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Old 07-09-2019, 11:35 PM   #1
DanielRyan9194
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Lightbulb New Tortoise Owner Help Please

Hi, I’m going to be a new tortoise owner in the morning after my fiancé decided to get me one. I think it’s a Spur Thighed from what he told me (spearhead, haha). But I’ve been busy this weekend with a wedding to do extensive research.
So I’m asking for guidance to feeding, lighting, substrate, weight/length tracking and ratio (jackson or hailey?)
In terms of food, I have Tesco, ASDA, Lidl, Morrison’s, Aldo stc so what can I get regularly. Does anyone stick to a list.
What plants etc can I grow at home indoors ideally from seeds.
ANY other advice from experienced tortoise owner will be appreciated!
Thanks
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Old 09-09-2019, 08:10 AM   #2
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Hi there. Others might be able to advise on the other stuff but for food, the supermarkets don't offer a great deal really. Bagged mixed leaf salad (without beetroot, carrot, red peppers) is about the only thing and romaine lettuce and little gems are the best of the lettuces. Some wild rocket in moderation and bagged lamb's lettuce maybe. The trouble with lettuce is there's no real nutrients in it, it's about 95% water. The red lettuce (radicchio is it?) that you get in bagged salads is supposedly slightly better for nutrients. Obviously it depends where you live but there's still plenty weeds about, sowthistle, dandelion (in moderation like rocket) plantain. When mine are outside they have access to weeds growing out there but I also supplement with pellets which are called Pretty Pets Large Tortoise Pellets only available in UK from Ebay as they are imported. There are other types in the shops which mine have never eaten and I've tried them all. T-Rex Dry formula was one they did but they are no longer available.

*Another thing to remember is that the 'safe to eat/not safe to eat' articles are not an exact science. A lot of stuff may not be safe to eat for humans and some animals but tortoises are reptiles. There was an article I once read about Horsfields which said they ate plants that were toxic to other animals and because the other animals couldn't eat them there were loads of them for the tortoises.

As for growing indoors, you can plant the seeds and they will sprout but become all straggly due to lack of natural light and natural outdoor conditions. The Tortoise Table has lots of information on foods https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

At this time of year you might find your new pet won't fancy eating much and will probably slow down because in the wild they would be doing that

