Search found 2003 matches
- 25 Nov 2018, 14:36
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Whew, glad that he's exploring again! Don't worry -- he will dig. Tortoises are wary of changes, but he will get used to it and I'm sure will dig in -- probably in his sleeping area, but maybe elsewhere too. Are you happy with the new substrate? I think it is much easier for spot cleaning than bark,...
- 25 Nov 2018, 12:55
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Ideal weight for hibernating my Hermann
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8039
Re: Ideal weight for hibernating my Hermann
Hi Natacha, I think you're probably right in not hibernating her this year, but I'm surprised that someone at Evolution Reptiles told you to wait until she weighed 400g. Evolution Reptiles are a really good store and they give good advice (in fact I was in there yesterday getting some stuff), but re...
- 25 Nov 2018, 10:44
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Ideal weight for hibernating my Hermann
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8039
Re: Ideal weight for hibernating my Hermann
Hi Shelby, Oh dear, I just wrote a reply and it disappeared so I'll try and recreate it! I do think you are right to be concerned, because your tortoise seems to have lost about 14% of her body weight in 8 days and that is a lot. Do you have a record of what she weighed, say, a month or two before y...
- 22 Nov 2018, 11:21
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Aww, bless -- and he looks so sweet in his bath. It might take him a bit of time to get used to the sand/soil, but believe me he will like it eventualy and it is much closer to what he would have in the wild, and what he would dig in. Young tortoises, and all tortoises at this time of year do sleep ...
- 21 Nov 2018, 22:55
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
That's great Bob! The fact that you are so willing to make changes indicates to me that you have your tortoise's best interests at heart, and that you're going to be a great tortoise keeper. Do keep us updated, and I'd love to see a photo of your set-up with the new substrate and hear how he likes i...
- 21 Nov 2018, 16:05
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Oh dear -- sorry, but I only looked at the nutrients in my last post (calcium, Vit D3, etc.). I've just looked at the list of ingredients, and it's not great. Cereals aren't good because they tend to be too high in starch, vegetables (unspecified which veg, so don't know if they are good ones or not...
- 21 Nov 2018, 15:25
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Thanks for the pics! Yes, I looked at their website just now and it's not on there, so maybe they have discontinued it. It does have D3 and calcium, so probably OK for him, but I think I would definitely use it every other day, and on the alternate days use something with a higher calcium content li...
- 21 Nov 2018, 11:40
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Hi Bob, I've googled Komodo Tortoise Boost and can't find anything, so could you just check the name? It's just that I wanted to see the ingredients to see what the calcium and vitamin D3 content is, as it's really important for tortoises to have a high calcium intake to support their growing shells...
- 21 Nov 2018, 10:32
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
P.S. Sorry, have just seen the other photos too. It's a really nice looking table you've got for him, so well done! The only thing I might change is the wood chip. Horsfields are burrowing tortoises and they like nothing better than to burrow down into a soil-based substrate. A mixture of sterilised...
- 21 Nov 2018, 10:25
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Plastron
- Replies: 16
- Views: 17736
Re: Plastron
Hi Bobbers and thanks for contacting us. It's difficult to say whether your tortoise has a shell problem, without seeing it in person, but I do understand your concern, given the bad experience you had with the other tortoise -- and I am so sorry to hear about that, as it must have been a terrible t...
- 20 Nov 2018, 17:23
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Substrate for my Marginated?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 8982
Re: Substrate for my Marginated?
Good luck Pete, and if you have time it would be great to see a photo of your set-up with the new substrate in. I do love Marginated tortoises, those adult males with the flares scutes at the rear -- I think they look so elegant. I've attached a photo of some that belong to a friend of mine (I think...
- 20 Nov 2018, 07:43
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Substrate for my Marginated?
- Replies: 4
- Views: 8982
Re: Substrate for my Marginated?
Hi Pete, Yes, you are right -- substrate is the source of a lot of debate. We have found that the best substrate is the one nearest to what the tortoises would live on in nature, and this -- for most species (including Marginated torts) -- is a mixture of topsoil and sand. Most people mix it 50/50, ...
