Thanks from my overly anxious self

[churlishcurls]

Greetings from Minnesota -

My partner and I brought 007 the Russian in to our care a few months ago now, and I've been inundating myself with knowledge, tips, and reptile husbandry videos ever since. This forum has definitely helped me gain a sense of proportion about Tortoisehead's needs and behavior - many thanks!

007 is a sweet little goober. My mom bought her as a surprise for my siblings and I when I was in high school (10? Years ago). I'm about positive she is actually of the male sex, but we still call her Little Miss Tortoisehead or Sweetness more often than 007 or Double O.

Here's a photo circa 2012, in my mom's yard. This is one from the last couple weeks. She's going to need her beak trimmed this spring, but hopefully the slate is doing some good.

The enclosure is built out of an entertainment set we found at a thrift store for $40. It's quite a bit smaller than what she's been used to, but she doesn't seem to mind too much any more. It'll be fine until we get a house in the next year or two. I usually keep a piece of acrylic over the bottom shelf to keep up humidity.

This weekend's project is to finally get rid of the clamp light, and use a wall mounted bracket instead.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. You can always put a second level on the enclosure with a ramp too it if needed. Your tort seems very comfortable with her legs sprawled. Too cute

 

[churlishcurls]

Hello and Welcome. You can always put a second level on the enclosure with a ramp too it if needed. Your tort seems very comfortable with her legs sprawled. Too cute

Ha! We'd actually planned on installing a second floor before she moved in, but it didn't get finessed in time. I need to devote time to getting the proper measurements, and figuring out the best setup so she doesn't hurt herself when she inevitably goes bombing down the ramp.

Thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

Your tortoise's beak is becoming overgrown. She needs something hard to chew on. Don't cut up her food. Give her a cuttlebone.

 

[churlishcurls]

As noted, I intend to bring her in for a trim once it warms up a touch. I feed her on a piece of slate. She's got two pieces of cuttlebone and I never cut her food. I bought chopped kale once in an emergency and I think we were all annoyed by it, ha.

 

[churlishcurls]

Your tortoise's beak is becoming overgrown. She needs something hard to chew on. Don't cut up her food. Give her a cuttlebone.

It may be last time they tried to trim her beak they didn't go very far; it had gotten chipped not too long ago and they didn't want to exacerbate the damage, if I remember what my mom told me.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome nice looking tort.

 

[churlishcurls]

Welcome nice looking tort.

Thank you.

 

[churlishcurls]

@Yvonne G , are there other foods you'd suggest for beak wear? She avoids the sturdier stems of most leafy greens. I read that celeriac was an okay food item, but Double O had zero interest. She's been living with mostly store-bought greens, so my goal of varying her diet is taking slowly.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

Give her something tough but that she will like. A one inch square of a winter squash, with the rind on it. It takes them forever to eat it but they will.

The top of a carrot (again, one inch).

Half of a brussels sprout or perhaps one quarter if it’s quite large.

A Russian might eat the stem of a head of broccoli, I’m not sure. Again, one inch. The goal is to give them something that rolls or is pushed away a bit. My Russian will eat the stem of a cauliflower. (Please note my Russian will eat about anything.)

 

[churlishcurls]

Welcome!

Give her something tough but that she will like. A one inch square of a winter squash, with the rind on it. It takes them forever to eat it but they will.

The top of a carrot (again, one inch).

Half of a brussels sprout or perhaps one quarter if it’s quite large.

A Russian might eat the stem of a head of broccoli, I’m not sure. Again, one inch. The goal is to give them something that rolls or is pushed away a bit. My Russian will eat the stem of a cauliflower. (Please note my Russian will eat about anything.)

Much appreciated, thanks for the ideas.