BEGINNER NEEDS HELP!!!

[Tortoiseandco]

I've only just seen that photo. There is some slight stacking on the scutes, it's nothing to worry about but this is what happens when they are kept too dry. This is why it's important to close your enclosure up to keep humidity above 80%. Soooooo, you need to get humitiy up, provide a water dish in the enclosure that your tort can sit in and bathe, I spray my torts carapace(shell) every morning and tea time, also you should soak your Tortoise in warm water for about 20mins each day, as they get older this can be cut back. But because you don't know the history of this tort and it looks like it's being kept too dry soak it every day for 20mins for a couple of weeks, this will ensure its hydrated.
Can I ask where you got this tort from please.

Ah okay I will do that right now! We got the tortoise from a pet shop in Manchester called urban jungle

 

[Tortoiseandco]

He's having a warm soak!

 

[Anyfoot]

Ah okay I will do that right now! We got the tortoise from a pet shop in Manchester called urban jungle

Ok. Just out of curiosity, what advice did the shop give you for care?
I'll tell you how I set mine up, this doesn't mean it's the only way but it works fine.
A closed system, put a plastic sheet in the bottom and about 4" up the sides, this will stop your enclosure rotting in the bottom. Some use cheap shower curtains for this.

Then for substrate put about 2" deep moist coir in the bottom, you can buy this from homebargains. It's dirt cheap(no pun intended). Then a layer of orchid and/or cyprus mulch, this keeps the top layer dryish whilst the coir underneath is moist creating the humidity. This way you won't have any problems with shell rot.
You need a terrocota saucer burried to the level of the substrate for the bath(change water every day). Then you need a slate or flat Rock to put food on, this helps keep the beak in trim when eating and it's not inconvenient for them like it would be reaching into a dish.
Put a hide at each end of the enclosure with a bit of moist spagnhum moss in. For hides you can use plastic plant pots on there side half dug in the substrate.
A CHE on a thermostat for your heat supply, on 24/7 and a florescent uvb 5.0 tube about 15" long set to one end of the enclosure with the CHE. In a 2x4ft vivarium set the CHE to about 86f, then your dark end should naturally be around 82f.
Aim for 80/90% humidity. To do this I usually have 2 water saucers in.
So your looking for an ambient temp of 80 to 88 and humidity 80%+.
Once you've got it all set up correctly they are easy to look after.
In your open table he only has 2 choices of temps, either room temperature(not warm enough) or very hot sat under the heat source getting super dry from the harsh dry heat. You have virtually no humidity, I'd guess at 20%.
Hope that helps.
You don't live far from me, I'm near chapeltown area.

 

[Tortoiseandco]

Ok. Just out of curiosity, what advice did the shop give you for care?
I'll tell you how I set mine up, this doesn't mean it's the only way but it works fine.
A closed system, put a plastic sheet in the bottom and about 4" up the sides, this will stop your enclosure rotting in the bottom. Some use cheap shower curtains for this.

Then for substrate put about 2" deep moist coir in the bottom, you can buy this from homebargains. It's dirt cheap(no pun intended). Then a layer of orchid and/or cyprus mulch, this keeps the top layer dryish whilst the coir underneath is moist creating the humidity. This way you won't have any problems with shell rot.
You need a terrocota saucer burried to the level of the substrate for the bath(change water every day). Then you need a slate or flat Rock to put food on, this helps keep the beak in trim when eating and it's not inconvenient for them like it would be reaching into a dish.
Put a hide at each end of the enclosure with a bit of moist spagnhum moss in. For hides you can use plastic plant pots on there side half dug in the substrate.
A CHE on a thermostat for your heat supply, on 24/7 and a florescent uvb 5.0 tube about 15" long set to one end of the enclosure with the CHE. In a 2x4ft vivarium set the CHE to about 86f, then your dark end should naturally be around 82f.
Aim for 80/90% humidity. To do this I usually have 2 water saucers in.
So your looking for an ambient temp of 80 to 88 and humidity 80%+.
Once you've got it all set up correctly they are easy to look after.
In your open table he only has 2 choices of temps, either room temperature(not warm enough) or very hot sat under the heat source getting super dry from the harsh dry heat. You have virtually no humidity, I'd guess at 20%.
Hope that helps.
You don't live far from me, I'm near chapeltown area.

