What other animals get along with tortoises?

JoesMum

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Holly, the best you can do is to follow Tom’s instructions in those threads I linked.

Make sure that you have a closed chamber, ie a roof on the enclosure, with raised humidity and a temperature that never drops below 80F day or night and a basking lamp with 95-100F directly underneath.

The substrate needs to be an earthy type that holds moisture; Tom favours fine grade orchid bark... others use coco coir. You need to tip water in and mix it with your hands until all of it is evenly damp. This will raise the humidity.

Your tort needs a soak in warm water for at least 20 minutes at least once a day. This will help to keep him hydrated.

Some babies fail through no fault of your own. Hopefully yours will succeed if your setup is correct.
 

hollygaucas

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Holly, the best you can do is to follow Tom’s instructions in those threads I linked.

Make sure that you have a closed chamber, ie a roof on the enclosure, with raised humidity and a temperature that never drops below 80F day or night and a basking lamp with 95-100F directly underneath.

The substrate needs to be an earthy type that holds moisture; Tom favours fine grade orchid bark... others use coco coir. You need to tip water in and mix it with your hands until all of it is evenly damp. This will raise the humidity.

Your tort needs a soak in warm water for at least 20 minutes at least once a day. This will help to keep him hydrated.

Some babies fail through no fault of your own. Hopefully yours will succeed if your setup is correct.

So my temperatures all match what you have mentioned.

I use moist orchid bark, and by the way, my enclosure is a closed lid enclosure.

I usually soak Pickle weekly, so I will start soaking him daily instead.

Thanks for you’re help!
 

madbad

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So my temperatures all match what you have mentioned.

I use moist orchid bark, and by the way, my enclosure is a closed lid enclosure.

I usually soak Pickle weekly, so I will start soaking him daily instead.

Thanks for you’re help!

That all sounds right. The next thing to examine would be diet.
 

JoesMum

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Hey I have a wildly varied diet for my guy. It’s very possible she does as well. Don’t want to scare her off give her time!! I think you miss having a tort hehe.

I still asked what was in the “widely varied” diet. It’s a reasonable question as we don’t know exactly what is being fed. You can have an extremely varied diet of “junk food”, to use human terms, that won’t give a young tort the vitamins and minerals it needs.
 

daniellenc

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I still asked what was in the “widely varied” diet. It’s a reasonable question as we don’t know exactly what is being fed. You can have an extremely varied diet of “junk food”, to use human terms, that won’t give a young tort the vitamins and minerals it needs.
Yes definitely but who knows maybe she’s at work or school now.
 

hollygaucas

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Hollygaucus, Don't worry, tortoises shed their skin. It's normal. They don't shed it in one piece like a snake does, rather it'll flake off in pieces like it does on a lizard. That's the peeling you see on Pickles. :tort:
Thanks! This makes sense. Is this only for skin or does it shed on the shell too?
 

daniellenc

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Thanks! This makes sense. Is this only for skin or does it shed on the shell too?
If you see flaking it usually means too dry so soaking is a good option. They all shed as we do but no one wants to look ashy hehe.
 

JoesMum

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If you see flaking it usually means too dry so soaking is a good option. They all shed as we do but no one wants to look ashy hehe.

Russians tend to have naturally rougher shells than some other species and if yours is wild caught, rather than captive bred, or simply has that Russian sense of adventure where climbing has led to falls, then the shell will be more battered. It should never be flaking away though.

The skin can look downright tatty at times at it sheds in patches.
 

Redfool

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Im seeing this over and over in this forum. Op I mean no disrespect Im just trying to gain an understanding. People come to this forum and ask for advice, then disregard what everyone tells them. Op your original post was about whether your dogs and cats will get along with your tort. Multiple people commented this is a disaster waiting to happen. Why, because they have seen it over and over again where people say the same thing as you, then later comeback to the forum with "help my dog bit my tortoise leg off" or something similar. Now again I'm not trying to be rude, but if your not going to take the advice, then what was the point of the post?

Please don’t stop posting. I don’t always heed the advice on this forum but I don’t post back” you’re advice just doesn’t apply to me” especially if it’s against a majority consensus. This only sets me up for an “I told you so”. I read their advice, weigh my options and hope I don’t get a “Wow, they told me so”.
 

Bobby12345

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Even though your dogs act afraid of your tort, I ask that you never turn your back on them when it comes to your tort. I had a dog once that was terrified of the broom, until one day we came home to the broom ripped to pieces by the very dog that would run away peeing its self as soon as it seen it. My point is, we can't read our dogs minds to understand why they behave in some ways but there is always a possibility that instinct will win out. I would hate the idea of anyone's tort being harmed by another animal whether it be attacked or because of some kind of contagion. It's easy to keep your tort separate from other pets and the tort won't mind at all.
I agree completely. I have had so many dogs in my life, most until their last day. Some I only had until I could find them a good home. Pit bulls, very large mutts (my dog now is 140 lb lab/hound/I don’t know what) and small dogs. I’m new to tortoises. When I agreed to let my kid get a tortoise, the rules are: you must learn as much as you can about them, and never trust a dog. Just be a good caretaker and don’t leave them alone. Don’t get all silly and say ‘oh they are friends’. Nope. Dogs are predators. Dogs are awesome. But they will do what dogs do. It’s isnt fair to the tortoise or the dog. A tortoise can’t scratch the dogs face like a cat can. It can’t do anything to teach the dog to leave it alone. And the dog will give into his instincts eventually just like I’m am going to eventually give into mine and eat the whole container of ice cream I said I wouldn’t. I don’t want the tortoise hurt and I don’t want anyone loving the dog a little less because he is, after all a dog. And he it’s not his fault if we can’t keep a safe space for both of them.
 

daniellenc

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I have a rescue Pitt and two rescue cats who came to me unweaned. They’re a bit older than my tort and no animal gets near my shelled guy. My Pitt sees him outside and in his locked cage but could care less. His outdoor enclosure is prey proof as well. He also allowed two Ferrell unweaned kittens but no chances taken. Heck he was dog fenced from the kittens for a month before another month of leashed exposure. He came here as a no cat house lol. He likes one but my wild child kitten irks him. Either way dogs and cats are not reptiles friends.
 
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