I have just been told that I am doing everything wrong!

Zeldee

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I met today with a lady that has her first tortoise. Hers is a hamans. I have a Russian. We basically have young tortoises of the same age. She told me that shell size is not an indicator of how much time they should be in the sun outside. She also told me it is a myth that soaking allows a tortoise to rehydrate. I have done some research on this matter and truly believe that torts intake through their cloaca.

she told Mei have the wrong substrate and basically I not only have everything wrong but thatI have chosen the wrong kind of tortoise. She said that the tort I have is really grumpy!

my Beti is lovely and is already starting to come to us.

her enclosure is a tort table. We feed her lots of different tort friendly weeds. She is on tort substrate ( topsoil and sand mix with calcium bits). We have planted aloe Vera and a prayer plant. She likes hiding her head under the prayer plant while she is basking.

can I ask if anything sounds wrong with what I’m doing?
 

wellington

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I totally agree with IAmCentrochelys sulcata.
Do not use sand as it can cause inpactions specially if you have calcium in it that they may try to eat.
Tell that lady that she is absolutely wrong and will be doing harm to her tortoise. Tell her to join this forum and to listen too people that have a lot more tortoises and for a lot long time.
 

Tom

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I met today with a lady that has her first tortoise. Hers is a hamans. I have a Russian. We basically have young tortoises of the same age. She told me that shell size is not an indicator of how much time they should be in the sun outside. She also told me it is a myth that soaking allows a tortoise to rehydrate. I have done some research on this matter and truly believe that torts intake through their cloaca.

she told Mei have the wrong substrate and basically I not only have everything wrong but thatI have chosen the wrong kind of tortoise. She said that the tort I have is really grumpy!

my Beti is lovely and is already starting to come to us.

her enclosure is a tort table. We feed her lots of different tort friendly weeds. She is on tort substrate ( topsoil and sand mix with calcium bits). We have planted aloe Vera and a prayer plant. She likes hiding her head under the prayer plant while she is basking.

can I ask if anything sounds wrong with what I’m doing?
Sounds like you met the wrong lady! She's repeating a lot of the old wrong info that has been perpetuated for at least 3 decades. Some people haven't kept up with the new and improved info and methods that have been researched and discovered with lots of experimentation and hard work.

Open tables are usually okay for adults if the temperatures and humidity in the room are within the range of what your species needs. If not, then a large closed chamber will work better. Closed chambers usually work better for babies.

The weeds are great.

The substrate must go.

Plants sound okay.

Here is the correct and up to date care info:

It would be great if you could pass this info on the the other lady too.
 

Maro2Bear

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Yep, I agree with others, but make sure to swap out your substrate that you say is “She is on tort substrate ( topsoil and sand mix with calcium bits).”
 

Blackdog1714

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Remember for many years after the first man claimed the earth was round- many highly educated people called them crazy! ?
 

Zeldee

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Sounds like you met the wrong lady! She's repeating a lot of the old wrong info that has been perpetuated for at least 3 decades. Some people haven't kept up with the new and improved info and methods that have been researched and discovered with lots of experimentation and hard work.

Open tables are usually okay for adults if the temperatures and humidity in the room are within the range of what your species needs. If not, then a large closed chamber will work better. Closed chambers usually work better for babies.

The weeds are great.

The substrate must go.

Plants sound okay.

Here is the correct and up to date care info:

It would be great if you could pass this info on the the other lady too.

thank you so much. I was really doubting myself but your info is great. My substrate is going as soon as my newly acquired top soil has dried a little. You guys are brilliant. My 16 year old told me about a month before we even thought about getting a tort that they can take on water while soaking as an interesting fact! Lol

Our Beti will be really helped while you guys are here xx
 

Tom

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thank you so much. I was really doubting myself but your info is great. My substrate is going as soon as my newly acquired top soil has dried a little. You guys are brilliant. My 16 year old told me about a month before we even thought about getting a tort that they can take on water while soaking as an interesting fact! Lol

Our Beti will be really helped while you guys are here xx
Taking on water through the cloaca has been studied and proven in some turtles. I don't think it has been studied or proven in any tortoises species, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. There are many reasons why soaking is beneficial, and comparative results prove it too.

I would not use topsoil for substrate either. It is made from composted yard waste and there is no way to know what is in that bad. Could be something toxic.
 

Zeldee

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Taking on water through the cloaca has been studied and proven in some turtles. I don't think it has been studied or proven in any tortoises species, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. There are many reasons why soaking is beneficial, and comparative results prove it too.

I would not use topsoil for substrate either. It is made from composted yard waste and there is no way to know what is in that bad. Could be something toxic.

I have been drying my topsoil in the oven all evening. Doing it in batches. I have sieved it and now I’m confident with it. It’s been sterilised previously and had some organic matter added. No chemicals. I havesieved out anything and everything x
 

Tom

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I have been drying my topsoil in the oven all evening. Doing it in batches. I have sieved it and now I’m confident with it. It’s been sterilised previously and had some organic matter added. No chemicals. I havesieved out anything and everything x
If you bought it in a bag, there is no way to know what is in it. It could be oleander and azaleas. It could be lawn clippings treated with chemicals. There is no way to know. Drying it in the oven doesn't remove toxic plant material and it doesn't remove toxic land chemicals. Sterilizing it also doesn't remove toxins, if any are present.

Besides all of that, its messy and turns to mud when dampened.
 

Zeldee

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Its definately topsoil. Removed all stones etc. Topsoil in thids countrygas lots of crap in it. Removed all stones and bits of brick etc. This soil has never been treater with ferts! Lol
 

Tom

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Its definately topsoil. Removed all stones etc. Topsoil in thids countrygas lots of crap in it. Removed all stones and bits of brick etc. This soil has never been treater with ferts! Lol
I know that it is topsoil. Topsoil is made from composted yard waste. Your neighbor sprays chemicals all over his lawn, and then trims his azaleas and oleander shrubs and those trimmings go into the greens bin. The greens bin is eventually dumped at a place that composts all that yard waste, puts it in a shiny new bag and sells it to the store where you went and bought it.

There is no way for you to know what is in that bag. The crap in it is just one more reason to not use it.
 
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