My Greek in the uk

Catherine Chuck

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Joined
May 24, 2019
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Uk
I got Timmy for my 7th birthday, he has free roamed in my parents garden for 40 years and hibernated every year, he’s a Greek, and lucky to have survived the terrible journey and pet shop all those years ago. He has moved to my house and seems really well, he free roams here too, there’s lots of grass and paved areas, he’s definitely more relaxed as my parents recent pet dog stressed him out, and vice versa, I put a heat lamp on in the morning for him when he comes out and he loves basking, he has an outdoor house which he likes, it’s dark and sheltered, my question is should I get him a cold frame for when it rains ? He is an older chap now I just want him to be as comfortable as possible, I know he has survived all these years but is there anything I can do to improve his life ? Any advice would be warmly received

24A395CE-67BB-472D-AEAF-D1F8BE384AA3.jpeg
 

Yvonne G

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I got Timmy for my 7th birthday, he has free roamed in my parents garden for 40 years and hibernated every year, he’s a Greek, and lucky to have survived the terrible journey and pet shop all those years ago. He has moved to my house and seems really well, he free roams here too, there’s lots of grass and paved areas, he’s definitely more relaxed as my parents recent pet dog stressed him out, and vice versa, I put a heat lamp on in the morning for him when he comes out and he loves basking, he has an outdoor house which he likes, it’s dark and sheltered, my question is should I get him a cold frame for when it rains ? He is an older chap now I just want him to be as comfortable as possible, I know he has survived all these years but is there anything I can do to improve his life ? Any advice would be warmly received

View attachment 274417
What a great story. I'll send an alert to @JoesMum . She had "Joe" for over 40 years too, and he lived in their garden in the UK.
 

Gillian M

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I got Timmy for my 7th birthday, he has free roamed in my parents garden for 40 years and hibernated every year, he’s a Greek, and lucky to have survived the terrible journey and pet shop all those years ago. He has moved to my house and seems really well, he free roams here too, there’s lots of grass and paved areas, he’s definitely more relaxed as my parents recent pet dog stressed him out, and vice versa, I put a heat lamp on in the morning for him when he comes out and he loves basking, he has an outdoor house which he likes, it’s dark and sheltered, my question is should I get him a cold frame for when it rains ? He is an older chap now I just want him to be as comfortable as possible, I know he has survived all these years but is there anything I can do to improve his life ? Any advice would be warmly received

View attachment 274417
A very warm welcome to the forum, to you and Timmy. He's gorgeous. God bless him.

Even I have a Greek tort (Oli) and I love him.

Please read the care sheets and ask questions when in need of help.

Good luck with Timmy!
 

Mo & Bolt

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Aug 25, 2018
Messages
56
Location (City and/or State)
Uk
image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg Hello we are from Kent uk I have been gifted my 50 yr old tort via family, he has same sort of history . Please read my story . He has also come to me because of them having a new puppy. He has a pen , but also goes out around the lawn we have added a sun house for him , see pics . I just used an old glazing unit on bricks .
 

Catherine Chuck

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May 24, 2019
Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Uk

Catherine Chuck

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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Uk
That looks great I will do something similar, I just have this irrational fear he’s going to die of the cold,I want to put a blanket on him , it’s because we have guinea pigs and they come in every night, I’m used to looking after mammals, I will give the bind weed a go, he loves dandelion leaves,plantain, round lettuce, tomato and strawberries. I got him some cress thinking he would like it but definitely not and he won’t have carrots, he eats clover in the grass, he’s a great character I’m besotted ❤️
View attachment 274683 View attachment 274684 View attachment 274685 Hello we are from Kent uk I have been gifted my 50 yr old tort via family, he has same sort of history . Please read my story . He has also come to me because of them having a new puppy. He has a pen , but also goes out around the lawn we have added a sun house for him , see pics . I just used an old glazing unit on bricks .