- 17 Nov 2018, 10:54
- Forum: Enclosures
- Topic: New Baby Tortoise
- Replies: 11
- Views: 17196
Re: New Baby Tortoise
That's great news, Ripley -- and well done to the pet shop for agreeing to take the viv back and give you a credit. Good lamps are expensive, so I'm sure you'll be able to use that credit note. Tortoises can take a temperature down to about 12C - 14C at night, and most houses don't fall below that, ...
- 15 Nov 2018, 08:46
- Forum: Enclosures
- Topic: New Baby Tortoise
- Replies: 11
- Views: 17196
Re: New Baby Tortoise
Hi Ripley, It's really good that you are getting a gradient of temperatures in your viv (although 35 is a bit too high, so you want to ensure that temps don't go above around 32C). And do bathe him every day or two, for around 15 - 20 minutes, in a container with high sides (like an old washing up b...
- 14 Nov 2018, 17:24
- Forum: Enclosures
- Topic: New Baby Tortoise
- Replies: 11
- Views: 17196
Re: New Baby Tortoise
HI Ripley, and congratulations from me too! You have set up that viv really well and it looks lovely with the stones and soil and 'furniture' that you put in it, but Lin is right about vivariums not being suitable for tortoises. They are great for other reptiles like snakes and lizards, but tortoise...
- 12 Nov 2018, 19:25
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Weight loss
- Replies: 27
- Views: 22834
Re: Weight loss
Well that has made my day! Thanks so much for the update, and it is great to hear that Shelley has turned a corner and is waking up in the mornings, eating and gaining weight. And all credit to the two of you for being so persistent!
Nina
Nina
- 08 Nov 2018, 11:51
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Hint of red in urine
- Replies: 5
- Views: 6018
Re: Hint of red in urine
Hi Heather, RE Achillea's eggs, it is possible that she laid them outdoors and you never saw them? Do you monitor her weight (if she gains 60 or 70g and then loses it quickly, it is a possibility. The only reason I ask is that after tortoises dig a nest they cover it up and pat the soil down with th...
- 04 Nov 2018, 17:45
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Hibernation
- Replies: 5
- Views: 7932
Re: Hibernation
Hi Karon, Good luck with encouraging Heidi to perk up. I have Horsfields, and when they get into hibernation mode it is really difficult to turn them round, but I think Hermanns are a bit easier in that respect. I think four five-day weeks should be OK. That is about what I do (I do maybe about thre...
- 04 Nov 2018, 12:34
- Forum: Mediterranean Species
- Topic: Hibernation
- Replies: 5
- Views: 7932
Re: Hibernation
Hi Karon, Thanks for contacting us (and for the compliments too!). Well, it sounds as if your conditions are good, but your little female has just decided to hibernate earlier this year. I'm not sure where you live, but we have had some very cold weather here, and even though it is warm in their she...
- 29 Oct 2018, 08:15
- Forum: News, Announcements and Events
- Topic: Introduction
- Replies: 1
- Views: 14415
Re: Introduction
Welcome to The Tortoise Table, Henry. Tell us a little about yourself.
Nina
Nina
- 29 Oct 2018, 08:14
- Forum: Diet and Nutrition
- Topic: How much food?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 11110
Re: How much food?
What species of tortoise do you have, Henry?
Nina
Nina
- 21 Oct 2018, 20:16
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: My dream come true!
- Replies: 7
- Views: 7582
Re: My dream come true!
Oh Dee, this has made my day (my year, actually)! What wonderful news, and thank you so much for letting us know and sending those gorgeous photos! How exciting is this! Don't throw those other eggs away -- the number of times I've heard people say that 'the other eggs don't look viable' and then a ...
- 19 Oct 2018, 08:45
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Noise
- Replies: 26
- Views: 38620
Re: Noise
Happy Birthday Vera!! So sorry that I missed all these latest posts -- I didn't receive a notification of them for some reason. I've looked at the YouTube video and wonder if that tortoise there does have a respiratory infection as he is constantly opening his mouth, and they sometimes do that if th...
- 18 Oct 2018, 12:41
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Noise
- Replies: 26
- Views: 38620
Re: Noise
Sounds like he was just winding you up then -- such an attention seeker!
Nina
Nina
- 18 Oct 2018, 08:04
- Forum: General Tortoise Care
- Topic: Noise
- Replies: 26
- Views: 38620
Re: Noise
Ha, ha, I forgot that Vera was a 'he'! Might be a case of 'man flu' then
N
N