What is Fl.law on trustpassing Bears? I would never want to kill a Bear but,I would not want them to kill my tortoises. I hope I never have to make that choise. Do you think they would run from a warning shot? I put up 2.6 ac. of chain link to keep out hogs. Its more than dubbled in cost sence 05. There is a lot of thick woods behind me. Dogs could be the best or worst decision you ever make with a tortoise collection. Just a few things we have to do to just get ready to breed tortoises." more to the picture than meats the eye"* n.young. Your welcome to come by if you ever get around St.Aug Fl.. VM

Calparsoni Apr 11, 2011 01:07 PM

Being in Paisley I'm almost in your backyard. I used to practice at this guys house in Bunnell. One of these days I'll make it up there to your place. I already have my eye mountain torts, I just need to find out what money looks like again lol.
You don't really need to shoot at the bears as they usually take off if you make enough noise, I scared one off with a hand clap a few months back (for his own good not mine btw...game wardens were after him). I actually like them in spite of the occasional attempted raids on my turtle enclosure. Besides if worse comes to worse the "turtle flipper" really wants at the bears in a bad way and they seem to want nothing to do with him.....which is good for him and my wallet lol.

tripletoes Apr 13, 2011 10:53 PM

Heres "Blue" he is a very friendly Weimeriner trained in the art of sit, shake, lie down, and go pee. I got him at 4 months and hes about a year now. No raccoons in his hunts yet just the neigbors shoes!

emysbreeder Apr 14, 2011 02:38 PM

Cool dog! Ive always though about getting one,their on my top 5 list of dogs. That pic looks just like one of my enclosures with the emys coming out of the topper. Mine is exactly like that one including the 4x4 holding up the door! EXACTLY! I thought it was mine as the pic loaded! Best tortoise house on earth. It will never rot! Better than wood anyday. I covered mine with R35 insulation and covered with three layers of 10 mill plastic last winter. It got in the twenties but they were 50-65F with only a Krane heat mat inside. VM

Calparsoni Apr 14, 2011 03:20 PM

Where do you get 10 mil plastic and is it clear? The thickest I can ever find in clear is 6 mil. I use it on my cages and obviously wold like 10 mil better than 6 mil.

emysbreeder Apr 14, 2011 07:05 PM

it might have been 6,but it was at home depo. vm

tripletoes Apr 14, 2011 11:05 PM

Thanks! Ive been really happy with this breed. Maybe next time you cover your camper for the winter you can snap a few pics? Im interested to see how you do that. I have a few of these in the backyard and i cover the whole floor with two of the large Kane mats. The electric KILLS me in the winter! I put the mats on a thermostate off one of the incubators so on warm days it gives me some relief. Agreed best tort enclosure!

amazoa Apr 14, 2011 07:25 AM

Well he has treed a few raccoons waiting for his owner to get the 22 cal.....But honestly he has killed possums, rats, armadillos, farrots and alerted me when this fearsome cottonmouth showed up at the Redfoot enclosure.....We call him Bumper (got him as a puppy hit by a 18 wheeler bumper).....said to be 1/2 lab 1/2 Gray-hound. Got to have a good dog in our place with a pond in the back.---later Richard

-----
Richard -amazoa-

"Changes in behavior occur when the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change."

emysbreeder Apr 15, 2011 11:04 AM

Half grayhound! he should be able to catch anythihg......except maybe a fullblooded grayhound! I though I'd seen that face. Cool pic. VM

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