EPIKE
New Member
Hello Everyone!
I am a new user to the forums, and I am from New Bedford, MA. At the end of September, I am planning on adopting a Greek Tortoise (Testudo Graeca Ibera). I haven't ever owned a tortoise before, but want to make sure I'm going above and beyond in providing it the best life possible.
Over the past month, I have been reading a lot of forums on this website and watching a ton of videos (Particularly Garden State Tortoise and Kamp Kenan). Maybe I just have pre-tortoise having anxiety, but there's a bit of differing opinion on some topics or conflicting information that I wanted to ask about here and hopefully be more prepared.
---
1. With humidity being so important for hatchling tortoises, they should be about 3-4 inches before upgrading them into something like an Avituvin enclosure. What size should I start considering upgrading them to a larger, more permanent enclosure afterward? Are there any other factors that I should be being careful of changing in relation to their size?
2.) This sounds so stupid, but I just want to be careful! How regularly should they be eating? I understand that they're grazers, but also there is a risk of them becoming overweight. Is there a rule of thumb general to their size? I also have been looking at Kapidolo farms, but I'm not sure how much variety they need at what ages / sizes before ordering a bunch of greens.
3.) I keep seeing a lot of back and forth on whether they should have daily soaks, versus if you're keeping them in a humid enough environment they shouldn't need to be soaking. Is there such a thing as over-soaking them? Is there a range for the humidity to stay at relative to it's age / size?
4.) How much of the turtles day / night cycle is determined by temperature vs. light? Would something like a night light or computer screens cause it to stay active, or is entirely heat based?
---
If these are super stupid questions, or if I am violating any forum rules please let me know! I am currently a student at UMASS studying for sustainable food and farming, and became obsessed with the idea of keeping a tortoise in a perfect home where I can let it enjoy some of the (of course tortoise safe) plants that I grow as a hobbyist. Though as someone with generalized anxiety, the last thing I would ever want to do is think I'm doing the right thing and inadvertently cause them suffering.
Also, if there are any other channels, webpages, or books that the tortoise forum recommends I would love to have them! I have a few more months to prepare before the lil baby arrives.
Thank you!!!
I am a new user to the forums, and I am from New Bedford, MA. At the end of September, I am planning on adopting a Greek Tortoise (Testudo Graeca Ibera). I haven't ever owned a tortoise before, but want to make sure I'm going above and beyond in providing it the best life possible.
Over the past month, I have been reading a lot of forums on this website and watching a ton of videos (Particularly Garden State Tortoise and Kamp Kenan). Maybe I just have pre-tortoise having anxiety, but there's a bit of differing opinion on some topics or conflicting information that I wanted to ask about here and hopefully be more prepared.
---
1. With humidity being so important for hatchling tortoises, they should be about 3-4 inches before upgrading them into something like an Avituvin enclosure. What size should I start considering upgrading them to a larger, more permanent enclosure afterward? Are there any other factors that I should be being careful of changing in relation to their size?
2.) This sounds so stupid, but I just want to be careful! How regularly should they be eating? I understand that they're grazers, but also there is a risk of them becoming overweight. Is there a rule of thumb general to their size? I also have been looking at Kapidolo farms, but I'm not sure how much variety they need at what ages / sizes before ordering a bunch of greens.
3.) I keep seeing a lot of back and forth on whether they should have daily soaks, versus if you're keeping them in a humid enough environment they shouldn't need to be soaking. Is there such a thing as over-soaking them? Is there a range for the humidity to stay at relative to it's age / size?
4.) How much of the turtles day / night cycle is determined by temperature vs. light? Would something like a night light or computer screens cause it to stay active, or is entirely heat based?
---
If these are super stupid questions, or if I am violating any forum rules please let me know! I am currently a student at UMASS studying for sustainable food and farming, and became obsessed with the idea of keeping a tortoise in a perfect home where I can let it enjoy some of the (of course tortoise safe) plants that I grow as a hobbyist. Though as someone with generalized anxiety, the last thing I would ever want to do is think I'm doing the right thing and inadvertently cause them suffering.
Also, if there are any other channels, webpages, or books that the tortoise forum recommends I would love to have them! I have a few more months to prepare before the lil baby arrives.
Thank you!!!
