check up.

[Reagan]

Hello! It's been over 4 months since I've gotten Eddie and I've just wanted to check in with all of you to see how he's doing. I have him in a 3ft by 2 ft enclosure and he doesn't seem to have a problem with space. I usually switch up his diet with kale, romain, and once and a while parsley. He loves to eat cucumber with his meal. I dont feed him huge amounts of cucumber, but I always have at least a small amount as a treat. I've seen mixed emotions about feeding Hermann's cucumbers because it does not have much nutritional value. should I keep giving it to him? When I can, I also give him zucchini which he likes a little less, but he still eats it. I also wanted to make sure his shell looked heathy and that he isn't pyramiding.



This is his enclosure, I keep hoping he is not bored... I had a couple rocks for him to climb over but he kept tipping over. I've had a few plants in there, but took them out for about a week so they could get real sun. Any suggestions on more plants or other things like would make it nicer and more natural?
Thanks-

 

[Edelman_The_LittleTort]

Hello! It's been over 4 months since I've gotten Eddie and I've just wanted to check in with all of you to see how he's doing. I have him in a 3ft by 2 ft enclosure and he doesn't seem to have a problem with space. I usually switch up his diet with kale, romain, and once and a while parsley. He loves to eat cucumber with his meal. I dont feed him huge amounts of cucumber, but I always have at least a small amount as a treat. I've seen mixed emotions about feeding Hermann's cucumbers because it does not have much nutritional value. should I keep giving it to him? When I can, I also give him zucchini which he likes a little less, but he still eats it. I also wanted to make sure his shell looked heathy and that he isn't pyramiding.

View attachment 202743
View attachment 202744
View attachment 202745 This is his enclosure, I keep hoping he is not bored... I had a couple rocks for him to climb over but he kept tipping over. I've had a few plants in there, but took them out for about a week so they could get real sun. Any suggestions on more plants or other things like would make it nicer and more natural?
Thanks-

I'm not much of an expert, so I can't awnser your question. But your tort looks super cute.
Hope someone more helpful can awnser you.

 

[GBtortoises]

I would suggest a much more varied diet and without the cucumbers. Giving tortoises "treats" is for human satisfaction, not the tortoises. Unlike a kid getting candy, or rewarding a dog for performing something it was trained, tortoises don't have the emotional concept. If you feel you must give a "treat" try pumpkin, squashes, even carrots. All of which should already be a part of your tortoises regular diet already along with a good quality, varied diet of greens.

The following greens (but not limited to) should make up about 70-75% of the overall diet along with the listed vegetables making up the rest. Dandelion, clover, chicory, crown vetch, mallow, sow thistle, lambs quarter, alfalfa, endive, escarole, arugula, parsley, kale, beet greens, collard greens, mustard greens, carrot tops and occasionally some spinach and romaine. Pumpkin, yellow and zucchini squashes, green and yellow beans, peas, sweet potato, carrots and occasionally corn. There are also many other good quality greens, weeds, flowers and vegetables available that tortoises can eat. You just have to search TFO and other tortoise websites for the information. Pellet foods such as Mazuri pellets and Zoomed Forrest pellets are also good once a week additions to an otherwise varied diet.

 

[Reagan]

I would suggest a much more varied diet and without the cucumbers. Giving tortoises "treats" is for human satisfaction, not the tortoises. Unlike a kid getting candy, or rewarding a dog for performing something it was trained, tortoises don't have the emotional concept. If you feel you must give a "treat" try pumpkin, squashes, even carrots. All of which should already be a part of your tortoises regular diet already along with a good quality, varied diet of greens.

The following greens (but not limited to) should make up about 70-75% of the overall diet along with the listed vegetables making up the rest. Dandelion, clover, chicory, crown vetch, mallow, sow thistle, lambs quarter, alfalfa, endive, escarole, arugula, parsley, kale, beet greens, collard greens, mustard greens, carrot tops and occasionally some spinach and romaine. Pumpkin, yellow and zucchini squashes, green and yellow beans, peas, sweet potato, carrots and occasionally corn. There are also many other good quality greens, weeds, flowers and vegetables available that tortoises can eat. You just have to search TFO and other tortoise websites for the information. Pellet foods such as Mazuri pellets and Zoomed Forrest pellets are also good once a week additions to an otherwise varied diet.

Ok thanks!

 

[Patty P]

Does your local supermarket have an organic section? Chances are you will find good and affordable greens for your tortoise there! My tortoise, Tucker, seems to go through phases. Right now he is on an endive, turnip green and dandelion kick. Last week he favored radicchio and arugula. So far he ignores kale, mustard greens and parsley. But who knows, that could change next week! Every morning he gets a Mazuri pellet or two soaked in water which I call tortoise oatmeal. He loves that!

