Help!! Horsfield tortoise

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Welcome from a fellow uk member! You have yourself a cutie there!
I know from experience how truly overwhelming information online can be, when I tell you this forum was an absolute god send for our red foot!
You’ve already done one of the best things you can do for your new tort by joining this forum!
I won’t lie to you in that there may be times you feel frustrated or overwhelmed even once everything appears correct, this is a journey, pretty much every member on here has had their fair share of blips along the way.
Just rest assured no matter what, they’ll always be someone here to help guide you, you’ll learn lots along the way to give your tort the best life you can!
It can all seem a lot at first, but you’ll soon get into the swing of things
Hope to see you stick around, you’re in the best place

 

[Shannon99]

Welcome from a fellow uk member! You have yourself a cutie there!
I know from experience how truly overwhelming information online can be, when I tell you this forum was an absolute god send for our red foot!
You’ve already done one of the best things you can do for your new tort by joining this forum!
I won’t lie to you in that there may be times you feel frustrated or overwhelmed even once everything appears correct, this is a journey, pretty much every member on here has had their fair share of blips along the way.
Just rest assured no matter what, they’ll always be someone here to help guide you, you’ll learn lots along the way to give your tort the best life you can!
It can all seem a lot at first, but you’ll soon get into the swing of things
Hope to see you stick around, you’re in the best place

Aw thank you very much I have posted some pictures? Do you know age or sex roughly. I’ve already taken on board all the comments about sheldon/shellys enclosure and have got an order on the way to rectify all my mistakes given to my by the silly groups on Facebook so hopefully she cheers up soon! We brought her/him home yesterday and hasn’t eaten a thing and just doesn’t seem overly happy I’ve had the little tort out in the garden for half an hour today and had a half hour soak and they seemed abit perkier she seems to love being handled and stretching her neck out to be stroked (or that could mean something totally different) god knows! I feel like everything I’ve read on Facebook over the last few weeks is now absolute rubbish!! X

 

[zolasmum]

It's great that he/she lets you handle them - that is a really good start - it will make life a lot easier for you - and also more fun !
Angie

 

[Shannon99]

It's great that he/she lets you handle them - that is a really good start - it will make life a lot easier for you - and also more fun !
Angie

How would I know he/she doesn’t like it I presumed by her not going into her shell and in fact stretching out that was positive? X

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Aw thank you very much I have posted some pictures? Do you know age or sex roughly. I’ve already taken on board all the comments about sheldon/shellys enclosure and have got an order on the way to rectify all my mistakes given to my by the silly groups on Facebook so hopefully she cheers up soon! We brought her/him home yesterday and hasn’t eaten a thing and just doesn’t seem overly happy I’ve had the little tort out in the garden for half an hour today and had a half hour soak and they seemed abit perkier she seems to love being handled and stretching her neck out to be stroked (or that could mean something totally different) god knows! I feel like everything I’ve read on Facebook over the last few weeks is now absolute rubbish!! X

It’s unfortunately impossible to know the exact age of any tortoise unless you know the hatch date, I wouldn’t say they’re fully grown just yet based on the pictures(though obviously Russians don’t get very big) but as other members have said, they’re definitely not a hatchling, I do think you have a girl though based on the short tail
Yeah sometimes it can be so difficult differentiating the good information from the bad! Especially when there’s groups that have a mix of both good and bad information. Best advice I can give on that is, if there’s absolutely anything you’re ever unsure of, ask here, a lot of the time on Facebook groups they can be taking information from ‘experienced’ owners that are getting their information from outdated sources.
However lots of members here are not only experienced, they’ve all spent years learning from one another as both tortoise owners&breeders, to gain the most up to date knowledge that actually yield the best results, and learn why certain standards of care have needed changing over time.
I’m still a very new member here myself, but the amount I’ve learnt whilst being here is crazy!
As for the head stretching whilst being handled, I’d take that as positive, if they felt overly threatened being handled by you, they’d likely tuck themselves in. Either way, it’s good to get them used to handling for soak times or weighinggenerally speaking mind they are the kind of pet that prefer keeping handling to a minimum, just when necessary, like moving out of enclosure etc. In time though, perhaps once they’re more settled, it’s nice to bond with them by hand feeding snacks, if ours allows I give her the odd little head stroke too

 

[Shannon99]

