Recent content by Impulse2

1825+2 = 1827

Testudo Marginata Sarda

My 5" female margie is very shy. :( I wouldn't recommend any hibernating species.

Nails and screws? Are you serious? Just mix it with coir and moisture it to get the proper and controllable humidity level.

I believe that all tortoises smaller than 4" should be kept as babies with humid hides, often soaking, etc. The half-grown 6" margie is a young adult one and it can live in a less humid environment.

Margies have triangular spots on the plastron and one stripe mark on the tail. Getting older they develop a skirt. Old females have flexing plastron. Greek tortoises have spurs. Hermanns have spur tails and yellow cheeks (western subspecies).

Lol. Tortoises live on the ground but not on the bark chips. Topsoil is a much more natural substrate. An open-top setup is not suitable for margies because they live in a quite humid climate. They want a dry substrate and humid air. A wet chamber is a must.

A closed chamber is much better for baby margie than an open-top table. You can put some stickers (a grass) on the front glass of the chamber to make a visual barrier.

I like spider plants and a Boston fern. Too dry environment for the baby marginata. These tortoises live in places with dry soil but the air humidity jumps up to 80%. It is critical for your baby.

I see a flat plastron and a short tail that doesn't reach the hind leg. Definitely, you've got a female. Here is my female's tail.

My marginated tortoise spent last winter at 19-20C. I believe it is a minimum acceptable temperature if you don't want to hibernate it. If you will go below that temperature, your tortoise will fall asleep every single day. It is quite stressful.