Meet Buddy

[Polly]

 

[Polly]

Meet Buddy who joined us on the 28th. He is a marginated baby who hatched about July 2016.
My 9 year old son asked for a snake and I refused to allow him a carnivorous reptile and a tortoise seemed the best compromise - cue excessive homework to give the little creature the best chance and absolute paranoia about his eating and behaviour habits!
The good news is that he has either eaten or hidden his lamb's lettuce sprinkled with cuttlefish and he has apparently been nibbling the succulents and cress in his table.
The bad news is I may have chosen the wrong substrate to give the best humidity for him.
More good news is that the cats are showing no interest in him and that this morning he climbed onto my hand for a chin rub. He really is rather sweet!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Polly

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Polly, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Buddy.
Have you seen http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/marginated-tortoise-testudo-marginata-care-sheet.98564/ ?
Very useful stuff.
Coco coir, cypress mulch or orchid bark are all good substrates.

 

[popeye tortoise]

Hello Buddy and welcome to the forum

 

[melissah]

Hello Buddy, I'm jealous Buddy let you rub his chin lol I have a 1yr old sulcata and he won't let me near his head he does eat from my hand if I offer something yummy so we're still working on the head rubbing. ;}

 

[Polly]

Hello, Polly, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Buddy.
Have you seen http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/marginated-tortoise-testudo-marginata-care-sheet.98564/ ?
Very useful stuff.
Coco coir, cypress mulch or orchid bark are all good substrates.

Thanks TidgysDad, JoesMum told me about Coco coir this afternoon. I ordered some from Amazon arriving tomorrow, but I was so worried about him eating the substrate that I tracked some down locally. I changed the substrate and now he's eating and running round brilliantly!

 

[Polly]

New surface! Buddy has gone to bed now - warn out!

 

[MPRC]

Cute little guy! I'm glad to see the new substrate.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

View attachment 196254
New surface! Buddy has gone to bed now - warn out!

Much better!

 

[BILBO-03]

Hi and Welcome!