Trying to climb out or just passing time?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
Hi,
Apologize for the first question if it's silly but as I've just gotten a tortoise as a present (and i know nothing about them), i wanted to know for sure what type have i got.
Just to be able to look for information on the web on how to care for them etc.
I was told by some friends that it could be an Egyptian tortoise so i posted here ;)

So...is it?

The main question would be..
I got the biggest box i could find and put it in there with some lettuce which came with it and a small bowl of water..just till i get something together to put it in.

What worries me is that it keeps trying to climb outside the box (or seems so at least from my point of view) either that or it's just sitting there inside it's shell...is it not liking the box or am i missing something? Box was my printer's box (about 80 cm x 80 cm - turtle about 7 cm in length),

Thank you

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6851/dsc00344gv.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Hi Opiflux:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?

Well, first off, I'm sure you are already aware that a cardboard box is NOT the best place to keep a tortoise. You can buy a really large plastic tote to keep him in.

Next, he needs something to give him traction. We call this "substrate." It can be clean dirt from the garden, cypress mulch, orchid bark, coconut coir...just don't use pine shavings.

You will need to provide him with a UV light or else make him an outdoor habitat. The calcium he eats won't work to make his shell and bones strong without the UV from the sun or an expensive light.

You should be offering him dark, leafy greens, grass, weeds etc, but not too much lettuce.

Your tortoise looks like an Egyptian to me, however, I'm not the best one to ask about the Mediterranean species. Someone else will give you the good scoop on that.:D

Your little tortoise IS trying to climb out. Tortoises are territorial, and until they become accustomed to their new "territory," they will try to escape back to their own territory. They don't like to be moved. But give him a week or so and he'll settle down. Just try to get him set up in a permanent habitat as quickly as you can afford to. This will help him settle in.
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
emysemys said:
Hi Opiflux:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?

Well, first off, I'm sure you are already aware that a cardboard box is NOT the best place to keep a tortoise. You can buy a really large plastic tote to keep him in.

Next, he needs something to give him traction. We call this "substrate." It can be clean dirt from the garden, cypress mulch, orchid bark, coconut coir...just don't use pine shavings.

You will need to provide him with a UV light or else make him an outdoor habitat. The calcium he eats won't work to make his shell and bones strong without the UV from the sun or an expensive light.

You should be offering him dark, leafy greens, grass, weeds etc, but not too much lettuce.

Your tortoise looks like an Egyptian to me, however, I'm not the best one to ask about the Mediterranean species. Someone else will give you the good scoop on that.:D

Your little tortoise IS trying to climb out. Tortoises are territorial, and until they become accustomed to their new "territory," they will try to escape back to their own territory. They don't like to be moved. But give him a week or so and he'll settle down. Just try to get him set up in a permanent habitat as quickly as you can afford to. This will help him settle in.

Thanks a lot for the quick welcome :)

My name is Rizk, at first glance i thought your reply was an automated one :cool:

I'll try to get him a plastic box as you suggested.
Or else I'll leave him to roam free in the balcony - a big one.
But would i need to line it with newspapers and such?

What could considered good food for a tortoise?
I've heard a lot of weird suggestions which is one of the reasons for me coming here to ask experts and caretakers.
Do they like strawberries?

Also, do hope for someone else to confirm that this tortoise is an Egyptian tortoise.

All I was told by the guy was that it
1 likes lettuce
2 doesn't need to drink..:rolleyes:
3 doesn't need much space..well the seller apparently had 12 of these in a box just as big as mine

SOooo, not a lot of useful - and truthful - information for a beginner..
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Opiflux said:
Or else I'll leave him to roam free in the balcony - a big one.
But would i need to line it with newspapers and such?

Is the weather hot enough for him to be outside? If so, then the balcony, if safe, would be a good place for him. I still think he will need substrate for traction. They develop leg problems if they are always on a slippery surface like a bare floor or newspaper.

What could considered good food for a tortoise?
Do they like strawberries?

endive, escarole, turnip greens, dandelion greens...any dark, leafy greens. And use fruit (strawberries) as a treat only, not a staple.

