Introduction New Tortoise Keeper

[Shabzzz]

Good day all.

As the subject states, I am a new keeper of tortoise (not sure the exact genus yet, hoping this forum can help with that) not new to keeping pets nor being on forums, looking forward to meeting fellow tortoise enthusiasts and learn from you guys and gals.

I have recently purchased a tortoise from a pet shop (they obviously had no more information than feed lettuce) following q little research I bought a pet cage and set up a little enclosure with Humus as a substrate, gave little "Fergie" a bath and she (not sure on gender either) seems happy. She lives indoors for now, since I'm in the UAE which is extremely hot my indoor temps on a cool day is about 25⁰C I also have fish tanks in the same room that stay around the same, I do heat or cool the room to keep these temps standard. The humus is more damp than dry so that I'm guessing is the moisture required for little Fergie.

I will upload pics now and hope someone can confirm if it is infact a Greek tortoise or maybe point me in the direction of where I can source the best and most accurate information on keeping them.

Thanks in advance

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. Please read the caresheet and make any needed changes.
Do you have a basking light for her? In order to digest their food they need to have a backing light that reaches 95-100 under it at shell height.

 

[Shabzzz]

Hello and Welcome. Please read the caresheet and make any needed changes.
Do you have a basking light for her? In order to digest their food they need to have a backing light that reaches 95-100 under it at shell height.

Thanks for your reply @wellington

I do not have a basking light as yet, been hoping to get better information before buying one as then I would buy what's needed and not just what's there.

You mention a care sheet, is this a basic one for all care sheet or specific to this species? This brings me to the next question, is she indeed a Greek tortoise?

Sorry for all the questions, trying to tick all boxes to ensure the best for my new friend

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
I think s/he is a Greek but you won't know if you have a male or female for a good while yet.

This is the most up to date caresheet you need to help you provide the right living conditions, temperatures and diet etc for temperate species torts

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Please read that through and then ask as many questions as you like if you need to clarify anything there's always someone around to help.

 

[Shabzzz]

Hi and welcome,
I think s/he is a Greek but you won't know if you have a male or female for a good while yet.

This is the most up to date caresheet you need to help you provide the right living conditions, temperatures and diet etc for temperate species torts

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Please read that through and then ask as many questions as you like if you need to clarify anything there's always someone around to help.

Thank you so much for this @Lyn W. I took my time and digested all that information. I now feel better equipped to take care of Fergie. I do now realize that I've got the wrong substrate in but I unfortunately have no other choice as this is the only one available on Amazon for now. After a month or so I will definitely be trying hardware stores or elsewhere (might import) for the right stuff.

From what I've gathered they prefer they substrate to be moist and not dry yeah?
Fergie seems to have a great appetite and seems pretty much relaxed. He eats, walks abit and sleeps. I'm bathing him on alternate days and his diet for now is lettuce only. I will be looking for a supplement to feed as a treat.
He's currently basking in direct sunlight, which will stay on his enclosure for atleast another hour.

From the above-mentioned, is there anything I'm missing?

 

[methos75]

Thank you so much for this @Lyn W. I took my time and digested all that information. I now feel better equipped to take care of Fergie. I do now realize that I've got the wrong substrate in but I unfortunately have no other choice as this is the only one available on Amazon for now. After a month or so I will definitely be trying hardware stores or elsewhere (might import) for the right stuff.

From what I've gathered they prefer they substrate to be moist and not dry yeah?
Fergie seems to have a great appetite and seems pretty much relaxed. He eats, walks abit and sleeps. I'm bathing him on alternate days and his diet for now is lettuce only. I will be looking for a supplement to feed as a treat.
He's currently basking in direct sunlight, which will stay on his enclosure for atleast another hour.

From the above-mentioned, is there anything I'm missing?

Is the substrate coconut coir, it looks like it and if so, that should be fine

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Word of advice. . . Pay attention to the Temp's and Humidity's. Day time, Night time, basking, & cool side...

 

[Shabzzz]

Is the substrate coconut coir, it looks like it and if so, that should be fine

It's printed expanding humus, will upload a pic now of the packaging.



I honestly would not mind getting something firmer like orchid bark.

 

[methos75]

It's printed expanding humus, will upload a pic now of the packaging.

View attachment 344459

I honestly would not mind getting something firmer like orchid bark.

What I like to do is place a substrate like this on the bottom and then place a layer of orchid bark on top

 

[Shabzzz]

What I like to do is place a substrate like this on the bottom and then place a layer of orchid bark on top

That's an excellent idea.

How often should we change the substrate?

 

[MenagerieGrl]

That's an excellent idea.

How often should we change the substrate?

Typically, all you need to do is spot clean the substrate, It will last for a long time, and just add some more when you remove some with the feces.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Good day all.

As the subject states, I am a new keeper of tortoise (not sure the exact genus yet, hoping this forum can help with that) not new to keeping pets nor being on forums, looking forward to meeting fellow tortoise enthusiasts and learn from you guys and gals.

I have recently purchased a tortoise from a pet shop (they obviously had no more information than feed lettuce) following q little research I bought a pet cage and set up a little enclosure with Humus as a substrate, gave little "Fergie" a bath and she (not sure on gender either) seems happy. She lives indoors for now, since I'm in the UAE which is extremely hot my indoor temps on a cool day is about 25⁰C I also have fish tanks in the same room that stay around the same, I do heat or cool the room to keep these temps standard. The humus is more damp than dry so that I'm guessing is the moisture required for little Fergie.

I will upload pics now and hope someone can confirm if it is infact a Greek tortoise or maybe point me in the direction of where I can source the best and most accurate information on keeping them.

Th

Hello,

Where did you get that plastic hide?

 

[Shabzzz]

Typically, all you need to do is spot clean the substrate, It will last for a long time, and just add some more when you remove some with the feces.

