Barbie82
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Hi I'm Barbie from London
I have a very old tortoise called Freddie
I have a very old tortoise called Freddie
Freddie the tortoise
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Barbie82
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Iv only had my tortoise a few months ,I'm a bit worried since the weather has been extremely hot .my tortoise just won't eat and keeps sleeping .a friend told me to give him cucumber which I did he seemed to like that ..but his normal food veg dandelions , salad leaves he just doesn't want .
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Hi Barbie
Barbie82
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Hi ..how long have you had tortoises for ,I'm quite new at this .
How about giving him nice long bath at least once a day on those hot days. They get dehydrated pretty easily. Put him in lukewarm water where it comes up to his sides while he is standing. We want his tail dipped in that water for about 20-30 min. He may drink while in bath but for sure will absorb water through his cloaca. Also make sure he has access to drinking water while he is outside, shady place to hide and wading pool to cool off on hot day
Barbie82
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Thank you I will definitely try that .i did give Freddie a bath ,this time I will make it a bit deeper and leave him in a bit longer .
Is cucumber ok to give him .
Is cucumber ok to give him .
Hello and welcome from Kent UK
These old timers keep surfacing. We had Joe 47 years. There's no guessing age - they'd have been wild imports in the 1960s and 70s
Good advice to soak your tort in warm water. A washing up bowl is a good size.... or even the kitchen sink or the bath tub. Do it first thing before your tort has warmed up properly.
It is VERY warm in the UK at the moment which will change tort activity and appetite.
In this kind of weather you will see very little activity apart from first thing in the morning and late evening. Your tort must have access to deep shade to hide in during the hottest part of the day.
Does your tort have access to a section of your lawn? Most of your tort's diet will, ideally, be grazed from the weeds like clover, plantain and dandelions growing in it. Store bought greens might be used as a supplement. Don't be afraid to put food out the night before for your tort to eat in the morning... your tort won't care if it's a bit limp.
Your tort can't digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, carrot, pepper and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.
You might find this useful about keeping a tort outside in the UK. (There is absolutely no need for supplementary heat day or night for the time being!)
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
I am happy to answer any questions
These old timers keep surfacing. We had Joe 47 years. There's no guessing age - they'd have been wild imports in the 1960s and 70s
Good advice to soak your tort in warm water. A washing up bowl is a good size.... or even the kitchen sink or the bath tub. Do it first thing before your tort has warmed up properly.
It is VERY warm in the UK at the moment which will change tort activity and appetite.
In this kind of weather you will see very little activity apart from first thing in the morning and late evening. Your tort must have access to deep shade to hide in during the hottest part of the day.
Does your tort have access to a section of your lawn? Most of your tort's diet will, ideally, be grazed from the weeds like clover, plantain and dandelions growing in it. Store bought greens might be used as a supplement. Don't be afraid to put food out the night before for your tort to eat in the morning... your tort won't care if it's a bit limp.
Your tort can't digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, carrot, pepper and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.
You might find this useful about keeping a tort outside in the UK. (There is absolutely no need for supplementary heat day or night for the time being!)
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
I am happy to answer any questions
Barbie82
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Hello and welcome from Kent UK
These old timers keep surfacing. We had Joe 47 years. There's no guessing age - they'd have been wild imports in the 1960s and 70s
Good advice to soak your tort in warm water. A washing up bowl is a good size.... or even the kitchen sink or the bath tub. Do it first thing before your tort has warmed up properly.
It is VERY warm in the UK at the moment which will change tort activity and appetite.
In this kind of weather you will see very little activity apart from first thing in the morning and late evening. Your tort must have access to deep shade to hide in during the hottest part of the day.
Does your tort have access to a section of your lawn? Most of your tort's diet will, ideally, be grazed from the weeds like clover, plantain and dandelions growing in it. Store bought greens might be used as a supplement. Don't be afraid to put food out the night before for your tort to eat in the morning... your tort won't care if it's a bit limp.
Your tort can't digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, carrot, pepper and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.
You might find this useful about keeping a tort outside in the UK. (There is absolutely no need for supplementary heat day or night for the time being!)
