Search found 2003 matches

by Nina
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,...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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 ...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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, ...
by Nina
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, ...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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
by 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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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
by 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
by 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 ...
by Nina
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...
by Nina
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! :D

Nina
by 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 :lol:

N