- Joined
- Dec 29, 2012
- Messages
- 10
Hello! I am so happy to have found this forum! In August, our family was given two young/small Desert Tortoises from a family that didn't want them anymore. Tasha & Jewels, as the kids have named them, were given to us in a large glass aquarium tank, dome lighting fixtures with heat & sun lamps, rabbit pellets (as substrate), water dish and "log" hideout. The previous owners told us they only ever fed them plain romaine every other day. Since then, I have done some research and have learned that the tank isn't the even close to being the best option for them. Rather, they really need a safe location in the back yard providing necessary shade, native plants and places to burrow. Currently we are renting our home, so that isn't something we easily do in the back yard, given the "fancy" landscaping provided by the owner. However, best option, especially since they can see out and want to get out. However, until we can afford to give them a bigger tortoise house, I have installed cardboard all around the outside of the glass tank which helps keep them from wanting to climb the sides of the tank, driving themselves crazy (most of the time). We live in the Phoenix metro area. During the hot months (unless super hot, especially in the glass tank), we kept them outside in the tank in full shade (letting them out daily for fairly long periods of time). Now that it's colder, they are kept indoors, but we let them out of the tank every day to eat and roam in the house, which they seem to LOVE. We are so surprised at how social they are, responding positively to our voices when they hear us near the tank or how they follow us around the house. I have continued to feed them romaine, mostly because that's what they like the best. But I have also introduced Kale, prickly pear fruit, spinach. There aren't very interested in those foods, but I continue to try as these foods offer better nutritional value. I have MUCH to learn about these amazing creatures, so anything you have to share will be welcomed. I will post again, however, because I found you while searching for information about a possible broken "tooth" which i now know is a really called a "beak." See, I have MUCH to learn.
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