Pancake Tortoise Questions

Status
Not open for further replies.

FlatStanley

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
East Texas
Hi to all. My name is Bryan and I live in East Texas. I'm living vicariously through my 9 yo son and we have a CB2013 Pancake Tortoise named FlatStanley. I'm not sure of the exact date of birth but it's about 3 inches across. There is so much conflicting information out there in cyberspace about these little guys so I thought I would ask here for some help to properly care for this tortoise. Please forgive my ignorance if these questions have already been asked somewhere else in this forum.
1. Should food be offered throughout the day or only in the morning for a small pancake tortoise?
2. Humid conditions or not? I've seen it both ways from different experts for pancake tortoises.
3. Should you still try to soak a small pancake tortoise if it is trying to get out of the water?
4. Is there a special substrate needed for these pancake tortoises? So many horror stories on all types of substrates.
5. If this pancake tortoise is eating well. How frequently should bowel movements occur? We have not seen one in the three days that we have owned it.
6. What can stimulate bowel movement?
Thanks to all for you opinions and advice in advance. We look forward to a long friendship with this forum and our little FlatStanley.
 

EKLC

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
605
In bold are my answers. Other people will have different opinions, this is what I do.

FlatStanley said:
Hi to all. My name is Bryan and I live in East Texas. I'm living vicariously through my 9 yo son and we have a CB2013 Pancake Tortoise named FlatStanley. I'm not sure of the exact date of birth but it's about 3 inches across. There is so much conflicting information out there in cyberspace about these little guys so I thought I would ask here for some help to properly care for this tortoise. Please forgive my ignorance if these questions have already been asked somewhere else in this forum.

1. Should food be offered throughout the day or only in the morning for a small pancake tortoise? If you're serving proper food items, do not worry about overfeeding

2. Humid conditions or not? I've seen it both ways from different experts for pancake tortoises. If the humidity is very high, nothing bad is going to happen to your tortoise as long as your temps are correct. So why not keep the humidity up just to ensure he does not become dehydrated?

3. Should you still try to soak a small pancake tortoise if it is trying to get out of the water? A young cake will probably get used to it. Soaking is a good way to ensure they stay hydrated. I personally don't soak my adult though, since it stresses him out and he drinks well.

4. Is there a special substrate needed for these pancake tortoises? So many horror stories on all types of substrates. I use topsoil (no fertilizers or additives, just plain soil) because it is very cheap. I like coir and cypress mulch, but don't use them due to expense and sustainability, respectively. I feed on large flat stones, embedded in the soil, so they are not ingesting any substrate.

5. If this pancake tortoise is eating well. How frequently should bowel movements occur? We have not seen one in the three days that we have owned it. 3 days is not unheard of. It's hard to track my tortoise's poop in their large enclosures though. As long as his appetite is up and he's not eating things that he shouldn't be, you shouldn't worry too much.

6. What can stimulate bowel movement? Warm water baths work pretty well. Feeding opuntia cactus and pumpkin has seemed to have a mild laxative effect on my torts.

Thanks to all for you opinions and advice in advance. We look forward to a long friendship with this forum and our little FlatStanley.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top