welcome Mikey

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,906
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
that makes me feel so much better. How much do they sleep? He buried himself and has been sleeping since we brought him home... basically all day. is this normal?
My tortoise comes out in the morning around 9AM or after. Sometimes I go in and he's watching or listening but comes to the opening of his hide. It's breakfast time. Then he moseys around on and off through the day or naps if he feels like it. They are active but you would have to sit and watch all day to catch everything. Saphire will sit and study something for a couple of hours with his head stuck out. There's no mistaking what his opinion is when he makes up his mind. It's hilarious. You might have to place Mikey near the food tile at first until you get a routine established. If you place him or her right next to the food the little brat might just go clomping right through it. They can smell so just keep things relaxed for a while. It helps to have the hide opening facing the morning sun if you can. I hope that helps. I would at least try to daily show where the food tile is and do the necessary things. Just go slowly at first.
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
My tortoise comes out in the morning around 9AM or after. Sometimes I go in and he's watching or listening but comes to the opening of his hide. It's breakfast time. Then he moseys around on and off through the day or naps if he feels like it. They are active but you would have to sit and watch all day to catch everything. Saphire will sit and study something for a couple of hours with his head stuck out. There's no mistaking what his opinion is when he makes up his mind. It's hilarious. You might have to place Mikey near the food tile at first until you get a routine established. If you place him or her right next to the food the little brat might just go clomping right through it. They can smell so just keep things relaxed for a while. It helps to have the hide opening facing the morning sun if you can. I hope that helps. I would at least try to daily show where the food tile is and do the necessary things. Just go slowly at first.
ok I will have to get him another hide for the warm side, I only have one on the cooler side. it is near his food and the door is facing the window which gets morning sun... I'm so scared something will happen to him I think im just paranoid. He's in a whole new place all his own and im sure all the commotion from the day was alot.
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
The clip and also the place where it grips the light base. Sadly there are numerous posts about them falling into the enclosure
ok, it's just the UVB bulb so I may be able to set it on the wire, i have the clamp zip tied but if it's the wing it that is coming loose, not much yupi can do with that. thank you
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
You will love having a Russian! They are so hardy.
We do, he's just awesome!! I'm already paranoid something is wrong lol. he sleeps all the time and hasn't eaten yet. He explored a bit after his bath but crawled back under his lamp and went back to sleep...
 

Blackdog1714

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2018
Messages
4,666
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
Now you know why they live so long!!! My Russian must be enticed out of his Tigloo summer house. Its either too hot, too cold or almost just right, but I am already comfy in here! Hibiscus blooms rev up his motor!
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
Now you know why they live so long!!! My Russian must be enticed out of his Tigloo summer house. Its either too hot, too cold or almost just right, but I am already comfy in here! Hibiscus blooms rev up his motor!
lol, as long as it's normal he can sleep as much as he want's! my mom had a bunch of hibiscus in her yard, think I'll go steal some
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,906
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
ok I will have to get him another hide for the warm side, I only have one on the cooler side. it is near his food and the door is facing the window which gets morning sun... I'm so scared something will happen to him I think im just paranoid. He's in a whole new place all his own and im sure all the commotion from the day was alot.
I was like that too and still am but not quite as bad. The worst part was not having experienced owners to rely on for answers when I needed them. You've got that needed support here on TFO. I didn't have that until I subscribed last year. But one day I woke up and realized I'd had Saphire for 12 years. That was kind of an amazing day. And yes your tortoise has had more then that day of stress. Especially if you found him in a pet shop. Saphire did also. I bought him from an online company which a person should never do. I'm really blessed that it finally turned out ok. He knows me and if I go in early he will come to the door of his hide to watch me do his food tile. That kind of stuff but then when you least expect it...funny stuff happens. Mikey is blessed to have you. They are a wonderful lifetime "pet".
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
I was like that too and still am but not quite as bad. The worst part was not having experienced owners to rely on for answers when I needed them. You've got that needed support here on TFO. I didn't have that until I subscribed last year. But one day I woke up and realized I'd had Saphire for 12 years. That was kind of an amazing day. And yes your tortoise has had more then that day of stress. Especially if you found him in a pet shop. Saphire did also. I bought him from an online company which a person should never do. I'm really blessed that it finally turned out ok. He knows me and if I go in early he will come to the door of his hide to watch me do his food tile. That kind of stuff but then when you least expect it...funny stuff happens. Mikey is blessed to have you. They are a wonderful lifetime "pet".
yes, I'm so blessed to have so many seasoned people to ask questions too. I picked him up to put him in his bath and he made this little squeak noise, I thought I squeezed him to hard lol, then realized he's not squishy so I googled it‍♀️ I got Mikey from a guy at the reptile show, he seemed to have a ton of info and knowledge about them, I was hesitant but my son had made up his mind by then that the tort was coming home with us
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,906
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
yes, I'm so blessed to have so many seasoned people to ask questions too. I picked him up to put him in his bath and he made this little squeak noise, I thought I squeezed him to hard lol, then realized he's not squishy so I googled it‍♀️ I got Mikey from a guy at the reptile show, he seemed to have a ton of info and knowledge about them, I was hesitant but my son had made up his mind by then that the tort was coming home with us
That's really great. Mikey will be a family heirloom.
 

Lynnee

New Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
17
You are actually better off by buying an adult since this is your first tortoise. There's a lot to raising a hatchling. You've bypassed all that by rescuing a tortoise that really needs a home anyway so...you have lots of time to learn if you decide later to adopt a baby also. The hatchlings are way harder.
He already bought the tortoise?
 

Lynnee

New Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
17
You are actually better off by buying an adult since this is your first tortoise. There's a lot to raising a hatchling. You've bypassed all that by rescuing a tortoise that really needs a home anyway so...you have lots of time to learn if you decide later to adopt a baby also. The hatchlings are way harder.
 

Kylee L.

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
337
Location (City and/or State)
Jacksonville, FL
Sorry to be beating a dead horse, I could just be paranoid that something is wrong...Mikey isnt eating. We got him Saturday morning and when we brought him home he pooped so I figure he had are something relatively recently but he hasn't eaten since then....sleeps ALL THE TIME. could he be trying to hibernate?? I have been told they do sleep alot but hes not eating and that's what's got me worried. There is a couple dark areas on the opposite side from his basking lamp that he had been in since yesterday after his bath, should I move the lamps to eliminate the dark areas? He was sleeping or laying there with his eyes closed during his bath too.
 
Top