# My CDTS



## 65redroses (Mar 16, 2013)

Hope this works.


Here's another one


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How do they look?


Here we go.


Here we go.


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## Tom (Mar 16, 2013)

They look like they need a much bigger enclosure with taller sides, a proper humid hide, a non-clored bulb for daytime, a bigger saucer for a water bowl, and more soaking. They are pyramiding from the way that they have been kept. This is not so easy with CDTs. It means things have been too dry.

What is the daylight colored bulb in there?
Ever considered keeping them separately? CDTs are very territorial and usually fare better alone or in small groups.
Do they have an outside enclosure too?


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## Yvonne G (Mar 16, 2013)

Hi 65:

Please don't think that we are picking on you. We mean our constructive criticism in the best possible way, and only have your tortoises' best interest at heart.

Desert tortoises are one of my favorite species. You hardly ever see one with pyramided growth, but when you do it is due to incorrect tortoise-keeping practices. In the desert tortoise, there are several things that contribute to bumpy shells...not enough exercise (too small of a habitat), incorrect diet (not enough grasses, weeds and plants), no real sunshine (or UVB from an expensive light bulb) and being kept too dry (in the wild, they stay underground, where there is more moisture in the soil).

Your babies are now big enough to have an outside pen. You can make one very easy with scrap lumber or cinder blocks. I would put chicken wire over the top to protect them from "critters."

I know you love your tortoises and want to do right by them. Giving them a larger enclosure and outside, would go a long way towards that goal.


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## kathyth (Mar 16, 2013)

I agree with the above and want to say I love your tortoises!
That s my favorite species, hands down!


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## 65redroses (Mar 16, 2013)

emysemys said:


> Hi 65:
> 
> Please don't think that we are picking on you. We mean our constructive criticism in the best possible way, and only have your tortoises' best interest at heart.
> 
> ...



Thank you for your advice. So they are 16 months old. Can they stay outside full time? I live right on the central coast. So are they pyramiding now? I feed them dandelions, hibiscus, weeds, spring mix or Santa Barbara mix. I try and put them out every sunny day that we have for as long as it stays sunny. Once the fog rolls in I bring them back inside. I spray their substrate but maybe this is not enough for them? The red light is a basking light and the spiral light is a UVB light is that wrong too? Let me know. I will try and build something for them outside.


My CDTs


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## Thalatte (Mar 16, 2013)

Yes they are already starting to pyramid. The spiral uvb bulbs are known for causing eye damage in tortoises so It would be best if you could switch the m out with another kind. Also the red light bulb wont do much for daytime heat. Instead of buying 2 new different typs of bulbs look at getting a Mercury Vapor bulb. They are a little more expensive out right but they dont need to be changed as often and they provide both uvb and heat which makes them ideal for tortoise basking. And they will save a little on your electricity bill as you will only need one light. What's the temp at where you are? 
They are certainly big enough to be outside full time as long as the temps are nice enough. Or you could build them a heated box and then you can lock them up at night so you know they are safe and warm. This means you would also be able to keep them out in the winter.
They also need a humid hide which is easy enough to create. Just buy some sphagnum moss, wet it, and stick it in their hide or a corner or both. This will allow the torts to burrow in damp moss and help stop the pyramiding.


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## Tom (Mar 16, 2013)

It sounds like your routine is good and so is your diet. Here is what I recommend for lighting: as Thalatte noted, those coil type bulbs can damage their eyes. I would not use it. Colored bulbs during the day make things look "funny" to tortoises. I wouldn't use that either. Because your tortoises get regular sunshine, you do not need any artificial UV lighting. You can simply use a regular incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store for indoor basking. Use enough wattage to get the temp you need. I use 65 watt bulbs and raise or lower the fixture to get the right temp. If your house stays in the neighborhood of 70, you do not need night heat. If it get colder than that get your self a ceramic heating element and use it with a thermostat to maintain the night temp and ambient you want.

About the pyramiding: This happens because tortoises are kept too dry and dehydrated. Daily warm soaks, and a humid hide box should bring a halt to it for you. For many years we (the tortoise community in general) have incorrectly assumed that species that come from dry areas of the world need a dry enclosure in captivity. What we have failed to consider is that these tortoise have developed strategies in the wild to conserve water and survive these conditions. In captivity they don't have the option to partake of these natural strategies (like digging and using burrows) so we must compensate by keeping them hydrated and offering areas of the enclosure that can at least somewhat simulate a burrow, like a humid hide.

I hope all this helps. Please ask lots more questions. We are all here to learn and help each other.


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## theelectraco (Mar 16, 2013)

Having those lamps clamped to the bottles like that really scares me and Is a potential fire hazard.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Mar 18, 2013)

Your CDT babies are absolutely darling. Yay that you found this place. You will learn a lot on this forum. 

