Sex my horsefield tortoise

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Hi

I quoted your original post where you said you had a red 40w basking bulb.

You posted photos of your tortoise with his eyes showing clearly in several of them, in this thread.

I'm glad you have also got a strip light uvb, it wasnt clear on the post of yours from Thursday that i quoted, unless you have sourced it since, and nice to see the reptibark, I'm sure your tortoise will enjoy the improvements you have made 👍
You totally freaked me out! Haha. I might have to send you some pictures of his eyes now. He had only just woken up? Maybe?
 

Attachments

  • 20230315_182641.jpg
    20230315_182641.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 2

LJL1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2022
Messages
318
Location (City and/or State)
UK
You totally freaked me out! Haha. I might have to send you some pictures of his eyes now. He had only just woken up? Maybe?
Maybe, I think his eyes look a little bit like he could do with focus on diet...and he will probably improve a lot in activity as well as his eyes from the lights! They are not horrendous don't panic, but get on the diet bit.

Look up Tortoise Table Plant Database...I'm sure you know Russian tortoises can't process sugar and shouldn't eat fruit...that might be your pear, but getting him on a weed only diet would help massively.

Take a look at sowthistle. Tortoises love it and it's all over UK right now!
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
You totally freaked me out! Haha. I might have to send you some pictures of his eyes now. He had only just woken up? Maybe?
I've always had the right equipment, but not substrate. I had everything, but wasn't utilising it properly. Always had uvb and uva basking floodlight. I think it was you that told me to get rid of the ramp dish after thinking I didn't EVER put water in, but since then I've seen him drink twice from his smaller dish!
 

LJL1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2022
Messages
318
Location (City and/or State)
UK
I've always had the right equipment, but not substrate. I had everything, but wasn't utilising it properly. Always had uvb and uva basking floodlight. I think it was you that told me to get rid of the ramp dish after thinking I didn't EVER put water in, but since then I've seen him drink twice from his smaller dish!
I'm glad you always had the right lighting, makes a big difference. I think a couple of people mentioned the dish, I assumed you were putting water into it lol. Glad he uses it.

Will he be having garden time when it warms up?

I'm trying to design my garden enclosures now! If you end up with anything that works well, do post it so other people and I can steal your ideas!
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
I'm glad you always had the right lighting, makes a big difference. I think a couple of people mentioned the dish, I assumed you were putting water into it lol. Glad he uses it.

Will he be having garden time when it warms up?

I'm trying to design my garden enclosures now! If you end up with anything that works well, do post it so other people and I can steal your ideas!
Definitely garden time. It sounds strange, but on the warmer days after his bath and the sun is coming through the sundow, I wrap him in his towel in the sunshine coming through the window with it slightly open, so he can feel the sun and smell the outside he loves it. Hopefully it will start getting warm enough for our garden designs. I'm going to get a secure enclosure and dig him a small underground hole. Just play about so to speak until he looks happy and safe. It's got to be magpie proof! I don't trust them more than any animal. I watched one kill a sparrow over a fatball and I've got PTSD from it haha 😄 ❤️
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Maybe, I think his eyes look a little bit like he could do with focus on diet...and he will probably improve a lot in activity as well as his eyes from the lights! They are not horrendous don't panic, but get on the diet bit.

Look up Tortoise Table Plant Database...I'm sure you know Russian tortoises can't process sugar and shouldn't eat fruit...that might be your pear, but getting him on a weed only diet would help massively.

Take a look at sowthistle. Tortoises love it and it's all over UK right now!
Your right. The centre I got him from said fruit once a month, So I always gave him a banana or pear and had no clue it was so bad for him! I was heart broken when I found out
 

