Hi, I'm new here and trying to learn how to post and use this site. I have a California Desert Tortoise named Shelly (original, huh). She is 9-1/2 months old, I got her when she was 3 days hatched. She is beautiful, healthy, great appetite. She lives inside the house in a tank with a UVB light on daytime. I would love to get info from you experts, especially CDT experts because her needs are different from many of the breeds noted here. Don't know how to post a pic yet, but I love seeing pics of your gorgeous tortoises.
Introduction
- Thread starter Desert Jude
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Hello and WELCOME
Welcome!
Thanks for the welcome. I have been reading these forums for a while now and just registered. My tortoise was given to me by a friend who has 3 CDTs between ages 60-100 yrs. She has had them for many years. She told me to keep her indoors until she is 5 yrs old. Mostly my questions are regarding food. She loves dandelion flowers but they have become scarce. I give her European salad mix, she loves red leaf lettuce and bok choy. What has confused me is I have read not to give too much vegetables like broccoli, spinach and very little fruit. The info is conflicting and confusing. Please help.dmmj said:
Thanks for the welcome!
Their diet should be low with fruits and vegetables. My CDT gets strawberry tops not the whole fruit just the tops once or twice a month while they are growing. I tend to feed mine a diet heavy in weeds, leaves and flowers of various plants.
dmmj said:
Thanks I will remember the strawberry (you mean the green leafy tops, right?). My lawn is St. Augustine which they are supposed to like, she doesn't touch it. I took her outside today and she ate the tiny yellow flowers of the clover, not the grass, weeds, leaves, etc. I am certainly not new to animals, but a reptile who hibernates is new to me. I'm just afraid to give her plants which may harm her. As you can see I need all the help I can get, thanks again.
Welcome!
Good Evening from Colorado and Welcome to the forum. Hopefully, you figure out the picture thing soon. I can't wait to see your baby.
Hi Desert Jude:
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
I THINK (I can only guess) that the yellow flowers you are referring to are on the oxalis plant, not on clover. Quite similar looking, but very different plants.
Baby tortoises really don't do much grazing. It beats me how they manage to stay alive in the wild. Your European Mix is fine, and to that you can add weeds you pick from outside. There's another mix called Santa Barbara Mix that I like to use too.
May we know your name?
Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!
I THINK (I can only guess) that the yellow flowers you are referring to are on the oxalis plant, not on clover. Quite similar looking, but very different plants.
Baby tortoises really don't do much grazing. It beats me how they manage to stay alive in the wild. Your European Mix is fine, and to that you can add weeds you pick from outside. There's another mix called Santa Barbara Mix that I like to use too.
May we know your name?
Hello and welcome. Your baby will benefit tremendously from some time outside in the sun to exercise and graze. You just need to build a safe, secure enclosure and make sure there is always adequate shade and drinking water available.
If you click the links in my signature, there are some threads with ideas for different enclosures.
In our plant ID section, there is a thread with all sorts of good weeds with pics. The best diet for them is really a lot of "weeds". You can also look up all sorts of lists of edible tortoise foods like roses, pansies, gazania, grape leaves, mulberry leaves, hibiscus flowers and leaves, spineless opuntia cactus pads. Many sites offer seeds mixes that you can grow yourself. Right now I'm growing some "Russian Tortoise Mix" that I got from my friend Tyler at tortoisesupply.com. This would be a good mix for your CDT too.
Good luck and enjoy the ride...
If you click the links in my signature, there are some threads with ideas for different enclosures.
In our plant ID section, there is a thread with all sorts of good weeds with pics. The best diet for them is really a lot of "weeds". You can also look up all sorts of lists of edible tortoise foods like roses, pansies, gazania, grape leaves, mulberry leaves, hibiscus flowers and leaves, spineless opuntia cactus pads. Many sites offer seeds mixes that you can grow yourself. Right now I'm growing some "Russian Tortoise Mix" that I got from my friend Tyler at tortoisesupply.com. This would be a good mix for your CDT too.
Good luck and enjoy the ride...
Thanks for the info. She doesn't really eat weeds or grass, wish she did we have plenty of those, or rose petals. She likes dandelion flowers, hibiscus flowers, squash blossoms, bok choy and salad mix.Tom said:Hello and welcome. Your baby will benefit tremendously from some time outside in the sun to exercise and graze. You just need to build a safe, secure enclosure and make sure there is always adequate shade and drinking water available.
