Hello from UK!

[Katy1986]

Hi everyone I'm Katy and my boyfriend has just bought me a 2 year old spur thighed tortoise for my 30th. He is as yet unnamed (and the sex is not known) but we are settling down into a routine. I'm looking forward to getting and sharing advice!

 

[Steve_carter]

A warm welcome to the forum!
Have you any piccys of your tort? This forum loves a good picture Haha!

I look forward to reading your journey!

 

[Gillian M]

Hi everyone I'm Katy and my boyfriend has just bought me a 2 year old spur thighed tortoise for my 30th. He is as yet unnamed (and the sex is not known) but we are settling down into a routine. I'm looking forward to getting and sharing advice!

Welcome to the forum!

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread and care sheets, and ask any question when in doubt/in need of help.

Look forward to seeing pics of your tort and his enclosure.

 

[Pearly]

Hello and welcome from Texas!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome from Florida

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome and Happy 30th! You have found the best forum for up to date information from experienced keepers worldwide.
You will find a good caresheet for your tort under Species Specific which will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity and substrate etc.
There is a link below for The Beginners Mistakes thread Gillian mentioned - that will help you avoid problems encountered by others and The Enclosures thread has some great ideas.
If you post pics of your enclosure members can advise on any improvements you can make to ensure it will keep your tort happy and healthy.
If you haven't yet bought your bulbs etc check here first as pet shops tend to be more interested in profit than aftercare and often sell inappropriate or unsafe equipment (like coiled bulbs which have been known to damage torts eyes and steep sided/ramped dishes ). So you could save yourself a lot of money as well as keeping your tort safe.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

 

[GingerLove]

Hi and welcome! If you post pics we could at least take a few guesses at the sex of your tort. He might be too young, but guessing never hurt anyone.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Katy

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome, Katy!

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Katy !

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Katy, happy birthday, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise forum to you and 'the unnamed one'.
Those links.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/greek-tortoise-testudo-graeca-care-sheet-overview.87146/
also http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

 

[Gillian M]

Hello @Katy1986 . No pics yet?

 

[Katy1986]

Thanks for the welcome everyone! I've already read up on the care guide which is great and been through the spur thighed threads. The shop I went to is a registered tortoise centre so I bought their starter kit. It is not a coiled bulb I have but i will post some pictures in a bit. Their not great photos yet.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Thanks for the welcome everyone! I've already read up on the care guide which is great and been through the spur thighed threads. The shop I went to is a registered tortoise centre so I bought their starter kit. It is not a coiled bulb I have but i will post some pictures in a bit. Their not great photos yet.

Oh, dear.
What else was in the kit?
They're usually depressingly wrong or unnecessary.

 

[Katy1986]

I've named him Toby for now too. Will take a photo of his under shell later.

 

[Katy1986]

It was this kit: http://www.tortoisecentre.co.uk/MoreDetails_44648_Viva-Tortoise-Table-Starter-Kit.aspx

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

View attachment 184811 I've named him Toby for now too. Will take a photo of his under shell later.

Hello, Toby.
What a beautiful tortoise you are.

 

[GingerLove]

It looks pretty good except I would switch to coconut coir. Did they say what type of bulb it was? Do you have a picture of the box it came in? Toby's a handsome little guy, by the way!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hmmmmmm.
The table's good to start but he'll soon need a bigger one, they grow so fast!
Our Greeks need about 4' by 8' minimum.
The lamp is good, i think, but clamp fittings are a fire hazard, you need the lamp fixed more securely for safety.
What is your substrate and this 'bedding' ? I, too, recommend coco coir.
I find a cheap, shallow, terracotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate and big enough for the tortoise to soak in is better and a piece of slate, sandstone or rough tile for his food may help keep his beak trimmed.
Heat mats can be dangerous if they're not buried under a lot of substrate as Greeks like to burrow. Mine has at least 6" and still gets down to the bottom.
Heat mats also tend to dry out the substrate (according to some, I've never chanced it, not often needed in our climate and if it does get cold I use a CHE, Ceramic Heat Emitter, with a thermostat at night.).
Sorry, if some of this sounds a bit negative, but gotta be honest!