The Tortoise Table

Thanks so much for the update! i've been wondering how Boris was getting on, so it's good to hear that he's doing well, and it's super that you are finding nice weeds still available outdoors for him. What's really good is that he isn't trying to hibernate and refusing to eat -- he's being a really ...

That is a nuisance that you can't find topsoil. Here all the various soils that you get for growing things do have varying degrees of fertiliser in them, but then they are called 'compost' (potting compost, etc.). The stuff with no added fertiliser (all soils will inevitably have some natural fertil...

Glad it's sorted and i know what you mean about wanting Spring to come. Fortunately mine are still in hibernation, but due to wake up at the beginning of March and it still won't be warm enough for them to go out much. Our climate has a lot to answer for!

Nina

Oh my, he is a handsome devil, isn't he! Thanks so much for the photos. And he was considerate enough to flash for you -- well done Michelle! Re the substrate. Don't forget that in the wild they get substrate on them all the time. We think that the best substrate is a mixture of sterilised topsoil, ...

Hi Kimberley and welcome to The Tortoise Table from me too! What a lovely informative post from you, and I think this little tortoise (MIchelle/maybe MIchael?) is very lucky to have found a home with you! And Lin is absolutely right about how refreshing it is to find someone who has done such extens...

Reggie is a male Horsfield tortoise who is almost 9 years old, and his owners have very reluctantly decided to make the difficult decision to rehome him. He is in Baldock, in Hertfordshire,: right now and is eating a totally wild tortoise diet consisting of weeds and flowers with the occasional piec...

Aww that's great to know, and thanks again for your generosity to us!

Nina

Ahh, now i think I might know who you are! Lol, all I have to go on is the Starsks name on your posts here, but do you live in Gloustershire? Hope you find that care sheet useful -- it has lots of information in it. And please don't hesitate to contact us about absolutely anything (well, maybe not a...

Hi Starsks and thanks so much for all the additional information. Well, I have to say I think you are doing a super job and are going to provide a great home for these little ones! All seems good to me. I still don't understand how the temperature drops to c. 22C at night when the light is off but y...

Thanks for getting back so quickly and for the extra information. I still don't understand why it was 14C in his hutch in the daytime. What was the temperature in the room during the day? Re the heat mat -- it really isn't good. I know that when you put your hand on it that it only feels lukewarm, b...

Hi Starsks and so sorry to be late in responding to your posts from yesterday. I've been out all day and have only just got in, but I've had a good look. Thanks so much for sending in the photos, and from what I can see you've done a good job. I do have a few questions though. When you say you have ...

Hi Maria,
I've posted my replies to the other post you wrote about dandelions in the other thread -- so have a look there.

nina

P.S. I've just spoken to my colleague Lin, who has long experience with Sulcatas, and she''s going to post something in a bit, butshe's asked me to ask you if it's possible to post a photo of your garden, showing where the sulcatas have access, and also whether they have access to all of the garden ...

Hi Maria, I've read this post and your other one, and I do wish I had an easy answer for you! Sometimes Dandelion seeds can take a long time to germinate, as they prefer soil temperatures to be around 25C (77F), and they do have long tap roots, so if you are digging one up and transplating it to ano...

I think you're doing all the right things. Do you thoroughly wet all of the leaves, etc that you give him? That can get a little more water into him, and every bit helps!

Nina

Don't worry, I'm sure something will come up.

Nina

Hi Victoria, Have you seen that two of the three young Hermanns tortoises in another posting are still up for rehoming? Here is a link to that thread: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/siteassets/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1896 and you need to follow the contact instructions there to apply for...

No problem, Stuart -- I'll mark this post as 'Rehomed'. So glad you found a home for Torta.

Nina

lin wrote: > Hi Victoria, > We have three Hermanns babies to rehome on our Forum and Facebook sites. > Are you interested in them? > Here is a link to the post about them: > https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/siteassets/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1896 > > Lin > lin@thetortoisetable.org.uk

That's good to know. Thanks, Lin.

Nina

My venus fly trap never seemed to catch any, but I might not have had it close enough. I do know someone who used a venus fly trap and she said it caught lots of them. I'm not sure that the fungus gnats are heavy enough to trigger the traps to close, but it's definitely worth trying.

Nina

I've found bits of plastic and glass in most of the topsoil I've bought (not many, but occasionally). They always say that it's filtered/sifted, but I guess some bits get through -- really irritating though. I don't think that the Wickes topsoil could be the cause (although I supposed that it could ...

Great to hear from you, Flora. Yes, the UVB light will enable her to absorb and utilise that calcium, but as she has some MBD, I think that some extra vitamin D3 would help (Calci-Dust doesn't have extra D3 added), so I think I would get some Nutrobal and alternate days with the Nutrobal and the Cal...

Oh my -- that is a bit scary, isn't it! I wouldn't worry though, as this does happen sometimes. I've had mine awake two or three weeks after being in the fridge, but haven't had them wake up later on, but I think it can happen. I know that if tortoises are hibernating in the ground outdoors, and it ...

Hi Andy, It's not a good idea to put your phone number online, but you can send it to me by email and I will be happy to phone you -- although it costs me a lot to phone mobiles, so if you have a landline that would be best, or I could give you my phone number and you could phone me. Just email me a...