If you click the links in my signature, there are some threads with ideas for different enclosures.
In our plant ID section, there is a thread with all sorts of good weeds with pics. The best diet for them is really a lot of "weeds". You can also look up all sorts of lists of edible tortoise foods like roses, pansies, gazania, grape leaves, mulberry leaves, hibiscus flowers and leaves, spineless opuntia cactus pads. Many sites offer seeds mixes that you can grow yourself. Right now I'm growing some "Russian Tortoise Mix" that I got from my friend Tyler at tortoisesupply.com. This would be a good mix for your CDT too.
Good luck and enjoy the ride...
She has only been outside twice so far and under supervision, she is only the size of my palm, well slightly larger. I am afraid a hawk will swoop down and take her, or a small animal. My friend said she should be inside for the first 5 years. I welcome any and all help and advise, thanks.
Arizona Sulcata said:
Thank you so much for the welcome. I am very happy to be in the company of tortoise lovers!
emysemys said:
Thank you for the info, it is very welcome. I give her the salad mix as it comes out of the bag, should I cut it smaller? There is always a bit of wilted greens in her food dish and she doesn't seem to eat it once it is wilted. Bok choy seems to be her favorite non-flower food. I can't give her too much of it can I? I am very secure that I know how to take care of my cats and dog, but a tortoise is another ballgame
Judy Copsidas
Hi Judy:
I'm afraid your friend is sadly mistaken about how long to keep your new tortoise in the house.
I have two two-year old leopard tortoises that are smaller than my palm, one Texas baby that is about 2 and a half inches front to back and about 10 hatchling box turtles, the smallest of which is about the size of a dime. They are all outside and have been ever since the nights warmed up about the end of April.
This is where my leopard babies live:
I don't worry so much about birds getting the Texas baby or the box turtle babies, and they live here:
Your new tortoise would benefit greatly living outside. You just have to make sure it lives in a predator-safe habitat.
I'm afraid your friend is sadly mistaken about how long to keep your new tortoise in the house.
I have two two-year old leopard tortoises that are smaller than my palm, one Texas baby that is about 2 and a half inches front to back and about 10 hatchling box turtles, the smallest of which is about the size of a dime. They are all outside and have been ever since the nights warmed up about the end of April.
This is where my leopard babies live:
I don't worry so much about birds getting the Texas baby or the box turtle babies, and they live here:
Your new tortoise would benefit greatly living outside. You just have to make sure it lives in a predator-safe habitat.
Hi Jude and Welcome!
This is the best place for advice on torts. I have only been a CDT keeper for about 3 years, but there are alot of experts here Yvonne and Tom are 2 of them. I don't worry about birds anymore, but because I live in an area with huge hawks and ravens I did when my guys were hatchlings. You really do need to get them outside. If they were not captive that is were they would be. If you can not built an enclousure like Tom and Yvonne do then you might want to try what I did. I took a large rabbit cage( the wire kind with a removeable plastic bottom) put them on the lawn with the wire structure over them and they were safe. They also sell outdoor hatchling structures you can buy. Just make sure he has plenty of hides and water.
Keep offering him different weeds and leaves. If you are in S.CA you have to know someone with a fruitless Mullberry tree they love the leaves. Good luck and keep reading everything on this forum about CDTs
This is the best place for advice on torts. I have only been a CDT keeper for about 3 years, but there are alot of experts here Yvonne and Tom are 2 of them. I don't worry about birds anymore, but because I live in an area with huge hawks and ravens I did when my guys were hatchlings. You really do need to get them outside. If they were not captive that is were they would be. If you can not built an enclousure like Tom and Yvonne do then you might want to try what I did. I took a large rabbit cage( the wire kind with a removeable plastic bottom) put them on the lawn with the wire structure over them and they were safe. They also sell outdoor hatchling structures you can buy. Just make sure he has plenty of hides and water.
Keep offering him different weeds and leaves. If you are in S.CA you have to know someone with a fruitless Mullberry tree they love the leaves. Good luck and keep reading everything on this forum about CDTs
Hello and welcome!
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