New To Group

[TortieD68]

Hi All.

I have just acquired a 6 year old Horsefield Tortoise on Monday from a lady who is unable to care for her. I'm new to this so please bare with me. I have done plenty reading and just want to make sure I'm getting things right

The tortoise was also had been kept on wood cat litter pellets she is on top soil from Wickes now

I have a few questions:

1.How long will it take her to settle in?

She is feeding on weeds and flowers and a little radicchio but very little and is drinking from her bowl. I have bathed her every other day so far to keep her hydrated. Which she enjoys.

Currently trying to entice her to a variety of foods. However doesn't seem to take much, if any. I leave out fresh food all day hoping she will nibble on her own accord. She will feed from Me but again also little amounts.

2. When growing your own Tortoise food, what's the rules to follow, I'm guessing just top soil and no added anything?

I am a Keen gardener so this is no issue, would like to be prepared for winter food when weeds are scarce

My temps on table are under basking 35c, cold side 23c warm side 26c. Are these suffice or need altering?? Humidity varies around table. Not sure if she had UVB light which she now has not strong 5% until I get bulb in post.

She has passed a poo. She urinates everyday.

She just doesn't seem that active and just hope I am doing my best for her. Please advise.

So gratefull for a forum like this

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

Welcome to the forum! For your first question, it really depends on the tortoise. Some take a few days to settle in others take weeks or even months.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi! Glad to have you here.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Hi, and welcome!

It sounds to me like you're doing a great job with your new best friend!

After reading your post, I noticed that a lot of your questions are answered in our new care sheet for Russians (or Horsfields). I'll link it for you. It covers temps very well. It's written for hatchling care specifically, but it covers adults as well.

The top soil you have her on is iffy. Make sure there are no additives in it. Also, it's messy, and not easy to dig in. To be safe, we recommend fine grade orchid bark, cypress mulch, or coco coir.

Don't worry about her not eating much right now. In fact, you are very fortunate that she is eating at all! Many torts are so stressed by moving that they will go on a hunger strike for a couple weeks. Just keep offering her a wide variety of good foods. Don't let her pull the "I'm starving" trick on you to get you to break down and feed her treats.

The food you grow for her is as you said, soil and nothing else. Be sure there is no vermiculite, perlite, weed killer, or pesticide in it. Nothing to prevent water loss either.

The UVB light you are getting...is it a fluorescent tube type? If it's a screw in, compact or curly type, you don't want to use it. The tube type is the only one that works as it should, giving out the proper amount of UVB.

Keep in mind that in nice weather, if you have a safe outdoor enclosure, she could go outside and get some real sun. If she went out for an hour or two 3 times a week, you would not need any extra UVB, so could just turn it off til winter comes.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[TortieD68]

Hi, and welcome!

It sounds to me like you're doing a great job with your new best friend!

After reading your post, I noticed that a lot of your questions are answered in our new care sheet for Russians (or Horsfields). I'll link it for you. It covers temps very well. It's written for hatchling care specifically, but it covers adults as well.

The top soil you have her on is iffy. Make sure there are no additives in it. Also, it's messy, and not easy to dig in. To be safe, we recommend fine grade orchid bark, cypress mulch, or coco coir.

Don't worry about her not eating much right now. In fact, you are very fortunate that she is eating at all! Many torts are so stressed by moving that they will go on a hunger strike for a couple weeks. Just keep offering her a wide variety of good foods. Don't let her pull the "I'm starving" trick on you to get you to break down and feed her treats.

The food you grow for her is as you said, soil and nothing else. Be sure there is no vermiculite, perlite, weed killer, or pesticide in it. Nothing to prevent water loss either.

The UVB light you are getting...is it a fluorescent tube type? If it's a screw in, compact or curly type, you don't want to use it. The tube type is the only one that works as it should, giving out the proper amount of UVB.

Keep in mind that in nice weather, if you have a safe outdoor enclosure, she could go outside and get some real sun. If she went out for an hour or two 3 times a week, you would not need any extra UVB, so could just turn it off til winter comes.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for you kind words of wisdom.

She has definitely managed to pull that staving trick on my kind heart!! ?

There are no additives or anything in soil for enclosure. I made sure of that ? I will keep all options in mind for when I change the soil over.

*Question how often should I change enclosure soil/bark??

I have A UVB tube coming. I will take your advise and give her some outside time once I have safe space for her ? and use tube over darker days/months.

Thank for your time.

I will keep you all posted if any changes!