 

Zaffy

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Apr 8, 2016
Messages
47
I am a lot older than 7, sixty-years older in fact, and for the last few years I have looked after a tortoise. His name is Boris and he is about the same age as me. He belonged to my brother. My brother kept Boris in tip top condition by natural methods. At first I listened to and read everything I could on looking after tortoises and I would tell my brother about all the things I had learned and my brother would just say 'listen to Boris'. It took a while to realise the obvious. Tortoises are wild creatures. They need nature and ,the outside. When it is mild and rainy Boris does not hide away. When it rains and it is not so warm, Boris tucks himself under the hedge. When the sun shines, he positions himself to get the maximum sun on his shell by parking himself against a wall at an angle. I have also noticed that Boris does not like hot weather all the time. After he has sunned himself, he takes himself off into a shady spot. Boris's area is a large patio, which has a hedge and wild flowers. I used to dig up plants that I read were poisonous, but Boris has taught me that he knows instinctively what is right for him. There are certain plants he just won't touch and others that he loves. I encourage the plants that he likes and discourage the plants that he doesn't like. There are quite a few daisies on the patio at the moment. I leave them because they are pretty but Boris won't touch them. I will pull them up when they finish flowering and encourage more hawk-weed, hawk-bit, plantain, violets, pansies, the list is endless. A few years ago, I would have pulled the daisies up, thinking Boris was like a baby and did not know what was good and bad for him. Boris does not have any artificial food. His favourite plant is dandelion which he has always eaten, which I find strange because websites tell us it is poisonous. Try telling Boris that and he'd laugh in your face! I do not get him automatically wormed and neither did my brother. Last year, I had Boris's poo tested by a vet for worms, and Boris passed with flying colours, healthy poo. Much better to do it that way than give unnecessary medication. Boris also likes to bathe. There is one thing I worry about and that is Boris's vulnerability when it comes to predators, so I bring him in at night but not until it gets late. I do not want to take away his natural ability to make his own bed at bedtime. He usually goes to the same place about six o'clock and shuffles himself down into the earth. I do not clear away the autumn leaves because he uses this for his bedding. It amazes me how he gets leaves on the top of his shell and can hardly be seen. Late at night, just before I go to bed, I bring Boris into the house. Boris's shell is beautiful, no lumps or bumps and the vet tells me he is in A1 condition. Man cannot create a perfect natural place indoors in a pen. So I say to everyone - whenever possible, get your tortoise outside in as big a space as possible, and give them choices of food and shelter, they know best. I would like to thank my brother for passing on to me his simple instructions on how to look after Boris.
 

