Questions concerning my Greek

[farber2028]

As any new owner does, I have many questions about caring for my Greek. I will post pictures of her, I was told it is a her , later. Her name is Rafiki. First and foremost I'd like a little bit of insight into the diet. Here's a list of things I went and bought for her:

Radicchio
Endive
Kale
Spring Mix
Spinach
Lettuce (I forget exactly what kind)
Store bought Tortoise food
I also have apples and strawberries

Just curious to see if this mix is ok, and if there is anything that needs to be substituted or added. I feel like I need to get something more, just not quite sure what it is. I've also heard that grass from outside is a good thing to stick in there. The lady at the store told me that I didn't need a calcium supplement. Is that true? Also is there any more supplements that I should look into.

I also have questions about her tank. I have a 40 gallon aquarium. I have a water dish on one side. I take the food bowl out when she's done eating to save some space. A fake plant on the cool side, a half log in the middle and pretty much an open spot for her basking. I have a ceramic heater for her basking side. The light I have is a UVB coil, but for some reason I'm not sure if I need something else or not. I will post pictures of everything when I get home later today.

I'd like to know for sure if she is a female or not. I will post pics later.

She also does this thing, I'm not sure if it's normal or just her reaction to being scared or something, where the best way I can describe it is if a person was to shrug their shoulders and bob their head at the same time. It's almost as if she's laboring her breathing.

I taped regular printer paper to the back and sides of the tank. For the front I have some old black shirts draped over so my 3 year old son can lift the up to see what she is doing.

I have a bark substrate because that is what they were using in the store. However I feel like I shouldn't be using that, or maybe I need to add more. It's only an inch thick.

Any insight is much obliged Thanks everyone!

 

[wellington]

I don't know much about Greeks. But your list so far sounds pretty good. You can check on the tortoisetable.org for more edible items. The Greek owner members will be able to help you more.

 

[Minority1]

Spinach should be fed on occasions, same as lettuce and fruits.
Calcium supplements are fine 2-3 times a week. Light dusting over food.
Replace your coil type UVB with a linear tube style bulb.

Orchid bark is a fine substrate.

 

[Minority1]

She also does this thing, I'm not sure if it's normal or just her reaction to being scared or something, where the best way I can describe it is if a person was to shrug their shoulders and bob their head at the same time. It's almost as if she's laboring her breathing.

That's just the tortoise breathing. Normal.

"Tortoises breathe quite differently than humans since their ribcages cannot move. They force air in and out of the lungs by working their limbs which can look like shrugging their shoulders. They smell by pumping their throat to move air past their Jacobsen's Organ- the scent organ most reptiles use."

Source: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-21717.html

 

[farber2028]

the bark I have in there is fir bark. I actually just went back to the store to buy more because it was only about a half inch deep. now it's closer to 3" as you can see. Also I walked away after finishing putting the extra substrate to find her chilling like this. I'm pretty sure that's okay right?

 

[farber2028]

Minority1 Thank you!!

 

[wellington]

If you have a coil bulb, yes replace it with a tube type ASAP, the coils causes eye problems. The pic of her chilling is cute and yes it's fine.

 

[farber2028]

I'm kind of bummed out. I was going to take pictures of her to make sure she's a her but I'm not about to disturb that I do have pictures of how I have her home set up, which I have put in with this post.

 

[Minority1]

If you have a coil bulb, yes replace it with a tube type ASAP, the coils causes eye problems.

Agreed. You should replace that coil type with something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003U836WS/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

You should also stop using clamps and build/buy stands to hold your ceramic heat emitter so that it is pointed straight down.

Get a piece of slate or a tile as a feeding area so the tortoise can file down their beaks and nails. Rocks are also very effective as well. They just love to climb on them.

 

[farber2028]

If you have a coil bulb, yes replace it with a tube type ASAP, the coils causes eye problems.

Agreed. You should replace that coil type with something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003U836WS/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

You should also stop using clamps and build/buy stands to hold your ceramic heat emitter so that it is pointed straight down.

