New Home's Hinge-back Owner

[getzburg]

Hi there! First-time reptile owner here. I married a girl who's a big boa and python enthusiast, but I've always been more drawn to tortoises and turtles (though I've never owned one). Well, yesterday we were at a reptile show and I decided to bring home a Home's hinge-back tortoise. I think the breeder in question must not have had much experience with hinge-backs because the answers to all my questions were more in line with the Russian tortoises that made up most of his inventory. I didn't realize that until I got home and did some research, but I've decided to soldier on and keep the little guy anyway, despite a significantly different set of requirements.

Meet Stanley:

 

[Kristina]

Welcome to the forum!

Stanley looks like he could use a good, long soak. Also, Home's Hingebacks are wild caught out of Africa. He will need to be tested for parasites by a qualified tortoise veterinarian.

Here is the best advice I can give you on how to set him up -

The Home's Hingeback Tortoise

They are not like other tortoises, and you are right they have a very different set of requirements. Cool, humid, lots of hiding places and dim lighting is the way to go.

I have 7 of these guys, and you will be hooked on them too pretty soon!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Getzburg:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name and where you are?

I'm hoping that you just happened to catch the new little guy mid-blink, because closed eyes is a sign of trouble.

We have a few pretty good hinge back keepers here on the forum and they will be glad to give you good advice and pointers on taking care of your new little tortoise.

(I see Kristina beat me to the punch. She's one of the hingback keepers I was referring to above)

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum

 

[getzburg]

Hi Getzburg:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name and where you are?

Thanks! My name's Brad, and at the moment I live in Maryland.

 

[coreyc]

Hi Brad welcome to the TFO

 

[getzburg]

Welcome to the forum!

Stanley looks like he could use a good, long soak. Also, Home's Hingebacks are wild caught out of Africa. He will need to be tested for parasites by a qualified tortoise veterinarian.

Here is the best advice I can give you on how to set him up -

The Home's Hingeback Tortoise

They are not like other tortoises, and you are right they have a very different set of requirements. Cool, humid, lots of hiding places and dim lighting is the way to go.

I have 7 of these guys, and you will be hooked on them too pretty soon!

Thanks much! Shortly after this was taken he soaked for a while and had some romaine and a bit of banana. We're looking for a local vet that does exotics (both for Stanley and my wife's snakes + skink), can anyone recommend a good vet in the Baltimore / northern Maryland area?

 

[Kristina]

Be careful with banana - it can become addicting and they will refuse to eat ANYTHING else Once in a while as a treat is fine.

Here is what we have on our vet list for Maryland -

Maryland



Abingdon



Keith Gold, DVM
Chadwell Animal Hospital
3004 Emmorton Road
Abingdon, MD 21009
Tel: (443)512-8338



Frederick



Morse R. Davis, DVM
Adrienne M. Cardella, DVM
Kingsbrook Animal Hospital
5322 New Design Road
Frederick MD, 21703
Tel: (301) 631-6900
Tel: (301) 607-1007
Fax: (301) 631-6999



Gaithersburg



Lawrence Giebel, DVM
Quince Orchard Veterinary Hospital
11910 Damestown Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Tel: (301) 258-0850



Deborah Alls-Temples, DVM
Gaithersburg Animal Hospital
280 N. Frederick
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Tel: (301) 948-2828



Dr. Jason Ornstein
Dr. Ginny Smith
Montgomery Village Veterinary Center
9144 Rothbury Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20886
Tel: (301) 368-3444
Tel: (240) 683-8387
Fax: (301) 519-2344



Victoria Hollifield, DVM
Best Friends' Veterinary Hospital
7600-H Lindbergh Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Tel: (301) 977-1881
Fax: (301) 977-2468



Hagerstown



Robert Russon, DVM
Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic
17747 Virginia Ave
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Tel: (301) 739-3121



Laurel



Jeffrey L. Rhody, DVM
Lakeside Veterinary Center
8693 Cherry Lane
Laurel, MD 20707
Tel: (301) 498-8387



Rockville



Dr. Victoria Hollifield
Best Friends Veterinary Hospital
5100 Muncaster Mill Rd.
Rockville, MD 20855
Tel: 301-977-1881

Westminster



Dr. Thomas Ryan
Feathers Scales & Tails Veterinary Hospital
330 One Forty Village Rd
Westminster, MD 21158
(410) 876-0244

You can look at the whole list here - http://tortoiseforum.org/tortoisevetlist.html

 

[getzburg]

Be careful with banana - it can become addicting and they will refuse to eat ANYTHING else Once in a while as a treat is fine.

Here is what we have on our vet list for Maryland -

You can look at the whole list here - http://tortoiseforum.org/tortoisevetlist.html

Awesome, thanks much!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Jacqui]

Yippy another person getting hit with the Hingeback bug!
Welcome to the forum and the sometimes frustrating always rewarding world of hingebacks (and tortoises in general). Sounds like he is already eating which can be the biggest hurdle with these guys.

 

[pdrobber]

lucky lucky! I want one!

 

[Scooter]

Welcome to the forum! We would love more pictures of Stanley and his setup!

 

[Jacqui]

lucky lucky! I want one!

so go get some!!

 

[B K]

Hello and Welcome.