Many questions. UV, food, weight, age, mating

[Paddemor]

I have a lot of questions about my torts. Maybe its been answered many times before, but its so difficult for me to read a lot of text in English, so I ask here instead. If it were in Norwegian, I would gladly read a lot of old thread to find my answers

I have two tortoises. I think they are about 1,5 years old. Its a male and a female, I have been told. I have now separated them, because the biggest (female) was bullying the little one, so the little one didn't eat as much as he should.

I just weighed them, I looked at their weight-curve, and was a bit shocked. My big tort now weigh 217 gram. For 6 months ago, she was only 100 gram. Am I doing something wrong? I feed both of them with fresh green food + pellets with calcium every day, in the morning only. My little ones weight is 103 gram.

I also have seen that the have some pyramiding. I had not heard of that until recently, and I don't know what causes that. It something with the humidity? My terrarium is very dry, I don't water it.

Do they need UVB or not? They need it to take up vitamin D, right? But its vitamin D in their food, and vitamin powder. I have tried to buy a bulb with both UVA and UVB, but they don't have that in the pet stores in Norway.

How old do they need to be to mate and lay eggs? Will it be a problem that they may be siblings, if they do mate?

And how big will this specie be? And how old?

I hope someone will take the time to answer me. It means a lot to me

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Veronica,
Your growth rate sounds just fine. and from what I can see from your pictures the female is growing just fine. The male though is a little pyramided, but it should help that he's alone now and will be getting his of the food and supplements.
It would help if you can find a light that put out UVB. Though you can get away with not having one if your supplementing with vitamin D.
It's more size than age when it comes to tortoises being adult. Your female will be adult by the time she hits 15cm straight carapace length (SCL). The male will be adult between 10cm and 12.5cm.
It won't be a problem if they mate and are siblings.
Your subspecies stays pretty small, males 10 to 13cm and females 15cm to 18cm. They should live to about 50 years old.

Danny

 

[bettinge]

Danny, Its OK to mate siblings? Or are you saying its not a problem, but not desirable! Just curious.

 

[egyptiandan]

It's not a problem, but not desirable

Danny

 

[Crazy1]

http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-european-high-voltage-hv-sb-100-220-volt-flood.php
The above site carries Mercury Vapor Bulbs which is a UVB, UVA and heat bulb all in one bulb. they have a life span of about 12-18 months if you are looking for a bulb they ship world wide. Hope that helps.

 

[Paddemor]

Thank you for the answers I will check out the link about the bulbs

I measured SCL on them, and my male is 7,5 cm, and the female is 9,5 cm. Its nice to know that the growth is fine. Do they regulate how much they eat, or do they eat as much as I give them? I have heard both. The big one leaves food not very often, but the little one always do. I am not sure how much food to give them.

Maybe its not visible on the pictures I have posted before, but my girl has pyramiding as well...

I also have another question, is it ok to cut their nails? I wish I did not need to, but I do.

 

[katesgoey]

I think its okay to cut their nails if you think they need it. I have cut Moose's nails because he is in his indoor more than his outdoor enclosure, but I haven't cut Tank's or Bump's since their outside all of the time and seem to keep theirs trimmed naturally.

 

[Yvonne G]

Danny, Its OK to mate siblings? Or are you saying its not a problem, but not desirable! Just curious.

This question raises what I think is an interesting point: Since tortoises are temperature/sex developed, it seems to me that a brother/sister combination would be pretty scarce. Unless it were different clutches of eggs, that is. This year's clutch would be all male or all female because of the incubation temperature. But then next year's clutch might be the opposite sex. Same parents, so technically brother and sister.

Yvonne

 

[Kymiie]

Very pretty markings on your tort! Is it a male or female? Looks female to me! What species is it? Hermann or spurr thigh. Pyramid, you have here a minor case of lumpy shell, this is caused by the pellets in the food, they are not a good food as it is causing your tort to grow faster than normal. Weight sounds normal to me!
Yes be carefull of mating as they do get bullied.
Cutting toe nails...no. They are such a strong animal and are so wriggly you may cut the tort. Get some bird sand sheets and let it walk on that to file them down. Tortoises do not need bedding!

UVB + UVA required as the tort needs sunlight to help maintain health bones and grow normally

hope this helps xxx

 

[Paddemor]

Thank you for the answer, Kymiie The specie is Testudo graeca nabeulensis. Yes, that one is my female. Here is a picture of my male:

They do have UVA light, but not UVB. But I will try to get UVB as well

---

 

[Sudhira]

Wow, what beauties!

 

[Crazy1]

I also have seen that the have some pyramiding. I had not heard of that until recently, and I don't know what causes that. It something with the humidity? My terrarium is very dry, I don't water it.
Humidity is a large factor in pyramiding as is growing too fast (too much food) not enough exercise and not enough UVB. So the trick is to incorportate all of those things into your tortoises life. You will need a substrate that you can dampen I like to use Cypress mulch or you can use orchid bark just do not use fir or pine unless it its the two I listed above as they do not cure it and the pine or fir gives off toxic fumes. you can also use coconut husk ground fine called here bed a beast and sand or just clean yard dirt. pure water into it stir it up and the lights will dry the top layer out. This will increase the humidity in your enclosure.

Do they need UVB or not? They need it to take up vitamin D, right? But its vitamin D in their food, and vitamin powder. I have tried to buy a bulb with both UVA and UVB, but they don't have that in the pet stores in Norway. Yes they need UVB either in the form of a light or in the form of sunshine. This is how they produce vitamin D so that they can utilize the calcium. to make strong bones.

 

[L Gebauer]

I also have seen that the have some pyramiding. I had not heard of that until recently, and I don't know what causes that. It something with the humidity? My terrarium is very dry, I don't water it.
Humidity is a large factor in pyramiding as is growing too fast (too much food) not enough exercise and not enough UVB. So the trick is to incorportate all of those things into your tortoises life. You will need a substrate that you can dampen I like to use Cypress mulch or you can use orchid bark just do not use fir or pine unless it its the two I listed above as they do not cure it and the pine or fir gives off toxic fumes. you can also use coconut husk ground fine called here bed a beast and sand or just clean yard dirt. pure water into it stir it up and the lights will dry the top layer out. This will increase the humidity in your enclosure.

Greeks are low humidity torts in the 25 to 50% humidity range. Instead of misting/wetting the bedding you might try soaking the torts in tepid water every other day for 10 to 15 minutes. A second tub of water is helpful because torts cannot be toilet trained and they may "go" in the first soaking tub and need to be moved.

Linda, Pumpkin, and Nighty Nite

Do they need UVB or not? They need it to take up vitamin D, right? But its vitamin D in their food, and vitamin powder. I have tried to buy a bulb with both UVA and UVB, but they don't have that in the pet stores in Norway. Yes they need UVB either in the form of a light or in the form of sunshine. This is how they produce vitamin D so that they can utilize the calcium. to make strong bones.