I got this little tortoise (http://imgur.com/a/40iyW) a week ago, and the information about its diet and how to care for it is so confusing and conflicting. I figured it's a desert tortoise, am I right? And how can I tell how old it is and which sex?
Anyway, when it comes to food I sort of got a general idea of what it should be eating, still confused on specifics though due to contradicting information. I tested out with parsly, grass, fresh flowers I picked from the garden, green onions, carrots, and boiled rice, but it doesn't seem to go for green stuff at all. It only goes for colorful things; the red/white flowers and the carrots. Is that normal? Can I only feed it flowers and carrots? I read somewhere that too much protein in its diet can cause its shell to turn out like this (http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet8.jpg). I really don't want that.
Also, how often should I feed it? Some websites say twice a day, and others say every other day to stimulate its appetite. Which is it? Do I leave the food in its tank or take it out when feeding time is over?
As for sunlight, I read that it's very important for growth. So, I put it out in direct sunlight for 2-4 hours a day. Is that enough? Because the weather is too hot and I'm afraid to leave it out at noon so I usually put it inside before then. I place its tank right next to the window, so there's a lot of sun coming in just not direct.
* What kind is this turtle, how old is it, and what's its sex?
* What should it eat specifically? and how often should it be fed?
* It never eats green stuff, doesn't matter what it is, is that normal?
* Is 2-4 hours of direct sunlight a day enough?
If you need any more pictures to look at it better I'll be happy to provide. Thanks!
Anyway, when it comes to food I sort of got a general idea of what it should be eating, still confused on specifics though due to contradicting information. I tested out with parsly, grass, fresh flowers I picked from the garden, green onions, carrots, and boiled rice, but it doesn't seem to go for green stuff at all. It only goes for colorful things; the red/white flowers and the carrots. Is that normal? Can I only feed it flowers and carrots? I read somewhere that too much protein in its diet can cause its shell to turn out like this (http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet8.jpg). I really don't want that.
Also, how often should I feed it? Some websites say twice a day, and others say every other day to stimulate its appetite. Which is it? Do I leave the food in its tank or take it out when feeding time is over?
As for sunlight, I read that it's very important for growth. So, I put it out in direct sunlight for 2-4 hours a day. Is that enough? Because the weather is too hot and I'm afraid to leave it out at noon so I usually put it inside before then. I place its tank right next to the window, so there's a lot of sun coming in just not direct.
* What kind is this turtle, how old is it, and what's its sex?
* What should it eat specifically? and how often should it be fed?
* It never eats green stuff, doesn't matter what it is, is that normal?
* Is 2-4 hours of direct sunlight a day enough?
If you need any more pictures to look at it better I'll be happy to provide. Thanks!