What am i doing wrong?

[steamy0712]

Just taken my 2 and a half year Greek spur thighed to the vets for microchipping and there was a 90 year old Greek spur thighed there to with a RI got talking to the owner about UVA and UVB as the older one is very smooth and he doesnt use any of it where mine is UVB and UVA and is pyramiding slightly . When I think back to my child hood my aunty had 5 tortoises and she also didn't have all the equipment we use now days perhaps I won't bother also. I consider to spoil my tort a bit as she has cost a fortune. But a friend also has a tort they don't bother with UVA and UVB . Please tell me your views. Also this 90 year old tort , it is his first visit to the vets with a respiratory infection. Not bad considering no heat or light. Just England summers wich are pretty poor.

 

[JoesMum]

These elderly TGG's (like my Joe) were all wild caught as youngsters and grew probably more slowly due to food. They had plenty of of UVA and UVB outside and generally spent their entire time in the garden getting more when they came to the UK. Their shop-bought diet wasn't ideal, but mostly they ate garden weeds which are brilliant fodder.... and they still do!

Joe got his first ever RI last spring. The vet said I was unlucky. Personally, I think its a symptom of a succession of cold damp summers we've had in the UK. I know Kent's in drought, but the summers have been short on heat.

Joe has not hibernated for the first time ever this winter as he failed to gain weight last year. It's been something of a baptism of fire keeping a garden tort in a (admittedly large) 'table' indoors. I'm just hoping the weather improves so he can go back where he wants to be... having the free run of my garden!

 

[HtVic]

you should ask yourself this question:were all of their tortoises spent most of time(80%) outside?

 

[wellington]

I also think, not only did they probably spend most of their time outside, but you also have a lot of rain and therefore, should have a lot of damp, moist ground cover they were able to live in outside. Also some folks on TFO never uses UVB bulbs, however their torts get a lot of natural sunlight during the summer months.

 

[Madkins007]

1. 'Garden tortoises' were quite the fad in much of Europe and warmer parts of the US back earlier in the 20th century. Basically, they were turned out to fenced yards and left alone surrounded by heavily planted flower and vegetable gardens. Most were species that could burrow for the winter, and the most successful were kept in gardens where the soil type and climate worked together for safe hibernation.

2. If you are offering a UVB bulb, you really don't need a UVA bulb too since the UVB bulb is putting out more UVA than it is UVB just in the way it was designed.

3. I think most indoor tortoises tend to pyramid because they do not get the natural flow of changing seasons and related dietary changes that lets the shell layers grow in the right synchronization.

 

[Tom]

I think indoor tortoises pyramid because it's too hot and dry under all those lights with an open topped tortoise table. Put them in a closed chamber, keep them hydrated and humid and they do not pyramid under those same lights.

 

[ascott]

I believe that there are a couple factors...again I say I believe

Torts in the wild are indeed designed to weather each season....winter is slow down time, the body can slow and rest....the spring is when ford fest goes crazy in preparation for the hot months they gorge on what they have around them...summer comes on and allows prime sun saturation opportunities and perfect temps to charge up quickly....which allows for great clearing of the internal systems and am and pm munching with night temps that allow them to remain warm and primed for the dash for a bite a bask and back in the shade/burrow....fall is a trigger to let them do final preparations for cooler temps and much needed rest...they stop eating...they consume water...they make alterations to their pallets or burrows and begin to slow to enjoy their seasonal rest...it is their make up...and this may be extreme for some species vs subtle for others....these are evolutionary design and fantastic ones at that...

When a tort is forced to remain baking under lights all of its life or a majority of its life they can not play out the life they are designed for...so they are at our mercy to know everything they need and want, which we simply are not capable of as we are humans not tortoise...lol..also when we strictly house indoors we offer large and steady amounts of food which creates a crazy growth pattern that they simply are not designed for 24/7....I believe that we do with them what we do with so many other aspects of our life...we overdue and expect instant results...baby tort goes to big tort too fast and their body and underlying bones just can not keep up with our desires without a compromise...now...please understand that I am simply sharing my feelings and in no way expect anyone to agree..nor do expect anyone to say or think I am correct...but that I am just sharing my thoughts here....