Catherine Chuck

New Member
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
6
Location (City and/or State)
Uk
I am a lot older than 7, sixty-years older in fact, and for the last few years I have looked after a tortoise. His name is Boris and he is about the same age as me. He belonged to my brother. My brother kept Boris in tip top condition by natural methods. At first I listened to and read everything I could on looking after tortoises and I would tell my brother about all the things I had learned and my brother would just say 'listen to Boris'. It took a while to realise the obvious. Tortoises are wild creatures. They need nature and ,the outside. When it is mild and rainy Boris does not hide away. When it rains and it is not so warm, Boris tucks himself under the hedge. When the sun shines, he positions himself to get the maximum sun on his shell by parking himself against a wall at an angle. I have also noticed that Boris does not like hot weather all the time. After he has sunned himself, he takes himself off into a shady spot. Boris's area is a large patio, which has a hedge and wild flowers. I used to dig up plants that I read were poisonous, but Boris has taught me that he knows instinctively what is right for him. There are certain plants he just won't touch and others that he loves. I encourage the plants that he likes and discourage the plants that he doesn't like. There are quite a few daisies on the patio at the moment. I leave them because they are pretty but Boris won't touch them. I will pull them up when they finish flowering and encourage more hawk-weed, hawk-bit, plantain, violets, pansies, the list is endless. A few years ago, I would have pulled the daisies up, thinking Boris was like a baby and did not know what was good and bad for him. Boris does not have any artificial food. His favourite plant is dandelion which he has always eaten, which I find strange because websites tell us it is poisonous. Try telling Boris that and he'd laugh in your face! I do not get him automatically wormed and neither did my brother. Last year, I had Boris's poo tested by a vet for worms, and Boris passed with flying colours, healthy poo. Much better to do it that way than give unnecessary medication. Boris also likes to bathe. There is one thing I worry about and that is Boris's vulnerability when it comes to predators, so I bring him in at night but not until it gets late. I do not want to take away his natural ability to make his own bed at bedtime. He usually goes to the same place about six o'clock and shuffles himself down into the earth. I do not clear away the autumn leaves because he uses this for his bedding. It amazes me how he gets leaves on the top of his shell and can hardly be seen. Late at night, just before I go to bed, I bring Boris into the house. Boris's shell is beautiful, no lumps or bumps and the vet tells me he is in A1 condition. Man cannot create a perfect natural place indoors in a pen. So I say to everyone - whenever possible, get your tortoise outside in as big a space as possible, and give them choices of food and shelter, they know best. I would like to thank my brother for passing on to me his simple instructions on how to look after Boris.
Thankyou that’s so interesting, especially parking up at an angle and then going in the shade when he has finished sunbathing that’s just like Timmy, he’s not a bather though we have a sunken water saucer but he’s avoided it I wouldn’t pick him up and put him in as I like him coming over to me for food and I think that might make him mistrust me, I’ve tried all the tortoise table foods, he had a bite of carrot once, he actually dropped asparagus out of his mouth deliberately! He has a bite of a plum but mainly will only eat round lettuce or iceberg, cucumber, tomatoes, strawberries and dandelion leaves this is what he has been fed for 40 years so it can’t be that terrible he forages on the grass as he free roams, he has a kennel so stays out at night, interestingly though he prefers the summer house it’s a white Lino floor and he wedges under a cane chair but unfortunately we didn’t realise one evening and he got locked in until dinner time the next day! It was shocking for all involved thank goodness it was a Lino floor it was covered in wee and Poohy tortoise footprints, he was fine outwardly, avoided it for a few days but goes back in now but we close the door before settling down time, I think he’s very amiable and clever, he is so inquisitive and likes to stand on top of tools from the shed,he conquered a socket set and a drill last Sunday, I’m a bit worried about his first hibernation with us though
 

Karenxx67

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Aug 29, 2017
Messages
40
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London
Thankyou that’s so interesting, especially parking up at an angle and then going in the shade when he has finished sunbathing that’s just like Timmy, he’s not a bather though we have a sunken water saucer but he’s avoided it I wouldn’t pick him up and put him in as I like him coming over to me for food and I think that might make him mistrust me, I’ve tried all the tortoise table foods, he had a bite of carrot once, he actually dropped asparagus out of his mouth deliberately! He has a bite of a plum but mainly will only eat round lettuce or iceberg, cucumber, tomatoes, strawberries and dandelion leaves this is what he has been fed for 40 years so it can’t be that terrible he forages on the grass as he free roams, he has a kennel so stays out at night, interestingly though he prefers the summer house it’s a white Lino floor and he wedges under a cane chair but unfortunately we didn’t realise one evening and he got locked in until dinner time the next day! It was shocking for all involved thank goodness it was a Lino floor it was covered in wee and Poohy tortoise footprints, he was fine outwardly, avoided it for a few days but goes back in now but we close the door before settling down time, I think he’s very amiable and clever, he is so inquisitive and likes to stand on top of tools from the shed,he conquered a socket set and a drill last Sunday, I’m a bit worried about his first hibernation with us though
Can i please ask for people that have tortoises living outside, in the UK. What do you do in say the months of March and April or May when they cime out of hibernarion when its still quite cold?
Id be terrified they wernt warm enough?
 

