No wonder people get confused about Tortoise care...

[sydney]

Found the below care sheet on a pet store website which claims to be 'specialists' in Reptiles!! I'm can't post the link for obvious reasons.

I mean really have you ever heard of a Tortoise that has actually eaten a cat??


Horsefield Tortoise Care Sheet
Scientific/Latin Name
Testudo horsfeldi

Click Here for a Printer-Friendly Version

Summary
The Horsefield Tortoise is a hardy and teperature tolerant tortoise that is found in the former U.S.S.R through to the North West of Pakistan. It is sometimes known as the Afghan or Steppes Tortoise. In common with tortoises from temperate climates, the Horsefield may be hibernated over Winter.

Essentials
2 - 3 foot Vivarium
Tight, screened lid
Plastic hiding box
Beech Chips/Calci-Sand/Corn Chips
Shallow, heavy dishes
Rocks or logs
Crickets (Wax worms or mealworms occasionally)
Calcium-rich gut loading pellets, for crickets
Calcium/D3 and multivitamin supplements
Undertank heating required

Optional
Nocturnal incandescent bulb of appropriate wattage optional
A mat-stat to regulate the undertank heater to help prevent burns

General
On arrival soak your tortoise in tepid water in a cat litter tray. Do not use cold tap water as this will be a shock to them. Soak them for approximately 30 minutes and then offer them fresh food. When you receive your tortoise they may have their eyes closed. They may have fallen asleep in transit. When you pick up your tortoise they should open their eyes within a few seconds. If your tortoise is sluggish in opening its eyes then bath them with clean tepid water.

Housing
Whilst young, the Horsefield Tortoise is best kept in a heated vivarium within a temperature range of 80 to 90 degrees. As the tortoise develops, it can increasingly be introduced to an outside pen during the warmer months, eventually your tortoise will adapt to living in an outside enviroment. Whilst kept in a vivarium, a deep substrate should be provided as Horsefields commonly burrow.

Whilst the tortoise is maintained in a vivarium, it is vital that it receives the correct UVB lighting to aid Vitamin D3 production and utilisation. It is advisable to use Calcium additives such as Nutrobal to supplement their Calcium intake. In the Summer, when temperatures permit, the tortoise should be put in an outside enclosure/pen in order to benefit from the natural sunlight. It is imperative that, should you put your tortoise out into sunlight, you provide a shaded area. This can be achieved with clumps of hay or grass.

Diet
Your tortoise wil thrive on a diet of 80% green matter and 20% fruit matter. The green should consist of Kale, Spinach, Greens, Brussel Tops, Parsley, Watercress, mixed with 20% Carrot, Melon, Tomato, and Grapes. Don not feed your toroise iceberg or round Lettuce although you can feed mixed Lettuce, obtainable from most supermarkets, that will contain Chinese Lettuce, Raddicco, ect. Lettuce should be viewed as once a week feed as it contains a high amount of water and not as much goodness as the other foods mentioned. Al foods should be supplemented on a daily basis with Nutrobal, also, fresh water should be available at all times.

There are also two other alternatives to feed your tortoise, one is Zoo Med Tortoise Food and the other is T-Rex Dry Tortoise Formula. These can be used occasionally to avoid having to chop fresh food daily, and provide a handy fallback.

Cleaning
To ensure that your tortoise stays hydrated soak every other day, as you did on arrival. You will notice that your tortoise will drink and then defecate. Leave them in the tray to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Clean the vivarium completely at least once a week and remove droppings daily.

Fertility
Your guess is as good as mine!

Health
Keep your tortoise healthy OR ELSE!

Warning
Tortoises occasionally eat cats. Keep them seperate!

[Jillyp]

Let me guess, the pet store sells all the essential items including the calcium-rich pellets.....

[jahred]

Wow, I never heard of a Cat eating Tortoise.

I went on that site and found another caresheet (talk about confusing). This one states:

Tortoises
Caring for your Tortoise

We pride ourselves on being voted Best Independent Pet Centre in the U.K by Which Magazine. We take our animal welfare very seriously. If in the first few days of your Tortoise coming home you are concerned about its health or well being, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are open seven days a week and often a simple phone call to one of our experienced staff may alleviate any minor problems and put your mind at ease over any difficulties you may be encountering.

Please read the following information below very carefully as a basic guide to caring for your Tortoise. Any new owner would be wise to purchase a more in depth book.

