Gopher Tortoise Tips ANYONE ??!!

[pryncesssc]

I am waiting for my permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and then i will be temporarily housing a juvenile Gopher Tort. I work at the Wildlife Discovery Center in Illinois and we aquired the tort in March and we have no where to put him. For a while he lived with the box turtles because they are the same size as the gopher, but they beat him up and it just is a horrible set up. I volunteered to take him home until we can get him a better permanent set up.

I am planning on doing a 3/4 closed top (to increase humidity) and using a coco substrate with some cypress mulch. I just wanted to know what you guys use for gopher torts ???


Thanks everyone !!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Since gopher tortoises are federally protected, and have been for quite a while, there's not really much care information out there specifically for them; no one is really allowed to keep gophers, so there's no care sheets or whatever for them.

The closest information would probably be things for desert tortoises.

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I was kind of in a similar predicament last year. Here's a thread that may help: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Baby-Gopher-Diet#axzz1zTPGh5AZ

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Sounds like you're on the right track though. Given everything I have learned on this site, it seems that closed-in enclosures with higher humidity is ideal for hatchling tortoises across the board for most species. From what I know of the natural behavior of gophers (they're practically the southeast US equivalent of sulcatas), I would think your set-up is good.

 

[pryncesssc]

Since gopher tortoises are federally protected, and have been for quite a while, there's not really much care information out there specifically for them; no one is really allowed to keep gophers, so there's no care sheets or whatever for them.

The closest information would probably be things for desert tortoises.

---

I was kind of in a similar predicament last year. Here's a thread that may help: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Baby-Gopher-Diet#axzz1zTPGh5AZ

-----

Sounds like you're on the right track though. Given everything I have learned on this site, it seems that closed-in enclosures with higher humidity is ideal for hatchling tortoises across the board for most species. From what I know of the natural behavior of gophers (they're practically the southeast US equivalent of sulcatas), I would think your set-up is good.

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Ya we have have an adult Gopher Tort and we were going to try to put the baby with her and she HATED him and bullied him (no surprise to me) , but there are no options for adopting him out because you do need a permit to have them and they are not very willing to give them out ! thanks for the link though !

 

[ascott]

You say that you had him in with the Boxies....you should not mix this species with other species...they are very prone to RI and boxie enclosures are a bit wet (normally) for a gopher tort...

Where did the tort originate from...this will make a difference in housing set up....being that they are from a humid environment they absolutely do require some humidity...however, they do need a place to dry out --if they have a deep enough burrow that environment is a bit more stable (cool enough, warm enough, moist enough, dry enough)....

I personally would use coco coir, finely processed peat moss and some regular good ole fashioned (clean, chemical free) dirt....I would not make the entire enclosure moist...but rather would offer a moist area under the heat lamp/source and offer a hide close to that area that can be kept as a humid hide....I then would make sure that there is a cooler and dry place for the tort to retreat to in order to cool off and to dry off....lots of hiding places will make him feel a bit safer...and I would make sure that the substrate is no less than 6 solid inches deep, since you seem to be talking about a tort somewhere between 4 and 8 inches?? (juvenile)

Also, I would not mix him in with any other species of tort...this can lead to horrible health issues....I would soooooo love to see a pic of your little gopher....

 

[wellington]

Maggie3fan has that species. Send her a pm and run everything by her. I am sure she will help you with everything you Need. Yes, don't forget the pic when you get it.

 

[pryncesssc]

You say that you had him in with the Boxies....you should not mix this species with other species...they are very prone to RI and boxie enclosures are a bit wet (normally) for a gopher tort...

Where did the tort originate from...this will make a difference in housing set up....being that they are from a humid environment they absolutely do require some humidity...however, they do need a place to dry out --if they have a deep enough burrow that environment is a bit more stable (cool enough, warm enough, moist enough, dry enough)....

I personally would use coco coir, finely processed peat moss and some regular good ole fashioned (clean, chemical free) dirt....I would not make the entire enclosure moist...but rather would offer a moist area under the heat lamp/source and offer a hide close to that area that can be kept as a humid hide....I then would make sure that there is a cooler and dry place for the tort to retreat to in order to cool off and to dry off....lots of hiding places will make him feel a bit safer...and I would make sure that the substrate is no less than 6 solid inches deep, since you seem to be talking about a tort somewhere between 4 and 8 inches?? (juvenile)

Also, I would not mix him in with any other species of tort...this can lead to horrible health issues....I would soooooo love to see a pic of your little gopher....

