Monday, December 31, 2018

Flapjack Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora)

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora ‘Flapjacks’ are lovely succulent with flat leaves that can ruffle and even are edged in a reddish color. Kalanchoe thyrsiflora ‘Flapjacks’ is a member of the Crassulaceae family and is native to South Africa. It’s commonly referred to as the paddle plant because of the shape of its leaves. This plant is also known as desert cabbage, and dog tongue.
Flapjack Kalanchoe is appropriately nicknamed for the fleshy leaves that stack one on top of the other like pancakes. This interesting plant, which reaches heights of up to 2 feet at maturity, At maturity, the plant develops a spiky, dark yellow bloom.
Flapjack Kalanchoe is often grown as an indoor plant, but it can grow outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11.
  1. Plant Flapjack Kalanchoe flapjack where it receives several hours of bright sunlight but is protected during the hottest part of the day. Avoid total shade, which causes the plant to become long and spindly. Sunlight brings out the intense red leaf edges.
  2. Water Flapjack Kalanchoe deeply whenever the top of the soil feels dry and let the soil dry before watering again, as Kalanchoe rots quickly in the muddy soil. Check the leaves often during the winter months, and water only when the leaves begin to appear shriveled.
  3. Spread a thin layer of sand or gravel on the soil around the plant to moderate soil moisture, drainage, and temperature. Arrange the material so it doesn’t contact the stem, as sand or gravel may become hot enough to damage the plant.
Fertilize flapjack two to four times per year with the first application in the spring when new growth starts. Apply the last fertilizer in the fall then stop through the winter. Use a slow-release, balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 product, to supply continuous nutrients between feedings.

FlapJack Kalanchoe
FlapJack Kalanchoe

Dig up the Flapjack Kalanchoe and remove the original parent plant when it dies at the end of the blooming season. Replant the offsets that grow at the base of the parent plant to keep the plant vibrant and healthy long-term.
Like other succulents with overlapping leaves along a single stem, when Kalanchoe blooms, the entire plant elongates. Therefore, if your goal is to have a lot of new little plants, one option is to let the mother plant bloom. Providing it survives the effort (they usually do, but not always), you’ve hit the jackpot. Consequently, you can harvest each cluster with several inches of stem attached to anchor it and start it as a cutting. Roots will grow from leaf axils (where leaves are attached to the stem).
This neat succulent doesn’t require any pruning or trimming during or after the growing season. The only exception is the flower stalk. After the flapjack flowers, cut out the dead flower stalk where it attaches to the main plant. Flapjack is grown as a foliage plant, and flowers only appear after three to four years, so in general, you can get by without any pruning. Flapjack doesn’t attract pests and rarely suffers from diseases and other problems.

We Adopt ~ Breed ~ Rescue ~ Transport  ~ Rehabilitate
Crazy Critters Inc. is a Private Non-Profit, 501(c)3, Exotic Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. Our Wildlife Facility is located in Eustis, Florida. We provide permanent homes to over 200 animals including lizards, turtles, skinks, geckos, birds, and assorted wildlife. Crazy Critters Inc. was established to provide non-domestic, non-releasable animals with a safe and permanent home.
Mostly Tortoises and Turtles call Crazy Critters Inc. home. What makes us unique is that after adoption, Crazy Critters Inc. continues to share the lives of the pets on social media. Providing an additional continued connection. When an animal finds its way to Crazy Critters, it has found a forever home.
Everyone in our community benefits when donors put their funds together to help protect animals and our environment. And the fact that the animals can call this a forever home makes it that much better. Your monetary donations help provide veterinary care, food, and supplies to the animals in our care.
In keeping with our commitment to a quality life for the animals here at the sanctuary, we provide a diet created specifically for each animal’s needs, the best veterinary care, enrichment programs for the animals, and maintain their spacious, safe habitats.
Click DONATE to make a safe Paypal Transaction, of any amount. Every single dollar adds up! We will contact you by email to see how you would like your sponsorship recognized. We appreciate our community! We are always looking for corporate sponsors who believe in a mission such as ours



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Do Turtles and Tortoises Ever Sleep?

Many turtles, tortoises, and terrapins appear to sleep during a daily cycle. They pick a secluded spot with a constant, acceptable temperature; these reptiles then stop moving around and assume a particular posture, usually withdrawing into their shell for protection during “downtime.”

