# new tort mom with ?



## crocsmom (Apr 18, 2008)

Hi all,
I have recently acquired a Mohave Desert Tortoise from my husbands co-worker who took him from the Desert (Barstow area) about 3 years ago for his daughter. They live in an apartment on the 2nd floor so my tort has not seen sun or grass or outside period in 3 years.(I know very SAD) I live in So Cal and he is fully awake and now lives in tort heaven!!!! His home is a vegetable planter approx. 5 ft-30 ft with a avacado and lemon tree for shade with access to a beautiful backyard when im home, we live on a corner with a wrought iron gate and I dont want anyone to see him and jump the gate and take him. I have read A LOT since getting him but I want to do all the right things for him. I buy all organic veggies and fruit for him from Trader Joe's and Henrey's Market (my husband says he eats better than us). I think I know what to feed him, just dont know how much to feed him each day.

Egg shells every day, every week, every month what?

How much egg shell 1 shell 2, 3, what?

I really need things spelled out for me...
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Also, the little girl who had him before me, I think poked at his face a lot, because he's so afraid of me when I reach to touch his head. Will he always be so scared?

His name is croc (for crocodile)
His shell measures from the tip above his head to his tail 14"

Websites that helped me:
sdturtle.org
anapsid.org

Thank you very much for any help you might give me.

CROCS MOM


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## jlyoncc1 (Apr 18, 2008)

Welcome to the forum! Glad he has a good home now!


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## Crazy1 (Apr 18, 2008)

Welcome to the forum Crocsmom. did you measure him like this? 
http://www.tlady.clara.net/measure.htm
Here are a few more sites. these should explain calcium and the amounts
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/dietcons.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet.htm
http://home.bak.rr.com/donsdonedidit/info.htm
http://www.tortoise.org/geninfo.html

Poisons : AVOCADO, foliage http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/plantsthatpoison.htm


and citrus leaves have toxic effect of DT


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## Yvonne G (Apr 18, 2008)

crocsmom said:


> Also, the little girl who had him before me, I think poked at his face a lot, because he's so afraid of me when I reach to touch his head. Will he always be so scared?
> 
> CROCS MOM



Reminds me of a story: I had a really nice female box turtle who would always come over to me when I went into the pen (around 30 boxies in there). She was quite tame and a very nice turtle. I adopted her to a school teacher for a class room pet. After a couple weeks the teacher asked if she could bring her back because there was something wrong with her. She would only push herself around with her back legs, keeping her front legs and head firmly tucked in and closed up. Also she wouldn't eat.

This turtle experience is the reason I adopted the "no classroom pet" rule. It is my guess, because the teacher had no idea, that the kids tormented this poor turtle by poking her. They took a really nice, tame turtle and made her into a scared, closed-up turtle. After a couple weeks of being left alone in the pen, she came out and started eating again, but is real head-shy and no longer friendly.

I expect your tortoise will eventually learn to trust you and your family, but you will have to be very calm and gentle with him. Try to not pick him up unless you have to. Offer him treats from your hand so he gets to know that you are not going to poke him and only good things come from your hand.

Yvonne
p.s. I'm assuming you know that what your husband's co-worker did is illegal. You are not supposed to even touch a wild desert tortoise, let alone capture it.


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## crocsmom (Apr 18, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> crocsmom said:
> 
> 
> > Also, the little girl who had him before me, I think poked at his face a lot, because he's so afraid of me when I reach to touch his head. Will he always be so scared?
> ...


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## crocsmom (Apr 18, 2008)

hi yvonne, Yes I know AND so did he know it was illegal but did it any way. Im just glad they grew tired of him so I could make his life better. Even if he never is comfortable with my hands thats OK, I still just love watching him tootle around the yard and bask in the sun.

The Acacado and lemon trees are on our slop but cast their shadow all day at the far end of his pen, he can not get to the trees the retaining wall is 4' high.

his correct measurement is 11 1/4 inches. thanks for the new websites

And Thanks for the welcome

CROCSMOM


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## Jentortmom (Apr 21, 2008)

Welcome to TFO!! Glad you were able to give him a good home. Being he is a wild tort he may never completely trust you.


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