 

[Reagan]

Does your local supermarket have an organic section? Chances are you will find good and affordable greens for your tortoise there! My tortoise, Tucker, seems to go through phases. Right now he is on an endive, turnip green and dandelion kick. Last week he favored radicchio and arugula. So far he ignores kale, mustard greens and parsley. But who knows, that could change next week! Every morning he gets a Mazuri pellet or two soaked in water which I call tortoise oatmeal. He loves that!

Hahaha, they should change the name to "Tortoise Oatmeal".Yes my supermarket does have an organic section, that is where I usually get his food from. I got him In November so I couldn't grow any of my own greens yet, but I will this spring/summer. Do you recommend any stores/websites that I could buy some seeds from in the future?
Thanks

 

[Patty P]

I don't know of any specific websites for seeds but I know people on this forum have discussed it. You just have to do a bit of detective work to find them.
I am hoping to raise my own produce for Tucker too this summer. Is your tortoise an Eastern, Western, or Dalmation Hermann's? My Tucker is an Eastern. He will be six months old on April 6th and he currently weighs 32 grams. Here is a good website for checking the right weight of your Hermann's.
http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/171.asp

 

[Reagan]

I don't know of any specific websites for seeds but I know people on this forum have discussed it. You just have to do a bit of detective work to find them.
I am hoping to raise my own produce for Tucker too this summer. Is your tortoise an Eastern, Western, or Dalmation Hermann's? My Tucker is an Eastern. He will be six months old on April 6th and he currently weighs 32 grams. Here is a good website for checking the right weight of your Hermann's.
http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/site/171.asp

I have an Eastern Hermann's, I'll get back to u on his/her weight.

 

[Franco F]

Eddie's a cute little guy!

 

[threeboxerlover]

I have a two year old Eastern (Franklin!) and I get seed mix from tortoise supply online. Also, in the summer, pick dandelions and plant them inside in a pot - it's amazing how they continue to grow and then you will have dandelions in the winter too. I tried this with plantain and wasn't as successful!
I have trouble with weeds - I spend hours on the internet trying to identify weed i've found in my yard so I make sure I don't give him something he shouldn't have. There is a website called Tortoise Table that I've found is helpful for finding what weeds you can and can't give too.

 

[Reagan]

I have a two year old Eastern (Franklin!) and I get seed mix from tortoise supply online. Also, in the summer, pick dandelions and plant them inside in a pot - it's amazing how they continue to grow and then you will have dandelions in the winter too. I tried this with plantain and wasn't as successful!
I have trouble with weeds - I spend hours on the internet trying to identify weed i've found in my yard so I make sure I don't give him something he shouldn't have. There is a website called Tortoise Table that I've found is helpful for finding what weeds you can and can't give too.

Wow, didn't know that. Would you just pick them or take the roots too...I'm guessing taking the roots with it...
Thanks!

 

[threeboxerlover]

Yes, I dig them up and take the entire root ball - but only from my own yard so I know they're not treated. Last year I dug up about 5 and put them in a big pot. Not all got flowers again, but the leaves are great. I have tried digging up plantain but it didn't work well. I am fortunate in that we have a Natural Food store right near me where everything is from local growers and all organic, etc., so I get him a lot there as well. It's hard in the winter in the Northeast because there is NOTHING growing lol.

 

[Patty P]

Yes, I dig them up and take the entire root ball - but only from my own yard so I know they're not treated. Last year I dug up about 5 and put them in a big pot. Not all got flowers again, but the leaves are great. I have tried digging up plantain but it didn't work well. I am fortunate in that we have a Natural Food store right near me where everything is from local growers and all organic, etc., so I get him a lot there as well. It's hard in the winter in the Northeast because there is NOTHING growing lol.

I am going to try that this summer, growing dandelion and plantain from my own backyard.

 

[threeboxerlover]

Here are some links - where I get seeds and also where I look up plants/weeds, etc:

Seeds: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/ or
http://www.arizonatortoisecompound.com/Tortoise-Seed-Mixes/

Look Up: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

 

[Franco F]

If you ever need dried weeds or herbs for the winter, Mountain Rose Herbs has a wide variety of tortoise-friendly weeds. They come in these resealable pouches too.

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/catalog/herbs/bulk

They have just about every essential dried weed and herb tortoises eat (dandelions, nettle, clover..etc)

 

[threeboxerlover]

I am going to check that out!