- Joined
- Mar 25, 2015
- Messages
- 37
I am excited to be a new RF tortoise owner. We got Chip on Sunday. He was already named because of the chip on his shell. We picked him because he was devouring his strawberries in his tank and was very active. Now that he is in his new surroundings, he isn't very active anymore, has cut way back on eating, and hides in his hut most of the day. I used to have a bearded dragon and Chip is like watching paint dry compared to the beardie. Chip is about 2 yrs. old and we have him in a clear plastic container (106 quart) until we can make him a tortoise table (hopefully this weekend). I have a 160w merc vapor bulb on his basking side and a ceramic heat bulb in the middle. His temps have been 95-100 basking and about 72-78 cooler side. He was eating strawberries when we bought him. I have been continuing to feed him strawberries as well as spring mix, but now am reading that he should not have fruit every day. His substrate is cyprus mulch and I pour water over the basking side in the morning and rake it a couple times a day for humidity. He has been bathed every other day, and I might start bathing him daily to keep him hydrated. There is so much conflicting advice out there and don't know who to believe, same as with the beardie. I followed forum advice for beardie and the vet would tell me that it was all wrong. So I want to make sure that I am doing the right thing. We live in Northeastern Ohio and he cannot stay outside year round, so he will be coming in the house during our very long winter season. Oh, and the day we got him (3/22) he pooped 4x by the time he got home and peed 1x. He has not pooped since (not sure if he has peed because he is on mulch and I wet it down anyway). Should I be worried??? How often do they poop? Does it sound like I am doing the right things?