# Unexpected Tortoise Owner Needs Lots of Help



## pipermarie (Feb 14, 2017)

So my landlord was over on Sunday doing some work and asked me if I would be willing to take a small tortoise. Apparently 2 were given to the adult son and he put them outside and 1 disappeared. Not sure what they were in. Anyways he didn't want the other one to go missing and they know that I have done a lot of reptile rescue so they asked me if I would take it. I have had many rescued reptiles, snakes, lizards, and a couple of red eared sliders.My Bearded Dragon Stripes passed away last summer at 11 years. I had him since he was a 6 week old hatching. But I have never had a tortoise and feel like I know less than nothing. They brought it over in a 10 gallon tank with sand...I do know this is not a good set up. I am planning on building an outdoor enclosure but would like to bring it in at night until the temps are high enough to keep it outside full time. I am posting a couple of pics. I believe its a desert tortoise ( gopherus) and would like some confirmation. I have no idea of the age but you can see its size. I have small hands. I am concerned about toxic weeds that I can't feed. Any and all advice is welcome. I want to give this little one whatever it needs to be healthy and happy.


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## Gillian M (Feb 14, 2017)

Hello @pipermarie and a very warm welcome to the forum.  

A cute little tort. GOD bless. 

One cannot tell the age of a tort unless one knows the tort's "date of birth" so as to say. 

Please give your cutie a daily soak in warm water so as to avoid dehydration and pyramiding. Make sure he/she has enough _warmth_ and _humidity_. 

As for the enclosure, the larger it is, the better. These cute animals are used to roaming around in the wild where and as they please.  Any pics of the enclosure your tort came along in? 

Read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread as well as the care sheets available, and do not hesitate to ask questions. We're here to help!


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## pipermarie (Feb 14, 2017)

Thank you Gillian. He came in a 10 gallon tank with sand and a little hut to hide in. I got him late Sunday afternoon so he pretty much stayed in his hut. I noticed yesterday that he/she spent a lot of time wandering along the tank looking to get out. I taped some paper along the bottom sides 
and then he settled down. I chopped up some kale, dandelion greens and some cactus leaf and he would eat a bite and wander off and then come back later and eat again. This went on all day until he went into his hut. This morning the tank was at 70 and he was slow to wake up. I clipped on a reptile light and brought the temp up to 85 at one end, 82 at the other. A little more difficult to keep a significant warm/cool section in a smaller tank. I want to get him settled into better accommodations this week. I will definitely read up on everything you suggested. Thanks again.


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## Gillian M (Feb 14, 2017)

pipermarie said:


> Thank you Gillian. He came in a 10 gallon tank with sand and a little hut to hide in. I got him late Sunday afternoon so he pretty much stayed in his hut. I noticed yesterday that he/she spent a lot of time wandering along the tank looking to get out. I taped some paper along the bottom sides
> and then he settled down. I chopped up some kale, dandelion greens and some cactus leaf and he would eat a bite and wander off and then come back later and eat again. This went on all day until he went into his hut. This morning the tank was at 70 and he was slow to wake up. I clipped on a reptile light and brought the temp up to 85 at one end, 82 at the other. A little more difficult to keep a significant warm/cool section in a smaller tank. I want to get him settled into better accommodations this week. I will definitely read up on everything you suggested. Thanks again.



Most welcome.

Do not worry. He'll settle down but it'll take time as torts do NOT like change. Therefore they tale time to get adjusted. OK?


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Feb 14, 2017)

Hi 
Change the sand out use garden soil


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## Yvonne G (Feb 14, 2017)

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Yes, you have a little desert tortoise there. It is a hatchling from last September. They should be kept in a covered enclosure with an overall temperature of about 80-85F degrees, even at night. Moisten the substrate (get rid of the sand, I like orchid bark). They hatch out during the rainy season, so they have lots of greenery to eat and the air is humid. This helps their shell to grow smoothly. Don't put him outside for a couple years. During the summer you can take him out during the day in a covered enclosure, but bring him in at night. The other one was probably carried away by a bird, so be sure to have wire or some sort of cover when outside. Indoors he'll need a UVB light, and don't use the newer compact fluorescent bulbs. They have been known to be harmful to the tortoise's eyes. You can follow the information given in our Russian section for bay Russian tortoises, as the care is the same:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/


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## pipermarie (Feb 14, 2017)

Thank you everyone.Tomorrow I will be doing some shopping. I will be changing out the substrate for orchid bark or a combination of that and coconut fiber. I was planning on setting him up indoors in a 65 gallon tank with the bottom half of the sides covered with dark paper so he wont spend his time trying to get to the other side. I live in Yuma so I'm planning on having him outside during the day in a covered enclosure and in at night. Can I use a red bulb at night to keep the temperature to where it should or would a black light be better?


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Feb 14, 2017)

No red or black lights please.


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## JoesMum (Feb 15, 2017)

pipermarie said:


> Thank you everyone.Tomorrow I will be doing some shopping. I will be changing out the substrate for orchid bark or a combination of that and coconut fiber. I was planning on setting him up indoors in a 65 gallon tank with the bottom half of the sides covered with dark paper so he wont spend his time trying to get to the other side. I live in Yuma so I'm planning on having him outside during the day in a covered enclosure and in at night. Can I use a red bulb at night to keep the temperature to where it should or would a black light be better?


A Ceramic Heat Emitter used with a thermostat is much better for temperature stability and lasts forever. The black incandescent bulbs have a much shorter lifespan. 

It looks like this (also comes in black but there's no difference)



Your tort needs complete darkness at night. It also has good colour vision and not a huge amount of common sense. They love red foods and we regularly see torts eating substrate and decor coloured red by heat bulbs, so don't use those.


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## pipermarie (Feb 20, 2017)

JoesMum said:


> A Ceramic Heat Emitter used with a thermostat is much better for temperature stability and lasts forever. The black incandescent bulbs have a much shorter lifespan.
> 
> It looks like this (also comes in black but there's no difference)
> View attachment 199853
> ...




Thank you so much! I had no idea. I thought I would be ahead of the game as I have a lot of reptile knowledge and experience. The joke is on me .


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## Lauren Tilbury (Mar 2, 2017)

Gillian Moore said:


> Hello @pipermarie and a very warm welcome to the forum.
> 
> A cute little tort. GOD bless.
> 
> ...


Hi, Gillian.
Regarding soaking. How much water do you think you should put them in. Up to their shell under their neck? I wold love to know that question.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Mar 2, 2017)

Soak up to a level a bit above the join between plastron and carapace in nice warm water for twenty minutes or so.
Use a high sided, opaque container so he can't see out.


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## GingerLove (Mar 2, 2017)

Wow, such cuties! I am a little concerned that his shell seems to be "collapsing" in the middle? I don't know why it is indented. I'm a bit of an amateur when it comes to shell matters, so please don't be concerned unless you hear from another member!!


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## Gillian M (Mar 3, 2017)

Lauren Tilbury said:


> Hi, Gillian.
> Regarding soaking. How much water do you think you should put them in. Up to their shell under their neck? I wold love to know that question.


I don't think there's a clear answer to your question here. Oli, for example likes it rather deep. I have tried the method @Tidgy's Dad mentioned. However Oli did not like it. He would keep struggling till the water is as deep as HE wants.


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## Lauren Tilbury (Mar 5, 2017)

Thank you


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