It’s unfortunately impossible to know the exact age of any tortoise unless you know the hatch date, I wouldn’t say they’re fully grown just yet based on the pictures(though obviously Russians don’t get very big) but as other members have said, they’re definitely not a hatchling, I do think you have a girl though based on the short tail
Yeah sometimes it can be so difficult differentiating the good information from the bad! Especially when there’s groups that have a mix of both good and bad information. Best advice I can give on that is, if there’s absolutely anything you’re ever unsure of, ask here, a lot of the time on Facebook groups they can be taking information from ‘experienced’ owners that are getting their information from outdated sources.
However lots of members here are not only experienced, they’ve all spent years learning from one another as both tortoise owners&breeders, to gain the most up to date knowledge that actually yield the best results, and learn why certain standards of care have needed changing over time.
I’m still a very new member here myself, but the amount I’ve learnt whilst being here is crazy!
As for the head stretching whilst being handled, I’d take that as positive, if they felt overly threatened being handled by you, they’d likely tuck themselves in. Either way, it’s good to get them used to handling for soak times or weighinggenerally speaking mind they are the kind of pet that prefer keeping handling to a minimum, just when necessary, like moving out of enclosure etc. In time though, perhaps once they’re more settled, it’s nice to bond with them by hand feeding snacks, if ours allows I give her the odd little head stroke too

Aw thank you! Yes she definitely seems to like the handling and has let me stroke her head I’ve been trying to give her space but was slightly worried as she was barely moving and hasn’t eaten since bringing home but I guess it may just take time just don’t want her to get ill from not eating xx

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Aw thank you! Yes she definitely seems to like the handling and has let me stroke her head I’ve been trying to give her space but was slightly worried as she was barely moving and hasn’t eaten since bringing home but I guess it may just take time just don’t want her to get ill from not eating xx

It will take time for her to adjust for sure, a few days not eating after a big move is the norm for a lot of them
Do you know what your temperatures are in the enclosure? If they’re all correct the inactivity is highly likely just her getting used to the new environment

 

[Shannon99]

It will take time for her to adjust for sure, a few days not eating after a big move is the norm for a lot of them
Do you know what your temperatures are in the enclosure? If they’re all correct the inactivity is highly likely just her getting used to the new environment

So the basking lamp I have the reading is around 30 degrees and the cooler end around 20 obviously I know now the lighting needs changing and has been ordered so maybe it’s that or the move I don’t know. I will keep offering every day and soaks and outside as she seems to enjoy and hopefully once I get the enclosure right for her she perks up some more. Her eyes look good and no obvious sign of illness so hoping it’s just the move and new surroundings and noises will improve over time and with the correct equipment xx

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

So the basking lamp I have the reading is around 30 degrees and the cooler end around 20 obviously I know now the lighting needs changing and has been ordered so maybe it’s that or the move I don’t know. I will keep offering every day and soaks and outside as she seems to enjoy and hopefully once I get the enclosure right for her she perks up some more. Her eyes look good and no obvious sign of illness so hoping it’s just the move and new surroundings and noises will improve over time and with the correct equipment xx

I think

So the basking lamp I have the reading is around 30 degrees and the cooler end around 20 obviously I know now the lighting needs changing and has been ordered so maybe it’s that or the move I don’t know. I will keep offering every day and soaks and outside as she seems to enjoy and hopefully once I get the enclosure right for her she perks up some more. Her eyes look good and no obvious sign of illness so hoping it’s just the move and new surroundings and noises will improve over time and with the correct equipment xx

I think temps could possibly do with being a bit higher in the basking area during the day, but you aren’t too far off.
She’s definitely in her adjusting period still, so all her behaviour so far isn’t out of the norm, I’m sure with the correct equipment too things will only improve

 

[zolasmum]

How would I know he/she doesn’t like it I presumed by her not going into her shell and in fact stretching out that was positive? X

Oh, absolutely positive ! Our Zola loves being stroked -on his head and on his shell, and goes into a sort of trance if I go on for a while ! I know some tortoises don't like it, but I think he enjoys my company, and that gives me a lot of pleasure too. He is almost 24, and we have had him since he was a baby,so this bond is something which has developed over time.
It does sound like Shelley has a friendly nature, and you will appreciate that in many ways, I'm sure.
Angie

 

[Shannon99]

Oh, absolutely positive ! Our Zola loves being stroked -on his head and on his shell, and goes into a sort of trance if I go on for a while ! I know some tortoises don't like it, but I think he enjoys my company, and that gives me a lot of pleasure too. He is almost 24, and we have had him since he was a baby,so this bond is something which has developed over time.
It does sound like Shelley has a friendly nature, and you will appreciate that in many ways, I'm sure.
Angie

Thank you so much I already feel miles better after being on here today! You are so helpful and great parents