New tort

[emilyloose]

Hello everyone!
It's nice to be able to read about others' experiences with torts!

This is my new baby, Ellie. She is about the size of a tennis ball. The seller has not responded to me about her age. Any guesses? I would figure she weighs right around one pound.

 

[ascott]

While I am not a good age guesser....I just wanted to say what a cute little one....cute pug also...but please keep in mind that dogs and torts really should never be left together unsupervised.....

 

[motero]

I guess 6-12months. With tortoises long life span, I just go by the year. I would say it is a 2012 baby. You're never going to hear my tortoise is 84 years and 3 months old. Unless you want to give it a birthday party every year than pick a few dates put them up on a poll and we will pick it a pseudo hatch date. Keep reading here and you can get that baby on the right track for a smooth shell.

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome...I'm guessing around 6 months..your little one has some Pyramiding going on. Have you taken proper steps to start the correction process? Its cosmetic, and does not effect the health of your tort, but looks as if he was not taken care of properly. Humidity, hydration, exercise, diet, and natural sunlight will help. Below my signature are some threads for raising sulcatas...

 

[Tom]

They all grow at different rates depending on a variety of factors. Yours could be 3 months or 3 years.

Ellie is in serious need of an African rainy season simulation. Her pattern of growth so far indicates a lot of hot bulbs and dry conditions with not enough soaking, humidity or hydration. The threads in my signature will help you and your tortoise.

 

[RuthJanice]

Hello! Ellie is very cute!!! Keep the pictures coming as she grows - love those pics.

 

[emilyloose]

Thanks everyone! I've had her since Thursday and she has had daily soaks so far.

That was her first time meeting Oliver (pug) and just long enough for me to snap a pic so I could send it with a reference to her size. =)

I have a UVB bulb and heat lamps on her now. (Warm side and cool side) I have no clue as to what her habitat conditions were before. She sure is a fun little tort to watch! I can't believe how active she is!

I have her in a 6ftX2.5ft enclosure. I put in the coconut coir substrate and she is quite the digger! She burrows and covers herself then climbs out to eat then does a few laps then back to a new place to dig. I have a decent sized wood box with bedding and she sleeps there at night.

I have a read a few different articles, but haven't found any particular info on their hearing..? Does anyone know? She seems to be fairly alert, she will take snacks from my hand and when i talk she looks up at me.

She is on a diet of mixed greens and Ill add a calcium/vitD3 supplement a few days a week.

 

[emilyloose]

One question.. Do torts have allergies?

 

[Steve_McQueen]

Tortoises don't really "hear" as they don't have developed ear canals, but they can feel vibrations. Is there some specific problem that makes you wonder if she has "allergies"?

Also, it looks like your baby is pyramiding. They need humidity to grow up with a smooth shell. Add a moist hide at the least, or get the humidity up in the whole enclosure. Check out the links in Tom's signature for some helpful information.

 

[emilyloose]

No, I haven't had any problems that would suggest she has an allergy, it was just a curious question.

I will have her a week tomorrow, so far with the humidity up and multiple daily soaks. She is in a glass tank so it is a bit easier to regulate the elements with the gauges I have.

How long does it take for the pyramiding to be corrected? I've read a lot of info that ya'll have posted, it sure helps!