Lyn W

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23,497
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Can i please ask for people that have tortoises living outside, in the UK. What do you do in say the months of March and April or May when they cime out of hibernarion when its still quite cold?
Id be terrified they wernt warm enough?
Hi I have messaged @JoesMum who also lives in Kent, she had a Greek and will be able to give you great advice.
She is on holiday at the moment but as soon as she has time she will get back to you.
 

Lyn W

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Thankyou that’s so interesting, especially parking up at an angle and then going in the shade when he has finished sunbathing that’s just like Timmy, he’s not a bather though we have a sunken water saucer but he’s avoided it I wouldn’t pick him up and put him in as I like him coming over to me for food and I think that might make him mistrust me, I’ve tried all the tortoise table foods, he had a bite of carrot once, he actually dropped asparagus out of his mouth deliberately! He has a bite of a plum but mainly will only eat round lettuce or iceberg, cucumber, tomatoes, strawberries and dandelion leaves this is what he has been fed for 40 years so it can’t be that terrible he forages on the grass as he free roams, he has a kennel so stays out at night, interestingly though he prefers the summer house it’s a white Lino floor and he wedges under a cane chair but unfortunately we didn’t realise one evening and he got locked in until dinner time the next day! It was shocking for all involved thank goodness it was a Lino floor it was covered in wee and Poohy tortoise footprints, he was fine outwardly, avoided it for a few days but goes back in now but we close the door before settling down time, I think he’s very amiable and clever, he is so inquisitive and likes to stand on top of tools from the shed,he conquered a socket set and a drill last Sunday, I’m a bit worried about his first hibernation with us though
@JoesMum is on hols but I have messaged her about this thread so I'm sure she'll help when she has time.
 

Zaffy

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Boris hibernates indoors in the coolest part of the house. I check on him often during hibernation. When he wakes up, I encourage him to eat straight away by keeping him warm and I give him warm baths. He stays indoors until the weather warms.
 

JoesMum

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Hi there, greetings from Kent via the South of France.

Joe was also a 7th birthday present... we had him for 47 years until we lost him to a tumour.

It looks like you have care pretty much nailed.

Take a look at this thread that I put together about looking after a Greek in the UK climate... it’s pinned in the accommodation forum.

I’m happy to answer questions
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
 

Catherine Chuck

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Hi there, greetings from Kent via the South of France.

Joe was also a 7th birthday present... we had him for 47 years until we lost him to a tumour.

It looks like you have care pretty much nailed.

Take a look at this thread that I put together about looking after a Greek in the UK climate... it’s pinned in the accommodation forum.

I’m happy to answer questions
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/
Hi sorry for the late reply, Timmy is just terrible this year after hibernation. He has the whole run of the garden but as soon as my husband, particularly, or anyone else comes in the garden it’s just vicious aggression, ramming, biting, mounting and squeaking yet he’s fine with me, he will run over but has a pat and a stroke a few dandelion leaves then he’s off on his security checks again, do you think it’s better to screen off an area for him ? I am unsure as I just like to think he has a large area to roam, it’s varied too there’s grass, stones, patio and plenty of borders. I don’t want to pen him in but he just won’t let my husband do the garden or set foot without charging over, I adore Timmy but I think if he was bigger he would be a dangerous chap any advice ?
 

Lyn W

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Maybe just add some barriers to break up his space that would take Timmy longer to navigate around to get the 'intruder' but I think @JoesMum can help you with this too as she had similar problems with Joe being territorial.
 

JoesMum

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Hi sorry for the late reply, Timmy is just terrible this year after hibernation. He has the whole run of the garden but as soon as my husband, particularly, or anyone else comes in the garden it’s just vicious aggression, ramming, biting, mounting and squeaking yet he’s fine with me, he will run over but has a pat and a stroke a few dandelion leaves then he’s off on his security checks again, do you think it’s better to screen off an area for him ? I am unsure as I just like to think he has a large area to roam, it’s varied too there’s grass, stones, patio and plenty of borders. I don’t want to pen him in but he just won’t let my husband do the garden or set foot without charging over, I adore Timmy but I think if he was bigger he would be a dangerous chap any advice ?
We bought low fencing, interlocking panels from the garden centre and used that to fence a section of the lawn along with the surrounding flower beds from the patio and our bit of the garden.

