Please help me identify my new tortoise!!

[KatyshaB]

Thanks @KatyshaB
I live in Cairo, Egypt, and other than an enclosure, there's NOTHING here that I can buy for a tortoise. And online is not an option, unfortunately!
Margot, the tortoise, is currently in an aquarium that I'm guessing is 25-30 gallons. Its a nonstandard size, handmade. It's nothing more than 5 sheets of thick glass glued together. it's actually pretty funny. But it works.
Her substrate is wood shavings from a carpenters shop. She likes to bury herself in it.
I haven't figured out what to use as water dish yet, so there's just a small bowl in there, but I let her hang out in a shallow bowl of water everyday.
I'm going to check out the link you sent, thanks!!

Glad I could have helped. But listen, her enclosure is TOO SMALL but, luckily it's not that hard to find an enclosure for them, just get them a plastic box, of some sort, and fill it with everything they need, here is a pic, you can find everything you need in places you would never consider getting stuff, you should see @Tom biginners mistakes thread. Glad she has such a careing home, if you have any questions, just contact me or somebody else.

 

[KatyshaB]

I'm really happy that you care for you animals, after practice you will be a great tortoise owner, Margot is in safe hands, she is very lucky to get somebody like you to take care of it, this is one of the best places to talk about tortoises. Best of luck to Margot, and welcome to the forum

 

[Sylve333]

Thank you @Lyn W
I hope someone will be able to say if she's a Greek or Egyptian tort soon, so that I can look up her requirements in the Specifics Section.
I'm going to read all the links you suggested: Greeks, Mistakes, and Enclosures, and the safe plants one.

As for soaking, yes I have, the first time i did, she put her head under the water and drank for what seemed like forever, so I'm doing that every day now.
And luckily, a cuttlebone is something I already have, to go with the 2 parakeets, 5 cats and a dog
She seems pretty happy so far, eating well and not hiding in her shell.

 

[Lyn W]

If he ignores the cuttlebone - which they often do - for a long while, you could scrape a small pinch on his food 2 or 3 times a week. (too much could be harmful)
I would go even bigger than KatyshaB's enclosure - when you put in plants for humidity/security and a water dish big enough for him to self soak as well as his food plate, he will also need a lot of space to explore - general rule is the bigger the better!

 

[KatyshaB]

If he ignores the cuttlebone - which they often do - for a long while, you could scrape a small pinch on his food 2 or 3 times a week. (too much could be harmful)
I would go even bigger than KatyshaB's enclosure - when you put in plants for humidity/security and a water dish big enough for him to self soak as well as his food plate, he will also need a lot of space to explore - general rule is the bigger the better!

Yes, I agree. She is currently in her temporary enclosure, we will be getting her a bigger one soon. Also, she is a full grown Russian so she doesn't need humidity as much. (she still has a little, but too much gives them a respiratory infection, learned that the hard way) But the greeks should have humidity. Especially when young.

 

[SamuelM]

Hello

I used a wading pool to keep two Tortoises in. They outgrew that. Now, when they are not outside, they have a room almost to themselves upstairs. We live in a cold climate, so that is where they stay from sometime in October until the Spring. We just had them outside today for the first time this spring, and brought them back in before it got cold for the night.

I believe Young ones need to be soaked about once every two weeks, to make sure they stay hydrated. I still soak them once in awhile; although, one will not stay, and climbs over the wall pretty quick.

I believe the more natural sun they get and freedom to select a favorite basking area, the better Ours head over to the side of the garage, first thing. We have dandelion weeds that grow in the yard. It was interesting to watch Mange (name) criss-cross the yard, eating Danellion flowers. There is a little watering hole in the corner of the yard (the top of a barrel, filled with water). The water can't be deep. Ours would sink like a rock, and that would be it. They love Rose Of Sharon petals, also.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

So the jury is still out if it is Egyptian or Greek?

 

[Yvonne G]

Chris must be busy or not home. Let's send another shout out - @HermanniChris

 

[HermanniChris]

Sorry for the delay. It's a Greek tortoise absolutely no question about it and it looks to be a Libyan Greek, Testudo graeca cyrenaica.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry for the delay. It's a Greek tortoise absolutely no question about it and it looks to be a Libyan Greek, Testudo graeca cyrenaica.

Thanks so much.

 

[Sylve333]

THANK YOU!!!!!!