We caught Popeye again yesterday as he was going in for a nap in the afternoon. However, does he ever rest or even sleep? Humans sleep differently than turtles and tortoises. Consequently, turtles are more like in a resting state. Much as it depends on the species as to how they rest.

If They Do Not Sleep… Are They Tired?

Of course, sea turtles can sleep on the surface of the water when far out on the ocean deeps, Also, they wedge themselves under overhanging rocks or coral outcroppings to rest in shallow water. In fact, when they are inactive, sea turtles can remain submerged for three hours or more without needing to surface for air.
Painted turtles bury themselves in sand or mud at the bottom of a pond to sleep. Therefore, absorbing oxygen from the water. Hense, semi-aquatics, such as the map turtle, may dig themselves partially or completely into a marshy area of grass or moss.

Do they hibernate?

Many turtle species live where they need to hibernate through the winter. A hibernation is a form of deep sleep from which the animal cannot be awakened easily. Almost all of its bodily processes slow down. As a result, it does not eat when no food is available.
Much as, in the Southwestern United States, the endangered desert tortoise hibernates during the coldest part of the winter in an underground den. While it comes out to warm up on mild, sunny days. The giant tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelle Islands do not need to hibernate, but they do sleep during the cooler nights and often up to 18 hours a day, moving around only when they get warm enough.

The Difference Between…                                                                                       Hibernating Mammals and Brumating Reptiles 

Hibernation and brumation are really very closely related, they are periods of dormancy during which an animal becomes physiologically less active, their metabolic processes slow down, and growth stops. However, mammals and reptiles go into dormancy is slightly different ways, thus the terms hibernation and brumation.
Both reptiles and amphibians prepare for dormancy by eating more. They build up fat reserves in their bodies that can help them survive. Unlike mammals, the reptiles also build up a high level of glycogen in their body tissues as well.

Glycogen is a form of polysaccharide or sugar that can be used as energy for muscles. When mammals enter hibernation they rely solely on their fat reserves as energy to see them through winter. However, reptiles do not use fat as their sole source of energy. They mostly use the glycogen in their muscles with their fat reserves playing a greater role in reproduction, egg development, and post-dormancy mating

It’s even thought that some reptiles need brumation to trigger reproductive processes such as egg and sperm production.

Here’s a quick comparison chart:
Hibernation (Mammals)Brumation (Reptiles)
Caused by shortening day length and temperature changesYESYES
Animal may feed heavily before entering dormancyYESYES
Build up of fat reserve and lipids before entering dormancy? YES YES
Feeding and eating stop during dormancyYESYES
Drinking Water StopsYESNo
Decreased heart rate, body temperature, and metabolism slow or decreaseYESYES
Use stored fat for energy during dormancyYESYES/NO (glycogen)
Anoxia Tolerant (low oxygen)NOYES
True SleepYESNo
Punctuated ActivityNO (most)YES


We Adopt ~ Breed ~ Rescue ~ Transport  ~ Rehabilitate
Crazy Critters Inc. is a Private Non-Profit, 501(c)3, Exotic Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. Our Wildlife Facility is located in Eustis, Florida. We provide permanent homes to over 200 animals including lizards, turtles, skinks, geckos, birds, and assorted wildlife. Crazy Critters Inc. was established to provide non-domestic, non-releasable animals with a safe and permanent home.
Mostly Tortoises and Turtles call Crazy Critters Inc. home. What makes us unique is that after adoption, Crazy Critters Inc. continues to share the lives of the pets on social media. Providing an additional continued connection. When an animal finds its way to Crazy Critters, it has found a forever home.
Everyone in our community benefits when donors put their funds together to help protect animals and our environment. And the fact that the animals can call this a forever home makes it that much better. Your monetary donations help provide veterinary care, food, and supplies to the animals in our care.
In keeping with our commitment to a quality life for the animals here at the sanctuary, we provide a diet created specifically for each animal’s needs, the best veterinary care, enrichment programs for the animals, and maintain their spacious, safe habitats.
Click DONATE to make a safe Paypal Transaction, of any amount. Every single dollar adds up! We will contact you by email to see how you would like your sponsorship recognized. We appreciate our community! We are always looking for corporate sponsors who believe in a mission such as ours



REMEMBER: All donations are tax-deductible!

We Grow Crazy Plants To Care For Crazy Critters!

Feel free to contact us with questions requests and comments.
Follow us on our journey as we build our Herp Haven called Crazy Critters!
Website
Facebook 
Instagram 
YouTube
GoFundMe
We even have a blog!

Please like, share, follow and subscribe.