LJL1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2022
Messages
318
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Definitely garden time. It sounds strange, but on the warmer days after his bath and the sun is coming through the sundow, I wrap him in his towel in the sunshine coming through the window with it slightly open, so he can feel the sun and smell the outside he loves it. Hopefully it will start getting warm enough for our garden designs. I'm going to get a secure enclosure and dig him a small underground hole. Just play about so to speak until he looks happy and safe. It's got to be magpie proof! I don't trust them more than any animal. I watched one kill a sparrow over a fatball and I've got PTSD from it haha 😄 ❤️
Yes! Tunnel is a good idea, they live in burrows in the wild. You could give him loose soil and see what he does with it!
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Definitely garden time. It sounds strange, but on the warmer days after his bath and the sun is coming through the window, I wrap him in his towel in the sunshine coming through the window with it slightly open, so he can feel the sun and smell the outside amf he loves it. Hopefully it will start getting warm enough for our garden designs. I'm going to get a secure enclosure and dig him a small underground hole. Just play about so to speak until he looks happy and safe. It's got to be magpie proof! I don't trust them more than any animal. I watched one kill a sparrow over a fatball and I've got PTSD from it haha 😄 ❤️
Yes! Tunnel is a good idea, they live in burrows in the wild. You could give him loose soil and see what he does with it!
I know. Do you think he would like to dig his own hole? Honestly before I even knew forums like this existed, I was doing everything wrong. I had his lights on and bath daily, good diet minus the fruit. He went from 52g to 106g, but the hemp bedding just didn't look like he liked it. I struggled with humidity to the point of putting a wet sponge in. I went from Reptavite to Nutrobal and still not sure which is the best. I was told to have his strip uvb and his RED 40w basking light on for 8-10 hours! I thought that was alot but I kept phoning and they kept telling me to do it. In the space of a week bcoz of this forum I have completely changed everything! He loved digging into hay, but someone said its to sharp so now he's in his repti bark. Humidity is perfect. Still not 100% on the light timings though to be honest 😕
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,904
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
I changed to a smaller dish and now twice see him have a drink! I Was one of my highlights of the yeah. I think the ramp dish was too big
I'm always on the lookout for cheap stuff for my animals and just happened to find a ZooMed resin very flat dish for a dollar on closeout. I knew he needed a basking dish too but decided to go ahead and buy it. It's a perfect fit for his neck to just grab a drink. Thanks to TFO for the great idea of using a terra cotta plant saucer for a basking dish, he has both. Once in a while he accidentally slides into the basking saucer 😁 I always know when he does because he leaves fingerprints 😉(dirt in the water)🤗
 

jaizei

Unknown Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
9,054
Location (City and/or State)
Earth
You should be bathing a tortoise in the same as you would bath a child...30 degrees is completely cold water.

no one bathes a child in 50c water

maybe you are thinking about water temperature in the abstract. fill a dish with 50c water, place your hand in it for 20 minutes and then come back and tell me thats the temperature for bathing children and tortoises.

30-35c is prob the ideal range for soaking tortoises, ie about the same temperature as their enclosure is.
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
no one bathes a child in 50c water

maybe you are thinking about water temperature in the abstract. fill a dish with 50c water, place your hand in it for 20 minutes and then come back and tell me thats the temperature for bathing children and tortoises.

30-35c is prob the ideal range for soaking tortoises, ie about the same temperature as their enclosure is.
I think you was forgetting I'm british! 30c is boiling! 86f 😄 Were lost in translation
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
no one bathes a child in 50c water

maybe you are thinking about water temperature in the abstract. fill a dish with 50c water, place your hand in it for 20 minutes and then come back and tell me thats the temperature for bathing children and tortoises.

30-35c is prob the ideal range for soaking tortoises, ie about the same temperature as their enclosure is.
I think you was forgetting I'm british! 30c is boiling! 86f 😄 Were lost in translation
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Hi and welcome,
I used to know Lancashire well - especially the Leyland area.
This is the caresheet you need that may be included in the thread for new people already linked above - it will help you make sure you are giving your tort everything he needs and avoid common mistakes that we've all made.
There's a lot of old information still being passed around on other forums, social media etc and pet shops rarely know about tort care, but are happy to see unsuitable and unsafe equipment for the profits. The information here is up to date and provided by people with decades of experience - some of whom have been involved in research to find best practices which thankfully they share with us, so please read and make any changes necessary.
Your substrate is too dry for a Russian they like moist (not wet) substrate that they can dig in, it also looks quite sharp which could hurt his eyes or stick in his soft skin. The caresheets will give you better options.
Cucumber is OK occasionally but it has little nutritional value and can cause a laxative effect - also be aware that chunks of food that could be choking hazard (one member lost a large sulcata who choked on a chunk of carrot). Grated or thin slices may be safer than chunks for occasional treats. The caresheets will give you a list of good foods and www.thetortoisetable.org.uk is also a good resource.
Russians are great escape artists they are brilliant climbers and burrowers so if he is going to spend any time in the garden make sure he has a secure escape proof enclosure - safe from predators (including large birds). He is probably too small to be out full time yet.
Please don't let him wander around the house - it is much colder at ground level and there are too many hazards like human and other pet hairs, dust bunnies, small objects, cleaning chemicals, risk of getting kicked or stood on and crushed in doors etc. It may look as if the the dogs and cats all get on OK with your tort but there are far too many sad stories here from people whose trusted dogs have killed their tort because they thought it was a toy or been spooked by it, or cats have lashed out and scratched eyes etc So don't trust any dog or cat near your tort.
What lamps are you using? He won't be getting any uvb from the sun through the glass.
Do you think this us better than your previous post. I took on all you advice
 

Attachments

  • 20230326_173237.jpg
    20230326_173237.jpg
    4.3 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230328_171106.jpg
    20230328_171106.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230326_180753.jpg
    20230326_180753.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 3
  • 20230326_180812.jpg
    20230326_180812.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 4
  • 20230328_171116.jpg
    20230328_171116.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 3

New Posts

Top