Brand New (Surpise) Owner, any help?

LittleBuddy

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Long story short, my brother got himself a pet tortoise (Marginated, I think), and circumstances keep him from taking care of it. So now it's up to me to take care of the 'lil guy, and I'm feeling kinda overwhelmed and lost. My largest pet experiences have been a betta fish and a cat, not a reptile.

What can I do to make sure I'm the best possible caretaker I can be? I went through the FAQ boards and I also went through the "newbie mistakes" thing. I still have a few questions, though. I'm really new to this forum, so I'm super sorry if I accidentally broke a rule or something.

I promise, I'll learn! That's why I installed this app. Meanwhile, prepare for a barrage of stupid questions.

1. Best kind of food? My brother's been using storebought lettuce and salad leaves for the little guy. I've also got a kale garden. Anything else? What is a definite no-go to Marginated Tortoises? Any strage feeding habits for tortoises I should know? Schedules?

2. He didn't have calcium for a month or so, how detrimental will that be in the long run? I know the shell is made of bone, so does that stunt its growth? How big should they be at a year old? How fast do they grow?
(I ordered the calcium power inmediately, and it's here at home. I just sprinkled a little on his dinner)

3. How intelligent are they? Can they learn their names? (Can I teach it to play soccer, like I once saw a tortoise do?) Do they experience boredom? Idk about loneliness, since they're supposed to be solitary, but can they feel sexual frustration? When he gets bigger, can it become aggressive?

4. What age can I sex it? It's already been at least a year, so...? I remember something being said about a bulging belly?

5. Will my cat be a danger to it? Can I let my cat approach it, under supervision, of course, or should I keep her away from the little guy? If yes, will I have to do that forever, or is it "safer" when it gets bigger?

(For reference, my cat has a nipping habit, but that's because when we were younger I didn't train her properly, and played with her with my hands and feet. Everyone was kinda dumb when they're twelve, especially me.)

6. I may be going to get some higher education soon, after I get my AA from a local campus. If I go to a University, and I need to travel, what's the safest way to take it places? Do I need special accommodations, or can I just secure its tank into a car or something without the poor guy croaking?

7. As for tanks, we have this. When will this be too small? Will it ever outgrow the need for a tank at all? If I want to save energy, can I leave it by the window to get sunlight (Miami sun), or is that just not a good idea?

8. Is it safe to take him outside with supervision? Spring's nearly here, and I live in Miami. Will it always need supervision?

9. I took a cute photo a while back, with it being surrounded by (disconnected) headsets. Funny as it was, is that a bad idea? Can they enjoy music, even if they don't hear in a traditional sense? How can I tell?

10. Speaking of telling, these guys aren't cats or dogs (no crap). How do I tell what they feel? I mean, retreating into its shell is a giveaway for fear, but anything else I should know? What does discomfort look like? What are the signs of illness?

11. Are most vets able to help if a tortoise gets sick? Or are tortoises considered "exotic" and need specialized care?

Ahhh, sorry to overwhelm with questions my dude. I just want to give Buddy here the best life it can get as long as its under my care.

Here's some pics of the guy, if it helps any.
http://m.imgur.com/a/asu39
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Buddy.
Golly.
Yes, it's a marginated tortoise. So first read
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/marginated-tortoise-testudo-marginata-care-sheet.98564/
1. Broad leafed greens. I like http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm, the ones in bold are the best.
You can also use http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp to see what's safe and good.
Don't feed fruits or high sugar items.
Put food in every morning, i place it on a piece of rough ceramic tile (slate is good, too). if the food is gone by the evening, it wasn't enough so put more in the next day. If food is left, it was ample.(I love the word ample. )
2. He looks fine as far as I can tell, he would, hopefully, have got a lot of his calcium from his diet. leave a cuttle bone in his enclosure or sprinkle a little on his food once or twice a week. Don't overdo it. They grow at varying rates and there is no set size for a tortoise of a particular age. if he's growing and happy , that's fine. Lots of factors determine size, including genetics so don't worry
 

Tidgy's Dad

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3. Tortoises seem to be more intelligent than people previously believed, tests were carried out in labs at room temperatures which is fine for mammals but tortoises were too cold at those temps , so more recent tests, at higher temps are producing surprising results, maybe rat level intelligence which is pretty good. My girl reacts to her name, when she wants to at least, i think she knows it means her, yes. Soccer ? I very much doubt it, They might kick or bosh a small ball a bit. Yes, I believe they need stimulus, food is a large part of that, so variety is essential, but features in the enclosure, such as plants and stones and obstacles can help keep them occupied. A male will sometimes try to mate with inanimate objects, but females, i think will be fine. Tortoises can be aggressive, particular toward other tortoises and when defending their territory, but I doubt you'll have much problem with that.
4. It's more to do with the size than the age for sexing, but roughly about four or five years old, I'd say, give us a photo of the underside particularly of the tail area and we may be able to make a guess. In some species a flat belly would suggest female and an indented one male.
back in a minute. :)
 

Tidgy's Dad

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5. Indoors, you shouldn't really have the tort on the floor, but outside, under strict supervision you should be okay, cats aren't the danger to torts that dogs are but we have still heard tales of a tortoise losing an eye in a cat attack, i'd personally avoid it, but some owners allow it. if she has a nipping habit, i really wouldn't risk it.
6. A secure box with airholes and kitchen paper to absorb the poop and pee. They get scared travelling and will go the toilet a lot, but it's okay. If it's very cold you'll need to insulate the box or provide heat pads. The enclosure will probably be too big to move once we get that sorted but your little tank would be a good transportation area. He won't croak, just be terrified. (though a few don't seem to mind as much as others).
 

Tidgy's Dad

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7. Far too small i'm afraid. We'd recommend 4' by 8' as an absolute minimum. Glass blocks UVB raysso the tank and the window itself would render this pointless unless you just want the heat.
8. Outside is best. if you can get your tortoise outside even for a few hours a week, you don't need a UVB source inside. Build a secure outdoor enclosure if you can and the tortoise can live their during most of the year in Miami, i would imagine. if you don't have him in a secure enclosure, then , yes he should be supervised. Also, ensure no chemicals have been used on the areas you let him wander.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

That's a beautiful tortoise. So glad to see you're getting rid of the iceberg lettuce diet.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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9. I have no idea if they like music. They can hear, but at the lower end of the spectrum and are very sensitive to vibration.
10. Look for bright eyes, solid dark poops, clear pee with maybe some white toothpaste like urates, no bubbles from nose (except when bathing) The tortoise should be active and have a good appetite and feel heavy for his size.
11. Yes, tortoises need special care. You need to only use recognized herp vets as ordinary cat and dog vets can be worse than useless, even dangerous for a tortoise sometimes.
Oh, and Buddy is a very handsome fellow, or beautiful girl. :)
 

Yvonne G

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Oops, sorry Adam. I posted right in the middle of your explanation.
 

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