All I was told by the guy was that it
1 likes lettuce
2 doesn't need to drink..:rolleyes:
3 doesn't need much space..well the seller apparently had 12 of these in a box just as big as mine

All tortoise will take advantage of a puddle when it rains. Yes, they DO need water. You can either set him in water every day so he can drink, or you can provide a shallow water dish for him. I get the impression you are not in the US?? The Egyptian tortoise is a pretty small species, but they still need some room to roam around.
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
emysemys said:
Is the weather hot enough for him to be outside? If so, then the balcony, if safe, would be a good place for him. I still think he will need substrate for traction. They develop leg problems if they are always on a slippery surface like a bare floor or newspaper.
It's about 20-30ish Celsius, so probably hot enough.

All tortoise will take advantage of a puddle when it rains. Yes, they DO need water. You can either set him in water every day so he can drink, or you can provide a shallow water dish for him. I get the impression you are not in the US?? The Egyptian tortoise is a pretty small species, but they still need some room to roam around.

Good, it's been with me since yesterday. Left it in that box with some water in a shallow bowl..untouched so far.

Nah, am actually from where that turtle apparently originates - Egypt
What was it that gave me up, was it my punctuation? :(

Thanks a lot for your help!
 

CyberianHusky

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Jul 4, 2010
Messages
78
Location (City and/or State)
Portland Oregon
Wow I am so so so jealous would love an Egyptian Tortoise present. Very nice one too good genetics and great coloring.
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
CyberianHusky said:
Wow I am so so so jealous would love an Egyptian Tortoise present. Very nice one too good genetics and great coloring.

hehe :D

Apparently you could buy one here for 10$ or less. Don't know if you could leave with it though.




I've always wanted one, except i was thinking one big enough that a small child could ride it. Instead i got one that is microscopically small.
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
Wasn't your punctuation, but the fact you were given an Egyptian tortoise as a present. :D
You do indeed have an Egyptian tortoise. Sadly he didn't come from Egypt (as they are almost extinct in your country :(). He came from Libya originally.
Your balcony temperatures sound good as long as the balcony gets sun 4 to 6 hours a day.
If you live with in 25 miles of the coast you can go out and collect plants growing in the wild. Anything growing low to the ground you can try. He should go for native vegetation quicker than store bought. You can though supplement with store bought greens.

Danny
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
egyptiandan said:
You do indeed have an Egyptian tortoise. Sadly he didn't come from Egypt (as they are almost extinct in your country :(). He came from Libya originally.

Ooo..My mistake, misleading name! :D

Your balcony temperatures sound good as long as the balcony gets sun 4 to 6 hours a day.

We do get sun about 9 hours a day so it should be alright.

If you live with in 25 miles of the coast you can go out and collect plants growing in the wild. Anything growing low to the ground you can try. He should go for native vegetation quicker than store bought. You can though supplement with store bought greens.

I think going to the coast and bringing some plants is a great idea - was gonna do it for my 1 week old aquarium and its fish.
But which plants would benefit a tortoise?
I don't wanna get a plant that could be toxic to it.

Awesome info, thanks for your time :D
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Opiflux said:
Nah, am actually from where that turtle apparently originates - Egypt
What was it that gave me up, was it my punctuation? :([/color]

LOL! No, your English and punctuation are perfect. The warm weather for one, and then, an Egyptian tortoise is hardly a "gift" tortoise here in the States. They're a little harder to come by than gift quality!

Good luck with your tortoise.
 

egyptiandan

New Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
5,788
Location (City and/or State)
USA
Egyptian tortoises were native to the strip of coast along the Mediterranean in Egypt, so will know which plants to eat and not eat. Just bring a variety home. :)

Danny
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
Welcome to the group! You have got some great advice to start out with.

He needs to be warmer than room temperature. If you can get your hands on a Mercury Vapor Bulb, that is the best your money can buy...UVB, heat, and light all in one. You leave that on for 12-14 hours a day, and then have it dark at night. At night as long as your house is over 65 F or 18 C, you don't need heat. If its colder than that, you want to use a bulb such as a black or red light bulb or a ceramic heat emitter to provide some heat but no light (65-75 F, 18-24 C). You need an accurate thermometer to measure temperatures, like a temp gun. During the day, look for a gradient where temperatures between 70-95 F are available to the tort at all times (21-35 C). They need to bask to digest their food. A varied chemical-free diet is best. Do you have an organic garden? You can identify greens and weeds and flowers in your garden to feed if you don't have chemicals on them (pesticides, fertilizers). Or, buy a lettuce mix of dark leafy greens, rotating through different types. Your tort needs more than "lettuce". It needs a varied diet of different weeds, greens, lettuces, flowers, etc. All chemical free. Use a pure calcium powder over the food every other day. The tort needs the calcium and sun or a UVB bulb to keep a hard healthy shell.

