Karl, Suzanne & Shelly would like to say hello!

[Emmyx1x]

So here are my naughty torties; Karl, Suzanne & Shelly.
Karl was very much a rescue case, he had a shocking environment and diet, not a happy boy with a mischievous outlook on life!
This is their new tortoise table, we are off out today in search of some plants, our aim is to make a little garden indoors for them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Nice save and good luck!

 

[Emmyx1x]

Thank you, I had wanted torts for as longs as I could remember, after looking in reptile centres and online dreaming for many years we spotted Karl online for sale, seriously you have never seen such filth and terrible conditions for a tortoise. His claws were literally curled over from never being maintained. When I gave him his first bath the rubbish that came out of him was just shocking, god only knows what his diet was. We made the best of what we could of the nasty vivarium that came with him at the time. My husband took time off work and made a lovely table for our babies.
We are just getting into foraging locally for the terrible trio! We are quite lucky as we have a lot of parks and countrysides locally.
I like to think that when I retire I won't be a crazy cat lady I will be surrounded by shells and vegetables!
All three babies have their own personalities and have been mischievous and endearing in their own way, I shall sit and tell the tales of my Russian escape artists soon!
Love to all the tort lovers xxxx

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Glad you rescued and are helping them. However, that table is way to narrow. Russians, although small, roam and cover a lot of miles in the wild. Russians are also one species that really doesn't get along with others and can get very territorial. Keep a close eye out for bullying, having three is better then having a pair, but in a small table, when they are used to roaming many miles could cause a real big problem.

 

[Emmyx1x]

Hi there thanks for your advice. I guess the picture doesn't show a great deal of space but the table is the length of my fireplace wall almost six foot in length and two and a half foot in width. They don't stay in their table as a permanent fixture, we have a lovely back garden in which they roam when the temperature is right and also they are known to have a good old sprint around our bungalow, they do seem to have a keen interest in any slippers left around!
We have been really fortunate with the terrible trio, there doesn't seem to be any nit picking going off between them. But always keeping an eye out for such behaviour.
We are leaving shortly to purchase some suitable greenery for the new table. Karl especially loves his hide away bushy log so we are thinking some leafy areas he is going to love.
We have also introduced a ball to the table, they love it!
I am going to have a nose too at some plant pots as I have read that torts enjoy these.
May head out for a forage tomorrow as there is lots in season too.
I guess it is hard not to be defensive about our little darlings, we all want makes them happy. But I really do wish people had of seen the state karl had come from, just utterly heartbreaking. I guess in his little world life has changed dramatically.
Much love to all the tort lovers xxx

 

[wellington]

Glad you do have an outdoor area for them, that's always good. Unfortunately, we can imagine the horrible conditions he came from, we see many of them on CL and hear many stories. You don't need to be defensive, can surely tell you love these guys and want the best for them. This is a great place to learn and it never hurts to learn. We only want the best for your torts and to help you get to that. Just and FYI, Your table is what we recommend for a minimum for one tort. Actually we recommend 3-4x6 for a minimum, with bigger always being better. Good luck and have fun shopping for them.

 

[Emmyx1x]

Aw Wellington I like you already xxx
I adore my terrible trio, each has something they give to this big world of ours.
Karl is a naughty school boy always up to something he shouldn't be. Suzanne is a little Madame and Shelly is pardon the pun a lady who gas really come out if her shell xxx
I am considering looking at sterilised top soil has anyone else used it?

 

[Abdulla6169]

I use planting mix as a substrate for my Greek tortoise

 

[Emmyx1x]

Ah right, currently I am using chips, we have a nice basking rock that Karl especially loves lounging around on.
We are just back from our little shopping trip, got some gorgeous plants and leaves. Also got some bell balls.

 

[Abdulla6169]

I love the way your torts are naughty little rascals!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Emmy welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . Russians rule ! But please torts aren't like cats . Torts cannt spit up fur balls . So if you let the torts walk around the house because they taste test everything Evan slippers . But your 3 baby's look good . Have great tort day !


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[Emmyx1x]

Suzanne heading off to explore.

 

[Emmyx1x]

Hello Emmy welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . Russians rule ! But please torts aren't like cats . Torts cannt spit up fur balls . So if you let the torts walk around the house because they taste test everything Evan slippers . But your 3 baby's look good . Have great tort day !


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Thanks hun, have just uploaded a quick snap of Suzanne having an explore.
I normally find each tort in their favourite hide away, karl likes to wander in the bedroom, usually sits himself next to the bedside tables, Suzanne pops herself under the coffee table and Shelly under the lamp table in the corner. Never thought about the hair ball think, shall be vigilant with the house wandering.
Thank you for the compliment, reading my posts back I guess I sound ultra defensive, I just adore them but advice should be taken happily for all our sakes.
Seeing the state in which Karl came from has made me be somewhat pampering of him!
I am going to head out tomorrow afternoon for a good forage, I love to see their little faces when they try something new and in season.

 

[Emmyx1x]

I love the way your torts are naughty little rascals!

Yes they are, we either call them the terrible trio or naughty torties! They are so comical, each having their own personality.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Emmy
Just please remember we all love torts like they are our children . But some parents don't make their children eat veggys , they give them candy because the children lve the candy . Have a great tort day .


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[Emmyx1x]

Haha hilarious, think I shall stick off the candy cane with the torts and must stop giving them cadburys fruit and nut bars!
On a more serious note I am a good mummy when it comes to their diet. I make sure they have locally foraged items, a health variety and calcium rich foods. & supplements.
I think it is hard with any animal you take in as your own not to want to make up for the past life they had. I know that Karl doesn't perhaps have the memory and feeling of a mammal but I guess we can all be guilty of being a bit too soft with our babies.
Just a few chats on here have taught me more than hours of book reading and trawling through owners articles.
My torts have now retired to bed, lights have just switched off and all is quiet in tortsville.

 

[wellington]

So glad you are enjoying them and love them so much. Also very glad that you understand our care suggestions, they are never meant to be mean or to make you feel bad. Only to help you give them the best. We know of all the bad info that is out in cyber land. We get new members here all the time that has read all that other stuff and unfortunately, the research they spent hours on is usually all wrong. They find us, and we have to be the ones to break the news to them, that all the research they did is wrong. If we didn't do that though, we would be just as bad as all the other places out there.
Oh, and I also love your descriptions of your terrible trio, too funny

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Emmyx1x]

So glad you are enjoying them and love them so much. Also very glad that you understand our care suggestions, they are never meant to be mean or to make you feel bad. Only to help you give them the best. We know of all the bad info that is out in cyber land. We get new members here all the time that has read all that other stuff and unfortunately, the research they spent hours on is usually all wrong. They find us, and we have to be the ones to break the news to them, that all the research they did is wrong. If we didn't do that though, we would be just as bad as all the other places out there.
Oh, and I also love your descriptions of your terrible trio, too funny

So appreciated sweetie xxx really is.
I can really liken being a first time tortoise owner to when I became a mummy for the first time.
When I was pregnant I was convinced I was going to be an earth mother, children don't come with manuals and it is blooming hard work. I spent a lifetime dreaming of becoming a tort owner, and what seems a lifetime researching the rights and wrongs of caring for them, the thing us there are too many cooks out there spoiling the proverbial broth! Glad I found you guys.
Will keep you updated on the naughty torties. Here is a quick snap of her lady ship zonked out after such a hard day of exploring!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!