Advice needed for horsefield tortoise

[Ashleighek]

Hi I'm Ashleigh,

Owner of a 2year tortoise named Raf
When I first bought Raf, I was sold him with straw bedding for substrate, now he did ok on it but it stunk my house out. So changed it for Beech chip. Reading in forums all the time, maybe this is too dry? What do you all use or suggest to use? Ive seen orchid bark being mentioned and co co coir but what is the safest to use?
TIA

 

[wellington]

The two you mentioned orchid bark or coir. Most people like the orchid bark better as its cleaner rhen the coir.

 

[Yvonne G]

Horsefield tortoises need a lot of room to wander. Can you show us a picture of where Raf lives?

 

[Ashleighek]

I'm quite aware they need room but thats not what I asked.

 

[queen koopa]

I'm quite aware they need room but thats not what I asked.

When I read that someone is keeping an indoor tortoise on hay or straw, it leads me to believe they keep them in a hamster cage.

 

[Ashleighek]

No its straw pellets, which are ment to be safe incase ingested but smell awful! You shouldn't really assume that tbh. I know his space is big enough for him right now. He's still quite small but has plenty on room to wander.

 

[queen koopa]

No its straw pellets, which are ment to be safe incase ingested but smell awful! You shouldn't really assume that tbh. I know his space is big enough for him right now. He's still quite small but has plenty on room to wander.

Same thing. Promotes a small dry cage.

 

[Ashleighek]

Same thing. Promotes a small dry cage.

He definitely isn't in a small cage and if you read my first msg im not using that. The whole reason I put this on was for advice for substrate, not for some stuck up barry to have a pop!

 

[Tom]

He definitely isn't in a small cage and if you read my first msg im not using that. The whole reason I put this on was for advice for substrate, not for some stuck up barry to have a pop!

Most people don't care for tortoises correctly. They get told bad info at the pet shop and don't know any better. Our goal is not to "have a pop". Our goal is to ascertain if you followed the other bad advice from the pet shop, along with their bad substrate advice. Assuming that people who got advice from a pet shop and are using the wrong substrate are also using an enclosure that is too small would be correct 95+% of the time. If you are in the 5% that has your baby Russian in a large enclosure to start with, then let me personally apologize for the entire forum for jumping too quickly to the wrong conclusion. Will you tell us the dimensions of your enclosure? Show us how wrong we were.

Our interest is in the well being of your tortoise. Nothing else. I don't think there is anyone here named Barry, but we do have at least two Karens, and they are wonderful people.

Most of the care info given for Russians is wrong. Its been done wrong for decades and that info is continuously passed down from generation to generation. Here is the most current and correct care info, including substrate discussion, if you want it:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

You are welcome to join our community, but you will need to simmer down and not assume you are being attacked or insulted. Other areas of the internet do that. We do not. We just love tortoises and love helping tortoise people. If you get your panties in a wad and leave in a huff, it is your tortoise that will suffer, not us. Please stick around. In time you'll see how supportive and friendly we all are.

 

[Ashleighek]

I wasn't getting in a huff about anything. Just thought it came across quite rude when I was simply asking whats the best substrate. My torty has a small single bedroom to himself. Its 7ft x 6ft. Just didn't think I had anything to prove. As you can imagine that type of space, I didn't want to spend loads on substrate if it was going to be wrong again. He has plenty of hides, subrate deep enough to dig. basking area which is 32c, uv light. I do appreciate advice just maybe took it the wrong way. Also looking at building outside area for him just not sure how to go about this with the english weather.

 

[queen koopa]

I wasn't getting in a huff about anything. Just thought it came across quite rude when I was simply asking whats the best substrate. My torty has a small single bedroom to himself. Its 7ft x 6ft. Just didn't think I had anything to prove. As you can imagine that type of space, I didn't want to spend loads on substrate if it was going to be wrong again. He has plenty of hides, subrate deep enough to dig. basking area which is 32c, uv light. I do appreciate advice just maybe took it the wrong way. Also looking at building outside area for him just not sure how to go about this with the english weather.

Came across this one today. Good reading for your outdoor project.

Outdoor Accommodation in a Colder (UK) Climate

Background We live in the UK and have had our Greek, Joe, a male Testudo Graeca Graeca (TGG), since 1970. He is full grown, weighing in at around 3.2kg (7lb) and measures just over 26cm (10”) Straight Carapace Length (SCL) He would have been wild caught, so was not a baby when he joined the...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[Ashleighek]

Came across this one today. Good reading for your outdoor project.

Outdoor Accommodation in a Colder (UK) Climate

Background We live in the UK and have had our Greek, Joe, a male Testudo Graeca Graeca (TGG), since 1970. He is full grown, weighing in at around 3.2kg (7lb) and measures just over 26cm (10”) Straight Carapace Length (SCL) He would have been wild caught, so was not a baby when he joined the...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Thank you

 

[Jan A]

Thank you

There are lots of UK tort owners on the forum with localized experiences that can help with great places to buy substrate & other tort supplies & issues. Welcome to the forum.