PLEASE HELP ME

[Sammywammy]

Hi everyone, I'm new here.
My friend got me a tortoise and neither of us have any clue what it needs to survive.
Some of these questions may sound really silly to most of you but I really need your help.
1) Its a tortoise right? Basically, I really don't understand the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. Help?
2) I believe its a Greek tortoise, can any one please validate that?
3) It's really tiny now, like an inch and a half by an inch, how big is it gonna grow?
4) I don't know if you can help with this, but is this a female or a male tortoise?
5) I read something about it hibernating, is that true? Like will it not move for days?
6) I'm providing it with lettuce and carrots, leaving her to eat them, and trying to feed her myself, BUT NOTHING HELPS, IT DOESN'T EAT. Is it possible she's hibernating?
7) Any tips for caring after her?

Thank you so much!

 

[Liam Moore]

Ok, im semi new but i know some facts about tortoises. A tortoise is a land dwelling reptile, Turtles are in water. A tortoise needs a heat lamp and a UV bulb if you plan on having an indoor enclosure. Greek tortoises dont grow that big, but make sure your enclosure is a good size. You can identify the gender later, make sure it has a good setup though. Tortoises do hibernate, you can choose to or choose not to, If they do not hibernate they cut down on eating food but its now turning spring so there is not reason for it to hibernate. Just make sure you have the right housing and lighting materials for the Greek tortoise, And again these are the facts i do know, PLEASE keep looking on the forums, There is way much more knowledge to be found and i did not list some of the facts essential so PLEASE look more on the forum. Hope this helped

 

[Lyn W]

Sammy I am quite new to tortoise keeping myself and you need one of the experts on here to help you identify what sort of tortoise you have. if it is a Greek then go the species specific thread and find the caresheet for them that will tell you what sort of food you should be feeing it. I don't think it will be hibernating now but if you aren't keeping it correctly it could be stressed and if it is too cold it won't eat either but thank goodness you have found this forum. You must keep it warm but read the caresheets to find out what to do until one of the more experienced people come along. Where are you from?

 

[Liam Moore]

OH and by the way DO NOT feed it regular iceberg lettuce, it has no vitamins or anything good for it, I would recomend feeding it Romaine or Cos lettuce because it is good for them, Also try to feed it flowers and other stuff just know DONT feed it peas or beans broccoli or brussel sprouts. I would recomend looking this topic up more so you can feed it right.

 

[Lyn W]

Not just any flowers though as some things can poison them - read the care sheet please

 

[Lyn W]

Urgent help needed Any body out there to help this poor tort please @yvonne @Tom @tortadise any greek keepers?

 

[Lyn W]

You'll find the Greek care sheet in Species Specific section under Mediterranean Tortoises

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi everyone, I'm new here.
My friend got me a tortoise and neither of us have any clue what it needs to survive.
Some of these questions may sound really silly to most of you but I really need your help.
1) Its a tortoise right? Basically, I really don't understand the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. Help?
2) I believe its a Greek tortoise, can any one please validate that?
3) It's really tiny now, like an inch and a half by an inch, how big is it gonna grow?
4) I don't know if you can help with this, but is this a female or a male tortoise?
5) I read something about it hibernating, is that true? Like will it not move for days?
6) I'm providing it with lettuce and carrots, leaving her to eat them, and trying to feed her myself, BUT NOTHING HELPS, IT DOESN'T EAT. Is it possible she's hibernating?
7) Any tips for caring after her?

Thank you so much!

Welcome Sammy. Have you read the Greek care sheet yet. @HermanniChris is the one who can give you the exact species ID.yours looks like a Golden Greek Tortoise, but I'm not familiar with the med species. Hopefully he will be along in a while. Looks like you need help. good luck.

 

[HermanniChris]

Hi Sammy, please read either my Greek, Hermann's or Marginated tortoise care sheets. You can follow any of them to properly care for your little one. It does appear to be an Asia Minor or "ibera Greek" tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) but if you clean him up a bit and wet him down, I'll be able to see his markings clearer which will allow me to be certain on what he is. Definitely a Greek tortoise, just need better pics to see if he's definitely the T. g. ibera subspecies which is important.

