Cutting into Quick - first time owner, advice needed

[TVdinnermasterchef]

His nails are normal and fine. The awkward walking is likely splayed leg syndrome from walking on the slick surfaces you mentioned. They should never be free roaming loose on the floor. That can kill them in many ways.

The slate isn't going to do much, but it will make a good basking area under the bulb.

The first order of business should be to get this guy hydrated with daily soaks for a couple of weeks, and make sure the GI tract is functioning well. Then get the diet and enclosure parameters corrected.

Most of the info found out in the world will be all wrong. Here is the current and correct care info:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

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Thank you Tom, appreciate the info.

Got a container on the way to bathe him too, so will start when that arrives with daily soaks.

He's passing faeces and urates, so hopefully no problems there, just a lot of things to do to get him healthy and happy. Hopefully a couple of months from now he'll be fatter, better able to walk and in much better shape generally.

Any suggestion on how to get him the excersise he needs for now? I can't afford a bigger enclosure yet, it's too cold outside and if the floor is dangerous, there aren't many other options I can see at the moment until I can purchase a bigger terrarium.

 

[Tom]

Thank you Tom, appreciate the info.

Got a container on the way to bathe him too, so will start when that arrives with daily soaks.

He's passing faeces and urates, so hopefully no problems there, just a lot of things to do to get him healthy and happy. Hopefully a couple of months from now he'll be fatter, better able to walk and in much better shape generally.

Any suggestion on how to get him the excersise he needs for now? I can't afford a bigger enclosure yet, it's too cold outside and if the floor is dangerous, there aren't many other options I can see at the moment until I can purchase a bigger terrarium.

Exercise should happen in the tortoise's enclosure, either indoors or out. If the weather outside isn't cooperating, then he will have to wait for the proper indoor set up.

You can soak in any plastic tub, or a sink, or the bathtub. That needs to happen ASAP. Passing urates are a sign that he is already dehydrated. They will also get some exercise during the soak. We call that "the tortoise treadmill".

 

[TVdinnermasterchef]

Exercise should happen in the tortoise's enclosure, either indoors or out. If the weather outside isn't cooperating, then he will have to wait for the proper indoor set up.

You can soak in any plastic tub, or a sink, or the bathtub. That needs to happen ASAP. Passing urates are a sign that he is already dehydrated. They will also get some exercise during the soak. We call that "the tortoise treadmill".

Thank you, I'll give him a soak tonight then in the sink.

I've read through the entirety of the post you recommended. We have some work to do, no doubt.

Me and the wife (the 'We') have already picked a spot that just opened up in the house, and we're going to be building a much larger, plexiglass enclosure, with a lid (currently missing from the provided enclosure), with enough depth to house all the necessary lighting, enough substrate depth, etc. We will also get some items to provide some enrichment to him without taking up too much space.

It will likely take several months, but we'll sort it so he has a much more appropriate enclosure.

I also now understand why he shouldn't be on the carpet, thanks for pointing that out.

He has been drinking a lot of what we've provided, which might go to show he was dehydrated from the time we got him. We will also use a terracotta pot bottom as a water bowl when we can get one instead of the astic bowl he's got now (thankfully not a ramped one, but still...).

Also, hay, fibre pellets and other items for additional nutrition. We have been growing veg in the garden in previous years, but are going to switch to flowers next year after not doing anything this year. We will make sure there are some grown purely for the tortoise, after researching which ones are safe.

Much appreciated for the info, the previous owners and ourselves have clearly not had the correct information on how to keep the little guy. We'll now get him up to shape.