Oh yes not far at all! Thankyou so much for all the info we are going to try getting it sorted asap. Is yours a shop bought tortoise table or self made? And d'you think this one will be big enough? The shop basically told us that the pellets was all it needed! They said there wasn't even any need to give veg etc they said the open top table would be fine for them and also they advised everything that was purchased :/

 

[Anyfoot]

Oh yes not far at all! Thankyou so much for all the info we are going to try getting it sorted asap. Is yours a shop bought tortoise table or self made? And d'you think this one will be big enough? The shop basically told us that the pellets was all it needed! They said there wasn't even any need to give veg etc they said the open top table would be fine for them and also they advised everything that was purchased :/

Huh, sounds familiar.
You can buy vivariums, there's always 2nd hand vivs on gumtree, eBay etc. Or you can make your own.
At some stage for your one Tortoise when it's bigger you are going to have to build an enclosure at aboutc4x8ft minimum and let it outside when weather permits. I don't feed pellets ever, it would cost a small fortune to feed a redfoot pellets over here, they eat a lot.
I feed weeds every day, if weeds are short of supply, turn to spring greens, and romaine lettuce for example. with the weeds I feed a piece of fruit or mushroom approximately the size of its head on alternative days, and one a week some protein.(scrambled egg, pinkies,worms,low fat catfood, snails,cooked chicken are some protein sources). So your guy for example could have 1 pinky or a good size worm once a week.

 

[Anyfoot]

How big is that table?

 

[Tortoiseandco]

Huh, sounds familiar.
You can buy vivariums, there's always 2nd hand vivs on gumtree, eBay etc. Or you can make your own.
At some stage for your one Tortoise when it's bigger you are going to have to build an enclosure at aboutc4x8ft minimum and let it outside when weather permits. I don't feed pellets ever, it would cost a small fortune to feed a redfoot pellets over here, they eat a lot.
I feed weeds every day, if weeds are short of supply, turn to spring greens, and romaine lettuce for example. with the weeds I feed a piece of fruit or mushroom approximately the size of its head on alternative days, and one a week some protein.(scrambled egg, pinkies,worms,low fat catfood, snails,cooked chicken are some protein sources). So your guy for example could have 1 pinky or a good size worm once a week.

Okay wonderful, cheers for all this info, I've swapped out the pellets for a bowl of kale and he's had his bath where I soaked his shell etc so I think he's happier anyways! Scrambled egg sounds good and I always have pinkies readily available for my other reptiles

 

[Tortoiseandco]

How big is that table?

It's 12 sq feet :/

 

[Gillian M]

Here it is!
View attachment 190736

Oh, he's gorgeous! GOD bless.

Love that colour of his.

And a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you.

 

[Tortoiseandco]

Oh, he's gorgeous! GOD bless.

Love that colour of his.

And a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you.

Aw Thankyou very very much! It feels awful to call him/her IT but we don't know the gender!!

 

[Anyfoot]

It's 12 sq feet :/

Are you sure it's that size. That would be 2×6ft for example.

 

[Tortoiseandco]

Are you sure it's that size. That would be 2×6ft for example.

Hmm that's what I was told but ill measure it now

 

[Gillian M]

Aw Thankyou very very much! It feels awful to call him/her IT but we don't know the gender!!

Oh don't worry. I personally do not think it's that big an issue. You'll know the gender eventually.

 

[Tortoiseandco]

Oh don't worry. I personally do not think it's that big an issue. You'll know the gender eventually.

Yes, I guess for now we will just have to think of a unisex name!!

 

[JoesMum]

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