 

[Donna/Turbo]

Welcome, I am sure you will get the help you need here. They will give you very good advice that you should listen to. I just wanted to add that for a tortoise that small you might want to shred the veggies up. He will eat more if it is chopped up or shredded for him. It works for my little guy anyways. Good Luck.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello Sammywammy and welcome to Tortoise forum, the best place to come for up to date information on tortoise care. You have come to the right place.
If I may say so, it's rather irresponsible of your friend to buy you a tortoise when you are unprepared and neither of you know how to care for it. They are beautiful sensitive animals and take takes a lot of time and care, not to speak of some money to establish a good home for one.
You must act quickly on the information given here by the members and on the care sheets, or your tortoise is going to be very unhappy, sick and maybe die.
To answer your questions in order :
1) Yes, you are correct. It is a tortoise. Roughly speaking tortoises live on land and turtles in the water. Having said this it is important to keep your tortoise humid, ensure it has access to drinking water all the time and preferably give it a soak in water for 20 mins or so every day when it is young to keep it hydrated. The water level should be about up to where the base of the tortoise (plastron) joins the upper shell (carapace) so the tortoise can dunk it's head, but not risk drowning. Use a shallow terracotta saucer or such like sunk into the substrate (floor material) of it's enclosure. Be careful the depth is such it cannot drown the tortoise if it (the tortoise) flips over.
2) Correct again (see you know more than you think) it is a greek, probably an ibera from Turkey or thereabouts, but not 100% on this.
3) Females tend to grow larger than males. If it's a male it will grow to about 5 to 7 inches shell length a female from 6'' to 9''. rarely they can reach 10'' to 11''.
4) It is too young to tell the sex at this time. Probably another couple of years before we could be certain just by looking at the tail and shell shape.
5) They do brumate, (or hibernate) in the winter, but many members here don't hibernate young torts because of the risk and overwintering is easy enough. Mine's not hibernated yet She is about 4 to 5 years old. they should only hibernate in winter, so if you are in the northern hemisphere, it should not be hibernating now.
6) Your tortoise will probably be quite stressed because of the change in it's environment. They can take several day's to adapt to their new territory. Give it some space and time to settle in and try not to handle it too much apart from the soaks. It is normal they won't eat during this time. lettuce and carrot are not the best diet, lettuce is lacking in vitamins and carrot should be a treat, but carrot baby food mixed in with its water will allow it to get some nutrients when it drinks. Try dandelions, clover, thistle and the other plants listed on the care sheet. She will eat, given time.
7) VITALLY make sure she has a lot of warmth and humidity. see the information on enclosures for a suitable living area it can call its own and keep it away from other pets. please read as much information here as possible and ask if you have any more questions.
It is difficult to begin, but we all want your tortoise to be happy and healthy and for you to enjoy the many benefits that come with caring for these very special animals
Good luck!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

 

[tortdad]

Hello and welcome to TFO.

At first tort ownership is stressful but once you get your set up right is a breeze. Read and learn all you can and good luck with your tort.

 

[Sammywammy]

I would like to thank all of you for your help and support.
I found the care sheet for my tortoise, and I feel like I know what I'm doing now. My tortoise is drinking water, although still not eating. It enjoyed walking under sunlight today, and I'm beginning to understand its personality.

Thanks again for your welcomes.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks for the update.
If you add a bit of carrot or pumpkin baby food to the water it will get some vitamins.
Be patient, you are already establishing a bond.
It should eat when it's ready and hungry enough.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . Greeks rule !

 

[Lyn W]

Well done Sammy it takes a little while and a fair bit of cash to get everything he needs, but with heat/light, food, water some space and a lot of love it should be fine and don't be afraid to ask questions because everyone on here is tortoise mad and only want your tortoise to be happy and healthy. So no matter how trivial it may seem if you can't find an answer by searching the forums then do as the rest of us new tort keepers do and ask away. Good luck!

 

[DawnH]

Welcome You are in the right place!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

You're off to a good start. If you've read the care sheet you've discovered that that little plastic box is not adequate as a habitat. He needs more space, a good deep substrate that holds moisture, and a UVB light that won't be cheap.