novice

[dieter]

good afternoon guys, I received my first ever tort on monday as a belated birthday gift, I have to add that I am 43 and have wanted one of these interesting little critters all my life. I am fortunate enough to live in malta so I have the perfect climate, but I am, after all a novice and any info would be gratefullly accepted read and digested.
my one concern though is I havent yet had time to build an enclosure with soil and plants, so currently he is in a very large 7.5m long by 5m wide yard, this yard only gets sun from 1pm til about 5, it has permanent area of shade. I am making sure that he has grass, romain lettuce, dandilion leaves and flowers, generally all the stuff one finds growing in fields around malta and a saucer of water, now then, because I am at work all day I am concerned that he wont eat. so, if there is a pile of food left for him in a permanently shady part of the yard is he likely to find it when he wants to eat? or should I be putting little piles around the yard. this is my concern that he is eating enough.
I estimate he is probably about 5 years as he is about 3" shorter than my hand and weighs 221g.
many thanksa in advance guys.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome What kind of tort do you have. I would do the one pile in the shade so you can monitor that he is eating. Then once you know all is good, you can place food in different areas to make him search for it and get the exercise and not get bored.

 

[pam]

Welcome What a great Birthday present

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Dieter:

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[dieter]

I think its a mediterranian one, bought at a garden centre here in malta, though they didnt tell my partner what species neither did he think to ask, I have emailed them to find out but as yet I havent heard back from them.
So, with regards to my question, if I leave a pile in permanent shade he will find it when he is hungry? I mean he does have a favorite spot so I put a pile there this morning. Im just ever so slightly anxious, I know that his appetite shall be a little dull having been moved from the familiar to the un familiar.
I jsut really need to get this enclosure built.
thank you for your reply

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome. We have a couple of Cypriot members who have a very similar climate to you.

Assuming your tort is Testudo of some variety, it's diet should be mostly leafy greens. It cannot digest sugars properly so fruit, including bell pepper and tomato, and carrot should only be fed sparingly very occasionally. Banana is virtually pure sugar and is definitely out. Citrus fruits are also not good for them.

Testudo are not grass eaters. It won't do them any harm, but they don't eat much of it.

I suggest that you write a list of all the plants that ou get outside (herbicide and pesticide free) and those that you can buy and look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability.. you may have to do a little translation from local names into British English if you can't find them.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Growing locally, cactus, hibiscus and aloe are all good.

 

[dieter]

Hello and welcome. We have a couple of Cypriot members who have a very similar climate to you.

Assuming your tort is Testudo of some variety, it's diet should be mostly leafy greens. It cannot digest sugars properly so fruit, including bell pepper and tomato, and carrot should only be fed sparingly very occasionally. Banana is virtually pure sugar and is definitely out. Citrus fruits are also not good for them.

Testudo are not grass eaters. It won't do them any harm, but they don't eat much of it.

I suggest that you write a list of all the plants that ou get outside (herbicide and pesticide free) and those that you can buy and look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability.. you may have to do a little translation from local names into British English if you can't find them.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Growing locally, cactus, hibiscus and aloe are all good.

 

[dieter]

Welcome What a great Birthday present

I think so, was worried for the first couple of days but now when I place food in front of him he pigs out so happy happy happy

 

[ascott]

Since he is in a yard space and relatively on the smaller side in size, I would make sure he has plenty of places to hide so that flying predators don't swoop in on him easily....also, if you are trying to offer a routine feeding spot...then when you place the food down, place him near the pile so he can see and smell it....perhaps under something that offers some shelter so he does not immediately retreat somewhere to stay hidden....

 

[dieter]

thank you very much for your help. I am going to post pictures in the hope that I may be able to id him, please not that I understand the carapace helps a great deal with id and that I only had him on his back long enough to focus the camera (and I hated doing that to him).

 

[dieter]

so thanks for your advice guys,
I have added pictures in the hope that I may id him, I can tell you that I havent seen spurs on his hind quarters and that he was only (I hated putting him on his back but I know the carapace is important to id) on his back for about 10 seconds
I should also like to say that the yard is central to 3 blocks of flats, and as such has pretty mch 4-7 (also it only gets sun between 1 and 5pm) stories high also here in malta due to so called hunters shooting anything larger than a sparrow the liklihood of a predatory bird even flying over is almost impossible, but yes there are plenty of spots to hide