Your tort needs a large enclosure, increased in size over time. Any time outside will let it thrive, but only if temperatures allow and you have a safe enclosure (no pets or predators or toxic plants...at first, when its warm out, you likely want to pen off a little area if you have a chemical free yard, and watch it roam...include a hide). If you wanted to build a tort table (large wood box), you could make it very large and block off part of it to increase as the tort grows. You need hides in different temperature areas for it to retreat to, at least 3. Boxes, containers, fake plants (like from a craft store), half logs (from pet stores, but be careful as torts like to climb these--hides with vertical sides are safer).

A tort will try to climb out if it can see out or thinks it can get out, or if its bored. You need substrate for it to dig in, hides for it to feel safe in, a shallow dish of water for it to get into to soak & drink, and somewhere to feed it off the substrate (a slate tile works great).

He can roam the balcony if its safe from predators and warm enough (over 21 C), with hides. If its warm enough much of the year, you might want to set up an enclosure on the balcony such as to line it with plastic sheeting and pout substrate. If he can only use the balcony part of the year, the bare surface might be fine just to get some sun as long as its safe and you have a place for him to retreat.

Since you got this tort as a present you might feel obligated to keep it, but make sure that you want to make a lifelong commitment to this tort. They require quite a bit of care to thrive. Not sure if you were wanting a tort or not from your post...

Good luck and congrats!
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
emysemys said:
Opiflux said:
Nah, am actually from where that turtle apparently originates - Egypt
What was it that gave me up, was it my punctuation? :([/color]

LOL! No, your English and punctuation are perfect. The warm weather for one, and then, an Egyptian tortoise is hardly a "gift" tortoise here in the States. They're a little harder to come by than gift quality!

Aha, didn't know that, to be honest

Good luck with your tortoise.
Thank you :D

egyptiandan said:
Egyptian tortoises were native to the strip of coast along the Mediterranean in Egypt, so will know which plants to eat and not eat. Just bring a variety home. :)

Danny

Alright, maybe I'll take it with me and let it choose its own lunch. ;)

tortoisenerd said:
Welcome to the group! You have got some great advice to start out with.
Thanks :)

He needs to be warmer than room temperature. If you can get your hands on a Mercury Vapor Bulb, that is the best your money can buy...UVB, heat, and light all in one. You leave that on for 12-14 hours a day, and then have it dark at night. At night as long as your house is over 65 F or 18 C, you don't need heat. If its colder than that, you want to use a bulb such as a black or red light bulb or a ceramic heat emitter to provide some heat but no light (65-75 F, 18-24 C). You need an accurate thermometer to measure temperatures, like a temp gun. During the day, look for a gradient where temperatures between 70-95 F are available to the tort at all times (21-35 C). They need to bask to digest their food. A varied chemical-free diet is best. Do you have an organic garden? You can identify greens and weeds and flowers in your garden to feed if you don't have chemicals on them (pesticides, fertilizers). Or, buy a lettuce mix of dark leafy greens, rotating through different types. Your tort needs more than "lettuce". It needs a varied diet of different weeds, greens, lettuces, flowers, etc. All chemical free. Use a pure calcium powder over the food every other day. The tort needs the calcium and sun or a UVB bulb to keep a hard healthy shell.

Your tort needs a large enclosure, increased in size over time. Any time outside will let it thrive, but only if temperatures allow and you have a safe enclosure (no pets or predators or toxic plants...at first, when its warm out, you likely want to pen off a little area if you have a chemical free yard, and watch it roam...include a hide). If you wanted to build a tort table (large wood box), you could make it very large and block off part of it to increase as the tort grows. You need hides in different temperature areas for it to retreat to, at least 3. Boxes, containers, fake plants (like from a craft store), half logs (from pet stores, but be careful as torts like to climb these--hides with vertical sides are safer).

A tort will try to climb out if it can see out or thinks it can get out, or if its bored. You need substrate for it to dig in, hides for it to feel safe in, a shallow dish of water for it to get into to soak & drink, and somewhere to feed it off the substrate (a slate tile works great).

He can roam the balcony if its safe from predators and warm enough (over 21 C), with hides. If its warm enough much of the year, you might want to set up an enclosure on the balcony such as to line it with plastic sheeting and pout substrate. If he can only use the balcony part of the year, the bare surface might be fine just to get some sun as long as its safe and you have a place for him to retreat.

