Help new tortoise mummy

[yuna1971]

Daily, would be best truffel.
Warm water, lukewarm or room temp. Give him a little rub with a cotton ball or something, gently wash his shell. But no soap,hand soap - nothing, just warm water!! You might find this helps his poo and wee. If you see white - it is urates, and perfectly normal. They should be creamy toothpastey looking - if they are gritty, then his bathing needs to be upped. You might find he stays in the bath more when he is more cold than after he has basked.
The bathing will help him with hydration.
Sorry...i butted in here. xx Hope you dont mind!

[yuna1971]

Originally Posted by truffel

when i took him home he had wood shippings,

Another classic from the pet shop. But at least this is being changed - thanks to you Truffel. xx

[Bindi]

I would bathe torty every day, it'll help with hydration and encourage him to drink.

Warmish water for 10-15 mins a day would be good, the water just deep enough to cover the row of scutes around the bottom of his shell.

[yuna1971]

Truffel...dont worry. The strip bulb (the long one) that you have provides him UV. A tortoise needs heat also. This is order for him to bask, or warm up to the correct temperature and thermoregulate.
So to do this (to bask) they need a basking bulb, or a heat bulb.
You will need to get one of these ASAP.
You can nip to ASDA or Homebase, B&Q and for now - get a 100w spot bulb. You need to point this downwards at ONE end of the viv. The other end, will be his sleeping end - and this you keep cool/coolish.
So to recap.
The strip bulb - is for providing UV
The basking bulb - is for heat and warming/basking
The hide or sleeping area - is at the cooler end.

You will need a water dish. A digital thermometer to monitor temps.
For his sleeping area - you can buy some readigrass and he can bury down and get nice and cosy in this! You can buy this in the SW Shop. xx
I hope this helps you xx

[truffel]

Wow didnt realise its once a day i know he been in pet shop for a week i had deposit on him, they never bathed him neither have i, i have just orderd thermometer from ebay, and going to take truffel for a quick bath, lol, how fun, should i towel try him softly and then put him back hee, im useless but love learning, thanks

[truffel]

Thanks all, yuna i will go and buy one 2moz sound silly again but how do you hang it in viv, where can i buy something 2moz to do this,

I have just bathed truffel so funny he loved it totally, and he looks so clean and healthy, tap dried him with a soft towel and put him back and he just digged in soil and all muddy again lol.

Ok so list for 2moz, basking bulb mentiond above, and i will order the redigrass now, and have already orderd the thermometer so think im nearly there thanks to everyone for your help i feel a bit more confident today

[truffel]

Im not sure why my posts are not showing is there a delay??

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by truffel

Thanks for all that advice both of you, i think it would be helpfull to me to keep him in the viv until spring then i can get him the best home to suit him, when i took him home he had wood shippings, which i have changed too sand and soil, along with stones and a slab of rock, can you see my pic in avatar not sure how to attach a photo lol, then i can start making him a tort table, i only had one light fitting in the stater kit i bought him in, which is a long tube one, sorry not sure what its called and no idea what you mean by basking bulb can you explain, and if i need this as i only have the one long one, thanks so much i wont him to have the healthiest happy life, he also seems happy eating well though not sure how much he should eat a day has done 2 poos since i had him is this normal ?? thanks again xx

The reason i mentioned keeping the viv, with you being a new owner, it will be easier to keep your Horsfield warm and active through the winter, this is the time when most med tort's slow down. And some need extra equipment to keep an open table hot. This should be not be as big a problem in a viv for you this winter.
There is plenty of good information on here to be going on with, feel free to ask.

[truffel]

Me Again sorry, my post dont seem to appear maybe they take time wanted to ask do you need the basking bulb if i have heat mat Thanks

[truffel]

Originally Posted by 16 shells

The reason i mentioned keeping the viv, with you being a new owner, it will be easier to keep your Horsfield warm and active through the winter, this is the time when most med tort's slow down. And some need extra equipment to keep an open table hot. This should be not be as big a problem in a viv for you this winter.
There is plenty of good information on here to be going on with, feel free to ask.

Thanks,i agree i wont have a clue, hopefully ill learn all before next spring and have it all ready for him