Sand is not recommended, even mixed with soil. It sticks to food, gets eaten and then impacts in the gut.
Great! Yeah, I'm pretty sure your tortoise is a Russian . Mine is a Russian, and she's identical to yours! Great job with the top soil and sand mixture. I use coconut coir as it's cheap and not smelly, but you have a pretty good mixture as it is! I'm sure your tortoise will be thrilled to go outside!
Sand is not recommended. If a tortoise digests enough of it, it can cause blockage and this can be fatal to the tortoise. stick with just soil or coco coir (or a mixture of both)My husband is in the process of building a wooden turtle table for outside that we have seen on net. Right now we made a temporary home out of 50 gallon storage container, with top soil and play sand mixture. It was a locally owned pet store that's been around for 30 years. They acted like sure he was a Hermann's but looking at pictures of tortoises made me question it. I will get pictures of the tail and underside soon. Thank you to everyone for their knowledge of tortoises and for all the help!
Sorry for giving you a false lead on the sand mixture... I thought it would be alright because you had top soil too! My bad! By the way, what're you feeding your little guy/girl?
Here's a list of suitable greensNo problem on the sand! We are feeding him leafy greens like a spring mix for now. Any other suggestions on food for the tort?
Thank you so much for all your help! We appreciate it!Here's a list of suitable greens
Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
LOL, great bonding time! ..I guess.. haha.. Probably the only things we don't mind "watching" as they "go" lolSo many cute babies! I just gave Millie a bath. Usually when she poops in her bath, she puts her head back into her shell and pushes. Today, she just stared at me. We have reached a new level.
This picture is of the bath, sans poop. View attachment 152098
Thanks! I love your torts hat!!They are so cute!!!! It sounds like your little fella is super friendly, too!
I'm taking so many pictures of them, everything is soo cute!! ..don't tell my kids, but I don't think I took this many when I had THEM!! ahahaHa! Thanks! My tort took forever to warm up to me, you are really lucky to have such a friendly-cutie bunch! And I understand about the "helicopter parenting". Mine is larger and I'm still a helicopter parent. I can't help it!