Juvenile enclosure and diet

TheLastGreen

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2021
Messages
929
Location (City and/or State)
Johannesburg
I got Zvezda a female (stunted tort), I want to give her the absolute best life possible, so I want to upgrade a few things.
I have built an outdoor enclosure, it is about 25m². (Which will be made a lot larger.)
The enclosure is barren. It has a large shade patch with deep shade, covered in rather long grass.
I have made her a house out of an old bucket cut in half.
She has a large (shallow) watter bowl, with slight edges so that she can't tip.
The temps at night here are warm, but I don't feel comfortable leaving my tort out at night (20C, that is, but the wind is cool)
I want to upgrade the enclosure.
What should I add?
What is an appropriate house for her, something insulated? Any tips on it, I think I should build the night box from @Tom
Also, it is going to rain in 3 days and all I can here is RESPIRATORY INFECTION, I don't want to take ANY risks.
My tort is in a seperated temporary enclosure with adequate substrate and temperature etc, but the poor thing would go mad in the enclosure. She walks and walks, I often see her walk around the edges of her outdoor enclosure, is this normal?
Diet
I have asked before, but a lot of people have already helped with that, and I found an excellent list from @Yvonne G Screenshot_20211116-164343_Samsung Internet.jpg
I have most of them already growing, so I can add them, but how should I add them? I have tried kale and lettuce even spekboom but she doesn't seem intrested. I think her previous owner fed her cactus pads, but I can't find them, should I slowly try to introduce these instead of just making a chopped up salad and presenting it to her?
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Tortoises hatch out near food plants (where the eggs were laid). They bite and taste all sorts in the first few weeks of life. Then they begin to harden down to plants that are familiar.

They can absolutely develop wider tastes, but introduction has to be slow and persistent. Chop a new plant very small and add a few bits to leaves you know she will eat. Build up one new food at a time.

If you don't have a proper night box, do bring her indoors when weather is not optimal. Get building! lol

Tortoises are quite territorial. They like HOME. When they are transplanted, it is common for them to be restless and try to escape back HOME. Make sure your enclosures are safe and secure while she is in the process of realizing she is safe and will have plentiful resources. The perimeter of any enclosure is the longest walking track, so keep that area clear for exercising. Landscape and decorate the inner territory.
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
It looks similar to our honeysuckle, but very much larger.

Do you have a garden shop or landscaper or college you can ask?
 
Top