Help! (Have Tortoise, Know nothing!)

[riamax25]

Hello everyone and thanks in advance for any advice given.
I am a veterinary nurse and yesterday received a phonecall from a lady with a tortoise in need of a new home due to her husband being disabled. I told her I would be interested in rehoming him but would need to meet her to chat and find out more about him first. I went to meet them today with no intention of bringing the tortoise home just yet but as I went into the house and found the tortoise in a plastic crate being bitten by 2 miniature poodles I decided I would take him. The lady assured me she had only brought him inside due to the rain but that the dogs and 'harry' have never got on.
The lady has owned Harry for 35 years where she was given him by a local vet group. He hasn't grown since she has had him so would be unsure of how to accurately age him. I believe him to be a male Hermann tortoise but please correct me if i'm wrong.
His diet has consisted of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and tomatos since she has owned him and no supplements are ever added to his feed. She hibernates him from mid October until April every year and brings him down from the loft when he has chewed his way out of his box??
Now whilst I am not well informed about tortoise husbandry I have a fairly good idea of what NOT to do and would be grateful to anyone who can advise me on how to correctly introduce a better diet and necessary supplements, and also advise on the correct way to hibernate him. I have added some photos. Thanks again, Ria

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Help!

Hi Ria, and welcome to the Forum!!

I'm sorry, but I'm not good with I.D.ing the Mediterranian species of tortoise, so we'll have to wait for someone else to help you with that.

As to converting the tortoise over to a good diet...They eat a more broad-leaf plant diet, like clovers, dichondra, fillaree, hosta, etc. Some of them will occasionally eat grass, but they much prefer the broad-leaf. So what you do is chop up what he's used to eating into smaller-than-bite-sized pieces and mix that all around with the broad-leaf weeds (or Spring Mix, escarole, endive, raddiccio, turnip greens, etc) until it's all coated with the old diet. If he eats that mixture, then bit by bit you decrease the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes until he's not getting that at all.

Tortoises that are used to living outside have a very hard time changing over to living inside, so it is to his benefit to be set up outside in a safe, escape-proof outdoor area.

 

[riamax25]

RE: Help!

That's brilliant, thankyou. I have tried him with some clover this afternoon and he went crazy for it! I will keep him outside. I have him in a secure enclosure during for day time and a large hutch for the night time.

 

[wellington]

RE: Help!

Hello and Welcome. I too am not good at Iding some torts. He looks Greek to me, but hopefully someone that can positively Id him will be along soon. Glad you decided to rescue the poor fella.

 

[FLINTUS]

It is a Marginated tortoise, as you can see by the flaring on the back. However, it is extremely light for a Marginated, more Golden Greek colour. You have a very special tortoise.
Marginateds reach a decent size though, just under a ft I think. How big is he at the moment?

 

[Jlant85]

Hard to tell what he is, Looks like an ancient golden greek. With such poor diet surprised that he has such a well rounded shell shape. Little to no signs of pyramiding. beautiful tort. All i can say is, that tort is a He. tail and the concave bottom. Does he have any spurs on the back? can you please send a little more pictures of the tail end with legs?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Golden Greek was my thought, too.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures.

Sorry I can't help you more.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Jlant85]

Looks a little too small for marginated also. Yet again, I could be wrong. Plus the plastron on the tortoise looks off. Looks a lot more like a golden greek.

 

[riamax25]

Thanks for your reply. I will upload a few more photos when I get a chance although I don't think he has any spurs.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using TortForum mobile app

 

[FLINTUS]

Greeks do not always have spurs. The 1st and 3rd photo would tell me it would likely be a Golden Greek, but I have never seen that kind of shape you see from the 2nd photo on a Greek. That is typical Marginated shape. JLant85, it does look a bit small but you always get odd ones popping up. Has anyone seen a photo with a Greek with that kind of shell shape?

 

[riamax25]

Hi all, I have taken 2 more photos which should help I hope. His shell is approximately 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. Thanks for the feedback so far, I really do appreciate it.

 

[Yvonne G]

I was thinking marginated too, however I see some spurs on the back thighs in these latest pictures.

 

[FLINTUS]

Not proper big spurs though and the colour looks more Marginated in this photo. I am around 80-90% certain it is marginated.

 

[riamax25]

I didn't think they were spurs to be honest and if they are then they are barely noticeable. He has been tucking into carrot tops and dandelions today and is thoroughly enjoying his daily baths! Does a marginated tortoise require any special care? Sorry for lots of q's, just want to get it right.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using TortForum mobile app

 

[FLINTUS]

Despite what lots of people think, they are actually quite similar to most Testudo tortoises. Is there anyone who keeps them on here? If not you're best bet for keepers would be a UK forum like Shelled Warriors as they appear more common over here.