Last edited by Alan1; 09-09-2019 at 08:24 AM.
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Old 09-09-2019, 09:40 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanielRyan9194 View Post
Hi, I’m going to be a new tortoise owner in the morning after my fiancé decided to get me one. I think it’s a Spur Thighed from what he told me (spearhead, haha). But I’ve been busy this weekend with a wedding to do extensive research.
So I’m asking for guidance to feeding, lighting, substrate, weight/length tracking and ratio (jackson or hailey?)
In terms of food, I have Tesco, ASDA, Lidl, Morrison’s, Aldo stc so what can I get regularly. Does anyone stick to a list.
What plants etc can I grow at home indoors ideally from seeds.
ANY other advice from experienced tortoise owner will be appreciated!
Thanks
Firstly you would actually need to know the species (spur thigh is the common name for all spur thighs. At least different sub species) As some are more sensitive than others.
Lighting I have used both combined UV/Heat lamps and separate spotlight for heat and UV tube. I would recommend the separate system if you live in the south, the temps can get quite high and keeping an open topped enclosure from over heating can be difficult. You can always switch the heat off and keep the UV:0)
Diet needs to be high fibre which means a good supply of weeds. You can add lettuce now and again but they need the weeds:0)
As Alan mentioned you can sow seeds in seed trays (you need at least three on the go, one just sown, one growing and one ready to eat) but they are best grown outside in a sheltered area. Even in the Winter:0)
As you are finding owning a tortoise is scary with all the info you have to get at first. But once you have it in your head they are quite easy to keep:0)
We are all here to help, so dont be put off:0)
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Old 09-09-2019, 09:43 AM   #4
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Thanks for the reply alan1.
Could I buy any flowers etc from the shops or should I grow my own?
Which soil is the best to buy and where usually has it?
My tortoise is on hemp bedding currently but I want to change to soil or should I get something else?
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Old 09-09-2019, 09:49 AM   #5
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Sandy - so the shop owner said the species is Greek, I’m leaning towards Testudo Greaca Greaca (if spelt right) and 12-14 years. And a female. She was a refining rotoise and I just need to get a table before they let her leave. Now I have her home in hemp bedding oin the table I think I need a bigger table. I’m going to measure and weight her today and take pictures of her for records (and upload here is I can). Do I keep track of size and weight? Which ratio?
On the food front how much do I feed her and how many times a day?
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Old 09-09-2019, 10:18 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by DanielRyan9194 View Post
Thanks for the reply alan1.
Could I buy any flowers etc from the shops or should I grow my own?
Which soil is the best to buy and where usually has it?
My tortoise is on hemp bedding currently but I want to change to soil or should I get something else?
You can buy flowers to plant and grow on, Campanula is one often available in the likes of Homebase and B&Q but it needs to be allowed to grow outdoors for a year or two.
Sterilised topsoil is the best soil
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Old 10-09-2019, 10:57 AM   #7
DanielRyan9194
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Thanks Alan1
I’ve not picked up topsoil yet as I saw some edible bedding so I took a lot of the hemp bedding out and put in the new stuff too.
I would add pictures but it’s disabled on my account?
I need to come up with a shopping list for a variety of food and flowers etc
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Old 10-09-2019, 11:36 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by DanielRyan9194 View Post
Sandy - so the shop owner said the species is Greek, I’m leaning towards Testudo Greaca Greaca (if spelt right) and 12-14 years. And a female. She was a refining rotoise and I just need to get a table before they let her leave. Now I have her home in hemp bedding oin the table I think I need a bigger table. I’m going to measure and weight her today and take pictures of her for records (and upload here is I can). Do I keep track of size and weight? Which ratio?
On the food front how much do I feed her and how many times a day?

Pictures would be great, as we could then help you ID the tortoise:0)
Lol sorry there as far as I know not a species called greek:0)
The shop owner obviously does not know what the species is. If it is a graeca then he/she should have paper work that tells you. It is illegal to actually sell graecas without the paper work.
Tortoises should put on weight very slowly to help stop pyramiding, so weeds are really needed. Grazing is the best way, hence the seed tray so they can eat when needed. Most keepers struggle if their tortoise does not eat, but that is not the biggest worry. Dehydration is, so plenty of bathing every day for at least a week or two. Then every other day is fine.
I would feed once a day. As tortoise will eat everything put in front of them so easy to over feed.
My tortoises are outside (with a heated greenhouse when needed) 24/7 and graze the grass as and when they need to. I do feed weeds once a day normally. But they are slowing down getting ready for hibernation, so I feed every other day extra weeds.
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Old 10-09-2019, 02:02 PM   #9
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I would tread carefully with this tortoise if it is so say 12-14 years old if it has never been on a table before it won't be happy also does it have the correct paperwork has it ever hibernated and if this is your first time with a tortoise why get an older tortoise if I were you I would go for a baby one. In my opinion an adult female we assume ibera of that age will need a very large table.
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Old 10-09-2019, 04:02 PM   #10
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Sandy- how to I get permission to post pictures? I have read about the fact that the names are loosely changed so I’m hoping someone can ID her species. We didn’t pay for her we paid for the set up due to the previous owner didn’t have paperwork to give with her. So she is rehomed. I do plan to let her out side as much as possible but I won’t be able to leave her out. My plan is to design some form of garden table. Too high for the dogs to get to but big enough for her. She’s about 160mm and 875g I think. Need to measure her again.
How much food should be given in one sitting then?

Gordon- I definitely need a bigger table the I have right now. The shops wouldn’t let her go with me getting a table. I am looking into my options to provide her the best I can. I don’t know why but I’m leaning towards TGG species? As soon as I can pictures I will
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