The Tortoise Table

Hello Nina,
Thank you for your very helpful reply. It’s reassuring and makes perfect sense. I will stop sieving the soil now and will pick out any obvious bits that have found their way into the bags!

Thanks again,

Quasi

Hello Lin,
Thanks for your reply which is reassuring.
Best regards,
Quasi

Hello, I use topsoil in my indoor enclosure for my tortoise using bags of top soil from the garden centre. In the past I have sieved it but this is pretty hard work for a large enclosure as I get older! In the past I have found the odd bit of plastic or glass etc in the bags. Do you think it is nece...

Great result! I'd never thought of Reptoboost to encourage defecation -- only as an energy boost for tortoises that are poorly. It's got probiotics and electrolytes in it and it helps to balance ph levels, especially if the tortoise has had diarrhoea or his immunity system is weak. But I've now note...

Hi Nina, Thanks for your email. I gave him lettuce although he never normally has it as part of his diet but I remembered this morning we have a small prickly pear plant (though he has always turned his nose (beak!) up at it in the past when he has been given any) so I offered him a bit of that too....

Hello Nina, Thank you for responding so quickly and with some very helpful advice. I have given him some lettuce which he scoffed immediately so I will await the results with hopeful anticipation! I will look into your other suggestion re food and have a rake through the substrate with a spoon. I ke...

I am concerned that my tortoise may not be defecating. He is an adult, 25+ but has always been small, weighing around 550 grams. He was hibernated as usual with no problems and has been kept in his indoor tortoise table pretty much since he came out due to the poor weather (mid March) apart from a c...

Thanks,Nina. That’s a good idea and I will try experimenting and build him mound and see if he takes any interest.

Hello Nina, Thank you for your very prompt reply which is very helpful. I think now I am resigned to sticking to top soil with some sand although I will try it mixed with a small percentage of coir. I too decan the substrate into buckets to take upstairs as I don't think I could manage a 25 litre ba...

Good morning, I would like some advice about substrates please. I have a Greek Mediterranean spur thighed tortoise, 25 yrs weighing approx 550g. He is currently in hibernation but I am thinking about changing the substrate of his indoor tortoise table when he wakes up. For winter months he has an in...

Thank you, Nina, that’s very helpful. Thank you also for such a quick reply.
Quasi

I purchased an Eco Terra infrared thermometer for measuring the temperature in our indoor tortoise enclosure particularly for the basking area as I thought it might be more reliable than some of the other thermometers I have tried in the past. It may sound a really daft question but can I direct thi...

Hello Lin,
Thanks for your really quick and helpful reply! It’s much appreciated.

Quasi

Please could I have some advice regarding planting tortoise safe plants for my Mediterranean Spur thighed tortoise. I have bought some plants, namely Carex, Fescue Grass, Hebe, Thyme and Lavender from the garden centre. (I already have a seedling tray of weeds and wild flowers etc in the enclosure g...

Hello Lin, Thank you so much for your very quick reply and your very helpful comments which I found reassuring as I was worried I might be heading down the wrong route entirely. Concerning location - we have had a rethink and will now site the enclosure away from the house so will revert back to hav...

Hello, I am hoping someone would be able to give me some advice about an outside tortoise enclosure I plan to build for my adult Mediterranean Spur thighed.His previous enclosure needed an upgrade so I'm planning the following: It will have 3 wooden sides with the wall of our house forming the 4th s...