Inquries before having a testudo marginata

vanhoivanbinh

New Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Taiwan
Hello this is Steve from Taiwan
I have a friend who wishes to give me a tortoise as a gift. It's a Testudo marginata, his carapace is about 4-5 cm
He said it is still small, but healthy

Currently, he feeds him with Broadleaf plantain and White mulberry leafs with extra dried food (shrimp skin.....)

Around my house, there is a park with lot of Broadleaf plantain and White mulberry, so the food source is not a problem.

I have read about how people setting up the indoor place for tortoise (I mostly put him indoor as I live in a dense populated area with high buildings.
I already prepare suitable light bub for him and temperature/humidity gauge.

My friend said that the tortoise needs to bath in warm water every two days to release the uric acid and poop, otherwise, it will become stone inside the tortoise.

My concern is
I frequently travel for business about 1 week per month, during this time, no one will take the tortoise to the warm water for poop and release acid.

I can prepare the food and water in advance and put it to his place (I plan to plant a bunch of Broadleaf plantain in his indoor enclosure)

Can you suggest that it is possible for him to survive 1 weeks without me? Should he needs to bath in warm water every two days for poop and pee????

Thank you
 

Melis

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Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
509
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland
Welcome! A whole week is too long for a hatchling to not have fresh food and water and to not be soaked. Do you have anyone who could check on him?
 

vanhoivanbinh

New Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Taiwan
Dear Melis
Yes, I have have someone to take a look on him and change the water, adding fresh food however, I am worry about the bathing in warm water thing. Is this a requirement for tortoise??? Because the person I ask for that help may not interested in bathing the tortoise
 

Marianna

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Messages
53
Location (City and/or State)
Crete Greece
In a couple of years you need a big enclosure outside for your marginated tortoise. They are nomads, need to climb and walk, dig, explore and wonder. They grow quite large. It would be cruel to keep him inside in a tiny enclosure. Mine are 5 years old and use every inch of their 1500 square feet natural habitat enclosure.
Have a look at www.hermannihaven.com and then think twice.
 

Marianna

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Messages
53
Location (City and/or State)
Crete Greece
Correction: I am not used to calculate in feet. My tortoises have 500 square meters which I understood just now is more than 5000 square feet. And still testing the boundaries.....
 

vanhoivanbinh

New Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Taiwan
Thank you, Mariana. That's a huge area
I will seriously consider your suggestion as mine does not have such a big area like yours
 
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