SquidmanMal
New Member
So, I was recently gifted a tortoise after always wanting one, and did a mad scramble of research and steady purchases.
She's 5 months old im told, and already adored.
Personality-wise is shy but curious and needs to be encouraged to try foods that aren't green.
This forum has helped immensely and I'll be sure to stick around.
Feeding time, she (i think) really loves hanging out in her dish to go for the leafy greens.
(pellets are already phased out, want her diet as natural as possible)
Fruit addition day. (after her greens of course)She wasnt too sure at first, but after a taste, murdered half a berry.
The zucchini-squash on veggie day proved and instant favorite, focusing heavily on the rind.
Day to day life is mostly sleeping, often burrowed away. I gave her a log hide, and she promptly went in, went out, and burrowed under her water dish, tipping it in the process.
Her home will soon be upgraded to a far larger box without glass walls to reduce stress, and I'm looking at coconut fiber bedding to replace the mulch.
After feeding, she's active and curious for a bit, and often relieves in the bowl (which is prompy changed) before settling back to sleep, as little ones are apparently wont to do.
Tomorrow, I want to throw in some protein to make sure her little hind legs dont have any issues, I've read a bit of hardboiled egg every 2 weeks or so with shell is good for it and calcium. I've read to boil them 30 minutes to make super sure any pathogens are killed and to mash it for safe feeding.
(when will she be big enough for proper earthworms?)
I'm also looking into a cuttlebone, i've read those are good for calcium and beak health.
Edit: Big question, what's the best way to discourage substrate eating, caught her seemingly trying to a few times.
She's 5 months old im told, and already adored.
Personality-wise is shy but curious and needs to be encouraged to try foods that aren't green.
This forum has helped immensely and I'll be sure to stick around.
Feeding time, she (i think) really loves hanging out in her dish to go for the leafy greens.
(pellets are already phased out, want her diet as natural as possible)
Fruit addition day. (after her greens of course)She wasnt too sure at first, but after a taste, murdered half a berry.
The zucchini-squash on veggie day proved and instant favorite, focusing heavily on the rind.
Day to day life is mostly sleeping, often burrowed away. I gave her a log hide, and she promptly went in, went out, and burrowed under her water dish, tipping it in the process.
Her home will soon be upgraded to a far larger box without glass walls to reduce stress, and I'm looking at coconut fiber bedding to replace the mulch.
After feeding, she's active and curious for a bit, and often relieves in the bowl (which is prompy changed) before settling back to sleep, as little ones are apparently wont to do.
Tomorrow, I want to throw in some protein to make sure her little hind legs dont have any issues, I've read a bit of hardboiled egg every 2 weeks or so with shell is good for it and calcium. I've read to boil them 30 minutes to make super sure any pathogens are killed and to mash it for safe feeding.
(when will she be big enough for proper earthworms?)
I'm also looking into a cuttlebone, i've read those are good for calcium and beak health.
Edit: Big question, what's the best way to discourage substrate eating, caught her seemingly trying to a few times.
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