Advice please

Camcat71

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Hi I have a 1 year old spurred thigh tortoise which came to live with me on Tuesday.

I am anxious as I have only seen him nibble a leaf plus when I peep at him In his sleeping area he makes a sort of snoring noise.
 

Lyn W

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Hi and welcome, I'm in S Wales too.
It could be that he is a bit stressed by the move - they don't like change.
Make sure he has fresh food and water and the right temps and a hide so he has somewhere to feel secure and let him settle in without too much disturbance - although he may like a luke/baby warm shallow soak (water level always below his head whether he's standing or resting - up to where the top and bottom shells meet).
This is the caresheet you need to make sure you have everything he needs and if you follow that he should thrive
There is a lot of old incorrect information still being handed out online and by pet stores and breeders etc but you'll only get up to date care advice here from keepers with decades of experience.
If you want to post pics of his enclosure with the lamps you are using you'll get good feedback to make sure you have the right equipment to keep him safe - we've all had bad advice and bought the wrong stuff when we started out so we could save you some money.
 
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Lyn W

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P.s. Water level should only be where carapace(top shell) and plastron (under shell) meet
 

Camcat71

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Thank you Lyn. I have bathed him and he enjoyed that.

I’ve researched for months so I think my set up is ok, he has everything he needs I think. I’ll take pictures when I get in and I’ll post them.

I have an appointment Monday with the vet to give him a once over.
 

wellington

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Hello and Welcome.
Even though you have done research for months, please read over our caresheet. Most info out there is old and outdated.
Also you could save yourself the vet visit if you want. Most vets have no clue about tortoises and can do more harm then good. Mine have been with me since 2011 and never seen a vet. Same with many others on here
What you are seeing now with yours is normal for a tort in a new home. Give him time to settle in and get used to his new home and to realize you are not going to eat him and that he is safe.
Give a warm soak daily
 

Lyn W

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Thank you Lyn. I have bathed him and he enjoyed that.

I’ve researched for months so I think my set up is ok, he has everything he needs I think. I’ll take pictures when I get in and I’ll post them.

I have an appointment Monday with the vet to give him a once over.
I wouldn't bother seeing a vet unless you have a real cause for concern and then you need a tortoise specialist. Many just offer vitamin jabs as 'a cure all' but they can do a lot of harm and vitamins should come from a good diet. When he is still getting used to his new home taking him out of it will also be more stressful for him.
Most tort problems are caused by things we do or don't do for them so as long as you follow the caresheet and provide the right living conditions they should be happy and healthy.
I would give him plenty of time to get used to his new home. As long as they are hydrated torts can go a long time without eating - just make sure fresh food and water is always available for him.
Did you get him from a pet shop or have you rehomed him?
 

Camcat71

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Hello and Welcome.
Even though you have done research for months, please read over our caresheet. Most info out there is old and outdated.
Also you could save yourself the vet visit if you want. Most vets have no clue about tortoises and can do more harm then good. Mine have been with me since 2011 and never seen a vet. Same with many others on here
What you are seeing now with yours is normal for a tort in a new home. Give him time to settle in and get used to his new home and to realize you are not going to eat him and that he is safe.
Give a warm soak daily
Hi

I will definitely be reading the care sheet and really appreciate your advice.
 

jsheffield

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Hi I have a 1 year old spurred thigh tortoise which came to live with me on Tuesday.

I am anxious as I have only seen him nibble a leaf plus when I peep at him In his sleeping area he makes a sort of snoring noise.
Welcome to TFO!

Torts are not big fans of change, so it's perfectly normal for them to act oddly or not eat for days or weeks after a major life change.

Keep up the soaks and offering food, and assuming that you've got environmental conditions in their enclosure set up correctly, they'll come around eventually.

Jamie
 

Sarah2020

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Welcome, another good thing to do it keep a weekly weight log ( use digital lichen scales) it is very informative to see weight gain and loss and able to remediate. Keep up the soaks as that is excellent for hydration and welfare. Ensure you privide fresh food daily and add cacium 2 or 3 times a week for good smooth shall growth and strength.
Enjoy .... feel free to ask questions.
 

Camcat71

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I wouldn't bother seeing a vet unless you have a real cause for concern and then you need a tortoise specialist. Many just offer vitamin jabs as 'a cure all' but they can do a lot of harm and vitamins should come from a good diet. When he is still getting used to his new home taking him out of it will also be more stressful for him.
Most tort problems are caused by things we do or don't do for them so as long as you follow the caresheet and provide the right living conditions they should be happy and healthy.
I would give him plenty of time to get used to his new home. As long as they are hydrated torts can go a long time without eating - just make sure fresh food and water is always available for him.
Did you get him from a pet shop or have you rehomed him?
 

Camcat71

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Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
Bridgend
Welcome, another good thing to do it keep a weekly weight log ( use digital lichen scales) it is very informative to see weight gain and loss and able to remediate. Keep up the soaks as that is excellent for hydration and welfare. Ensure you privide fresh food daily and add cacium 2 or 3 times a week for good smooth shall growth and strength.
Enjoy .... feel free to ask questions.
Hi, I will keep a weight log, that’s a very good idea. He has fresh food every day and I have calcium and vitamin powder to sprinkle. How often should I sprinkle vitamins and calcium please?
 

Lyn W

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Hi, we had him from a place in Basildon. When I got in from work first thing check on our tortoise, he ate 2 rocket leaves off me 😁
You'll find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk useful for finding safe and good food.
Try him with weeds like dandelions, ribwort plantains, clover etc and some of the other weeds from the database and caresheet - try to collect them from chemical and fume free places -while there are plenty around they are better than salad leaves. If you need to bulk them out Aldi sell a crispy leaf salad bag with a mix of 4 leaves that are better than others. Lambs lettuce is also a OK. Florette classic crispy has a great mix but can be expensive.
You only need a very small pinch of calcium and supplements a couple of times a week, vitamins should come from a good varied diet, but too much of calcium and vitamins can be harmful for you tort.
I'm glad he's being more sociable already.
 
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Tortellini5

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P.s. Water level should only be where carapace(top shell) and plastron (under shell) meet
Question. Why does the water level have to be at this point? Is it bad for it to be higher than that, and if you can explain for what reason please? I have been doing deeper baths so I am now concerned how it can be bad for my tort. Thank you!
 

Lyn W

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Question. Why does the water level have to be at this point? Is it bad for it to be higher than that, and if you can explain for what reason please? I have been doing deeper baths so I am now concerned how it can be bad for my tort. Thank you!
Their head must always be above water when standing or resting. Torts can also be quite active in water and if they slip and tip onto their backs while we've taken our eyes off them for a minute they could drown or aspirate water which could cause RI, so that is a rule of thumb for safety.
My leopard is about 14 inches long now and I still follow that rule.
 

Tortellini5

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Santa Monica, CA
Their head must always be above water when standing or resting. Torts can also be quite active in water and if they slip and tip onto their backs while we've taken our eyes off them for a minute they could drown or aspirate water which could cause RI, so that is a rule of thumb for safety.
My leopard is about 14 inches long now and I still follow that rule.
Thank you!
 

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