Essentials
4 foot 3 - 4 foot Tortoise Box or larger
HerbiSoil/Orchid Bark (Depending on Species)
Hide
Shallow, Heavy Dishes
Rocks/Logs/Branches/Artificial Plants
Fresh Vegetables
Calcium D3 and multivitamin supplements
Spot Bulb, Thermostat, Spot Guard
UVB REQUIRED

Housing
Whilst young the tortoise is kept in a heated Tortoise Box within temperature range of 80F to 85F. As the tortoise develops, it can be introduced to an outside pen but only during the warmer days of the summer and then brought inside during the night. Whilst kept in a Tortoise Box, a deep substrate should be provided as tortoises commonly burrow.

Whilst the tortoise is maintained in a Tortoise Box, it is vital that it receives the correct UVB lighting to aid vitamin D3 production and utilisation. It is also advisable to use Calcium additives such as Nutrobal to supplement their calcium intake. In the summer, when the temperature permits, the tortoises can be kept outside to benefit from natural sunlight. It is imperative that if you put your tortoise out in natural sunlight that you also provide it with a shaded area. This can be done either with a hide or with clumps of hay or grass.

Diet
Your tortoise will thrive on a diet of 80% green matter and 20% fruit. The greens should consist of Kale, Spinach, Greens, Brussell Tops, Parsley, Watercress, mixed with 20% Carrot, Tomato, Melon and Grapes. Do not feed your tortoise Iceberg or Round Lettuce although you can provide "Mixed Lettuce" sold in supermarkets that consist of Chinese Lettuce, Raddico, etc. Lettuce should be viewed as once a week feed as it contains high amounts of water and not as much goodness as the other foods mentioned. All foods should be supplemented on a daily basis with Nutrobal, also, fresh water should be available at all times.

There are also two other alternatives available to feed your tortoise. One is Zoo Med Tortoise Food and the other is T-Rex Dry Tortoise Formula. These can be used occasionally to avoid having to chop up vegetables everyday and can be a handy fall back.

ON RECEIPT OF YOUR TORTOISE
On arrival soak you tortoise in tepid water in a cat litter tray or shallow bowl. Do not use cold tap water as this will be a shock to them. Soak them for approximately 30 minutes and then offer them fresh food. When you receive your tortoise it may have its eyes closed. They may have fallen asleep in transit. when you pick your tortoise up they should open their eyes within a few seconds. If your tortoise is sluggish in opening its eyes then bath them with clean tepid water.

To ensure that your tortoise stays hydrated soak them every other day, as you did on arrival. You will notice that your tortoise will drink and then defecate. Leave them in the tray to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Clean the Tortoise Box completely at least once a week and remove droppings daily.

As for this one, a Tortoise Heat Box is, yep, you guessed it, a VIV!

[alotoffluff]

so many conflicting views on tortoise keeping. Thank god for SW!

[EJ]

As you learn more about tortoises you'll find that the provided information in this thread is not conflicting at all. If you are one of those people who needs to be told what to do... hope you have a good shrink... then this information will be confusing.

Every tortoise keeper needs to understand that there are some very basic needs for every tortoise. If those needs are met... no matter how they are met... the tortoise will thrive.

In the case of the russian tortoise care sheet... they are obviously talking about juvenile tortoises... which the setup they prescribe is more than acceptable.

[Alan1]

Hmm but they aren't just saying it's acceptable, they are saying it's essential.. does that mean they cannot survive without these?...

Essentials
2 - 3 foot Vivarium
Tight, screened lid
Plastic hiding box
Beech Chips/Calci-Sand/Corn Chips
Shallow, heavy dishes
Rocks or logs
Crickets (Wax worms or mealworms occasionally)
Calcium-rich gut loading pellets, for crickets
Calcium/D3 and multivitamin supplements
Undertank heating required

[EJ]

Good point. It could be a communication problem. Many others use the word essential when they know darn well that is not the case. Maybe they can't express a more specific term... which there is none because it is a matter interpretation.

I personally would have used the words 'basic needs' or 'basic requirements'.

Originally Posted by caledonia

Hmm but they aren't just saying it's acceptable, they are saying it's essential.. does that mean they cannot survive without these?...

[anna m]

Crickets? I'm not sure they are taking about tortoises

[EJ]

If you look into the natural history of most tortoises you will find that insects are a good portion of their diet. They might not be able to nail a cricket but a centipede... that's a fair bet.

Tortoises are opportunistic feeders... the everything and anything.

Originally Posted by anna m

Crickets? I'm not sure they are taking about tortoises

[rolleyparnell]

I better warn Billy my cat, that Fredya or Willow might eat him... he will look at the torts and then at me if i am stupid!!