New owner seeks help please

[Barnclai]

Advice needed any help greatly appreciated
Hello so I recently rescued some horsfield tortoises 3 to be exact about 18 months of age, I found out there previous home and diet were incorrect they were previously in a vivarium and feed on lettuce leaves and strawberries with no uvb bulb. I have changed this they are now in a tortoise table with a 50/50 sand and soil mix with a uvb bulb and a heat bulb ( my house is quite cold) I have a temperature gauge in there and in the day with both bulbs on the center of the viv is 30degreees and at night with only 1 bulb on it is 20 degrees ( from research this is the correct temp) I have purchased various weed seeds to grow to make sure there diet is 100% but in the mean time they are eating leafy green veg brought from supermarkets I am bathing them daily in warm water for 5 minutes or so and they are all going to the toilet during this ( both liquid and solids) I am also keeping a weight chart in all if them to make sure they are all growing and not loosing any weight my main concern Is that I might be feeding them too much as I just put some out and give them about 45 mins to eat as much as they want to.
I have taken them to a vet who is trained in reptiles and he said 2 of them are flatter as they had no previous calcium but they do with me but he is unsure if they will grow out of this. I have also collected stool samples to take to the vet to test to make sure this is ok. So I was just wondering if anyone had any advice as I want them all to be heathy and happy I feel I am doing everything but as you all have much more experience I would appreciate anything you could tell me good or bad

Thanks in advance
Sorry for the long message

[veggie86]

Well done for rescuing them It all sounds good to me. I'd just say try and feed a variety of weeds, there's still loads out and about while you wait for yours to grow

[lonelylayla]

Hello and welcome from me too Sounds as if you have given them a new start and new hope - well done you There are still a few weeds out and about, depending on where in the country you are - all I managed to find today was dandelions and some ribbed plantain I supplement my pickings with shop stuff - romaine lettuce, kale, rocket, florette crispy salad and also use some "pre alpin" which is a dried weed mix. Must be honest 'tho, some will take it sprinkled on their food and others look at me as if I am trying to poison them! The amount I give them tends to vary from tortoise to tortoise - they get what they will eat (within reason!) As far as the "flat shell", any shell imperfections will not go away, but as they grow, with the care they are having from you, they should grow normally

[Barnclai]

That's great thank you! I've got a few dandelions left in the garden but am a bit frightened of picking them anywhere else as I am unsure if they may if been sprayed with anything but I have been getting the same from supermarkets as listed so that does make me feel better!

[Catwoman63]

Hello, sounds like you are doing ok, I have horsfields and they are great characters.

basking end 32-34c and cool end 22-25c overnight around 16-20c they like to dig so a nice deep substrate area in the table I have some that love to dig and some that love to climb, so this is something you need to be wary of, make sure they can't climb out of the table and also when outside in the garden in summer make sure there are no escape possibilities as they can dig under fencing and any holes they will find and will try to dig through

A nice varied diet as you are already providing, I sprinkle calcium on my torts food everyday apart from 2 days a week where I sprinkle nutrabol (has vitamins including essential D3)

Would love to see pictures of them x

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Barnclai

That's great thank you! I've got a few dandelions left in the garden but am a bit frightened of picking them anywhere else as I am unsure if they may if been sprayed with anything but I have been getting the same from supermarkets as listed so that does make me feel better!

I would say the heat bulb should be up one end of the enclosure not in the centre, so your tortoise can choose whether to be warm or cold.
As for picking weeds this time of the year, not many places will use weed killer this time of the year, as most plants will go into a dormant time.
If you feed all supermarket foods, its not good for them. Especially horsfields who normally would be asleep this time of the year. They are only active in the wild for three to four months. So extra feeding should be at a minimum if you have to keep them up:0)
For some great horsfield advice try www.thetortoisehouse.com and www.tortoises.net for a great plant list with pictures suitable for tortoises.

[Barnclai]

Thanks for the advice.
I have both lights at one end and a nice deep wares at the other for them to burrow away? I will turn the soil sand mix today as that sounds a good idea, do you think it's worth risking getting weeds from places I'm not sure of? How much do you think I should be feeding them? I don't want them to get over weight, I am dusting there good with calcium and d3 each day as I know they haven't had this before
Thanks

[Catwoman63]

I collect weeds from the fields near by, I give them a good wash and put them in the fridge and they can last up to a week in the fridge, I personally give them a good amount of food on their feeding slate, they will only eat what they want, some days mine everything, some days not a lot and some days nothing, I let them choose if they want to eat or not but always provide fresh food and water everyday x

[Barnclai]

Oh I might have to go on a little outing later on then to pick some.

They are proper little character this is Tracey crawling all over me!

[Barnclai]

Sorry for all the pictures this is what they ate in at the moment with the smaller bulb furthest away on at night do you think this is ok? And if not do you think it would be ok until January until I can afford a new set up if needed as I've spent a fair amount on these little ones recently

Thanks