Get a piece of slate or a tile as a feeding area so the tortoise can file down their beaks and nails. Rocks are also very effective as well. They just love to climb on them.

I have a feeding dish that I got from the store. I just felt like there wasn't enough room to leave it in there. But you're saying to have something hard for her to walk on correct?

 

[farber2028]

Should I turn the ceramic heater off at night?

 

[Minority1]

I have a feeding dish that I got from the store. I just felt like there wasn't enough room to leave it in there. But you're saying to have something hard for her to walk on correct?

Yes having a hard surface below your feeding dish helps limit the chances of your tortoise tracking and eating substrate.

65-75 night time temps are fine. If you're within this range then you won't need it.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

The experts are in the house, with good advice. I just wanted to say your tortoise is cuteness! : )

 

[akp022]

As any new owner does, I have many questions about caring for my Greek. I will post pictures of her, I was told it is a her , later. Her name is Rafiki. First and foremost I'd like a little bit of insight into the diet. Here's a list of things I went and bought for her:

Radicchio
Endive
Kale
Spring Mix
Spinach
Lettuce (I forget exactly what kind)
Store bought Tortoise food
I also have apples and strawberries

Just curious to see if this mix is ok, and if there is anything that needs to be substituted or added. I feel like I need to get something more, just not quite sure what it is. I've also heard that grass from outside is a good thing to stick in there. The lady at the store told me that I didn't need a calcium supplement. Is that true? Also is there any more supplements that I should look into.

I also have questions about her tank. I have a 40 gallon aquarium. I have a water dish on one side. I take the food bowl out when she's done eating to save some space. A fake plant on the cool side, a half log in the middle and pretty much an open spot for her basking. I have a ceramic heater for her basking side. The light I have is a UVB coil, but for some reason I'm not sure if I need something else or not. I will post pictures of everything when I get home later today.

I'd like to know for sure if she is a female or not. I will post pics later.

She also does this thing, I'm not sure if it's normal or just her reaction to being scared or something, where the best way I can describe it is if a person was to shrug their shoulders and bob their head at the same time. It's almost as if she's laboring her breathing.

I taped regular printer paper to the back and sides of the tank. For the front I have some old black shirts draped over so my 3 year old son can lift the up to see what she is doing.

I have a bark substrate because that is what they were using in the store. However I feel like I shouldn't be using that, or maybe I need to add more. It's only an inch thick.

Any insight is much obliged Thanks everyone!

She looks a lot like my guy ...I wouldn't feed her too much spinach and you can also try escarole, turnip greens, mustard greens. For special occasions (maybe once/twice a month) Aggie gets tomato or orange peppers- not too much but he goes crazy for it! He also really enjoys dandelions and clover and I'm excited to try hibiscus leaves and mulberry leaves once the trees/plants start blooming.

I use the bark and coconut coir for substrate, it helps keep the humidity in (which doesn't need to be too high for Greeks anyway).

I would also try for a slightly bigger enclosure, I just had to build Aggie a 4'x3.5' one because he was incessantly scratching, now he's not too bad and he has plenty of room to roam while I'm not home. A lot of people like to use large totes stuck together or large christmas tree totes (just a thought!)

 

[farber2028]

How do I get her to eat the dark green stuff? She will eat romaine lettuce. Kale very occasionally. Strawberries she fiends for (quite comical actually). She also loves dandelion plants. I've tried to give her spinach, endives, and radicchio but she won't even touch them. Any suggestions?

 

[kirby2591]

Ive had my greek for about 4months now and have been encouraged to stay away from feeding fruits. Fruits are more for forest tort such as redfoots. As for getting a tort to eat something they dont like a common solution is to cut it up very small or puree together with something they enjoy slowly changing the ratio and increasing the less desired food. Everything else you feed is a part of a regular diet. Just remember variety is your friend and now that warm weather is coming (or never left for some) find or supply a good weed patch to increase variety.
As for the coil bulb its believed that it causes eye problems so its best to stop using it.

Sent from my LG-VM696 using TortForum mobile app

 

[akp022]

Have you tried turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, and escarole?