Recent content by tcjones

Hi everyone. I'm a new tort owner. This morning, I took my new tort, Darwin, to the vet for a checkup. The vet told me to not let him eat new spring clover. She said the first clover growth of spring is toxic to torts and went on a long rant about nitrogen. But clover grown later in the year is...

This morning he was on the cool end. Now he's buried on the hot side. I've noticed he doesn't ever use his basking stone. I took a thermometer probe and tested the stone and it was 109. Is that too hot for the basking rock? The hot end is at 82. The cool end is 71. Nighttime temp is 68.

@Maro2Bear I think we're making progress with Darwin. During this mornings soak, he stretched his head and legs out straight and appeared like he was basking- so maybe he's enjoying it. I didn't spend the entire time with him, just checking every now and then. I found a white goopy looking thing...

@Maro2Bear Update: He moved to the cool side on his own. He must have walked directly over his food, cause it's strewn about. I can't confirm if he nibbled any of it, or just trampled it. But he's sitting on the cool end and not digging a hole- although he probably will soon. So temps may not...

Yes, initially he was buried on the cool side. After his first soak on Sunday, when I put him back in the tank, he went to the hot end and that's where he's been holed up every since. Every time I put him back in the tank yesterday and now today, he's made his way to the back corner of the hot end.

Thanks, I'm not exactly sure the current temp of the basking rock. Before we brought him home, it was registering about 95. Should I increase the wattage of the heat bulb? I believe the one in there is 75, I'd have to go check the package.

Thanks. He's actually been burying himself on the hot side for a couple days now. After his soak and unsuccessful attempt at getting him to eat this morning, he's on the basking stone where I put him. It's 83 on the hot side and 70 on the cool end. I'm using zoomed probe thermometers on each...

Thanks! I did block off the bottom part of the front of the tank. I soaked him yesterday and tried to put him in a box with greens. He came out a little bit more in his soak. But still refused the eat in the box with the greens. He spent the entire time in one corner of the bin continuing pawing...

Thanks Maro2Bear. We did soak him but he just sat there like a cute little lump. He would occasionally poke his head half way out of the shell and then retract it. When we put him back in his home he passed the bowl of greens and buried himself in the back corner on cool side and he's been there...

Hello, I'm a long time lurker, first time posting. We brought our little Russian Tortoise home on Thursday night. The first thing he did was head straight to the basking rock and warm up. Then he headed to the back corner on the hot side and buried himself in the substrate. where he stayed...