The Tortoise Table

Hi Michelle (great to know your name!), Aww, thanks for the compliments, and it's so good to know that we've been a help. Signs of respiratory problems -- wheezing noises and often opening the mouth a lot -- as if trying to gasp for air. I think he is probably fine, and it was just a momentary thing...

Hi Hector's family (lol, we don't know your name), First thanks for the information, the photo, and the video, which are a great help. Lin and I have discussed this and we think that although it could be a respiratory infection, it might also just be that he got some dust or a particle of something ...

Hi from me too, and it's great to hear from you again. Lin, if I remember correctly, Hector is in North America, but i could be wrong. Lin has answered the questions about the noises. But just to ask, is it a wheezing sort of noise, and is he doing it frequently? Re the aggression, yes that is typic...

Hi Reece, The only reason not to feed cucumber normally is that it doesn't have much nourishment in it, but it is full of water and so helps to hydrate them, plus if they like it then you can use it to get other food into them (for example you could soften those pellets into a paste and smear a bit ...

I think Kimberley has a point there. Why not get one of each, if you can, and see what you think works best in your set-up.

Nina

Excellent -- glad that has worked (thanks, Lin, for thinking of that). With the cooler weather it will be cooler in your table too, so the temperature in the sleeping area will go down quite a bit and you shouldn't have a problem. let's hope that young Melvin settles in nicely and starts waking up b...

Those dry foods aren't great, but at this point I would think that anything you can get into him will help. Does he drink in the bath? One thing that most tortoises like is cucumber. Peel some cucumber (they are usually treated with insecticides so peeling is recommended) and then offer him a really...

Gosh, you're right -- there aren't many climbers that are edible -- although we do have Grape Vine and Honeysuckle that are safe to plant. You could plant something that isn't safe, but there is a real danger leaves could fall into the enclosure and be eaten -- especially if it is a vine that loses ...

I absolutely agree with Lin -- anything near the edge of the enclosure will be used as a ladder to climb out. I know they don't look like it, but tortoises are amazing climbers: [attachment=0]climbing tortoise.jpg[/attachment] What species are you getting? If Horsfield then they are burrowers too, s...

You could go to a pharmacy and tell them, but also it on the box of artificial tears it should say that it contains hypromellose in the ingredients. It's just an over the counter -- for example here is a Boots one, but there are lots and all pharmacies should have them: https://www.boots.com/boots-h...

That sounds fine. 6 inches seems awfully low, but if you are getting the right temperature then it should be fine. What kind of bulb is it, and what wattage? When we have warmer days again you should be able to raise it a bit, as the temperature in the room will affect the temperature in the viv. Ha...

Hi Reece, Thanks so much for the photo and also for being so caring for your tortoise and wanting the best for him. I hope the medicine from the vet will help to get his eyes open and back to normal health. The other thing you can do with the eyes, in case they are just a bit stuck shut, is to buy s...

Hi Reece, It might be that you need to reduce the photos in size. Here are our instructions for uploading and reducing photos: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/siteassets/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3 Or, if you want, just send them in an email to us at contact@thetortoisetable.org.uk and we wi...

Hi Reece, Many thanks for the extra information. I have checked out your vet practice, and they do have an 'exotics' vet there, so that should be fine, but a temperature above 35C can be dangerous -- are you sure that is what he advised? Ideally it should be 30C under the light, as Lin said. Also ca...

Hi Carla, I think that most people use spotlights, so you're fine. Yes an ordinary household spotlight can be used, but the problem is that there aren't many of these available to buy now as all the incandescent bulbs were fazed out over the last several years in favour of low energy bulbs (which do...

Just a quick opinion -- your bulb already has a silver coating on the top part of it, so that will protect your eyes to a certain extent, and as long as you are not looking directly into the uncoated, bottom part it is not quite so dangerous (but sitll not ideal). However, if you do put some alumini...

Hi Reece, in addition to the good advice that Lin has given, I think the cause of your problem might be the vivarium. How long have you had the tortoise? If it is very new then you can return the viv as not fit for purpose, because vivariums are very bad environments for tortoises. They are good for...

Hi Pete, Thanks for contacting us and sorry to be a bit late in replying. I've had a good look through the scientific literature, and on the whole, Erechtites hieraciifolius should be OK to feed in moderation or sparingly, although your tortoise might not find it tasty because it is said to have an ...

I've had a look and I'm sure it is Rhexia mariana (Pale Meadowbeauty), but I would like to do one more check. Could you send me a close-up of some leaves, or confirm that when you look at a leaf it has parallel lines/veins running the length of it, and might also be covered in very tiny soft hairs? ...

Hi Brazierfam and thanks for sending the photos in. It's not one that I recognize immediately, but don't worry, we're working on it and will get you an ID a.s.a.p.

Nina

Yes, that would explain it, but I'm sure he/she will flourish under your care! It would be great if you could let us know what Chris says. Cheers, Nina MillieMoo wrote: > Thanks for mentioning the pyramiding. I think it was dietary - he/she was > fed on pellets and broccoli before he came to me.

Good pictures, thank you. This is really difficult, but I am tending towards thinking that your tortoise is female. There is no flaring of the marginal scutes -- although it might be a bit early, but the tail doesn't seem long enough and the plastron isn't quite concave enough for a male. Here is a ...

Hmm, this is a difficult one. The cloaca looks sort of slit shaped, which would indicate a male, but the tail doesn't look big enough. Could we have some more photos -- showing the underside and the tail extended like the one you've posted, but in the one you posted of the whole underside I couldn't...

That's great, Nic -- and if you ever want a plant identified then just send us some photos of it (the whole plant growing, in situ, plus close-ups of flowers, seed heads, etc., and we'll do our best to put a name to it. You'd probably be amazed at how many things are growing in your garden that can ...

Oh my goodness, you've made me blush! Sarah, it's people like you, who are so passionate about their tortoises and will work so hard to give them a good life, that makes all the work we do worthwhile. I so enjoyed talking with you today. I think you're great, and I know that Lord Voldetort is going ...