I am not sure where he originated from , he was most likely confiscated and ended up with us at the wildlife center . He is around 500 grams and about the same shell size as an adult box turtle . I didn't have him with boxies, the wildlife center I intern at had him with the boxies. I thought it was a HORRIBLE idea ! I think he needs to be alone and that is why I offered to take him temporarily. He also needs eye drops 2 times a day from an infection ( most likey caused from the boxies biting or scratching him ).

Do you think that 3/4 of the cage covered will be too much ? Thanks for the info about the substrate /hides ! I will take pics as soon as I can !

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Maggie3fan has that species. Send her a pm and run everything by her. I am sure she will help you with everything you Need. Yes, don't forget the pic when you get it.

Thanks, ill message her in the morning . I'll put up pics ASAP ! Just waiting on my permit , then I can bring him home !

 

[ascott]

Do you think that 3/4 of the cage covered will be too much ?

For this species of tort and the size, yes, I do believe that would not be good....HOWEVER, I do believe that the tort would benefit from a warm humid hide as an option for him to go to if he feels the need...I would also make sure to soak him daily (especially since he will likely not be eating as he should since he has an eye issue going on---they are a visual species (some species have fantastic sense of smell and others are more visually stimulated)....the daily soaks will also allow you to gently drip the warm water over his head and eyes to just make his eyes "feel" better....

Is he smooth, does his smooth skin look "juicy" or dry?

 

[pryncesssc]

For this species of tort and the size, yes, I do believe that would not be good....HOWEVER, I do believe that the tort would benefit from a warm humid hide as an option for him to go to if he feels the need...I would also make sure to soak him daily (especially since he will likely not be eating as he should since he has an eye issue going on---they are a visual species (some species have fantastic sense of smell and others are more visually stimulated)....the daily soaks will also allow you to gently drip the warm water over his head and eyes to just make his eyes "feel" better....

Is he smooth, does his smooth skin look "juicy" or dry?

I will have to look at him on Saturday when I go into work , but I am pretty sure his skin looks dry.

 

[ascott]

but I am pretty sure his skin looks dry.

Ok...so soak him and get him some food offerings that have a high water content....juicy him up....

 

[Kenazfehu]

My uncle used to raise these for food (40 years ago, give/take a few years).

 

[Kristina]

I had a Gopher for over ten years. I raised him from a hatchling to a large, heavy, smooth adult.

They are mainly grass and weed eaters. Humidity should actually be relatively high. Florida is extremely humid, and they spend a lot of time in their burrows where it is even more humid. My new favorite substrate is a mix of organic humus, coconut coir and sphagnum moss, and holds humidity like a CHAMP. My guy always had a humid hide, and I soaked him regularly, at least once a week. I also misted him quite often. I would say 60-80% as far as humidity goes.

 

[pryncesssc]

I had a Gopher for over ten years. I raised him from a hatchling to a large, heavy, smooth adult.

They are mainly grass and weed eaters. Humidity should actually be relatively high. Florida is extremely humid, and they spend a lot of time in their burrows where it is even more humid. My new favorite substrate is a mix of organic humus, coconut coir and sphagnum moss, and holds humidity like a CHAMP. My guy always had a humid hide, and I soaked him regularly, at least once a week. I also misted him quite often. I would say 60-80% as far as humidity goes.

Thanks for the tips! That's what I was thinking for the humidity levels . Thanks for thr substrate idea as well !!

 

[reticguy76]

just remember, keeping humidity high in an enclosure is different than having naturally high humidity in the "wild" where there is 100% natural ventilation vs an enclosed small area with significantly less ventilation

 

[ascott]

just remember, keeping humidity high in an enclosure is different than having naturally high humidity in the "wild" where there is 100% natural ventilation vs an enclosed small area with significantly less ventilation

Absolutely.

 

[jaydog6644]

do you like your Gopher Tortoise??