New Indian Star Tortoise Enclosure ideas, tips, guide, help needed

Skyh3ck

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Joined
Sep 21, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
India
Hello Guys

I have two baby star tortoise, I am from Mumbai India, i want to give them best life they can get,

right now they are kept in a plastic box, the box has cover and handle and grilled mesh to get fresh air and enough light, now i am planning to put some dirt or coco peat and a cave to hide and sleep,

can i use coco peat from garden store ? is it good solution
what else i can use for their floor material

also where can item like water bowl, cave etc in mumbai, i am using an old cleaned coconut shell, and they like and love to sleep under it, but i want to get something more natural looking,

all your help is highly appreciated,
 

Markw84

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Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Hello Guys

I have two baby star tortoise, I am from Mumbai India, i want to give them best life they can get,

right now they are kept in a plastic box, the box has cover and handle and grilled mesh to get fresh air and enough light, now i am planning to put some dirt or coco peat and a cave to hide and sleep,

can i use coco peat from garden store ? is it good solution
what else i can use for their floor material

also where can item like water bowl, cave etc in mumbai, i am using an old cleaned coconut shell, and they like and love to sleep under it, but i want to get something more natural looking,

all your help is highly appreciated,
Did you get a chance to read this?

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-star-tortoise.159167/

Lots of good ideas there. From that info, you can see what you might be able to find locally that is closest to those ideas. For example, for a water dish just use a clay plant saucer. For a food plate, a piece of slate or tile. For a hide, an opaque dish tub with a hole cut in and turned upside down.

Be sure you keep the humidity and temperatures up for your stars. they will grow much more smoothly and with less pyramiding that way.

Although Stars aren't particularly aggressive or territorial, keeping them in pairs is not the best. One will normally become more dominant and the other will become stressed and possible just now grow and do as well. You often cannot see the stress, but will see the results in one tortoise doing much better than the other. Best kept singly, or in a group of 3 or more, where the group dynamics change the effects on a single subordinate.
 

Skyh3ck

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Sep 21, 2017
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India
ok so not in a pair of two but more than two in a enclosure is ok, ??? i am confused,i have seen on youtube many people keep many tortoise together
 

Skyh3ck

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Sep 21, 2017
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India
ok so not in a pair of two but more than two in a enclosure is ok, ??? i am confused,i have seen on youtube many people keep many tortoise together
 

JoesMum

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On youtube you will see all sorts of things. It doesn't mean that it is the correct thing to do.

Tortoises of both sexes are very territorial. In a pair, or in a group, there is always a dominant animal. If there is only one companion it will take all the bullying of the dominant tortoise and it cannot get away.

In a group, one tortoise is unlikely to receive all the bullying and they may do better. BUT this is still only where enclosure is big enough for each tortoise to be able to have its own space and be able to get away. (At least 2.5x1 metres per tortoise)

There must be no more than one male in the group and all the tortoises need to be a similar size otherwise you will still have problems.

As you are in Mumbai, I suggest you read these which are written for people living in India
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/m...rtoises-modified-for-indian-residents.139674/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/calling-on-indian-star-owners-residing-in-india.68875/
 

Skyh3ck

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Sep 21, 2017
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Location (City and/or State)
India
Thanks read it all, its a nice guide, looking forward this weekend to try things out
 
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