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
I am happy to answer any questions
Hi thank you for getting back to me .we have fenced of a large run in our garden and made a den for it to go in out of the sun .i
In the evening I put him in another run with a little house in locked away .
Iv been told not to leave him out all night .
Freddie seems to find it hard to eat himself .it might be me but he misses his food .iv checked he isn't blind .it might be the way they eat .
He is really cute .
WElcome to the Forum, Barbie!
Barbie82
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Yes I think I will like it too ..it's nice to know other people like myself love turtles and tortoises .
I have a pond with three turtles in ,they are so funny to watch .
I have a pond with three turtles in ,they are so funny to watch .
He'll be OK outside at this time of year. Just make sure he's safe from investigating foxes.
The age of 55 is a guess. He would definitely be wild caught and could well be much older. Having had Joe for 47 years, the best we can say is "over 50"
When it comes to hibernation, come back here. We'll help.
Be warned that our winters are not consistently cold enough for good hibernation here in the south of England and you should probably be researching fridge hibernation.
The age of 55 is a guess. He would definitely be wild caught and could well be much older. Having had Joe for 47 years, the best we can say is "over 50"
When it comes to hibernation, come back here. We'll help.
Be warned that our winters are not consistently cold enough for good hibernation here in the south of England and you should probably be researching fridge hibernation.
Oh he is brilliant. What kind of Tortoise is he?
I absolutely love the idea of our little Monty getting to be that old.
Has he been well cared for?
Barbie82
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I think he has ...i work on a little children's farm a customer asked if we could take her three tortoises as she was having to move into a flat .
So I asked the owner of the farm if I could have Freddie .the owner had Freddie for 55yrs and called it George .iv changed it to Freddie lol
I believe he has always lived outside .but I think he is lovely
So I asked the owner of the farm if I could have Freddie .the owner had Freddie for 55yrs and called it George .iv changed it to Freddie lol
I believe he has always lived outside .but I think he is lovely
Barbie82
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What is best for a tortoise to sleep in hay or straw .at the moment iv put hay for him .but have been told straw is better
I used straw in Joe's outside cold frame.
What your tort really wants is a dry spot with bare earth under him to dig into and shelter above. A bush can provide that cover.
The important bit is that the area is dry - dampness will make hay and straw go mouldy.
Barbie82
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Hi, when should I put Freddie to hibernate.
I was thinking of putting him in our shed in a large box with ,soli ,hay and some one told me paper ..
I was going to have the box on the side so it can come out of hibernation when he wants .
I was thinking of putting him in our shed in a large box with ,soli ,hay and some one told me paper ..
I was going to have the box on the side so it can come out of hibernation when he wants .
Your tort cannot hibernate safely until temperatures are steadily below 10C/50F
This takes quite a bit of juggling in the wind down.
It's essential that your tort stays warm enough to eat and then, once the wind down starts, is cool enough to actually head for hibernation.
September is a bit early really. I hibernate Joe for around 4 months (full grown 7lb adult male) maximum. I need to keep him down until March at least.
Smaller, lighter tortoises may not last that long, especially if temperatures cannot be kept at the optimum 5C/45F. They must be monitored throughout and cannot afford to lose more than 10% bodyweight through the hibernation period.
You have to be very careful that the hibernating spot stays dry and is rodent free. It also needs steady cool temperatures of around 5C/45F and must never go below freezing
This takes quite a bit of juggling in the wind down.
It's essential that your tort stays warm enough to eat and then, once the wind down starts, is cool enough to actually head for hibernation.
September is a bit early really. I hibernate Joe for around 4 months (full grown 7lb adult male) maximum. I need to keep him down until March at least.
Smaller, lighter tortoises may not last that long, especially if temperatures cannot be kept at the optimum 5C/45F. They must be monitored throughout and cannot afford to lose more than 10% bodyweight through the hibernation period.
You have to be very careful that the hibernating spot stays dry and is rodent free. It also needs steady cool temperatures of around 5C/45F and must never go below freezing
Barbie82
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Shall I hibernate Freddie end of October then . Do you think he would be ok in the shed with lots of hay and paper ., I am a bit concerned that he won't get through hibernation .
