New tortoise owner! Does this look suitable? - Page 2

babytort · 26-05-2009, 06:26 PM

some torts dont like new cuttlefish.like my 2.
keep some outside and just leave it to weather,you might find your little one will eat it then.
ive had my torts since the start of the year and never seen them eat it.
i left a few i their outside enclosure for ages and wo and behold they munch on it like theres no tomorrow !!!

Hollie.Iero · 27-05-2009, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the advice, I'll try that.

I had the fright of my life yesterday, I'd nipped out for ten minutes and left Hermie with his lights on, when I got back I went to check on him and at a quick glance I couldn't see him so I looked in his flowerpot but he wasn't there either so I was thinking 'where is he' and I don't know what made me do it but I put my hand into the corner he always goes and felt his shell so I dug him out and he just looked at me a bit angry LOL. I know that they like to dig but I didn't think he'd completly cover himself!

It was funny really because I was looking round the room for him even though his table is 10 inches high and I've watched him try to get out and theres no chance he could get out and I could tell no one had been in the house so I don't know where I thought he'd gone.

He seems to be sleeping a lot now, he sleeps all night and most of the day too, I think I got the lazy one LOL.

He ate some Sedum leaves today, he didn't seem to interested in dandelion leaves but he likes the sedum I even got some crafty suppliment on it.

My tortoise table's temperature is about 90 through the day and 75 at night, is that a bit low or is it okay?

**Alan1** · 27-05-2009, 10:06 AM

Temperatures are okay at that, if 90 at one end and cooler at other. If you have just got the tort, it can act normally to start with then can go in the huff for weeks, not eating, not coming out through the day etc. It can take ages for them to settle in. They don't like change very much

It can take a while to get them of eating the wrong stuff but they will eventually. Them eating veg is kind of like us eating nothing but high calorie foods.. we get health problems and they get health problems.

It doesn't have to be just weeds, there are hundreds of garden plants and flowers that they eat too.

Edit, it doesn't need to be 75f at night

**Alan1** · 27-05-2009, 10:16 AM

Just a couple of other points.. you can use a bit of floor vinyl cut to size on the bottom of the box to stop the base getting damp and going mouldy and rotting through (it will if it's hardboard, chipboard or MDF) and the other thing is, torts try to climb the walls and can topple over onto their backs and can't get up unless they have a stone or other object nearby to help them get up. If this happens under the heat lamp they can die within 10 minutes

jmdibble · 28-05-2009, 09:39 PM

Looks good but a little boring for the tortoise, try different substrates for the tort to walk on and maybe some slates for the tort to eat off of and walk over and bask under. Also break up the torts line of sight with rocks, logs, hides, pots, plants etc which makes the tort have to walk around and keeps him occupied.

Good start though. Keep it up and adding things. It will soon take shape

Josh

26-05-2009, 06:26 PM	#11
babytort Member Hatched Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: aberdeen Posts: 363	some torts dont like new cuttlefish.like my 2. keep some outside and just leave it to weather,you might find your little one will eat it then. ive had my torts since the start of the year and never seen them eat it. i left a few i their outside enclosure for ages and wo and behold they munch on it like theres no tomorrow !!! __________________ 3 spur thighed,2 moggies,1 daughter,1 husband

27-05-2009, 10:06 AM	#13
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	Temperatures are okay at that, if 90 at one end and cooler at other. If you have just got the tort, it can act normally to start with then can go in the huff for weeks, not eating, not coming out through the day etc. It can take ages for them to settle in. They don't like change very much It can take a while to get them of eating the wrong stuff but they will eventually. Them eating veg is kind of like us eating nothing but high calorie foods.. we get health problems and they get health problems. It doesn't have to be just weeds, there are hundreds of garden plants and flowers that they eat too. Edit, it doesn't need to be 75f at night Last edited by Alan1; 27-05-2009 at 10:09 AM.

27-05-2009, 09:51 AM	#12
Hollie.Iero Junior Member Egg Join Date: May 2009 Location: Shirebrook Posts: 8	Thanks for the advice, I'll try that. I had the fright of my life yesterday, I'd nipped out for ten minutes and left Hermie with his lights on, when I got back I went to check on him and at a quick glance I couldn't see him so I looked in his flowerpot but he wasn't there either so I was thinking 'where is he' and I don't know what made me do it but I put my hand into the corner he always goes and felt his shell so I dug him out and he just looked at me a bit angry LOL. I know that they like to dig but I didn't think he'd completly cover himself! It was funny really because I was looking round the room for him even though his table is 10 inches high and I've watched him try to get out and theres no chance he could get out and I could tell no one had been in the house so I don't know where I thought he'd gone. He seems to be sleeping a lot now, he sleeps all night and most of the day too, I think I got the lazy one LOL. He ate some Sedum leaves today, he didn't seem to interested in dandelion leaves but he likes the sedum I even got some crafty suppliment on it. My tortoise table's temperature is about 90 through the day and 75 at night, is that a bit low or is it okay?

27-05-2009, 10:16 AM	#14
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	Just a couple of other points.. you can use a bit of floor vinyl cut to size on the bottom of the box to stop the base getting damp and going mouldy and rotting through (it will if it's hardboard, chipboard or MDF) and the other thing is, torts try to climb the walls and can topple over onto their backs and can't get up unless they have a stone or other object nearby to help them get up. If this happens under the heat lamp they can die within 10 minutes

28-05-2009, 09:39 PM	#15
jmdibble Junior Member Egg Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 35	Looks good but a little boring for the tortoise, try different substrates for the tort to walk on and maybe some slates for the tort to eat off of and walk over and bask under. Also break up the torts line of sight with rocks, logs, hides, pots, plants etc which makes the tort have to walk around and keeps him occupied. Good start though. Keep it up and adding things. It will soon take shape Josh

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