Hi from northern Cali!

[CyndiG]

I'm new to the forum. My boyfriend suggested that I join up here and ask questions and get information. He's owned tortoises for many years now and used to be an active member here. His hobby has rubbed off on me, and I rescued a Russian last year. Against his advice, I took in some wild caught forstenii. He recommended that I join up here, since I might need some advice to acclimate them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome, Cyndi

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Cyndi, and welcome to the Forum! What is your BF's username on the Forum? Just curious.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. Hope we can help.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think @Will and @tortadise and @Benjamin would be the members to offer you advice on the Forstens tortoises.

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Cyndi !

 

[tortadise]

I'm new to the forum. My boyfriend suggested that I join up here and ask questions and get information. He's owned tortoises for many years now and used to be an active member here. His hobby has rubbed off on me, and I rescued a Russian last year. Against his advice, I took in some wild caught forstenii. He recommended that I join up here, since I might need some advice to acclimate them.

Forstens are excellent tortoises. Best advice is to separate each one from one another. They are very dominant (both males and females) upon initial acclimation if they are kept together stress levels will increase and could cause a decline. I'd also take numerous fecal samples as well of each specimen. They really are kinda easy though. Offer hides a large enclosure so they can map it out and establish territory(which they are very keen on) food offerings really vary into almost about anything. They do like snail, worms, flowers and chopped liver every once in a while.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Cyndi

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[CyndiG]

Hi Cyndi, and welcome to the Forum! What is your BF's username on the Forum? Just curious.

He uses an old gamer tag, 'neltharion' for a lot of his forum IDs. That's probably the same one that he used here.

 

[CyndiG]

Thank you all for the welcome.

Right now they're being kept indoors in quarantine tubs, and all separated. The space is less than ideal, but the outdoor enclosures planned will be bigger. They were eating on the second day, but very small amounts. I've tried mixed greens, yellow squash, butternut squash, different melons and berries, and mazuri. They seem to eat little bits of everything, but don't seem to eat what should be enough for tortoises that size.

They've been getting daily soaks in lukewarm water. One of them hasn't defecated yet. I don't see that any of them has passed any urates yet either. They're all pretty dense though, weight wise. None of them show any discharge from the nostrils or mouth.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Nice looking torts. Welcome to the forum

 

[HappyHermanns]

Welcome!