Brand new...and trying to learn

TMK1971

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
45
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Grandpa Turtle 144 said:
No I just wonder what we did 50 yrs ago without the internet ? :)

Alrighty...now I feel welcomed. Thank You. I was starting to worry and was checking the front door for the Pony Express to arrive!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
You need to start expanding the diet. Kale is okay once in a while, but not as a staple.

There is only a small amount of D3 in the calcium supplement. No harm in using it even if they get sun everyday.

No need for a heat lamp indoors in your house for overnight. A night time temp drop is good for them.

I would eliminate the sand entirely if possible. Feed him in a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate to keep the food sand free as much as possible.

Daily soaks for a while might also help this guy, given his current condition.

Here are some diet suggestions:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

At the grocery store; favor endive, escarole and spring mix, but use lots of other variety too.
 

tortoisetime565

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
1,703
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma
Welcome! I would love to see pictures on the tortoise as well as his anal scutes for sexing purposes. A soft shell is normally a lack of calcium. The sun is very good for him. With the heat lamp in the 40 gallon, I would add a uvb lamp to it as well for extra calcium and vitamin D. There is also this shell applicant called vita-shell. It is available at pet smart you could apply that. Also get some cuttle bone. This is a calcium stick they eat. It will also help with his beak. They are also available at pet smart. :) I do hope everything goes well. :)
 

TMK1971

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
45
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Tom said:
You need to start expanding the diet. Kale is okay once in a while, but not as a staple.

There is only a small amount of D3 in the calcium supplement. No harm in using it even if they get sun everyday.

No need for a heat lamp indoors in your house for overnight. A night time temp drop is good for them.

I would eliminate the sand entirely if possible. Feed him in a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate to keep the food sand free as much as possible.

Daily soaks for a while might also help this guy, given his current condition.

Here are some diet suggestions:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

At the grocery store; favor endive, escarole and spring mix, but use lots of other variety too.

Thanks, saw that list in another thread. I was just happy to see him/her eat anything really. I have hibiscus, rose, and petunia (but haven't tried it yet)...and bought some dandelion and collard green from the store. He ate very little of that but I am going to keep trying. What about sage or oregano? What small plants are good to plant, so they are readily available and crisp? The food is in a dirt area and in a dish besides the planted ones and they are in the dirt area too. I am going to really mix the habitat up and pretty much make it mostly dirt with the sand mixed in but deep. I appreciate the advice...keep it coming!


tortoisetime565 said:
Welcome! I would love to see pictures on the tortoise as well as his anal scutes for sexing purposes. A soft shell is normally a lack of calcium. The sun is very good for him. With the heat lamp in the 40 gallon, I would add a uvb lamp to it as well for extra calcium and vitamin D. There is also this shell applicant called vita-shell. It is available at pet smart you could apply that. Also get some cuttle bone. This is a calcium stick they eat. It will also help with his beak. They are also available at pet smart. :) I do hope everything goes well. :)

Thank you for your interest and response. I only put him in the 40 gallon tank during the night (around 5 to 6pm) when it gets dark out and then return him to the outside habitat in the morning. I live in So Cal, so the weather isn't bad...and in fact this year, very warm for January. High 70s. I have put a cuttle bone in the habitat. I will look into the vital shell. Again, Thanks!
 

tortoisetime565

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
1,703
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma
You're welcome! I'm glad you are saving the animal instead of letting it die. :) I hope your new tortoise gets better sold! :) keep us posted!
 

TMK1971

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
45
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
tortoisetime565 said:
Welcome! I would love to see pictures on the tortoise as well as his anal scutes for sexing purposes. A soft shell is normally a lack of calcium. The sun is very good for him. With the heat lamp in the 40 gallon, I would add a uvb lamp to it as well for extra calcium and vitamin D. There is also this shell applicant called vita-shell. It is available at pet smart you could apply that. Also get some cuttle bone. This is a calcium stick they eat. It will also help with his beak. They are also available at pet smart. :) I do hope everything goes well. :)

I will get a picture of the backside...I will try tomorrow. I am tired of typing he/she and so that would be a big help!!!


I have starte a thread titled "Nerdle-sick tortoise" in Tortoise Forum / Species Specific / Mediterranean Tortoises (genus Testudo) / Russian tortoises
So, if you want to know more about my journey, please read and post there from now on. THANK YOU to everyone that made me feel welcome and comfortable here.
It is nice to find such a great place with good posters! Not always the case on a message board
...
 

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