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Portable Tortle

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Hi, good to meet you all. Just joined the forum. This is Mortimer, she is a forrest hingeback tortoise. My parents bought her for me for my 11th Birthday. I've had her for 20 years now. She was real sick when we got her (stupid pet store had the breed wrong and were not caring for her properly). The vet we took her to thought she might be a male so I named her Mortimer and then a couple years later she laid an egg ?‍♂️. Never changed the name. Was too used to calling her Morty by then.IMG_20180913_1812376.jpg
 

MichaelL

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Also, just some constructive criticism, not trying to be mean/rude. You should probably not use a tank or that reptile carpet. I would make a nice, large tortoise table with a dirt/soil substrate and lots of room to move and dig. In that tank it looks like she can't really move much and doesn't have a place to hide and feel secure. :)
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You are to be congratulated for nursing Morty back to health and helping her thrive under your good care for the past 20 years! That's something to be proud of. But, I'm sorry to say, Morty needs a tank upgrade! Does she get outside time when weather permits?
 

Portable Tortle

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

You are to be congratulated for nursing Morty back to health and helping her thrive under your good care for the past 20 years! That's something to be proud of. But, I'm sorry to say, Morty needs a tank upgrade! Does she get outside time when weather permits?
Thank you Yvonne, when the weather is nice, I do typically take her outside to roam around and get some sun. What would you suggest I do for an enclosure? This is kind of the setup that I have had for a long time, which was always based on what the vet we took her to way back when recommended. She has done pretty well with it, but of course want to take good care of her and would not be at all opposed to an upgrade.
 

Portable Tortle

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Also, just some constructive criticism, not trying to be mean/rude. You should probably not use a tank or that reptile carpet. I would make a nice, large tortoise table with a dirt/soil substrate and lots of room to move and dig. In that tank it looks like she can't really move much and doesn't have a place to hide and feel secure. :)

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is a tortoise table? I've had her for a long time, but am no tortoise expert by any means.
 

Quadro

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Welcome to the forum! Very nice looking tortoise hinge backs are very interesting very glad to hear your willingness to take advice from the experienced keepers on here , wish All tortoise owners would do that ?
 

MichaelL

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Sorry for my ignorance, but what is a tortoise table? I've had her for a long time, but am no tortoise expert by any means.
Hahah no worries, I am no expert either;) It is basically an open topped, large enclosure that is kind of like a table with raised edges on each of the sides preventing escape. You can make one by putting a bookshelf on its side and taking the shelves out and then adding the soil and plants and stuff. You seem to have been taking care of her great, she looks awesome and healthy but she just needs a tank upgrade. :)
 

Portable Tortle

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Hahah no worries, I am no expert either;) It is basically an open topped, large enclosure that is kind of like a table with raised edges on each of the sides preventing escape. You can make one by putting a bookshelf on its side and taking the shelves out and then adding the soil and plants and stuff. You seem to have been taking care of her great, she looks awesome and healthy but she just needs a tank upgrade. :)

Thanks! yeah that seems super simple to make too. What is the best substrate to use for it? How often should it be changed out? Any advice is helpful.
 

RosemaryDW

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Welcome, what a pretty tortoise. Twenty years!

You can get good advice on setting up a cheap table in our section on enclosures.

Obviously she’s managed around them but she’ll be much safer with a cheap terracotta saucer to soak in. She can’t easily bend her head to get into what you have. Again, I know she’s done well for twenty years but they are not at all recommended. They are something pet stores will happily sell you, though! Something that’s a little bigger than she is, so she can fit her whole body in it; not deep.
 

bouaboua

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Hello and Welcome ! ! !
 

MichaelL

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I would use a
Thanks! yeah that seems super simple to make too. What is the best substrate to use for it? How often should it be changed out? Any advice is helpful.
A mix of organic potting soil and cypress mulch would be good, but I'm not sure for your specific species. I would just look in the section of enclosures for your specific tortoise, or search the web. Good luck!
 
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