Hey All. Glasgow calling!

[Nonwife]

Hi everyone
I gladly re-homed two 9yr old Horsefield torts, one female and one male 2 days ago.
I have been fascinated and have adored tortoises for so many years and now I have two and I am petrified, elated, paranoid and totally on love just like when you bring your newborn baby home.

I shall be stalking the forum incessantly, guys. Be ready

 

[PJay]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Be sure to house them seperatly or the male will try to breed the female to illness or death.

 

[Huw]

Hi everyone
I gladly re-homed two 9yr old Horsefield torts, one female and one male 2 days ago.
I have been fascinated and have adored tortoises for so many years and now I have two and I am petrified, elated, paranoid and totally on love just like when you bring your newborn baby home.

I shall be stalking the forum incessantly, guys. Be ready

I know that feeling!!

Did you rehome them through the TPG by any chance?

I rehomed Monty, a 7-year old Hermann last month. It has been a steep learning curve, but totally worth it

This site has been immeasurably helpful. You've come to the right place

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Here is some care info for your species:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Most of the care info you will find is wrong. Wrong substrate, wrong bulbs, wrong size enclosure, etc… Hope we can help.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Most of the care info you will find is wrong. Wrong substrate, wrong bulbs, wrong size enclosure, etc… Hope we can help.

What Tom was meaning to say is that most info you will find ELSEWHERE, (on the net, from pet stores, and unfortunately even some vets) is wrong. Here, in those threads for instance, you will find proper care info even if it seems to be or is opposite what you will learn in those other places.
Welcome to the forum, you and your tortoises will be much happier. Ask questions if you need to and soon you'll be answering them yourself.

 

[enzot91]

Hi and welcome from a fellow Glaswegian

 

[Nonwife]

Hello and Welcome. Be sure to house them seperatly or the male will try to breed the female to illness or death.

Crikey, I wasn't aware of that. Apparently my two have hung around together for years with no divulged problem except the female one is way greedier than the male. They mostly seem to ignore each other.

 

[Nonwife]

Hello and welcome. Here is some care info for your species:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Most of the care info you will find is wrong. Wrong substrate, wrong bulbs, wrong size enclosure, etc… Hope we can help.

Thanks ever so much for directing me to these articles. I see already I've made a big mistake with the substrate based on seemingly 'legit' advice on the Web :-(. I made a substrate mix of half compost and half play sand! Will ditch it tomorrow.

 

[Nonwife]

I know that feeling!!

Did you rehome them through the TPG by any chance?

I rehomed Monty, a 7-year old Hermann last month. It has been a steep learning curve, but totally worth it

This site has been immeasurably helpful. You've come to the right place

No, I 'rescued' them from a colleague as her husband acquired them from a friend who had kept them for a number of years but moved to Australia

My colleague had no knowledge on how to care from them and didn't really try to find out. She just kinda bumbled along. They didn't really interest her. I felt I really had to intervene when she text me in a panic as she thought she'd put the little male in the washing machine with her dirty clothes by mistake. Luckily she didn't but I took them away 2days later...!

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome to TFO. @johnandjade is just down the road from you in Paisley

 

[Nonwife]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes. So glad I found this forum, I am really going to need you guys!

 

[Huw]

No, I 'rescued' them from a colleague as her husband acquired them from a friend who had kept them for a number of years but moved to Australia

My colleague had no knowledge on how to care from them and didn't really try to find out. She just kinda bumbled along. They didn't really interest her. I felt I really had to intervene when she text me in a panic as she thought she'd put the little male in the washing machine with her dirty clothes by mistake. Luckily she didn't but I took them away 2days later...!

Goodness me!!

I almost adopted a colleagues too - but as a newbie his MBD was too far gone for me to deal with. Horrible that people can unknowingly be so harmful to their Tort pals.
Are your two healthy?

 

[Huw]

Thanks ever so much for directing me to these articles. I see already I've made a big mistake with the substrate based on seemingly 'legit' advice on the Web :-(. I made a substrate mix of half compost and half play sand! Will ditch it tomorrow.

I started off with topsoil and sand. Quickly changed it to cococoir and orchid bark from Pets at Home. Though I boobed with that as well by not drying the cococoir out properly (Monty's table went mouldy underneath! Nightmare!). Please don't copy my mistakes.
A month in and I'm learning something new every day.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome from Wales. You will find this forum invaluable and it will save you money in the long run too, check here before spending on pet shop supplies to make sure you have the most appropriate and safest equipment possible.
I had a steep learning curve when I rehomed a lost tort. There's a lot to learn but the members here will point you in the right direction.
You may find this article useful as well to give you a better idea of why pairs of torts aren't a good idea........
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/
It will give you an idea of what to look out for and as you'll see they are territorial and can be very subtle in their bullying tactics.
Good luck and don't hesitate to ask any questions - someone in some part of the world will be about to help and if not there's always the search facility!

 

[RedHeadMama]

Welcome! It's a great resource! I'm in the US but lived in Glasgow for almost a year back in the late 90s--it was always a great city, but I hear it's completely turned around now, in the best way.

 

[Nonwife]

Goodness me!!

I almost adopted a colleagues too - but as a newbie his MBD was too far gone for me to deal with. Horrible that people can unknowingly be so harmful to their Tort pals.
Are your two healthy?

They seem to be, I hope so. Stan is half the size of Michelle but both eat fine and like to bask. I ran out and got a combined UV and heat lamp but really need to work on the temp I think. They are active when they want to be. Stan is a little lazier but I do worry about him cos he is wee.
I want to let them settle in a bit before I take them for another car ride to a reptile vet. Their toilet habits seem OK when I give them a soak from what I've read anyway.

 

[Nonwife]

Hi and welcome from Wales. You will find this forum invaluable and it will save you money in the long run too, check here before spending on pet shop supplies to make sure you have the most appropriate and safest equipment possible.
I had a steep learning curve when I rehomed a lost tort. There's a lot to learn but the members here will point you in the right direction.
You may find this article useful as well to give you a better idea of why pairs of torts aren't a good idea........
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/
It will give you an idea of what to look out for and as you'll see they are territorial and can be very subtle in their bullying tactics.
Good luck and don't hesitate to ask any questions - someone in some part of the world will be about to help and if not there's always the search facility!

Wow thanks for the link! I noticed Stan bobbing but Michelle was in another room. Do tortoises have a breeding season and do females have a menopause? Apologies in advance if it is a daft question!