I'm a new Tortoise owner, after introducing my Tortoise to his new environment he has just slept for 24 hours

[kohailovely]

Hello, I purchased a two year old horsefield tortoise yesterday, after picking him up we travelled 6 hours to my house via train, something which the breeder said was fine.

After introducing him to his new home we gave him some food which he ate and then he scurried over to a hide close to the heatlamp and fell asleep, four hours later we turned off the heatlamp and moved him to the cool hide, this morning we turned on the heatlamp and he was still asleep in the cool hide, worried about him, my wife picked him up (which woke him) and put him in the heat, he walked back to his heat hide without eating or drinking and has been sleeping for 6 hours

My wife and I are concerned that the stress from yesterday may have negatively impacted him and we're worried we're doing something wrong.

He has a plate of food, a hot area, a cool area and a bowl of water, is there anything we should do to get him used to the new environment or should we just leave him be?

 

[wellington]

Let us see pics of the enclosure, tell us the type of heating and lighting you are using and also exactly what the temps and humidity is. Also, how large is the enclosure?
If all is actually correct with the enclosure, then it's merely the stress of moving from a familiar territory to one he has no knowledge of. In time, he will get used to the new surroundings and realize it's his and he is safe.

 

[jsheffield]

Tortoises don't generally like change, and they can be thrown off for weeks by it... if your enclosure and care regimen are good, than the tort will snap out of it sooner or later.

Jamie

 

[kohailovely]

Tortoises don't generally like change, and they can be thrown off for weeks by it... if your enclosure and care regimen are good, than the tort will snap out of it sooner or later.

Jamie

Thank you, this eases my mind

 

[kohailovely]

Let us see pics of the enclosure, tell us the type of heating and lighting you are using and also exactly what the temps and humidity is. Also, how large is the enclosure?
If all is actually correct with the enclosure, then it's merely the stress of moving from a familiar territory to one he has no knowledge of. In time, he will get used to the new surroundings and realize it's his and he is safe.

Heating is a 100w bulb (location shown in the image) food goes in the leaves, water in the wood. Enclosure is 50cmx110cm, he himself is tiny so I don't think it's a space issue

Heat/Humidity, not sure right now, I'm waiting on the delivery of a thermometer. We plan on giving regular baths to make up for the low humidity but thought it best to wait another day for him to get used to the environment

 

[wellington]

Remove the tan colored bowl. It's dangerous to put water in it and too high sided to use for food.
The enclosure it bare, adding a few plants will help him feel safer. Also, the enclosure is only good for a hatching. He will need a 4x8 foot enclosure soon. Soaking should be done but not to replace the proper humidity.

 

[kohailovely]

Remove the tan colored bowl. It's dangerous to put water in it and too high sided to use for food.
The enclosure it bare, adding a few plants will help him feel safer. Also, the enclosure is only good for a hatching. He will need a 4x8 foot enclosure soon. Soaking should be done but not to replace the proper humidity.

Thank you

 

[Yossarian]

Hi, if you have not seen this yet - please read thoroughly - How to care for temperate torts

There are a number of errors in your set-up, not saying this to be mean but changes are needed. I would change the substrate to coco-coir or orchid bark depending how small/young your tort is. The hay is also not suitable. You want substrate that holds moisture and wont hurt your tort if they sample it, this helps with humidity

The reason for the advice on the water bowl is that the verticle walls can create a risk of your tort tipping over in the water dish, which again based on size of your tort, may result in the death of your tort.

As for the tort sleeping alot now, this is normal and may continue for several days or even a week or two. Keep soaking and giving options for food but dont worry.

 

[kohailovely]

Hi, if you have not seen this yet - please read thoroughly - How to care for temperate torts

There are a number of errors in your set-up, not saying this to be mean but changes are needed. I would change the substrate to coco-coir or orchid bark depending how small/young your tort is. The hay is also not suitable. You want substrate that holds moisture and wont hurt your tort if they sample it, this helps with humidity

The reason for the advice on the water bowl is that the verticle walls can create a risk of your tort tipping over in the water dish, which again based on size of your tort, may result in the death of your tort.

