# Introducing Tortilla



## vellutip (May 5, 2011)

Hi TFO,

Wanted to introduce â€œTortillaâ€ and her enclosure. I adopted her from a private party last June and was told she was a 30-40 year old female California Desert Tortoise (previously named â€œTortieâ€). She had been with her previous owner for 10-15 years, but he moved to a climate less hospitable for her and she found her way to me here in the foothills near Sacramento. He reported feeding her mostly Romaine lettuce, a frozen vegetable mix and apple slices.

She hibernated this winter in an insulated box in my garage with monthly soaks and seemed to emerge in good health in March. Last July she stayed up all night under a full moon digging and laid 9 large eggs!

Iâ€™ve been working on her enclosure. Itâ€™s not as large as I would like, but she gets frequent supervised excursions in the rest of the yard (need to be careful there because of toxic plants). She has her choice of hides. I made a burrow using a wood framed 1/2 aluminum trash can so she can keep cool in the heat. I blocked it off with a large stone when the weather was too wet and damp earlier in the spring. I had to add a drain in the front to prevent flooding during heavy rain. She also has a wooden dog house with a hinged top, cypress bedding inside and a pig blanket for heat when appropriate (with thermostat). I have a wireless thermometer mounted in there so I can keep an eye on the temperature frequently from inside the house.

There is unfortunately pea gravel in the enclosure and I worry she may inadvertently ingest some. So far it hasn't been a problem. I feed her from dish on a flat stone. I'm a dog/cat vet so I can easily take xrays of her and check for rocks. Has anyone a actually had a problem with this?

The enclosure gets afternoon sun but is shaded in the morning. I planted native grasses, dandilions, etc. (desert tort seed) in there but she eats most everything before it grows too much. She also gets a lot of grape leaves (a vine is growing in the enclosure), hibiscus leaves and flowers (when in bloom - LOTS of these in yard), rose pedals and flowers from the yard. I also provide grocery goods like collard, kale and mustard greens. I top most of her salads with moistened Mazuri, sprinkled with calcium once a week. She has a great appetite!

She has a ground level water dish that I empty each evening and gets refilled automatically by the irrigation system, which also sprays the native grasses. 

The front of enclosure is bordered by 12â€ tall wooden piece of lumber with a board mounted on top to create a ledge and prevent climbing. This worked great to keep the tort in but I had to add the gate on top to keep the dog from eating her Mazuri.

I got a permit for her but still need to affix itâ€¦.

Anyhow just wanted to introduce her and say thanks for the helpful hints on the forumâ€¦appreciate any thoughts...want to keep her healthy...

Peter


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## jeffbens0n (May 5, 2011)

Tortilla looks great and so does her enclosure. Does the enclosure get much sunlight during the day?


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## Yvonne G (May 5, 2011)

Hi Peter:

Your pictures are great. The tortoise looks very healthy, and I love the habitat. I often recommend the side-yard as a tortoise pen. I would be a little worried about the pea gravel too. I would suggest that you put the feeding station on the grass instead of on the gravel, and be sure to dust her food occasionally with a mineral supplement.

What did you do about the eggs? If she had been with a male in the last few years, there's a good chance the eggs were fertile.


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## dmmj (May 5, 2011)

Don't worry about affixing the permit, it never stays on very long, welcome to the forum, and welcome to another So Cal member.


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## Laura (May 5, 2011)

Where above Sac are you> ? Im in Newcastle.. 
I have a side yard that I want to put a desert tort in... its away from my sulcata pens..


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## ALDABRAMAN (May 5, 2011)

Very nice!


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## dmarcus (May 5, 2011)

very nice photos of your tort and his enclosure..


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## Peacebone (May 5, 2011)

Love the pics. Beautiful tortoise.


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## ticothetort2 (May 5, 2011)

Nice enclosure and good looking tort.


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## Shelly (May 5, 2011)

I would take it easy on the apples and veggies. Instead give more greens, as well as roses, hibiscus, mulberry, grape leaves, dandelion, and lots of grass for her to graze on...


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## TortieLuver (May 5, 2011)

Hello Tortilla and what a nice enclosure!


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## vellutip (May 6, 2011)

emysemys said:


> Hi Peter:
> 
> Your pictures are great. The tortoise looks very healthy, and I love the habitat. I often recommend the side-yard as a tortoise pen. I would be a little worried about the pea gravel too. I would suggest that you put the feeding station on the grass instead of on the gravel, and be sure to dust her food occasionally with a mineral supplement.
> 
> What did you do about the eggs? If she had been with a male in the last few years, there's a good chance the eggs were fertile.



I will definitely move the feeding station, Yvonne. I currently sprinkle her food with a calcium supplement about once a week, but do you suggest a mineral supplement in addition to this? No access to a male for the past 10-15 years, so the eggs, while beautiful, weren't fertile....Peter 



Laura said:


> Where above Sac are you> ? Im in Newcastle..
> I have a side yard that I want to put a desert tort in... its away from my sulcata pens..



I'm in Rocklin...Peter


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## ALDABRAMAN (May 6, 2011)




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## gmayor (May 9, 2011)

I love her name i almosted named my Russian that haha.


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## Jacob (May 9, 2011)

He Looks Great, and I like The Little Side Yard!
I Would Suggest You Putting In There A Small Shallow Pool,


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## Yvonne G (May 9, 2011)

Hi Peter:

I just looked at your pictures again. I like the "viewing bench" and the totem pole.


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## vellutip (May 10, 2011)

emysemys said:


> Hi Peter:
> 
> I just looked at your pictures again. I like the "viewing bench" and the totem pole.



Thanks! I love to sit there and just observe. Amazing how watching a tort cruise around can be so instantly relaxing....Peter


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