My new tortoise

[bumblebee51]

My new tortoise is called 'Phoenix-Vern' He is an 08 hatchling and is nearly 3 years old! He is a Hermann tortoise and his shell measures 2.5 inches! He's adorable and loves munching cucumber the most!

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

Hi & Welcome. Pheonix-Vern sounds adorable!

 

[bumblebee51]

Thanks He is very sweet

 

[jeffbens0n]

Welcome! You will find that this forum is a great place to learn about your new friend. While your tort may love cucumbers, they do not have much nutritional value so be sure to give him a varied diet of all sorts of leafy greens!

 

[bigjsmashman]

PICS! PICS! PICS!

 

[bumblebee51]

Thanks He loves his cucumber but I do give him watercress, tomatoes, broccoli and other things

---

PICS! PICS! PICS!

 

[Isa]

Welcome to the forum
Your little one is adorable! You should forget about the brocoli and tomatoes should be feed only as a treat once in a while What is the substrate in the enclosure? It looks like very small rocks, maybe your little cutie could try eating some and have a blockage .

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Bumblebee51:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name and where you are?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[bumblebee51]

Isa,

That's the substrate he came with, the previous owner used that and he's shown no sign of eating it Thanks anyway

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Bumblebee51:

I think after you've been here a while, you'll come to realize that we have your tortoise's best interest at heart. We'll give you unsolicited advice because we see something that might be harmful or not quite right for your tortoise.

In that vein, gravel, rocks, sand cause impaction when ingested. Just because a tortoise has never eaten it before, or because it came from the previous owner like that, is no reason to keep it.

My Yellowfoot tortoise never ate rocks before either, but read this thread and scroll down to post #21:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-prolapse--22241#axzz1GgcHXUBz

I had that tortoise for three years with no rock-eating. I have no idea what caused it to start eating them.

And its not always on purpose. Sometimes the substrate gets stuck to the food and they eat it.

We can't expect you to take ALL of the advice that you get here on the forum, but we hope you will take this one!

 

[bumblebee51]

I'm sorry but I disagree and I am going to keep his substrate as it is