Talk to me about tortoises
Discussion
Mrs Fubes has mentioned for years that she would like a tortoise. Always thought it was pretty hard to get hold of one and didn't really take it any further. Whilst searching for an Xmas tree with the kids at the weekend, they dragged me into the garden centre's pet shop, and low and behold, they had a 3yr old tortoise for sale. Cute little thing (not exactly hamster prices either 
)
Anyway, I tried to put thoughts of purchase to the back of my mind, but they wont go away.
So, anyone have a tortoise? Easy to keep? Is a vivarium a better choice than a tortoise table Anything else? Anything I should be wary of? OK to have just the one? Would the sex make any difference (I think the one I've seen is a female)?
IIRC the tortoise in question was a fairly common Horsfield. Are there any breeds better than others, or ones I should steer clear of?
We have a Labrador, but he's a shy thing, and I'm fairly confident that he would give a tortoise no more than a curious sniff when in the garden during warm sunny days and in any case, they would never be unattended together (and the tortoise will be in an outdoor enclosure..wouldnt want to lose the little blighter!)
TIA
)Anyway, I tried to put thoughts of purchase to the back of my mind, but they wont go away.
So, anyone have a tortoise? Easy to keep? Is a vivarium a better choice than a tortoise table Anything else? Anything I should be wary of? OK to have just the one? Would the sex make any difference (I think the one I've seen is a female)?
IIRC the tortoise in question was a fairly common Horsfield. Are there any breeds better than others, or ones I should steer clear of?
We have a Labrador, but he's a shy thing, and I'm fairly confident that he would give a tortoise no more than a curious sniff when in the garden during warm sunny days and in any case, they would never be unattended together (and the tortoise will be in an outdoor enclosure..wouldnt want to lose the little blighter!)
TIA
racing green said:
Bit of a rubbish time of year to buy a Tortoise? Mine's been in Hibernation for about six weeks. Easy to keep but they don't exactly give you much. Only get one as they don't often get on.
Well, that's what I thought, but the one at the pet shop seemed very chirpy (and quite cheeky). Reading up not all hibernate so I'm guessing this one is one of those.the young torts that you see in garden centres/petshops are generally too young to hibinate, owning one is a expensive set up to beging with, they need 10% u.v tube (this gives them the goodness of sunshine and needs replacing every 12 months), heat bulb and possibly a dimming thermostat, possibly heatmat (depending on temp of your house at night), nutrabal calcium powder,temp thermometor, cuttlefish, viv to live in or one of the plastic based indoor rabbit cages.
make sure they are wormed every year and take them to a exotic vet not your cat/dog vet.
make sure they are wormed every year and take them to a exotic vet not your cat/dog vet.
They love eating snails or at least my mothers does. Whenever she finds a snail in the garden my mother will drop it into the tortoise pen where you can then observe probably the most boring predator/prey interaction you can imagine. When torty finally catches the snail he eats the lot including the shell.
Looks very nice, however I would most certainly remove the alfalfa it has as a substrate, is it housed in a viv? If so I would certainly get it out asap as it isnt the most healthy way to keep tortoises.(apologies if it isnt)
A tortoise table or open enclosure with a sand/soil mix 60/40 is best.
Check out this site it is the best:
http://www.tortoisetrustforum.org/
It will point you in the right direction regarding best feeds/enclosures etc and keep your tort happy and healthy.
best of luck and enjoy your tort.
A tortoise table or open enclosure with a sand/soil mix 60/40 is best.
Check out this site it is the best:
http://www.tortoisetrustforum.org/
It will point you in the right direction regarding best feeds/enclosures etc and keep your tort happy and healthy.
best of luck and enjoy your tort.
FUBAR said:
Looks like it Chuck. And both crap in the bath 
That's normal, for sick tortoises bathing can be a very useful indicator of how they are doing, it stimulates them to toilet, if they don't it can mean they are not eating or drinking enough or kidneys arent functioning properly.Cheers
Yes bb, he is in a viv atm, but the plan is to get him into a table. Went for the viv as the pet shop owner told us he was considerably younger than the vet confirmed he is. Our house, although modern, gets quite cold in the winter (and was too late to hibernate him this year), so will get the table sorted come Spring
Yes bb, he is in a viv atm, but the plan is to get him into a table. Went for the viv as the pet shop owner told us he was considerably younger than the vet confirmed he is. Our house, although modern, gets quite cold in the winter (and was too late to hibernate him this year), so will get the table sorted come Spring
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