Saying Hi with some questions ...

[sv452]

Hi all,

Glad to be here and hoping to get to meet some great and caring people.

I rescued two little tortoises (think they are leopard tortoises). Attached a picture of the two little guys.

i have no clue how old they are but they fit in the palm of my hand and they are super soft and squishy and if you hold them you can feel them inside their shell moving.

Is this normal or is it from neglect?

The one also don't really use his back legs much and tends to tip himself over, he tries to explore a little and then eat when given leaves. He worries me quite a bit.
The other one is very active as in he just can't sit still.

I have since given them a nice enclosure where they can roam with all day unhindered sun and hiding space from the sun if too hot and their little hideaway for the night time has a little under floor heating to keep them nice and cozy. Plenty of water and then try and give them plenty of leaves with some calcium and iodine powder sprinkled over it.
I also try to soak them in an effort to make sure they stay hydrated since these little guys was way lighter than what you would expect. They do tend to feel a little heavier than when I rescued them a few weeks ago which I hope is a good sign.

From all the reading I have done I try and make sure they have a healthy choice of leafy food. I see that there is speak of rabbit food, How does that work?

Does anyone have any good links to resources for my reading consumption. I suspect that these little guys has been through a lot and needs a loving home.

Sorry for just popping off with all these questions.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings and Welcome to the Forum

Lots of great info here - https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/

Make sure your enclosure is set up properly, good lighting, substrate.

Gauteng...South Africa, right? Welcome Aboard

Happy Torting

 

[sv452]

Greetings and Welcome to the Forum

Lots of great info here - https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.78361/

Make sure your enclosure is set up properly, good lighting, substrate.

Gauteng...South Africa, right? Welcome Aboard

Happy Torting

Hi There, I found that link after posting and another one as well. yipeee.

South Africa, correct.

I want to build them a very nice little indoor living space for now where I can keep an eye on them, especially the one that flips over because of the back legs.

When i got them their poop was extremely runny and icky - i see now that it is getting to be nice and firm'ish and a rich brown. hoping that is a good sign.

The one with the back legs however seems to not be pooping regularly or at all while the other poops and pees about every 4 days or so.

Yup, sounds strange but I keep an eye on that too. lol

 

[Maro2Bear]

Good luck with your torties, make sure you soak daily, provide good humid conditions, and good food of course. Hope you are planning a fully enclosed enclosure which will really help with maintaining proper temps and humidity.

Not sure if you have met @CarolM yet, but she’s from Cape Town, has a few torts and a good “local” resource for info.

Good luck.

 

[sv452]

Good luck with your torties, make sure you soak daily, provide good humid conditions, and good food of course. Hope you are planning a fully enclosed enclosure which will really help with maintaining proper temps and humidity.

Not sure if you have met @CarolM yet, but she’s from Cape Town, has a few torts and a good “local” resource for info.

Good luck.

Hi There,

I am looking at various people's closed enclosures for ideas. Would like to make one for the little guys where they can be super happy.

I have not met anyone on here yet besides yourself. Hopefully she will pick up on the @ and hopefully say hi.
Would love to get as much info as possible to make sure these little guys live healthy happy lives and maybe even outlive me if at all possible.

There is a matter of the need for permits that I am not sure about. I do not want trouble from authorities having rescued them and no matter the good intentions i think they will not so much care for that.

I also read about 'pyramiding' of the shells and I see both these little guys's shells have little bit of a pyramid going which is a concern from what I read.

they had a nice splish splash bath/soak earlier and the one sat and drank some water as well which is good.

I would not have thought that you could get the local tortoises across the pond but then I think I might be a little naive on that front.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!