got two spur thighed hatchlings

[LOZ]

Hi new to the forum and new to Tortoise keeping.
Would really like to know what is normal behaviour for these Hatchlings. I've had them two weeks, have recently bought them inside, UK weather not great at the moment. There pattern seems to be they are awake about 3hrs and then they bury themselves till next morning, and they sometimes don't seem to eat. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jaizei]

Welcome to the forum

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Babies do sleep a lot. Make sure temps and humidity are correct. Check out the stickie threads at the beginning under the individual species section.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ,USA . No Picts ? Baby's feel first to move is eaten . But in next few weeks it will see you as a food God it will come running everytime you go by !


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. In order to help you we'll need to know a whole lot more info. How are they being housed? What are your four temps? Substrate? Heating and lighting equipment?

Also, are you aware they tortoises should not be housed as pairs. They usually do okay in groups as babies, but pairs are usually a problem.

 

[Yvonne G]

Clear your mind of everything you thought you knew about tortoise-keeping and re-read the care sheet with an open mind. Then make the necessary changes to your habitat. Here's a good overall care sheet for you:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

 

[LOZ]

Clear your mind of everything you thought you knew about tortoise-keeping and re-read the care sheet with an open mind. Then make the necessary changes to your habitat. Here's a good overall care sheet for you:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/

Thank you. I have found your care sheet very helpful. I have a heat/uv lamp combined how long should this be on for bearing in mind my hatchlings sleep/burrow more than, their awake.

 

[LOZ]

Hello and welcome. In order to help you we'll need to know a whole lot more info. How are they being housed? What are your four temps? Substrate? Heating and lighting equipment?

Also, are you aware they tortoises should not be housed as pairs. They usually do okay in groups as babies, but pairs are usually a problem.

Hello and welcome. In order to help you we'll need to know a whole lot more info. How are they being housed? What are your four temps? Substrate? Heating and lighting equipment?

Also, are you aware they tortoises should not be housed as pairs. They usually do okay in groups as babies, but pairs are usually a problem.

Hi Tom, I house them in a plastic children's sand pit with 50/50 top soil and play sand, artifical plants for them to hide under a wooden log and a a couple of slates for the basking area, and a few pieces of cuttle fish for the one inside, and same set up for the one outside when the weather is suitable here in the uk. The uv/heat lamp is 160w power sun. I have this set up to reach a temp of 30 and cooler end is 22. humidity 65. The room at night is a round 20. I am confused as to how long the lamp is to be on for I have read from 6 hrs to 12 hrs. Would also like to know what are the problems housing two Tortoises? As I was told by the breeder that they thrive better in pairs, so feeling confused. Any advice greatly received.

 

[LOZ]

Hi Tom, I house them in a plastic children's sand pit with 50/50 top soil and play sand, artifical plants for them to hide under a wooden log and a a couple of slates for the basking area, and a few pieces of cuttle fish for the one inside, and same set up for the one outside when the weather is suitable here in the uk. The uv/heat lamp is 160w power sun. I have this set up to reach a temp of 30 and cooler end is 22. humidity 65. The room at night is a round 20. I am confused as to how long the lamp is to be on for I have read from 6 hrs to 12 hrs. Would also like to know what are the problems housing two Tortoises? As I was told by the breeder that they thrive better in pairs, so feeling confused. Any advice greatly received.

 

[LOZ]

Thank you. I have found your care sheet very helpful. I have a heat/uv lamp combined how long should this be on for bearing in mind my hatchlings sleep/burrow more than, their awake.

 

[Jabuticaba]

Welcome!


May, Aussies, & Hermannis
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[lismar79]

Tortoises are solitary creatures. They see another tort as compitition for food, best hiding area, best basking areas and can become aggressive towards each other. Even if you don't see it with your own eyes one will always become submisive and basically will wither away. I'm sorry you were given bad info from the pet store, this happens a lot

 

[Alaskamike]

Because we are social animals, and do not do well without contact with others, it is easy to project this idea onto our tortoises. As babies you will probably not have any problems, but as they grow, one will be dominant over the other. Oddly enough, if you have three it seems to go better than two. But especially with sulcatas you might want to think seriously about finding a different home for one of them. When they get large you will find the problems with 2 of them will multiply.

 

[LOZ]

Because we are social animals, and do not do well without contact with others, it is easy to project this idea onto our tortoises. As babies you will probably not have any problems, but as they grow, one will be dominant over the other. Oddly enough, if you have three it seems to go better than two. But especially with sulcatas you might want to think seriously about finding a different home for one of them. When they get large you will find the problems with 2 of them will multiply.

Thank you for the information, I will keep a close eye on them if any problems arise I will separate them, at this present time all is ok.

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom, I house them in a plastic children's sand pit with 50/50 top soil and play sand, artifical plants for them to hide under a wooden log and a a couple of slates for the basking area, and a few pieces of cuttle fish for the one inside, and same set up for the one outside when the weather is suitable here in the uk. The uv/heat lamp is 160w power sun. I have this set up to reach a temp of 30 and cooler end is 22. humidity 65. The room at night is a round 20. I am confused as to how long the lamp is to be on for I have read from 6 hrs to 12 hrs. Would also like to know what are the problems housing two Tortoises? As I was told by the breeder that they thrive better in pairs, so feeling confused. Any advice greatly received.

Over all your enclosure sound okay, but a few things stick out at me.
1. Your basking spot needs to be warmer. As reptiles, tortoises are dependent on external heat sources. 30 is not warm enough and will lead to inactivity. The area directly under the bulb should be in the neighbor hood of 37. Lowering the fixture a bit and re-checking the temperature should accomplish this. Your other temps sound fine. The bulb should be on for around 12 hours a day. Your heat lamp is supposed to mimic the sun. It should be on when the sun is up. If you don't want them to hibernate, you might need to extend the day cycle to 14 hours over winter, and add a CHE on a thermostat to keep night temps warmer.
2. Get rid of the sand. It is a serious impaction risk and possible skin and eye irritant. It is an old archaic remnant of tortoise keeping of the past and it is slowly dying a reluctant death. Word has just not gotten to everyone yet.
3. Here is a thread on pairs that explains the phenomenon in more detail: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/pairs.34837/

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

It surprised me how aggressive my sulcata is i used to keep him with two russians when he was there size. But then he started to flip them so i had to separate them but he was only 2 years old when he started flipping them.

 

[tortadise]

Welcome