As for the tort sleeping alot now, this is normal and may continue for several days or even a week or two. Keep soaking and giving options for food but dont worry.

I appreciate it a lot
The substrate currently is beechwood chips, we'll switch substrate when we clean out his table this weekend

the hay is just edible bedding, we've replaced the water bowl with one of the green food bowls so he doesn't fall

He's just woken up so we're giving him a light bath, honestly thank you so much for the advice

 

[wellington]

I appreciate it a lot
The substrate currently is beechwood chips, we'll switch substrate when we clean out his table this weekend

the hay is just edible bedding, we've replaced the water bowl with one of the green food bowls so he doesn't fall

He's just woken up so we're giving him a light bath, honestly thank you so much for the advice

The hay for bedding is too drying and will mold easily if you had the correct humidity. If he will even eat hay, then put it in his food dish, not as bedding.

 

[kohailovely]

The hay for bedding is too drying and will mold easily if you had the correct humidity. If he will even eat hay, then put it in his food dish, not as bedding.

What humidity do horsefield tortoises like because everywhere I look online says ~50% which is the natural humidity of my house

 

[wellington]

What humidity do horsefield tortoises like because everywhere I look online says ~50% which is the natural humidity of my house

A hatchling up to around 2 or 3 years need 80% an older one, 30-50%.
Your house might be 50% but his enclosure won't be with an open top and the heat. The substrate should be dampened and the whole enclosure covered if he is still very young.

 

[wellington]

Thread 'The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

 

[kohailovely]

Thread 'The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

Understood, thank you for your help, will read the resources provided.
We've been doing separate research for a few days now, wish we found this place sooner

 

[wellington]

Understood, thank you for your help, will read the resources provided.
We've been doing separate research for a few days now, wish we found this place sooner

Unfortunately most info out there is still outdated and incorrect.

 

[Tom]

Understood, thank you for your help, will read the resources provided.
We've been doing separate research for a few days now, wish we found this place sooner

Hello and welcome. We are here to help. The care sheet that has already been linked will explain what is needed. There are four elements to heating and lighting and you only have one.

This thread will help alleviate some of the frustration caused by conflicting info that you find while doing "research". Almost all of the info found online, from vets, pet shops and books is all wrong. Even most of the breeders still follow and parrot the old wrong info. This will explain:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[kohailovely]

Hello and welcome. We are here to help. The care sheet that has already been linked will explain what is needed. There are four elements to heating and lighting and you only have one.

This thread will help alleviate some of the frustration caused by conflicting info that you find while doing "research". Almost all of the info found online, from vets, pet shops and books is all wrong. Even most of the breeders still follow and parrot the old wrong info. This will explain:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you, I've read through that thread and ordered some more things for my tortoise.

One question I still have is, my table has two hides, one small hide under the light made out of sticks and one large hide pre-installed in the table, for some reason my tortoise only seems to sleep in the outside hide where it's warm and there is light, is this bad or just preference?

 

[SinLA]

Mine is the same way. He likely wants to feel protected but also be able to see what's going on.

Mine took months to settle in, and expect every time you make a change to his enclosure that clock to reset to zero. Everything you change he has to go through a period of "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!?!?!?" and then get used to it. So give yourself a few months here. Just make sure he has the right things to keep him healthy, the right foods, light and soak him daily and eventually he will settle in

 

[SinLA]

Also - as far as I know, Horsefields don't eat hay...

 

[Tom]

Thank you, I've read through that thread and ordered some more things for my tortoise.

One question I still have is, my table has two hides, one small hide under the light made out of sticks and one large hide pre-installed in the table, for some reason my tortoise only seems to sleep in the outside hide where it's warm and there is light, is this bad or just preference?

Enclosures for most species should have a warmer side and a cooler side. This allows the tortoise to thermoregulate, moving from one place to anther to get itself warmer or cooler, as needed. Sounds like your tortoise wants to be warmer, or it may prefer the stick hide for some other reason.

If the tortoise is constantly staying on the warm side, you might need to warm the ambient temperature a bit.