Is my baby scared :-(

[munchkin2983]

Hi I'm new to having my baby Austin and I'm scared death I'm doing things wrong x at the moment he is in a viv but we are in the progress off building him a lovely new table x I take him out let him walk about give him some excerise and gave him some pansies but every time he has pooped is he scare or is this normal? He eats when I hold the flower we have had him 3 weeks x

 

[JoesMum]

Tortoises are dreadfully slow... especially at getting used to new things! they can take weeks to settle down properly. With gentle handling and a regular routine they do learn that you and their surroundings are safe, but you have to give them time.

Where do you let him out to walk. The best place for him in his enclosure. it should be big enough for him to get the exercise he needs. How big is yours?

Wee and poop happens when it happens and you may just have been unlucky. I take the precaution of carrying Joe (who is quite big) in a washing up bowl as I have had him wee down my leg once too often!

Try not to let him get into the habit of being hand-fed. Cute as it is, it can start bad feeding habits.

Torts can start to see you as the food (they are not terribly clever) and will then only eat from a human hand and refuse the same food put on the ground, growing in the yard or put in a bowl.

 

[Tom]

It seems like your question is: Is it normal for him to poop when you let him out to walk around? Yes it is. Locomotion helps to move things through their GI tract, much like a horse. Warm sun, exercise, soaks, or any combination of the above tends to make them poop.

I agree with Joes mum that letting him roam the house is a bad idea. He'll be much safer in a nice large enclosure that is all his own.

 

[munchkin2983]

Thank you it is the house he walks he is only small. His viv is small at the moment as we are building him a bigger table x I will stop hand feeding him it is only flowers his normal food he has in his viv. Thank you for your advice feel loads better. Thank you x