Mr. Pickles update and in need to pick your brains again....

[jmhoesch]

K, we've had Mr. Pickles for over a week now and he's doing great. He doesn't suck into his shell whenever I open the tank anymore. He actually keeps his little head out and I can pet him on his little head and I can even hand feed him. He eats like a pig when we put new food in his bowl (a few times a day) and we soak him, which he loves, a few times a week.

Here's where I need to pick your brains and thank you in advance!
1. How often do we change his WHOLE tank bedding? So far, I've scooped out the obvious messes and replaced it w/ new bedding and he usually poops and pees either in his water bowl (which I change daily) or in his soaking sessons.

2. What "treat" do you all give your torti's? We haven't given him any fruit as a treat yet and was thinking of some apples (chopped real small, right?) or some berries which we have in the house anyway. Our daughter wanted to give him a treat once a week like on the weekends..........

3. How often are we supposed to dust his food w/ the calcium supplement. I don't do it every day, more like every other day. Is that too much, or too little? I read a few places where it's a few times a week then others where it says every day.

4. Having trouble keeping the humidity up in his tank. It's usually between 70 and 80%. We're in southern AZ where it's hot and dry (well not now, it's chilly) I read that Greeks don't need the humidity to be really high like other torti's and that 70% or so is ok.

Thank you for all your advice! I come here daily and read everything I can soaking up all the knowledge...............

 

[TortyTom]

Hello and sorry but I know nothing about Greeks or their requirements. I had trouble maintaining the humidity in my sulcatas tank till I made a closed top for it. Not sure if your's is closed or not? Another trick I tried was putting a pitcher of water with air a stone and pump. I did increase the humidity a bit. Good luck getting your answers.

 

[Spn785]

Hi! First question: I would change the substrate every 2-3 months completely. Second tortoises don't really need treats so if you want to give hime one I would suggest Hibiscus flowers. I would suggest if you want to use calcium powder use it once or twice a week, but it might be better to put a cuttlebone in his tank for him to chew on when he wants/needs more calcium. Humidity for testudo species should actually be bewtween 40 and 60%.

 

[biochemnerd808]

1.) I change my tortoise's bedding completely about every 3-4 months, as long as I have been dilligent in picking up poop and left over food.

2.) Giving a tort a 'treat' is more for the person than for the tort. Instead of fruit, which is too high in sugar and in acid, and will cause a pH imbalance in the stomach and can lead to parasite blooms, how about letting your daughter hand feed some dandelion flowers, hibiscus blossoms, or violet flowers to the tort? Much more nutritious, delicious for the tort, and not harmful.

3.) For supplement, I have a cuttlebone in the tort tables for the torts help themselves, and I use TNT (http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24&products_id=261), which I sprinkle on the dark leafy greens 2-3x per week with a salt shaker (add a few rice kernels to absorb any moisture from the air).

4.) with a grown Greek tortoise, you don't need to worry about humidity so much. 70-80% is probably actually a little on the high side. 40-60% is fine, which should be easily achieved by misting once a day. I actually simulate varying weather, so I let it get dryer for a few days, and then mist it really well with warm water. We have an Antakyan Greek tortoise, and then in a separate tort table, 4 Russian torts.

Mr. Pickles is lucky, to be in a family where proper research is being done! I'm glad you're asking all these questions! I have rescued too many tortoises where these basic questions were never asked...

K, we've had Mr. Pickles for over a week now and he's doing great. He doesn't suck into his shell whenever I open the tank anymore. He actually keeps his little head out and I can pet him on his little head and I can even hand feed him. He eats like a pig when we put new food in his bowl (a few times a day) and we soak him, which he loves, a few times a week.

Here's where I need to pick your brains and thank you in advance!
1. How often do we change his WHOLE tank bedding? So far, I've scooped out the obvious messes and replaced it w/ new bedding and he usually poops and pees either in his water bowl (which I change daily) or in his soaking sessons.

2. What "treat" do you all give your torti's? We haven't given him any fruit as a treat yet and was thinking of some apples (chopped real small, right?) or some berries which we have in the house anyway. Our daughter wanted to give him a treat once a week like on the weekends..........

3. How often are we supposed to dust his food w/ the calcium supplement. I don't do it every day, more like every other day. Is that too much, or too little? I read a few places where it's a few times a week then others where it says every day.

4. Having trouble keeping the humidity up in his tank. It's usually between 70 and 80%. We're in southern AZ where it's hot and dry (well not now, it's chilly) I read that Greeks don't need the humidity to be really high like other torti's and that 70% or so is ok.

Thank you for all your advice! I come here daily and read everything I can soaking up all the knowledge...............