This photo is of some of them.
47D1E330-6B9C-4F32-8830-C6DB0525A35D.jpeg

Lawn cutting was always done very early in the morning before Joe had warmed up.

We learned to garden with the toe of one shoe on the floor and always point the sole of the shoe towards Joe so he could attack that. Failing that we could give him a sex toy … a trainer or flipflop, the drain cover, a bin bag or simply a bucket to attack as that would distract him from us.
 

Catherine Chuck

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Thankyou for the advice I do have an old brown shoe he’s keen on, the fencing looks a good portable idea too, I popped him in the shed the other day as he was attacking my husband then he did a big poo in the middle of the floor, luckily I cleared it up before he saw, he’s not Timmy’s biggest fan.
 

TaylorTortoise

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I am a lot older than 7, sixty-years older in fact, and for the last few years I have looked after a tortoise. His name is Boris and he is about the same age as me. He belonged to my brother. My brother kept Boris in tip top condition by natural methods. At first I listened to and read everything I could on looking after tortoises and I would tell my brother about all the things I had learned and my brother would just say 'listen to Boris'. It took a while to realise the obvious. Tortoises are wild creatures. They need nature and ,the outside. When it is mild and rainy Boris does not hide away. When it rains and it is not so warm, Boris tucks himself under the hedge. When the sun shines, he positions himself to get the maximum sun on his shell by parking himself against a wall at an angle. I have also noticed that Boris does not like hot weather all the time. After he has sunned himself, he takes himself off into a shady spot. Boris's area is a large patio, which has a hedge and wild flowers. I used to dig up plants that I read were poisonous, but Boris has taught me that he knows instinctively what is right for him. There are certain plants he just won't touch and others that he loves. I encourage the plants that he likes and discourage the plants that he doesn't like. There are quite a few daisies on the patio at the moment. I leave them because they are pretty but Boris won't touch them. I will pull them up when they finish flowering and encourage more hawk-weed, hawk-bit, plantain, violets, pansies, the list is endless. A few years ago, I would have pulled the daisies up, thinking Boris was like a baby and did not know what was good and bad for him. Boris does not have any artificial food. His favourite plant is dandelion which he has always eaten, which I find strange because websites tell us it is poisonous. Try telling Boris that and he'd laugh in your face! I do not get him automatically wormed and neither did my brother. Last year, I had Boris's poo tested by a vet for worms, and Boris passed with flying colours, healthy poo. Much better to do it that way than give unnecessary medication. Boris also likes to bathe. There is one thing I worry about and that is Boris's vulnerability when it comes to predators, so I bring him in at night but not until it gets late. I do not want to take away his natural ability to make his own bed at bedtime. He usually goes to the same place about six o'clock and shuffles himself down into the earth. I do not clear away the autumn leaves because he uses this for his bedding. It amazes me how he gets leaves on the top of his shell and can hardly be seen. Late at night, just before I go to bed, I bring Boris into the house. Boris's shell is beautiful, no lumps or bumps and the vet tells me he is in A1 condition. Man cannot create a perfect natural place indoors in a pen. So I say to everyone - whenever possible, get your tortoise outside in as big a space as possible, and give them choices of food and shelter, they know best. I would like to thank my brother for passing on to me his simple instructions on how to look after Boris.
This is an awesome story, I like the way you describe bed time by shuffeling himself down into the earth. That was awesome. I wanted to ask, How do you keep predators away from Boris?
Also, How do you prevent flooding that could be dangerous for Boris? What do you do when it rains, bad storms?
 

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