Hello TFO,
I recently took in a Homes Hingeback Tortoise as a rescue from a young lady who'd bought him at an expo here in NH.
The day I brought him home he felt very light (from a density standpoint, when compared to my other three tortoises), and after an initial soaking, he weighed 125g.
Using a rehydration formula and daily soaks, over the next ten days he increased his weight some 45% to 180g, which is the top weight he's achieved with me.
Since then, Nelson has gone down and up in weight, neither reaching the low-point at which he arrived nor breaking the 180g mark at the end of his initial recovery.
I'm still soaking him 4-5 times each week, a mix of 1-hour soaks in the rehydration formula and longer (4-10 hour) soaks in warm water baths (in his enclosure to hold the heat to an acceptable level).
His appetite is good, and he's been eating a varied diet of mushrooms and veggies and fruit and protein and greens and some kibble. His enclosure ranges from 73-83 degrees, and 85-95 percent humidity; I've got low-intensity light cycling on and off periodically throughout a 12 hour day to mimic the dappled sunlight he would be enjoying in his homeland.
At his weigh-in yesterday, he tipped the scales at 162g; I'd love your thoughts about what I could alter or add to support his well-being.
Thanks,
Jamie
@2turtletom
I recently took in a Homes Hingeback Tortoise as a rescue from a young lady who'd bought him at an expo here in NH.
The day I brought him home he felt very light (from a density standpoint, when compared to my other three tortoises), and after an initial soaking, he weighed 125g.
Using a rehydration formula and daily soaks, over the next ten days he increased his weight some 45% to 180g, which is the top weight he's achieved with me.
Since then, Nelson has gone down and up in weight, neither reaching the low-point at which he arrived nor breaking the 180g mark at the end of his initial recovery.
I'm still soaking him 4-5 times each week, a mix of 1-hour soaks in the rehydration formula and longer (4-10 hour) soaks in warm water baths (in his enclosure to hold the heat to an acceptable level).
His appetite is good, and he's been eating a varied diet of mushrooms and veggies and fruit and protein and greens and some kibble. His enclosure ranges from 73-83 degrees, and 85-95 percent humidity; I've got low-intensity light cycling on and off periodically throughout a 12 hour day to mimic the dappled sunlight he would be enjoying in his homeland.
At his weigh-in yesterday, he tipped the scales at 162g; I'd love your thoughts about what I could alter or add to support his well-being.
Thanks,
Jamie
@2turtletom