Told Not To Hibernate My Greek Tortoise

MaNaAk

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Update:

The vet phoned and there is no infection so D must continue with her current medication and not hibernate. So relieved!

However before the vet phoned this is what happened:

I needed to clean my bedroom floor and put madam D in the pet carrier and out of the way. Madam D didn't like this and turned shoving her partner in the process and making her way out! Whilst I mopped the floors Madam D proceeded to wedge herself between the basin and wall in the bathroom. I am doing what I can to protect my little ones but they are very persistent especially D and I have some funny stories over the years.

This wasn't exactly the sign of a very sick tortoise!

MaNaAk
Anyone else got naughty tortoises because 79 years old doesn't make a difference!

MaNaAk
 

Cathie G

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Anyone else got naughty tortoises because 79 years old doesn't make a difference!

MaNaAk
I can't believe you asked that ???????... well we all have this animal that tries to look like a rock most of the time until they feel like doing something and then it's hilarious. I once found my little Russian hanging by a claw from the hardware cloth that I keep on top of his enclosure. (For that reason) he's a little monkey in disguise.?
 

JoesMum

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Anyone else got naughty tortoises because 79 years old doesn't make a difference!

MaNaAk
Joe was permanently up to mischief. A character and a half. He was an expert climber despite his size (he weighed around 3.5kg) and regularly found his way into the house over the summer months when doors were open despite the steps. He rammed everything with a particular loathing reserved for the lawnmower. Every now and again he’d escape “his“ garden and get to the wheelie bins down the side of our house. More than once, I walked home from work listening to the distant sound of tortoise ramming wheelie bin :D

Sadly he had to be put sleep due a tumour in 2017. He was in his late 50s by our guess at that time.
 

MaNaAk

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Joe was permanently up to mischief. A character and a half. He was an expert climber despite his size (he weighed around 3.5kg) and regularly found his way into the house over the summer months when doors were open despite the steps. He rammed everything with a particular loathing reserved for the lawnmower. Every now and again he’d escape “his“ garden and get to the wheelie bins down the side of our house. More than once, I walked home from work listening to the distant sound of tortoise ramming wheelie bin :D

Sadly he had to be put sleep due a tumour in 2017. He was in his late 50s by our guess at that time.
Sorry to hear about Joe

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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Good afternoon everyone,

I have ordered a small enclosure 42" * 37" * 12" I already have a pet play pen and as I am only in a one bedroom flat I may have to move it to another room when I have visitors or at Xmas time. I shall order the spot bulb, heater and thermostat but I may wait until the enclosure arrives. I will be going through all your replies with a fine tooth comb. For the moment D---- is okay and she is being kept warm in my bedroom during the day eventhough I can't breathe in that heat.

She is taking her medicine very well and keeping me company.

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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Talking about naughty tortoises they loved it when I used to cut the lawn in the old house. They used to come and see what I was doing but they also liked the garden sacks and once I was in the kitchen and I noticed the garden sack moving by itself! I went to investigate and found a tortoise underneath so I removed the sack and continued to cook dinner before going to put the girls to bed only to find that I couldn't find one tortoise. I searched all over the place and then noticed a massive hole in the garden sack and found a tortoise in a nest inside. She must have turned around and gone back towards the sack. It's a shame that these sacks aren't cheap. Also Greek tortoises are well camouflaged!

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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Good afternoon everyone,

I have ordered a small enclosure 42" * 37" * 12" I already have a pet play pen and as I am only in a one bedroom flat I may have to move it to another room when I have visitors or at Xmas time. I shall order the spot bulb, heater and thermostat but I may wait until the enclosure arrives. I will be going through all your replies with a fine tooth comb. For the moment D---- is okay and she is being kept warm in my bedroom during the day eventhough I can't breathe in that heat.

She is taking her medicine very well and keeping me company.

MaNaAk
If anyone can recommend UV light, tubular heater and thermostat for this size of enclosure I would be very grateful.

MaNaAk
 

zolasmum

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Anyone else got naughty tortoises because 79 years old doesn't make a difference!

MaNaAk
When Zola was quite young - maybe 4 or 5 - we took him with us when I had an appointment to see a chiropractor - we thought she like to meet him. After my treatment, she came out to say hello to him - my husband who was carrying him, asked if she would like to hold him. So she held him up close to her face - she had beautiful long red hair, and was wearing a white overall - Zola loved her hair so much that he grabbed and pooped all over it- and on her white coat too - very messy, and very smelly !! It wasn't his finest hour. She had to go home and wash her hair before she could see her next patient.
He has never done anything quite that embarrassing since, thank goodness.
Angie
 

MaNaAk

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When Zola was quite young - maybe 4 or 5 - we took him with us when I had an appointment to see a chiropractor - we thought she like to meet him. After my treatment, she came out to say hello to him - my husband who was carrying him, asked if she would like to hold him. So she held him up close to her face - she had beautiful long red hair, and was wearing a white overall - Zola loved her hair so much that he grabbed and pooped all over it- and on her white coat too - very messy, and very smelly !! It wasn't his finest hour. She had to go home and wash her hair before she could see her next patient.
He has never done anything quite that embarrassing since, thank goodness.
Angie
Yuck! I remember dad moaning because one tortoise messed on the rubbish sack but it was in the right place.

MaNaAk
 

Cathie G

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Sometimes all that crap works out nicely ?. Sapphire's first vet visit did. I fixed his brand new reptile pet carrier all up with a washable carpet insert in the bottom. Covered the sides with cardstock to look like his wood hidey hut. I couldn't get a stool sample but took him anyway for his nose job. When he did his duty on the insert it was almost like the vet tech was apologizing for my tortoise misbehaving... the vet was almost apologizing for saying it was a good idea to do a stool sample ? I was laughing my head off saying good boy. It was perfect timing ?
 

MaNaAk

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I have just returned from my local reptile shop who have all the equipment I need for the enclosure and quoted me £120. They suggested that I take a photo of the enclosure and show it to them so that I can buy the correct lights etc. I saved £40 by buying an enclosure on Amazon.

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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I have never bought this sort of equipment for my grand old ladies before but I felt that the price was okay, Just wondering what everyone else's opinion is?

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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I may need suggestions as to how I should set everything up when I have all the equipment.

Good night

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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J____ is now hibernating and next week she will be able to hibernate without being shoved!

MaNaAk
 

MaNaAk

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The enclosure is here and I am going to set it up tomorrow and the lights and heaters could arrive next week and D____ has tucked into lettuce without me having to encourage her. She has never had lettuce before!!!!!!! Just added tomatoes as she loves these.

MaNaAk
 

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