Show us your tortoise
Discussion
A male Marginated called Sheldon ,about 30cm long , weighs 2.37 kg and is 10 years old ,belongs to grandson ,(who happens to like Big Bang Theory ) but it lives with us as our garden is more secure.
Likes to hide away in the borders , hence the UV sensitive nail varnish on shell, easier to find at night
Likes to hide away in the borders , hence the UV sensitive nail varnish on shell, easier to find at night
Edited by MXRod on Sunday 24th June 10:32
I'll have to find a picture of Harold, my son's tortoise. They are wonderful creatures, much more 'knowing' than given credit for. Harold likes a good scratch on the top of his head. He arches his head up in delight.
His one fault is the usual one for his species, escapology. Only this morning a disappointed Harold was passed back over the fence by a neighbour. He once disappeared for a whole winter, camped out somewhere in the shrubbery, before nonchalantly strolling back across the lawn one day. He hibernated for the first time last winter, in a box in the shed, which is an amazing thing in itself when you think about it.
His one fault is the usual one for his species, escapology. Only this morning a disappointed Harold was passed back over the fence by a neighbour. He once disappeared for a whole winter, camped out somewhere in the shrubbery, before nonchalantly strolling back across the lawn one day. He hibernated for the first time last winter, in a box in the shed, which is an amazing thing in itself when you think about it.
Our one has not hibernated for 3 years now .
We used to let him roam the garden all summer , then one day he was found inverted, c==p all over him and teeth marks over the shell .
The animal had been got at by a fox , fortunately survived , but the vet bill was in the region of £600 . due to blood poisoning , blood tests and stress . and for the last 3 years , we have to keep him warm through winter to stop hibernating , as there is a possibility of the blood poisoning returning .
So the regimen is now, put out in the morning , in and on tortoise table overnight .
In winter a UV/IR lamp keeps him warm and healthy .
We used to let him roam the garden all summer , then one day he was found inverted, c==p all over him and teeth marks over the shell .
The animal had been got at by a fox , fortunately survived , but the vet bill was in the region of £600 . due to blood poisoning , blood tests and stress . and for the last 3 years , we have to keep him warm through winter to stop hibernating , as there is a possibility of the blood poisoning returning .
So the regimen is now, put out in the morning , in and on tortoise table overnight .
In winter a UV/IR lamp keeps him warm and healthy .
TVR Moneypit said:
I am keen on getting a tortoise, but i know very little about them.
Could any of you fellas give me a quick run down on them? How long they live for? Common problems? Running costs etc?
Tortoises are strictly controlled Could any of you fellas give me a quick run down on them? How long they live for? Common problems? Running costs etc?
Buy only from licenced dealers , highly recommended to be chipped .
Feeding is easy , either dried food , fruit or salad leaves , dandelion leaves a favourite .ours browses on grass and some plant leaves in the garden .always have water available
Late Autumn slowly reduce feeding .to induce hibernating , and over winter in a straw lined box in cool shed or garage
Some can live for over 100 years
Introducing Dontay, think he is about 10 years old, given to me by my Dad. Kids love him and will happily let them stroke his head and feed him.
Love the nail varnish idea as Dontay manages to hide in plain sight some nights, so will deff be doing that.
He has a bit of a red face due to eating strawberries this morning. Spoilt rotten !!
Love the nail varnish idea as Dontay manages to hide in plain sight some nights, so will deff be doing that.
He has a bit of a red face due to eating strawberries this morning. Spoilt rotten !!
Edited by sunnygym on Sunday 24th June 18:21
Button, and the late Linford - I got them as hatchlings back in 2004, but I lost Linford in 2014 after she developed an infection.
Button is now about 6" and lives in a 2ft x4ft table set up in the conservatory. She semi-hibernates over winter - I switch the timer off her UV and heatlamp, and she will sleep for a few weeks, get up and soak in water and wander about for a day or two, then go back to sleep.
They are incredibly strong little things, and they can give a hell of a nip when hand feeding them.
I've never used artificial food for them - always salads, weeds, flowers herbs etc, as they would have in the wild.
Button is now about 6" and lives in a 2ft x4ft table set up in the conservatory. She semi-hibernates over winter - I switch the timer off her UV and heatlamp, and she will sleep for a few weeks, get up and soak in water and wander about for a day or two, then go back to sleep.
They are incredibly strong little things, and they can give a hell of a nip when hand feeding them.
I've never used artificial food for them - always salads, weeds, flowers herbs etc, as they would have in the wild.
They are naturally solitary - in groups/pairs males will often fight, and females can get injured or stressed by constantly getting mounted by males.
That said, we've got 4 leopard tortoises (2 of each) which get on fine.
We've also got 5 pancake tortoises, they can certainly bite one another quite viciously when they feel like it - they've got a big enough enclosure so they can stay apart if needed.
That said, we've got 4 leopard tortoises (2 of each) which get on fine.
We've also got 5 pancake tortoises, they can certainly bite one another quite viciously when they feel like it - they've got a big enough enclosure so they can stay apart if needed.
LordGrover said:
Are they naturally solitary creatures or do they stroll the savanna in huge herds, like wildebeest?
They don't need company, I know people with a "creep" of tortoises and each one does its own thing. Unless they're horny, Or jealous of another male/female. Then they get stompy and noisy.Bear in mind a tortoise never meets it's parents - they are on their own from the moment they hatch.
LordGrover said:
Are they naturally solitary creatures or do they stroll the savanna in huge herds, like wildebeest?
In Gerald Durrell's wonderful book My Family And Other Animals (the perfect holiday read if ever there was one) there is a lovely story about the family moving into an old house in Greece and being kept awake all night by clattering and banging from outside. They discovered in the morning that it was the sound of hundreds of tortoises copulating the garden.Roofless Toothless said:
In Gerald Durrell's wonderful book My Family And Other Animals (the perfect holiday read if ever there was one) there is a lovely story about the family moving into an old house in Greece and being kept awake all night by clattering and banging from outside. They discovered in the morning that it was the sound of hundreds of tortoises copulating the garden.
Now that is an image. . . . Also a great book, fond memories reading that when I was a kid
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