Do try the baby food soaks. I read it here on the forum and tried it with some Greek tortoises that were having a hard time adjusting to life outside of the middle east desert where they are from. I think the journey could not have been easy. I think the baby food soaks saved them, I really do. I could almost immediately feel their weight start to go up, plumped and hydrated them. It is a wonderful suggestion to do.

Love those lil CDTs!


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## 65redroses (Mar 21, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> Your CDT babies are absolutely darling. Yay that you found this place. You will learn a lot on this forum.
> 
> Do try the baby food soaks. I read it here on the forum and tried it with some Greek tortoises that were having a hard time adjusting to life outside of the middle east desert where they are from. I think the journey could not have been easy. I think the baby food soaks saved them, I really do. I could almost immediately feel their weight start to go up, plumped and hydrated them. It is a wonderful suggestion to do.
> 
> Love those lil CDTs!



What is a baby food soak?


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Mar 21, 2013)

That suggestion comes from Yvonne and Maggie from my reading here on the forum and those lovely ladies know so very much about tortoise care. 

Basically, you get jars of baby food, either carrot or squash is good, and when you soak your tortoises you add the jar of baby food to the warm water and plop your babies right in. You may want to set your little spa tub under your basking area so the water stays warm and comfy. I leave mine in about half an hour, but I think 15 minutes it has been said is good. It helps them to get some added nutrition because they absorb the nutrients and of course, with the water and all, they get good and hydrated. Babies, again from reading and reading this forum, need to be hydrated well to prevent problems. Mine seem to love it and they just get all calm and happy. After I take them out, perhaps because of the warmth of the water has warmed them up, they eat like little piggies. It covers all bases: water, comfort, food = good to do. Hope this helps. : )


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## bmt123 (Mar 22, 2013)

How did you acquire these tortoise I would love to work with the species


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## Tom (Mar 22, 2013)

bmt123 said:


> How did you acquire these tortoise I would love to work with the species



Call your local CTTC (CA Turtle and Tortoise Club). They frequently have sources for all ages available for adoption and can give you the form to get your permit too.


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## Laura (Mar 22, 2013)

when you build a place outside.. Use hardware cloth to cover it.. it still lets the sun thru, but it stronger, and critters cant get thru it as easy..


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## 65redroses (Mar 22, 2013)

bmt123 said:


> How did you acquire these tortoise I would love to work with the species



My friends got them when they were babies. And now they are going to Europe for a month and gave them to me. So this is all brand new and I'm so worried that they will die on me as I don't know that much about them.


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## luvpetz27 (Mar 22, 2013)

Just take everyone's advice on here
and everything will be fine. Always ask
questions if you need to. Good luck
and try not to stress to much!!


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Mar 22, 2013)

Well 65redroses - I so love your name, oh the imagery - you are so fortunate to have them. They are darling. Love-love. And this is the best forum for tortoise information and people so willing to share their experience and knowledge. I have learned so much here, and am grateful. Your little tortoises will only get happier and healthier if you apply what the experts suggest. I feel lucky to have found this forum. Yay for us!


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## 65redroses (Mar 30, 2013)

So would it be ok to put my CDTs in a kiddie pool for daytime sunshine and bring them in at night till I get the a more permanent home built outside?


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## Yvonne G (Mar 30, 2013)

Yes. Quite a few people use the kiddie pools. Just make sure the tortoises can't climb out, and give them some plants, either fake or real, so they have some shade.

I saw where someone bought two kiddie pools the same size, cut out the center of one up to about 2" from the edge (bottom only), then inverted the cut out one over the whole one and punched holes all around the two edges, zip tying them together. This made a nice lip all around so the tortoises couldn't escape, and it also gave them shade all around the edge.


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## 65redroses (Apr 5, 2013)

How many of you on this forum have CDTs? Would you share some pics of your yard for them? Trying to get some ideas. What other tortoise is similar to the CDT? I posted a pic of mine and that's what I have been told they are. Thanks. Continuing to learn about these critters.


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## Yvonne G (Apr 5, 2013)

This is a view of three pens that take up part of my front yard. In the front, at the bottom of the picture, is the Russian tort pen. I have 1.2 Russians in there. The large pen above that one is where the desert tortoises live. There are 7 of them in there. And the long pen to the right is where the little Texas tortoises live. The partially viewed pen on the very right, bottom of the picture is a pen where "found" or rescued tortoises go until I can adopt them out.







If you look closely you can see one of the desert tortoises sitting on their "porch" under the "patio cover."





Their house is made out of cinder blocks with a plywood roof that I can lift off. And the house is built under the shade of a large mulberry tree.


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## 65redroses (Apr 9, 2013)

I really hate trying to post and put pics up! This is the hardest site to use, it never works.


It works with out the pics.


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## 65redroses (Apr 9, 2013)

Here are my torts.


Torts.


Torts


Torts


Can you all see these pics?


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