Leopard Tortoise Eating Substrate!

[vampire5003]

Frankly, you ARE an inexperienced keeper. One tortoise does not make you 'experienced'. Your first tortoise died and now you are wanting a hatchling Sulcata. I don't mean any disrespect but what I am reading about you is just not right. You need to get one tort and raise him for a bit before you run out and get another.

I have been using black light bulbs on cypress mulch for a long time and my tortoises don't eat the substrate. In several habitats the black light bulbs are on 24/7 and still my tortoises do not eat the substrate.

I recommend you raise one or 2 tortoises for a while and get a little more experienced before you get more Sulcata and they end up needing to be rehomed.

I never plan on rehoming any tortoises. I LIVE ON 3 ACRES OF LAND! WE HAVE LOT'S OF SPACE! MONEY IS NOT A ISSUE! I JUST LIKE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO SAVE MONEY! YOU HAVE BEEN THRASHING ME ALL DAY! PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES! I AM NOT A IDIOT! I HAVE LIVED AROUND TORTOISES MY WHOLE LIFE, SEEING THEM AT THE ZOO. I REMEMBER MY UNCLE OWNING WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A GREEK TORTOISE, HE HAD IT OUTSIDE IN A REALLY LARGE PLACE. I REMEMBER HIM FEEDING GRASSES AND WEEDS TO IT! ALTHOUGH HE DID FEED A LOT OF FRUIT'S, BUT THIS WAS BEFORE 1975 IT WAS AROUND 1970-1973 WHEN MY UNCLE KEPT IT.

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Frankly, you ARE an inexperienced keeper. One tortoise does not make you 'experienced'. Your first tortoise died and now you are wanting a hatchling Sulcata. I don't mean any disrespect but what I am reading about you is just not right. You need to get one tort and raise him for a bit before you run out and get another.

I have been using black light bulbs on cypress mulch for a long time and my tortoises don't eat the substrate. In several habitats the black light bulbs are on 24/7 and still my tortoises do not eat the substrate.

I recommend you raise one or 2 tortoises for a while and get a little more experienced before you get more Sulcata and they end up needing to be rehomed.

MY FIRST LEOPARD HATCHLING TORTOISE DIED I WANTED TO GET A SULCATA FOR MY HUSBAND AND I. HE LOVES HOW BIG THEY GET!

 

[OllieInAZ]

Please stop yelling.

 

[vampire5003]

Please stop yelling.

I will if people stop THRASHING me.

 

[Angi]

I really think that the forum members are trying to help you and keep you from getting in over your head. I have to agree. Slow down, enjoy the tort you have and in six months you will have a better idea of what is a good move for you and your family. Keep reading posts and studying torts and you may decide a different tort is right for you. I envy your large yard. Where do you live?

 

[vampire5003]

I really think that the forum members are trying to help you and keep you from getting in over your head. I have to agree. Slow down, enjoy the tort you have and in six months you will have a better idea of what is a good move for you and your family. Keep reading posts and studying torts and you may decide a different tort is right for you. I envy your large yard. Where do you live?

Alvin, Texas about 20 minutes away from Houston, Texas.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have not been "thrashing" you all day as I have not been home all day. I have made 2 posts about you and basically all I did was quote your own posts. I have not yelled at you or insulted you and would appreciate it if you would give me the same respect.

Seeing tortoises at the Zoo does not make you a qualified tort keeper. Seeing your old Uncle's tort who you can hardly remember does not make you a qualified tort keeper. You would be better off if you would just admit you are an inexperienced keeper and ask the more qualified keepers for help instead of yelling at people like me, you just make yourself look worse. Calling you inexperienced is not "thrashing" you, it is simply stating the truth.

Frankly saying that you want to get a Sulcata for your husband because he loves how big they get is waving a red flag at me. I can see a power feeder in the making. If you do get another Sulcata hatchling I hope you follow Tom's care sheet and don't try to raise a giant tort faster then he should be raised. My Sulcata Bob is just turning 13 years old so it does take some time for one to get big. I hope you are prepared for the wait.

 

[Jacqui]

Okay, I think it's time to get this thread back onto the subject at hand. I believe Margaret was asking for thoughts about what to do because she is afraid her Redfoot is going to or is currently nibbling at the cypress mulch. Is that correct, Margaret?

 

[Torty Mom]

That's easy, use something else like coconut coir.

 

[Jacqui]

That's easy, use something else like coconut coir.

If I recall, she didn't like the way it stuck to the tortoise.

 

[John]

Again I will say that the statements made here about Robert/Trish are unfounded,It appears they went out of their way to help an inexperienced keeper and unjustly got dragged through the mud in return.

I am not a inexperianced keeper my redfoot was rescued from an animal shelter. I hate how you are just going on every post and saying crap.

You should not be trying to ruin the reputation of a good breeder based on your inexperience,And an experienced keeper would not due same based on one unfortunate event,you have not been to their facility so there for anything you say is speculation.
This is the kind of misinformation that can keep the less reputable breeders going,false statements like yours can wrongly lead to someone overlooking these good breeders and possibly picking a bad one instead.As to the rest of your comments in response to the people trying to help you here.Please see second line of signature below

 

[ChiKat]

You are getting very defensive but you have yet to acknowledge the fact that you LIED about Robert and Trish using cypress mulch...lied about them saying the torts ingested the substrate...lied about them "owning up to it" and sending you another tortoise for free...
I sincerely hope you have apologized to them privately at the very least.
Thank God Jacqui brought this to their attention so they were able to clear things up. You could have seriously hurt their reputation.

 

[vampire5003]

You are getting very defensive but you have yet to acknowledge the fact that you LIED about Robert and Trish using cypress mulch...lied about them saying the torts ingested the substrate...lied about them "owning up to it" and sending you another tortoise for free...
I sincerely hope you have apologized to them privately at the very least.
Thank God Jacqui brought this to their attention so they were able to clear things up. You could have seriously hurt their reputation.

No

 

[coreyc]

No what ?

 

[vampire5003]

No what ?

Stop....Leave me be.....Or I will send my tortoise to eat your garden in the middle of the night!

 

[Fernando]

okay guys...I'm sure she gets the point.

I had the same problem with my sulcata tortoise eating small amounts of cypress. Sometimes I would catch him nibbling on it so I would pick him up and take it out of his mouth. All i did was make sure I had good bright lighting, exercise, available food...eventually he gave up trying to eat it because he had better tasting things to eat. Once in a while I'll catch him taking a little bite of things he's curious about (his wooden bridge, the thermometer) but I don't worry about it anymore. He poops regularly and he's healthy

 

[Jacqui]

Stop....Leave me be.....Or I will send my tortoise to eat your garden in the middle of the night!

Sitting here totally enjoying this "threat". I love it! I have to remember to use it myself some time in the future.

She is right however folks, please stop about the Robert/Trish matter and move on and back, to what this forum is all about... helping each other to help our tortoises, so no tortoise has to suffer.

 

[myrtle651]

I WENT TO THE ZOO LAST WEEK! GOING TO GET ME A RHINO!