ClydesMom
New Member
Hi, This is Clyde (I think it's a boy). He was given to me but with very little information about him. I have never owned a tortoise before and I have read a lot online but find some conflicting information. I was going to re-home him because I feel like I don't know what I'm doing but these people were going to turn it lose in the dessert and I thought that would be wrong. The people who answered my ad wanted to breed him and I feel like there are already too many of them. So here we are, to learn and get advice on what we are doing right and wrong.
I keep him outside most of the day and bring him in at night until can finish his home outside. I'm wondering is there any plants that are toxic to tortoise's? He loves to burrow under lantana bushes and just would like to know if that's ok or can they make him sick? I have no idea how old he is, he is about 10 inches front to back of his shell. He poops plenty and I feed him a diet of soaked desert tortoise pellets, mixed greens, dandelion greens, turnip/mustard greens and timothy hay every other day, sometimes roses or hibiscus flower/leaves. (I read where they shouldn't be fed daily, is this true?) I sprinkle calcium on his greens a few times a week and I soak him in the tub a few times a week for about 20 minutes.
I don't have a huge space for him, it's going to be more long than wide, probably around 10' wide and 20' long with a burrow hole that is dirt. There is a sunny area and much shade from citrus trees. The trees get soaked and I felt like that moisture would be good for him and keep his area humid. Do you think that will work? He seems to want to hide under the bushes most of the day... is that normal? Thanks for any help you can offer while we get started!
I keep him outside most of the day and bring him in at night until can finish his home outside. I'm wondering is there any plants that are toxic to tortoise's? He loves to burrow under lantana bushes and just would like to know if that's ok or can they make him sick? I have no idea how old he is, he is about 10 inches front to back of his shell. He poops plenty and I feed him a diet of soaked desert tortoise pellets, mixed greens, dandelion greens, turnip/mustard greens and timothy hay every other day, sometimes roses or hibiscus flower/leaves. (I read where they shouldn't be fed daily, is this true?) I sprinkle calcium on his greens a few times a week and I soak him in the tub a few times a week for about 20 minutes.
I don't have a huge space for him, it's going to be more long than wide, probably around 10' wide and 20' long with a burrow hole that is dirt. There is a sunny area and much shade from citrus trees. The trees get soaked and I felt like that moisture would be good for him and keep his area humid. Do you think that will work? He seems to want to hide under the bushes most of the day... is that normal? Thanks for any help you can offer while we get started!
