Really worried about my tortoise and dont know how she was raised

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
There's a lot to learn and most of us have made mistakes starting out but thanks to this forum have been able to right our wrongs without too much impact on our torts and saved us a fortune in vet fees and equipment.
As already stated they'll be much happier and healthier separated, they are solitary and territorial creature so don't get lonely, but can be very aggressive towards another tort in its space causing serious injury or even death. Your male will also constantly harass the female to mate - not very pleasant for her in a small space where she can't get away.
Many pet shops and some online sites often sell unsuitable or unsafe equipment - especially bulbs. They are just interested in profit and don't really know about tort care, and even if packaging says they are for torts there are good and bad products - some have been found to damage tort eyes and shells so although still available to buy aren't necessarily safe. Avoid the 'all in one' bulbs and any that are coiled or curly cfl types.
I like Arcadia products and have a T5 HO tube kit for UVB and a flood bulb for basking (spots are too intense) I also use a CHE run through a thermostat for night heat and extra heat when it's needed.
If you have a dome go for the wide domes because deep domes tend to make bulbs over heat and burn out, and clamps have been known to fail and cause fires so it's safer to hang everything - you can also adjust temps by raising or lowering them then.
It's difficult to retain heat and humidity in open tables so you could think about using mini pop up greenhouses over them to hang the lamps inside.
Hope that's useful - the caresheet will help your torts thrive but please ask as many questions as you like.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Firstly I am trying to make sure they both have a proper home and no longer trust the past information I have learned which is why I joined this group. Secondly I had gotten a second tortoice because my tortoice was showing strong signs of being lonely so that is why I have been trying to see if i can find a way for them to live together. Thirdly the bulb is correct as far as I've been told and is labelled for tortoice even if you dont know it. I will try to make all the necessary changes needed as soon as possible as I've been advised on here but please dont send a message laced with hostility at me for me being misinformed when I'm trying to improve. But thanks for the help.

Tortoises don't get lonely.
It's a very common human misconception.
Tortoises are solitary creatures. Russian tortoises often fight violently when kept as a pair.
The information you've received is all true. But unfortunately not what you wanted to hear.
Please don't take any of this personally.
Please allow us to help you and your animals.

 

[Girl with 100 questions]

Hi and welcome,
There's a lot to learn and most of us have made mistakes starting out but thanks to this forum have been able to right our wrongs without too much impact on our torts and saved us a fortune in vet fees and equipment.
As already stated they'll be much happier and healthier separated, they are solitary and territorial creature so don't get lonely, but can be very aggressive towards another tort in its space causing serious injury or even death. Your male will also constantly harass the female to mate - not very pleasant for her in a small space where she can't get away.
Many pet shops and some online sites often sell unsuitable or unsafe equipment - especially bulbs. They are just interested in profit and don't really know about tort care, and even if packaging says they are for torts there are good and bad products - some have been found to damage tort eyes and shells so although still available to buy aren't necessarily safe. Avoid the 'all in one' bulbs and any that are coiled or curly cfl types.
I like Arcadia products and have a T5 HO tube kit for UVB and a flood bulb for basking (spots are too intense) I also use a CHE run through a thermostat for night heat and extra heat when it's needed.
If you have a dome go for the wide domes because deep domes tend to make bulbs over heat and burn out, and clamps have been known to fail and cause fires so it's safer to hang everything - you can also adjust temps by raising or lowering them then.
It's difficult to retain heat and humidity in open tables so you could think about using mini pop up greenhouses over them to hang the lamps inside.
Hope that's useful - the caresheet will help your torts thrive but please ask as many questions as you like.

Thanks I'll look into the different lights and I'm going to separate them once I've got the extra supplies and all needed. Thanks so much for the help

Tortoises don't get lonely.
It's a very common human misconception.
Tortoises are solitary creatures. Russian tortoises often fight violently when kept as a pair.
The information you've received is all true. But unfortunately not what you wanted to hear.
Please don't take any of this personally.
Please allow us to help you and your animals.

I understand I knew changes have to be made and I've already started looking into new enclosures to begin with. Tom and some others have given me some helpful information that I'll he checking out tomorrow morning as well and I'm really thankful. I didn't mean to take any of it personally if anyone knows I'm failing as an owner it's me but I'm trying to use the information given in this to correct my ways and improve their lives.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thanks I'll look into the different lights and I'm going to separate them once I've got the extra supplies and all needed. Thanks so much for the help

I understand I knew changes have to be made and I've already started looking into new enclosures to begin with. Tom and some others have given me some helpful information that I'll he checking out tomorrow morning as well and I'm really thankful. I didn't mean to take any of it personally if anyone knows I'm failing as an owner it's me but I'm trying to use the information given in this to correct my ways and improve their lives.

We all started out not knowing much. And many of us started out without the internet by just using dusty. Old and WRONG library books.
Hang in there.
It gets much better soon

 

[Tom]

If you dont mind my main concern right now is sorting out a good diet for them since both the websites and her eating habbits are inconsistent so if youd have ANY suggestions they would he greatly appreciated.

I'm glad that the info is helping and that the delivery has been satisfactory to you.

The best diet is a wide variety of broadleaf weeds, supplemented with occasional flowers of the right types. Some people have good luck providing this kind of stuff seasonally, while others can't seem to find or grow much. Mulberry leaves, grape vine leaves, raise of Sharon or hibiscus leaves, squash or pumpkin leaves, and many more are great. Most of the care info found out in the world is wrong, but I find a lot of the lists of edible tortoise plants are pretty good, even if the other info isn't great. All these natural foods are best, but what about in winter when there is snow on the ground and no weeds or leaves? At that point we have to rely on grocery store foods. Using a variety of the best types helps, but adding supplements, aka: amendments, make grocery store greens much more suitable as tortoise food. I favor endive and escarole. I use cilantro, Italian dandelion, arugula, kale, collard greens and many more for variety. I then add soak horse hay pellets for fiber, and dried leaf options for variety and nutrition. You can also supplement with soaked ZooMed pellets or Mazuri.

All of this is explained in more detail in the care sheet I linked for you.

 

[Gijoux]

They are both Horsfield tortoice. They are housed together which has been a bit difficult of a transition since they were raised separate and my other tortoice is approaching sexual maturity the past few months however I have kept a close eye on his behaviour to her. I would need to double check the temp. I keep the light covering most of the enclosure however they have a separate room without it. I often keep the light on the same strength throughout the night as it's quite cold in our house at night. They get fed a large variety ranging from lettuce, rockets, occasionally cucomber pieces, brocoli, dandelion leaves and other leafy foods however different sites are now telling me foods that were once seen as good might be harmfuk.

You mentioned that you "often keep the light on the same strength throughout the night as it's quite cold in our house at night" so you will want to get a Ceramic Heating Element or a Radiant Heat Panel for nighttime heat, because the tortoises need it to be dark at night as well as being warm. Others here have mentioned the other problems and you are working on those already.