Since you got this tort as a present you might feel obligated to keep it, but make sure that you want to make a lifelong commitment to this tort. They require quite a bit of care to thrive. Not sure if you were wanting a tort or not from your post...

Good luck and congrats!
Holy **** that's a lot of information - well for me. :p

I could try and find the UV light but i am not sure if that's required if it roams free on the balcony all day. The sun over here does a pretty good job.
Rest could be arranged - hopefully, depending on cost.

As for keeping the tortoise, yes i do understand that I'd be long commitment but I do like them - when they're active at least.
So i plan to keep it.

Thanks a lot for all that info!

Really friendly welcome from all of you!
 

Sweetness_bug

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2010
Messages
392
Location (City and/or State)
MICHIGAN
Welcome to the forum..Very pretty tortoise. Everyone here is very helpful. I see that your already getting some great advise!
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
Sweetness_bug said:
Welcome to the forum..Very pretty tortoise. Everyone here is very helpful. I see that your already getting some great advise!

Thank you and indeed. ^^
 

coreyc

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
3,919
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
Hello Welcome as you already know you have a nice tort keep us updated :)
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
coreyc said:
Hello Welcome as you already know you have a nice tort keep us updated :)

Thanks :)

Well, if i had to guess, I'd say I'll HAVE to keep you updated because I am a total beginner when it comes to taking care of tortoises - and animals in general :)
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
Hi again guys,
It's been 5 days and things are going a lot better.
I've begun taking it to the balcony and leaving it there till it's gets a bit chilly then it's back into the box for the night in my room.
Seems to calm it down, at least it stopped trying to get out.
As for food, i am having trouble locating any except lettuce. Maybe i'll start getting it some Carrots or a handful of grass and weeds and let it choose.

The problem of not drinking remains though.
I have a small DIY cup inside with fresh filtered water that i change every one or 2 days but it's always untouched.
Even when i took it to the bathroom, filled the tub with just enough water at the same time not enough to drown into...She just keeps pacing around.

Any ideas how i might convince her to drink?
Also, do i have to add to the water these bits which remove chlorine from it - you know the ones you use for fish in aquariums?

Thank you
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
Can you take a trip to a local grocery store and post back what type of lettuces and greens they have? See if there is a bag of mixed lettuces besides just iceberg or romaine...here in the States its called baby lettuce mix or spring mix. Carrots are not a good choice. If you can find chemical free weeds, that is the ideal diet (don't just pick them from a park...full of chemicals). Not sure if the tort would go for grass or not. You can moisten the food to help with hydration. Soaking the tort supposedly will help hydrate it, even if it doesn't drink. A smaller soaking container than a bathtub should be less stressful. Make it baby bath warm and soak for 10-15 minutes, daily if you want. Have a large shallow dish of water in the enclosure. It should be big enough for the tort to get into, as they rarely will drink just by sticking their head in. Many torts in captivity will go a long time without drinking, such so that until recently many thought you didn't have to provide them water. Your tort may drink it without you realizing it too. Tap water should be fine. Do you have areas for the tort to hide on the balcony and in the box in your room? Thanks foe the update!
 

Opiflux

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Egypt
tortoisenerd said:
Can you take a trip to a local grocery store and post back what type of lettuces and greens they have?
Alright
See if there is a bag of mixed lettuces besides just iceberg or romaine...here in the States its called baby lettuce mix or spring mix. Carrots are not a good choice.
Ok
If you can find chemical free weeds, that is the ideal diet (don't just pick them from a park...full of chemicals). Not sure if the tort would go for grass or not.
You can moisten the food to help with hydration.
I do that
Soaking the tort supposedly will help hydrate it, even if it doesn't drink. A smaller soaking container than a bathtub should be less stressful. Make it baby bath warm and soak for 10-15 minutes, daily if you want. Have a large shallow dish of water in the enclosure. It should be big enough for the tort to get into, as they rarely will drink just by sticking their head in.
Great to know, was wondering about that myself.
Many torts in captivity will go a long time without drinking, such so that until recently many thought you didn't have to provide them water. Your tort may drink it without you realizing it too. Tap water should be fine.
Alright
Do you have areas for the tort to hide on the balcony and in the box in your room?
Yep i do, although it usually ignores them and heads for some flower pot and hides behind them.
Thanks foe the update!

Cheers for your helpful reply. :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top