Okay so I've been doing this correctly then. Still would like to make a complete change in a month or so. Just to avoid bacterial build up.

Hello,

Where did you get that plastic hide?

This is actually not a hide it's supposed to he a feeding bowl that hooks onto the side of the cage. It's just a "small animal enclosure with accessories" purchased on Amazon. We didn't use the "cage" just the bottom end and I used that feeding thing at the side as a hide for now. Going to either be making a more natural looking one or buying one that's not going to cost the price of a kidney. I shall definitely be updating this thread as I to along so do follow up for updates.

For all of the day today Fergie just slept I was actually worried thinking that it could be unwell but then read somewhere that they have days where they are less active. This weekend I will be adding a heat lamp and uvb (still figuring out if I need both)

 

[AshleighV614]

This weekend I will be adding a heat lamp and uvb (still figuring out if I need both)

You will definitely need a UVB. . UVB light enables tortoises to synthesise vitamin D3 which, in turn, allows them to absorb calcium.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Okay so I've been doing this correctly then. Still would like to make a complete change in a month or so. Just to avoid bacterial build up.


This is actually not a hide it's supposed to he a feeding bowl that hooks onto the side of the cage. It's just a "small animal enclosure with accessories" purchased on Amazon. We didn't use the "cage" just the bottom end and I used that feeding thing at the side as a hide for now. Going to either be making a more natural looking one or buying one that's not going to cost the price of a kidney. I shall definitely be updating this thread as I to along so do follow up for updates.

For all of the day today Fergie just slept I was actually worried thinking that it could be unwell but then read somewhere that they have days where they are less active. This weekend I will be adding a heat lamp and uvb (still figuring out if I need both)

If you can get your lil one outside a couple of hours a week for some sun, the need for a UVB lamp goes down...

 

[Shabzzz]

If you can get your lil one outside a couple of hours a week for some sun, the need for a UVB lamp goes down...

It's actually getting about 3hrs a day direct sunlight through an open window.

 

[Maggie3fan]

The UVB rays from the sun are absolutely necessary for your tort to live, and they do not go thru glass. Can't you put the tort in a box and go outside for a bit everyday? He needs humidity but it MUST be warm. The ambient temperature in your room has NOTHING to do with your tortoise...he needs his own heat, humidity and light and that needs to happen sooner than later. He also needs to eat more than lettuce, starting right now...so the longer you put off creating his own environment the longer and harder it will be to keep him alive. I just seriously want you to look at that life you just brought home...he depends on you for his very existence. Be sure to hang around and ask questions...did you just walk by a shop and see this tort or what? I'm just being nosy...welcome

 

[Shabzzz]

The UVB rays from the sun are absolutely necessary for your tort to live, and they do not go thru glass. Can't you put the tort in a box and go outside for a bit everyday? He needs humidity but it MUST be warm. The ambient temperature in your room has NOTHING to do with your tortoise...he needs his own heat, humidity and light and that needs to happen sooner than later. He also needs to eat more than lettuce, starting right now...so the longer you put off creating his own environment the longer and harder it will be to keep him alive. I just seriously want you to look at that life you just brought home...he depends on you for his very existence. Be sure to hang around and ask questions...did you just walk by a shop and see this tort or what? I'm just being nosy...welcome

Firstly I don't think you're being nosy, and I completely appreciate your concern. The back story of how I became a keeper is that for the last 8 months my 5 year old really wanted one. We kept saying no until she reaches the age of being responsible and she has been excellent this far in that area, she's more hands on than I even expected.

With regards to the direct sunlight, I'm going to attach a pic so you can better understand, sunlight comes in directly from a sliding window and not through glass.

With regards to foods, what else do you suggest I should add as this is something I would do immediately.

The only reason I'm holding back on buying the lights is because none are available at a pet store near me, and those on Amazon I'm not sure I want to trust. Over the weekend I will travel to a store that's about a 90min drive from me which I'm certain I will get the right stuff at, I'm just trying to learn what the right stuff is by then.

Regarding taking the tort outside, I'm pretty sure this will do more harm than good as I'm in one of the hottest places on earth. In the shade it's 40⁰C (104f) and in the sun it's above 45⁰C (113) so that makes it unbearably hot for anything to be outdoors. In the winter our temperatures are more friendly which is like 30⁰C (86f) which is when my little one would live on our garden and will be brought back in for our summers.

 

[TaylorTortoise]

The tortoise needs a basking light and a UVB bulb for propper maintance and health of a healthy tortoise.

 

[TammyJ]

Firstly I don't think you're being nosy, and I completely appreciate your concern. The back story of how I became a keeper is that for the last 8 months my 5 year old really wanted one. We kept saying no until she reaches the age of being responsible and she has been excellent this far in that area, she's more hands on than I even expected.

With regards to the direct sunlight, I'm going to attach a pic so you can better understand, sunlight comes in directly from a sliding window and not through glass.

With regards to foods, what else do you suggest I should add as this is something I would do immediately.

The only reason I'm holding back on buying the lights is because none are available at a pet store near me, and those on Amazon I'm not sure I want to trust. Over the weekend I will travel to a store that's about a 90min drive from me which I'm certain I will get the right stuff at, I'm just trying to learn what the right stuff is by then.

Regarding taking the tort outside, I'm pretty sure this will do more harm than good as I'm in one of the hottest places on earth. In the shade it's 40⁰C (104f) and in the sun it's above 45⁰C (113) so that makes it unbearably hot for anything to be outdoors. In the winter our temperatures are more friendly which is like 30⁰C (86f) which is when my little one would live on our garden and will be brought back in for our summers.
View attachment 344508

Looks like he can't have it both ways, eh? Hide AND be in the shade.