New "surprise" owner - please help!

Hello all,
I am looking for some help!

I was given a 6 month old Spur Thighed tortoise as a surprise birthday gift as have wanted a tortoise since being young.

I want to make sure I have all I need for him (?) though.

He is in a wooden enclosure. Was collected from the breeder on Sunday and sleeps a lot! He was hibernating but woke Sunday due to warm weather! The breeder said 6 had woken early.

As I didn't know about him I wasn't really prepared so want to get sorted ASAP!
There is just so much conflicting info!

He has sand in the enclosure at the mo, a dark "hide house" (that he hasn't been in yet) and was provided with dried food pellets.
There is also some straw in the enclosure as well as advised by the local pet store at the time (I obv didn't get it myself).

I want to make sure he is happy and has all he needs though.

Can you advise on what is best re: substrate, stimulus, thermometer/humidity optimum levels and measuring devises, and how long to have his combined UV/Heat lamp on for?
He hardly goes under the lamp however, he chooses to sleep under some straw instead!!

I have ordered books etc, researched and am going back to the breeder for advice but you all seem really helpful so thought this might be quick!

Hello and Welcome. Sand is no good, causes impaction. Hay and straw is too drying, don't use that. Dirt or coconut coir is good. Then read the first four articles here. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forum-81.html
Also, post pics of your enclosure and your tort and we can better assist you.

Thank you, I will attempt it now!
He has only just arrived and I know it's all wrong so want to make him happy ASAP!

My husband is a carpenter and is making him a new table at the weekend so have been growing tables on sale for ideas but help/advice would be appreciated
Shame as he seems to love the straw :-(

At first I thought you meant a sulcata, I was about to be all like "hold up Sulcatas don't hibernate" but now I realize its a Greek. I have one too!

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You can trust what this site has to say about caring for Greek tortoises:

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Basicmedcare.htm

we got a problem here... WE NEED PICTURES! MORE MORE MORE! lol... aside from that... the article Yvonne posted is really good... ^_^ anymore concern just post them here.... we are more than willing to help...

Jlant85, thank you! H has had a delivery of a block of coco coir and someone's food dishes along with cuttlefish discs which he seems to love!
Also his nutrients and wild flower seeds.

The thermometers arrived and the temps seem to be in the range so phew!

Not sure what the optimum humidity level is though? Can anybody advise please?

Hubbie will be starting work on the new table tomorrow so hopefully he will have a new little palace!

Just need to decided where to out him. My husband thinks he smells but I think it's the straw smell as his enclosure is spotless. The straw is going to hopefully won't be a problem.

Does anybody have problems with odours? Hopefully not and then I can make an argument for keeping him in the living room ;-)

Very little oder with my Russians, I pick up after them and soak them twice a week. This keeps the substrate mainly clean and oder free.

I don't know about Greeks, but my Russians seem to like a humidity level from 50 to 75 percent when indoors.

Good luck.

Little or no odour with my RT, too, and I have him in the room where I teach music lessons, so it pretty much has to be non-smelly. I also spot clean daily and either mix up the substrate (coir) or take some out and add a bit of new (I like the smell of freshly-soaked coir - very earthy). Recently I've planted Rosemary and Oregano plants in his enclosure and they smell GREAT! Kind of like natural air fresheners.

Brilliant idea re:the herbs, thank you!

Hi all, I have updated Sherman's temp home whilst his is under construction. Changed to coco coir which he seems to like.

How is this looking? I am a complete newbie!

I'm hoping to get him some little plants/herbs at the weekend too.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL! we have an issue here... I MEAN HUGE ISSUE! PICTURES OF YOUR LITTLE ONE! lol... We need our daily doze of cuteness! But yes, i say plants would be really nice...

Thanks Jlant85,

I will upload some more just for you! A couple from before I re-vamped the substrate!

I just need to figure how to build a lid that keeps the cat/toddler out and the humidity in if you have any ideas?

Also, keep Sheldon in as he is a bit of an escape artist! Below he's climbing through his bedroom window and scaling the walls! I never knew they like climbing so much!

Looking at your enclosure i would use chicken wire ^_^v

Your light might be too high to be providing the warmth the baby needs to survive. Also, the further away the light is, the less UVB rays get down to the beneficial area.

Thanks Yvonne,

I have taken the temp on the basking spot and It seems okay but you're right and we are lowering the light, this is a temp enclosure whilst my husband builds a permanent one so hadn't lowered yet but we are going to now as the new enclosure isn't ready.

It has been dropped now that we have the new substrate and is at 20cm from the back of Sheldon's shell to the bulb. That's what the manufacturers suggest, do you guy's agree?

How big is your enclosure.

love the pictures on the log! >.< I cant wait for another hatchling!