Mangos Health

[Mango_the_Tortoise]

Hi guys I am new to the forum and I am just looking a bit of advise about my hermanns tortoise Mango. I am just wanting to know if he looks ok and healthy as the vets round my way don't deal with tortoises so I have no idea if he looks ok Also he is around 9 - 10 years old and I got him when he was 5 Oh and I think it is a boy lol

 

[yillt]

Hi guys I am new to the forum and I am just looking a bit of advise about my hermanns tortoise Mango. I am just wanting to know if he looks ok and healthy as the vets round my way don't deal with tortoises so I have no idea if he looks ok Also he is around 9 - 10 years old and I got him when he was 5 Oh and I think it is a boy lol

Hello. He has got some pyramiding. Pyramiding is when they had an upbringing with not as much humidity as needed. He looks like he needs a bit of a beak trim which you can do. I'll find the thread and attach it. But apart from that his eyes look good and clear and his shell isn't deformed or broken anywhere. So well done. Glad you have joined us. A VERY big welcome to you and Mango. I love the name.

 

[Yvonne G]

He's a bit bumpy and his beak is slightly overgrown, but his eyes look bright and he looks in good weight.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

 

[Mango_the_Tortoise]

Hi he was this shape when I got him from the reptile shop and I thought that myself, he is getting his beak trimmed in 2 days lol I just don't have a lot of knowledge about the keeping of tortoises and just don't want the pyramiding to get any worse. Also does anyone know what I could feed him on as he is currently feeding on pak choi, kurly kale and the odd grape every no and then (but not very often )

 

[Yvonne G]

This is from the care sheet I linked for you above:

Low protein, high fiber and calcium rich are crucial points to keeping Hermann’s tortoises stable and healthy. In nature, much of their day is comprised of grazing or browsing for edible vegetation. Unfortunately, many uninformed keepers turn to supermarket produce which is generally lacking in acceptable fiber levels and is too high in sugar. A diet rich in protein will eventually cause renal failure and offering too much fruit will bring on diarrhea or even an outbreak of internal parasites. Pesticide-free weeds grown in the yard such as dandelion, clover, plantain, catsear, thistle and vetch make for excellent food items. Mulberry leaves are also recommended. Here, we make sure our tortoises get Mazuri tortoise diet (original blend and LS blend) several times a week. This commercial diet aids in keeping a healthy weight on the animals, enables hatchlings to grow steadily and rapidly replenishes nutrients lost in females who have recently deposited eggs. For years we have raised many species of tortoise by using this diet in combination with appropriate weeds and the outcome is more than satisfactory. We also mix the Mazuri diet with organic dried herbs which can be purchased online at www.mountainroseherbs.com. This method comes in handy during the winter months when weeds are really inaccessible. On my site www.hermannihaven.com, a video I have put together shows how to make this mix. Sometimes, supermarket produce may be your only option. Whenever possible, purchase only organic greens and stay away from all lettuces. Collard greens, mustard greens, radicchio, endive and turnip greens will suffice in moderation. Various “tortoise seed mixes” are now available from distributors and while these can make for an excellent variety of safely grown edibles, be extremely careful with them. Reports of tortoises becoming poisoned from these mixes are now beginning to surface. This may be attributed to the accidental presence of seeds from poisonous plants being mixed into the mix. Doing your homework in order to gain the knowledge of how to properly identify poisonous plants goes a long way. Google is at everyone’s fingertips now so start researching, it could save your tortoise’s life.