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Old 24-01-2015, 02:27 PM   #1
Ben Y
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Smile New owner of two Horsefield Tortoises

Hello everyone,

I have recently bought two 1 year old Horsefield Tortoises.

Everything seems to be going fine but I just want to set my mind at rest due to a few things I've noticed.

First of all, they both seem to get on with each other fine and cuddle up at night however I am unable to sex them at this time due to their age and size.
If I were to guess I would say two males cause their tails are fairly long but that's just a guess. I know if they are one male and one female they'll need separating at an older age, is this the same for two males due to fighting or will they be fine.

Another thing is one is a bit larger than the other. The smaller little chap is about 2 1/4" and the larger one 3 1/2" with a darker shell is this normal to have two tortoises the same age and such a different size gap and darker shell?
The little guy seems to eat more than the bigger one and has been known to steal food from the larger one right out of his grasp.

However I've noticed over the past two days some inconsistencies with the little guy. He appears to have a swollen eye I am pretty sure he's got some dust or dirt in it as he keeps scratching it. It's not majorly swollen as none of my family can see it. Also he has today done a fairly large runny poo. I am putting that down to the salad leafs I am feeding them as I am waiting for my weed seeds to grow. The salad leafs are lettuce (not iceberg) romaine lettuce I think, cabbage and some carrot peels. This has been their diet for about two weeks and the larger ones poo has been hard and firm and the little ones has always been soft but today it was very runny will this be the current diet I am feeding them?

Just really after some newbie advice on how I can improve and how I should wash the eye if I feel it is swollen due to dirt?

Thank you in advance

Heres some links to the little guys
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...psaee3526c.jpg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...psf6a0e7bb.jpg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6d9eb323.jpg
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Old 26-01-2015, 10:51 PM   #2
Pussygalore
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I assume these are siblings from the same place? if you bought them from a shop it would pay to have a poo sample checked for worms and parasites, most shop torts are inported and often carry the above. A good vet will offer this service or there was someone on line advertising poo checks, sorry I don't remember who but I'm sure someone will.
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Old 28-01-2015, 02:35 PM   #3
CherryBrandy
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Afternoon Ben

Tortoises can all be very different, sizes, shapes, colour etc even same species at same age bought up together. One of my Horsfields is over 20 years old and he looks tiny, no bigger than a juvenile size compared to his companions. I didn't have to separate the boys from the girls for over 7 years.

My four boys are boisterous but they more or less get on. The bigger boy does bite one of the other ones occasionally, he just doesn't seem to like him near, but this is natural behaviour and as long as kept in check (i.e i move him away in the enclosure and he sulks for a while) they seem to have been ok together for nearly 20 years and have never had a night apart.

One of the girls rams the others and tries to tip them over, but apart from her they have lived nearly 20 years together also, lot calmer. I have also had some rescue ones in and they were all very much accepted.
Horsfields are very gregarious tortoises I have found.

Carrott has tannins in which can sometimes make for loose poops depending on amount eaten. I think cut back on the lettuce if possible, though romaine is usually semi ok, other lettuce leafs can induce the runs in a lot of animals anyway and not much to it. Saying that mine love it as a treat cut up crunchy. Rocket is available in bags and toughens up the structure and natural / varied weed diet always a good idea.

When you bathe them in lukey warm water then maybe place the tub on an item so it is slightly on the tilt , - deeper down the back end and always scoop some water (clean) over the head and face whilst they are bathing either better from the deep end as same temperature. Their eyes dry out big style under lamps and grit can stick to the surface. I once had a tomato pip which adhered solid to the skin for days despite bathing !
Good luck , CB
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Last edited by CherryBrandy; 28-01-2015 at 02:42 PM.
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Old 28-01-2015, 05:31 PM   #4
sandy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben Y View Post
Hello everyone,

I have recently bought two 1 year old Horsefield Tortoises.

Everything seems to be going fine but I just want to set my mind at rest due to a few things I've noticed.

First of all, they both seem to get on with each other fine and cuddle up at night however I am unable to sex them at this time due to their age and size.
If I were to guess I would say two males cause their tails are fairly long but that's just a guess. I know if they are one male and one female they'll need separating at an older age, is this the same for two males due to fighting or will they be fine.

Another thing is one is a bit larger than the other. The smaller little chap is about 2 1/4" and the larger one 3 1/2" with a darker shell is this normal to have two tortoises the same age and such a different size gap and darker shell?
The little guy seems to eat more than the bigger one and has been known to steal food from the larger one right out of his grasp.

However I've noticed over the past two days some inconsistencies with the little guy. He appears to have a swollen eye I am pretty sure he's got some dust or dirt in it as he keeps scratching it. It's not majorly swollen as none of my family can see it. Also he has today done a fairly large runny poo. I am putting that down to the salad leafs I am feeding them as I am waiting for my weed seeds to grow. The salad leafs are lettuce (not iceberg) romaine lettuce I think, cabbage and some carrot peels. This has been their diet for about two weeks and the larger ones poo has been hard and firm and the little ones has always been soft but today it was very runny will this be the current diet I am feeding them?

Just really after some newbie advice on how I can improve and how I should wash the eye if I feel it is swollen due to dirt?

Thank you in advance

Heres some links to the little guys
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...psaee3526c.jpg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...psf6a0e7bb.jpg

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6d9eb323.jpg

If you have a male and a female they will cause problems later on, as the male will try to mate. Which in turn can cause a lot of stress for the female.
Two males together, provided they have a large enough enclosure, they can get on fine. Once they have sorted out who is alpha male. They dont fight all the time with enough space. If kept in a small enclosure then they will.
Two females generally get on well together. But like all things, you can get tortoises that buck the norm:0)
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