You have all been lovely ?

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

off to a great start. Mine refused to eat the first week or so... now I wish he'd eat less! I'm running out of weeds! LOL

 

[TortieD68]

Welcome to the forum! For your first question, it really depends on the tortoise. Some take a few days to settle in others take weeks or even months.

Thank you ?

 

[TortieD68]

off to a great start. Mine refused to eat the first week or so... now I wish he'd eat less! I'm running out of weeds! LOL

Aww I hope so! First time owing or Tortoise, so hoping I'm getting it right for her! I'm finding the best spots around for my free pickings! ?

 

[TortieD68]

Hi! Glad to have you here.

Thank you ?

 

[MichaelL]

Great job offering weeds and flowers right away. One of the main reasons people have picky russian tortoises (I beieve) is that they first offer romaine, lettuces, store bought greens etc right away. If you offer weeds and flowers right away, it will have a great start. Now yours may take a little to settle in, so just keep offering the weeds and they will slowly acclimate. Great job!

 

[TortieD68]

Great job offering weeds and flowers right away. One of the main reasons people have picky russian tortoises (I beieve) is that they first offer romaine, lettuces, store bought greens etc right away. If you offer weeds and flowers right away, it will have a great start. Now yours may take a little to settle in, so just keep offering the weeds and they will slowly acclimate. Great job!

Thanks that nice to hear, funnily enough, romaine was the "food" she give me for her. Not sure if that's all she was fed on though.
I'm just amending her enclosure bit by bit and she seems to be loving it. New terracotta pot hide and I added a large water bowl for her to go in as she pleases, she was in and out alot had to change water twice ?

 

[Crush da Baum]

Welcome! My torts take a few days to get used to a new enclosure but I think it just depends on the tort and how different it will be.

 

[KarenSoCal]

*Question how often should I change enclosure soil/bark?

You can do spot cleaning, taking a bit of the substrate along with the poop, for a long time. As she grows, you can kind of get her on a schedule, so you can almost always catch the pee/poop in her soaking water, or outside.

Use your judgment on a complete substrate change. I think most keepers change it out about every 6 months.

 

[TortieD68]

You can do spot cleaning, taking a bit of the substrate along with the poop, for a long time. As she grows, you can kind of get her on a schedule, so you can almost always catch the pee/poop in her soaking water, or outside.

Use your judgment on a complete substrate change. I think most keepers change it out about every 6 months.

You can do spot cleaning, taking a bit of the substrate along with the poop, for a long time. As she grows, you can kind of get her on a schedule, so you can almost always catch the pee/poop in her soaking water, or outside.

Use your judgment on a complete substrate change. I think most keepers change it out about every 6 months.

Thanks again ?

 

[TortieD68]

Welcome! My torts take a few days to get used to a new enclosure but I think it just depends on the tort and how different it will be.

Thank you, hopefully she will come out with all her personality soon ?

 

[TortieD68]

@KarenSoCal Just a quick question. If my soil at allotment has been mixed with chicken poo and horse manure and homemade confrey juice feed, is this acceptable for growing tortoise food in, as it's all organic matter??

Thanks you for you help again ?

 

[KarenSoCal]

@KarenSoCal Just a quick question. If my soil at allotment has been mixed with chicken poo and horse manure and homemade confrey juice feed, is this acceptable for growing tortoise food in, as it's all organic matter??

Thanks you for you help again ?

It sounds like it should be. What is confrey juice feed?

The thing about organic is that just because there's no chemicals in it doesn't mean it's OK to feed or use as substrate. Here in the USA, if we buy top soil, a lot of it is made from ground up compost. But there is no way to know what they ground up. It could be holly and oleander, or yew, or any number of toxic plants. It's organic, but still not suitable for a substrate.

But with that said, the product is fine to use for a growing medium. And fertilizer is OK too, as long as there's no weed control or pesticide in it.

 

[TortieD68]

It sounds like it should be. What is confrey juice feed?

The thing about organic is that just because there's no chemicals in it doesn't mean it's OK to feed or use as substrate. Here in the USA, if we buy top soil, a lot of it is made from ground up compost. But there is no way to know what they ground up. It could be holly and oleander, or yew, or any number of toxic plants. It's organic, but still not suitable for a substrate.

But with that said, the product is fine to use for a growing medium. And fertilizer is OK too, as long as there's no weed control or pesticide in it.

Thanks again.
Comfrey Feed: It's the comfrey plants leaves just fermented in water great fertiliser for plants ?