Hello all we are new here

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum!

As mentioned above, there is a lot of old, bad advice floating around, even from places that should know better. Folks here are just trying to help you raise a healthy tortoise, as hatchlings are fragile. But it is a lot of information to process, for sure!

We are glad you are here.

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Welcome to the forum!

As mentioned above, there is a lot of old, bad advice floating around, even from places that should know better. Folks here are just trying to help you raise a healthy tortoise, as hatchlings are fragile. But it is a lot of information to process, for sure!

We are glad you are here.

I totally understand and hand on heart this is why I'm here to get as much advice as possible... I read everything she sent prior to her sending it as iv been viewing this page for a while before I became a member... I just feel people will take advice and learn better if the other person doe it in a nice and manageable way.. trust me being a 1st time tortoise owner is just as stressful, scary and worrying as being a 1st time mum.. theirs soooooo much to learn and know even from what tank, Variruim, tortoise table to choose! Whats good whats bad.... even learning his body language to what it means its ALOT of hard work dedication and money and I'm putting my all into doing my very best... all I ask is that advice is given in a kind manor as I'm stressed out lol feels like information overload... I'm up till 2am researching.... I wouldn't be here if I didn't want the very best for him... my mum was teasing me and laughing ( in a kind way ) that I dry his little armpits ect with a cotton bud ever so gently I care for him like a newborn baby keep checking that his not fallen on his back, or trapped that his eating drinking and poop and urinating, not falling into his water bowl iv put washed clean beach pebbles in there, so he can't drown I was like omg thank God his ok.... it's a huge responsibility to do this right and I'm gonna do my very best for him it's daunting when you're new to it all... so iv taken it all on board what you all say... His special soil mix won't be delivered till the 16th so as my mum said he would of been on the same bedding from the breeders if I didnt buy him till then so it's ok and not to stress too much till his proper bedding comes ( iv posted pics of what iv ordered recently) i just wanna get it all perfect then I can relax and enjoy him as at the min i feel so on edge now that what iv done so far isn't good enough or right for him now

 

[Cheryl Hills]

You are doing the best you can. That’s what counts!

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

You are doing the best you can. That’s what counts!

Thank you honestly means alot x

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

All heat lights have been off over a hour now and the temp is 75F is that ok?

 

[JoesMum]

All heat lights have been off over a hour now and the temp is 75F is that ok?

It is going to be too cold overnight. Can you put some kitchen foil over the top to retain the heat?

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Sara, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and the handsome Mr Handsome.
wifey was called Sara before she became wifey and she has a Mr Handsome too!

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

It is going to be too cold overnight. Can you put some kitchen foil over the top to retain the heat?

Hello, Sara, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and the handsome Mr Handsome.
wifey was called Sara before she became wifey and she has a Mr Handsome too!

Thank you very much that honestly means alot haha well it seems that Sara's are suckers for handsome men then lol could you please help me I'm slightly confused on the curly kale iv read alot of conflicting information is it treat like grated carrot? Or a main food souce?

 

[JoesMum]

Carrot is an occasional food due to its sweetness

Kale, if you look it up on The Tortoise Table, has high calcium content and relatively low level of oxalates which is good... but is high in goitrogens which interfere with iodine uptake resulting in thyroid problems... As a result TTT has it as Feed in Moderation. It's a good food as part of a varied diet, but don't feed it every day.
See this: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=529&c=8#.WgqsBa2nzo4

Your tortoise needs variety in its diet, just like you. However, this doesn't mean variety within each meal. Gather suitable greens and feed them. When they run out gather something different.

You cannot have a tortoise without either improving your own diet or wasting a lot... My family has grown up with no choice about eating greens and I can always rustle up a salad or stir fry

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Carrot is an occasional food due to its sweetness

Kale, if you look it up on The Tortoise Table, has high calcium content and relatively low level of oxalates which is good... but is high in goitrogens which interfere with iodine uptake resulting in thyroid problems... As a result TTT has it as Feed in Moderation. It's a good food as part of a varied diet, but don't feed it every day.
See this: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=529&c=8#.WgqsBa2nzo4

Your tortoise needs variety in its diet, just like you. However, this doesn't mean variety within each meal. Gather suitable greens and feed them. When they run out gather something different.

You cannot have a tortoise without either improving your own diet or wasting a lot... My family has grown up with no choice about eating greens and I can always rustle up a salad or stir fry

Thank you thats brilliant I'm a vegan so always veg in my household... I do feed my children and husband the odd vegan meal with me but i dont push my lifestyle on to them... plus we have a rabbit and chickens so theres never any food waste in this household... I'm a bit worried about the sterilized loam and sand mix I got now as i don't want the sand to bother him so going to go and buy sterilized top soil and make him a humidiy hide today! Hit me with all your best advice with that as I'm really excited to make it and know you will be the best person to tell me ( ps iv changed the clear container for bath time) took your advice so I guess the saying teamwork makes the dream work is the case here lol

 

[JoesMum]

A vegan with chickens... greens problem solved

Top Soil isn't great as it tends to compact hard when it gets damp.

You are better off with plain coco coir or fine grade orchid bark (not the coarse stuff - it doesn't hold moisture)

Make sure whatever you buy has no added fertilisers or bits to hold water, perlite, vermiculite or the like.

We don't recommend sand either as it sticks to wet food and gets eaten and then impacts in the gut.

I am off to watch tennis at the O2 today so will be offline by lunchtime. If you're not getting any attention I suggest you post in The Cold Dark Room where someone like @Tidgy's Dad or @Bee62 will be able to help

The CDR is a general chat thread with an international and friendly bunch talking. It's rarely quiet in there for long, so a good place to find someone awake!
Here's the CDR thread https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/cold-dark-room.123941

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Thank you I'll do that iv been wondering is the underside of his shell normal? I'm worried as I don't know

 

[JoesMum]

Looks wonderful

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Really? But it's got all wrinkled bits like if you push wet gloss that only the skin has dried! That's normal?

 

[JoesMum]

The tortoise is folded in half in the egg and the plastron folded in two. It unfolds when it hatches and gradually straightens out. The shell then hardens to what you expect.

As long as it’s pliable rather than squishy it is fine.

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Thank you so much! I said this to my mum but she said im bathing him too much and I made his shell that way! This is why i need you to stop me having a total melt down! I' going to proudly go and her now that I was right and that it's not from me bathing him too much.. that's it never asking my mum tortoise advice again

 

[JoesMum]

Shell doesn’t wrinkle in water like your fingers do

Your tort’s shell will soon be completely hard.

If it goes soft after that it’s a sign of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) caused by lack of UVB and poor diet... hopefully that will never happen

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

Nope that will never happen I'm determined to be the best trotise mum I can after his bath this morning I wet my hands in his left over bath water and mixed it with his hemp under his heating area and put a towel over over the mesh at the top most of the way to make it humid for him he loved it and then had his breakfast

 

[TammyJ]

I am loving the way this thread is going.
Welcome to you, LondonLady and Mr. Handsome!

 

[xlondon-ladyx]

T

I am loving the way this thread is going.
Welcome to you, LondonLady and Mr. Handsome!

Thank you so much iv honestly learnt so much and feel so much more confident