Recent content by GBtortoises

Any incandescent (not soft white) or halogen lamps will work to produce basking heat. Wattage and mounting distance required will vary based on the ambient room temperature, the type of lamp being used and the area to be heated. For a hatchling size Hermann's and other Northern Mediterranean...

I've never had any luck with getting any of my tortoises to eat the Mazuri LS pellets. They all love the larger, original pellets. I always soak them in warm water to soften them and mix them with greens, regardless of whether it's for babies or adult tortoises.

Speaking from my experience as a carpenter who did a lot of painting and staining, the exterior finish that you use depends very much on your local environment in terms of how effective it is going to be protecting the exterior wood. In most areas water sealers, transparent stains...

Not weird at all. I have not "interacted" with my tortoises and turtles for over 35 years! I believe in giving them every possible resource I can for them to act as naturally as possible (despite being in captivity). I I respect them as animals, not as playthings for my amusement. I want them to...

Tortoises do not use sound to communicate in normal situations. The exception to that is while courting and breeding. Males become very vocal during courting and especially during actual copulation by making several different levels of hissing and clucking vocalizations. Squeaking sounds are...

I've been keeping, breeding and raising tortoises and turtles for over 35 years in the Catskills Mountains of New York State and have brumated Northern Testudo species, specifically Eastern Hermann's, Ibera Greeks and Russian tortoises, along with some turtle species outdoors for most of that...

Exposure to natural sunlight available or not, it's still a good to have UV exposure indoors too. It helps to maintain a tortoises natural routine. Their every function is determined by temperatures and light duration & intensity. In order to promote and maintain that active routine they need...

This size of enclosure is only suitable for very small tortoises, no larger than 2-3", even that is really too small. Tortoises are obviously very terrestrial animals and require as much, uncluttered square footage as possible to roam and explore. The larger the enclosure that one can provide...

Do you have a UVB light and basking light set up for your turtle?

Western Hermann's tortoise, Testudo hermanni hermanni, captive born baby, 2 weeks old. From my Tuscan region adults. Eating, drinking, active and ready to go to a new home. $300 Price does not include shipping. Email me your zip code for a shipping cost. I accept money orders and Paypal. Please...

Dalmatian Hermann's, Testudo hermanni hercegovinensis, Long term captive, lives outdoors 24/7, very colorful, healthy and extremely active. Has produced eggs this year. $300 Price does not include shipping. Email me with a zip code for an accurate shipping cost. I accept money orders and Paypal...

Cypress bark mulch is pretty much cypress bark mulch. Many home and garden stores have it available under their own brand name or in bulk. When purchasing just ensure that the pieces are sized appropriately for what you are using it for, that it is dye and chemical (pesticides & herbicides) free...

Well first, it's not unusual for a tortoise that has been moved to a new environment to stop eating for a few days, even a week or more. But at the same time they will usually hide a lot too. Tortoises are very much creatures of habit and will establish a routine within their environment based...

Despite not eating is he still active? Is he drinking regularly? What are the temperatures (day, night & basking) and humidity level in his indoor enclosure? How old or how big is he?

This is a question that you'll get a hundred different answers from a hundred different people! Back when I used to do educational talks on tortoises and turtles to school children and other groups the question would always come up and this what I would tell them (straight off my cue cards!)...