# Most active



## tbird2017 (Jun 22, 2011)

Hello, I recently adopted a young(1.5yr old) leopard tortoise that has MBD. I really have to work with this tort to get it to move around and eat. I would like to get another tort that is more active and won't need the prodding to move/eat and won't be so shy. In your opinion, which species (top 3 or so?) of tortoise is the most friendly and active? I would like a tortoise I can watch walk around and that will eat out of my hand. There are no other parameters, I can build any type of enclosure that would be needed. Thanks for the replies, tbird.


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## GBtortoises (Jun 22, 2011)

Russians, Hermann's, Greeks & Redfoots. They all remain relatively small. If you have the room to devote-Sulcatas too.


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## tbird2017 (Jun 22, 2011)

GBtortoises said:


> Russians, Hermann's, Greeks & Redfoots. They all remain relatively small. If you have the room to devote-Sulcatas too.



I can make the room for a sulcata, so you think these types would be much more active and friendly than my leo? And of the above, which is generally regarded as the most active and interactive?


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## Neal (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, personality is currently being debated on the forum so funny coincidence your situation comes up.

I think you should go with a different leopard tortoise personally. If you have a young tortoise with MBD, it's likely not going to be very personal regardless of the species.


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## Missy (Jun 22, 2011)

Your young Leopard should be fairly active. Sounds like there could be something off like temps or UV lighting. If a tort is to cold it will not move around as much. That is very young to have MBD, could you post a pic for us?


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## Yvonne G (Jun 22, 2011)

Hi tbird2017:

I think you just need to give your new tortoise some time. It will come around eventually with gentle handling and good food.


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## Jacqui (Jun 22, 2011)

Just to answer your question and not recommending you to get them, but my first two thoughts are the sulcata and the Homes hingebacks. The sucata is pretty obvious, but the hingeback less so. These animals are called "shy", but that is not really true. Once you have them use to humans and settled in, to me they are the most active, outgoing, and interesting tortoise to own. Mine all come running to see me and are on their own very active and inquisitive. Yes, I do have a couple I have broken down and hand feed often. I tend to be a hands off sort of keeper, so that just shows you how good these guys can beg and worm into your heart.


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## tbird2017 (Jun 22, 2011)

Missy said:


> Your young Leopard should be fairly active. Sounds like there could be something off like temps or UV lighting. If a tort is to cold it will not move around as much. That is very young to have MBD, could you post a pic for us?



I have some pics posted in the leopard subforum here: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-First-Leopard-Tortoise#axzz1Q1DtfhIN 
I have a 160 UV light that creates a 100-110F basking area right under it, the edges of the habitat are room temperature(71 at night and 75 during the day), I don't know how to keep the edges of the enclosure warm since it is open to the room. I also have an infrared heat lamp. Spotty of course likes to stay in the coldest corners of the enclosure, I have to move her to the warm parts in the morning and in the afternoon when I get back to get her to move around a little and eat. I give her warm water soaks once a day and take her outside for an hour or two when whether permits(rains a lot in Indiana). Do you have any other suggestions? I adopted her a couple weeks ago, she was diagnosed at Purdue University with MBD, and suspect colelith. She hadn't eaten for 2 weeks when she was donated to the University and her plastron was soft enough to be depressed with light finger pressure. Any suggestions to make her more active and hungry would be welcome.


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## Neal (Jun 22, 2011)

Where do you live? Is it possible for you to get her out in direct sunlight?


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## tbird2017 (Jun 22, 2011)

Neal said:


> Where do you live? Is it possible for you to get her out in direct sunlight?



I live in Indiana, the weather only permits her being outside occasionally, I try to get her out as often as possible, but that ends up being only a couple times a week. When she is outside, she walks a little more, but still only nibbles on clover occasionally, after about 45 minutes she seems to not want to do much, even in the sunlight.


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## Terry Allan Hall (Jun 22, 2011)

Sunlight can only do her good, anytime the ambient temps are upper-60s or warmer (but make sure she always has shade, too!)

Best personality/most active/tons of fun? Why an Eastern Hermann's, of course! (and no, I'm not terribly, completely, and uncompromisedly prejudiced in their favor... )


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## Neal (Jun 22, 2011)

Oh yeah, sorry I didn't recognize you were the same person I asked that to on another thread. 

I think that the best thing to encourage a tortoise to be more active is heat. The low 70's may be OK, but it's not going to get that tortoise active enough to eat a lot. The tortoise needs heat to digest it's food, so if it's staying cool it won't need to eat as much and therefore less active. 

You said when it arrived at the University it had a very soft shell. How is the tortoises shell now?


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## Missy (Jun 22, 2011)

tbird2017 said:


> Missy said:
> 
> 
> > Your young Leopard should be fairly active. Sounds like there could be something off like temps or UV lighting. If a tort is to cold it will not move around as much. That is very young to have MBD, could you post a pic for us?
> ...



I looked at your pics. She does have large pyramiding. Is she caved in at the hip area? Do you give calcium? I really like your tort table but I would suggest using cyrpress mulch instead of the beautiful outdoor carpet. The mulch will help the humidity. You can also get some plexiglass from Lowes or Menards and cover 3/4 of the table to help hold in heat and humidity, that is what I do and it works great. I know all about Indiana weather, I was raised in Anderson In. I would get her outside as much as you can. Do you have any prickly pear cactus? If not I could send you some. Cactus is in my opinion the best tort food. Do you feed Mazuri? If not I can send you a sample to try. I think if you can get her healthy she will be a great tort. I rescued a large Sulcata and she has become my favorite. Feel free to PM me. Good luck.

Just went and read your other post and I see that you corrected the enclosure problems. Great job.


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## ChiKat (Jun 22, 2011)

If you live in Indiana I would kindly recommend against getting a Sulcata, or one of the larger species. IMO all tortoises should live outside year round if possible, but it can be especially difficult to have an acceptable indoor setup for a 100+ lb Sulcata when it's snowing outside!!


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## tbird2017 (Jun 22, 2011)

Missy said:


> tbird2017 said:
> 
> 
> > Missy said:
> ...





I think she might be slightly caved in the hip area, but only slightly. I do give calcium powder on her food once a day. I have switched to peat moss with cypress mulch on top to help with humidity. I just ordered prickly pair, mazuri, red tort sticks, and a 18"x18" heater from coastal, hopefully those will help. I didn't realize how large the learning curve was for torts, there is a lot of contradictory info out there, especially on humidity levels and causes of diseases.


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