- Joined
- Aug 31, 2013
- Messages
- 9
Hi everyone,
My name is Angie and I live in Berkshire, England. My daughter and I have bought our first ever tortoise last week, a 2yr old Russian, which she has named 'Shelly' until she knows what sex it is in a couple years time. We have a table set up with top soil/sand mix substrate in the play area, basking and feeding area, and then wood shavings in the bed which she likes to bury herself at night. There is also timothy hay in the play area.
I would like to know how damp I need to keep the soil as I noticed this morning that one eye was a bit wet and the white eyelid was visible. I researched this and saw that it could be too dry? We bath her every morning and also leave the bath ( a plant pot saucer) in the corner of the cage all day so she has free access. She sits in it happily for 10 mins or so then gets out herself. After reading this today I have since sprayed the soil with water to dampen it down and put Shelly back in a fresh warm bath, which she only sat in for 2-3 mins before getting out. Her eye does not seem so bad now.
Any helpful advice would be gratefully appreciated as we really are novices.
thank you.
My name is Angie and I live in Berkshire, England. My daughter and I have bought our first ever tortoise last week, a 2yr old Russian, which she has named 'Shelly' until she knows what sex it is in a couple years time. We have a table set up with top soil/sand mix substrate in the play area, basking and feeding area, and then wood shavings in the bed which she likes to bury herself at night. There is also timothy hay in the play area.
I would like to know how damp I need to keep the soil as I noticed this morning that one eye was a bit wet and the white eyelid was visible. I researched this and saw that it could be too dry? We bath her every morning and also leave the bath ( a plant pot saucer) in the corner of the cage all day so she has free access. She sits in it happily for 10 mins or so then gets out herself. After reading this today I have since sprayed the soil with water to dampen it down and put Shelly back in a fresh warm bath, which she only sat in for 2-3 mins before getting out. Her eye does not seem so bad now.
Any helpful advice would be gratefully appreciated as we really are novices.
thank you.