bigmommasally Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I brought my tortoises out of hibernation today. They are both looking good, they hardly lost any weight over the 10 weeks they've been asleep so I'm feeling pretty pleased with them. Twink: Alfie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 How cute! I would love a tortoise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 now they are cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 How old are they and what to they live in? I have a 6 year old Hermanns - Hughie - who lives indoors in a viv but can push the door open and wonders around the house during the day, then falls asleep under a radiator in the corner at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Hi Lwescott They're Horsefield tortoises, I have a open top enclosure six foot x two foot, which they are in at the moment, this has a heat lamp and uvb lamps. Once (or should I say if ) the weather warms up they will move to their enclosure in the garden. Alfie the girl is 7 years old and Twink the boy is 5 years old. I need to sort something out with them this year though as Twink discovered he was a boy last year and pestered the life out of Alfie. I'm not sure if its best to introduce more females to spread his attentions around or if it would be better to seperate them. I need to do a bit of research and talk to some experts I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I have the heat lamps and UVB tube and I built the viv he is in at the moment, but I think I might build an open top enclosure later on in the summer, because it is better for ventilation and breathing (having said that he doesn't spend that much time in the viv). I would have to make it with a door on the side so he could still let himself in and out . Its funny how they have such characters, and they aren't as slow as people think I haven't hibernated Hughie yet, because the pet shop said he was too young and that there are risk with hibernation, so we have him heated overwinter and kept him awake. He's also kept mainly inside, but goes out in the garden with the guinea pig and comes back with fur all around his mouth Did Alfie lay any eggs last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Its funny how they have such characters, and they aren't as slow as people think Did Alfie lay any eggs last year? They do have funny little characters don't they? mine love to be tickled under their chins. And they can certainly run when there's a dandelion on offer Alfie laid about 3 eggs last year and 1 the year before. I tried incubating the last one as Twink was showing signs of mating her but nothing came of it. I think you're right not to have hibernated Hughie yet, it's quite stressful, I put Alfie and Twink in a fridge as this is the best way to keep them at the right temperature, this was the 3rd year for Alfie and the 2nd for Twink but I still found it really scary. It's a very tense moment when I bring them out and wake them up. What substrate do you keep Hughie on? I use Hemcore but I read today on the Tortoise Trust website that they don't recommend it anymore as a few tortoises have been injured and 1 killed from if. I used a sand/soil mix for a while last year but they were so constantly dirty from it I changed back to Hemcore. Now I don't know what to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Gosh - I have been using hemp with my daughter's tortoise Lizzy and have been very happy with it, though we are careful to keep Lizzy's eyes clean as noticed that the hemp could sometimes get into them. Not sure what to do now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 At the moment he's on a substrate from the reptile shop called Ozzybed, which looks like what they are using on this website which I found on google images. I've never had a problem with it, but the Tortoise Trust don't reccomend it anymore as they said it can cause respiratory problems, so I might change it, but as you said they get all clogged up when on mud and compost. So I'm not sure what else to try, hopefully if he is in a tortoise table there won't be respiratory problems. I couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 I couldn't resist. That is just so cute! If you do find any other good substrates I'd be very interested. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Awww cute i've had 4 tortoises, i rehomed Tony (Horsfield, gave him to the Welsh Mountain Zoo he was 3 yrs when i got him, i named him after Tony from Skins lol) but i now have Ishi - 4 yr old Hermanns - Male Homer - 5 yr old Horsfield - Male Squirt - 2-3 yr old Leopard - Not sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I wanted a tortoise a bit ago & researched all into them. I wanted one to wander the garden like my Mork who I had when I was little & died in hibernation. Fascinating creatures. How do you wake yours from hibernation? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I have never hibernated my tortoises (Leopards don't need hibernating) I don't really see the point, an animal only goes into hibernation when there's no food for it during winter! but we grow all our tortoises food in the loft and shed so they have food all year round It's a little like hamsters, They hibernate but you only see them hibernate in the wild not in captivity. I was going to hibernate Ishi & Homer but my Uncle (Has owned tortoises for 19 or 20 yrs) told me not to bother as he's never hibernated his tortoises once, he owns Hermanns & Horsfields. Sorry if that sounded like a rant, its not meant to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 That is helpful Raina. My daughter's tortoise is only a couple of years old, so too young just now, but I had been wondering at what age he should hibernate, or if it was necessary in domestic conditions where heat and food provision constant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I am truly fascinaed by tortoises. We looked into them a few years back, but they were £300 each. We now have a reptile shop in Sandbach, with quite a few tortoises in - £90. I really like the Indian star ones & the spur thighed. Do they always have to be kept in a vivarium? We never did with ours when we were litlle. It lived in the garden & was put in a box of straw in the garage to hibernate in the winter. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I am truly fascinaed by tortoises. We looked into them a few years back, but they were £300 each. We now have a reptile shop in Sandbach, with quite a few tortoises in - £90. I really like the Indian star ones & the spur thighed. Do they always have to be kept in a vivarium? We never did with ours when we were litlle. It lived in the garden & was put in a box of straw in the garage to hibernate in the winter. Emma.x The do need proper heating and lighting, and with hindsight a tortoise table would probably be better. The reason no-one still has tortoises from the 60's is that they didn't have proper care, so they all died. They can be kept in the garden if they have enough shelter, but a mix of indoors and outdoors would probably be better. Look at the end size when choosing a species to go for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I am truly fascinaed by tortoises. We looked into them a few years back, but they were £300 each. We now have a reptile shop in Sandbach, with quite a few tortoises in - £90. I really like the Indian star ones & the spur thighed. Do they always have to be kept in a vivarium? We never did with ours when we were litlle. It lived in the garden & was put in a box of straw in the garage to hibernate in the winter. Emma.x Hi, Homer & Ishi are currently in a Tortoise table i made out of a Vivarium (Just took the glass out and flipped it on its back) And Squirt is in one of these http://www.doghealth.co.uk/ferret.htm#Save%20a%20massive%2050% But once Squirt starts to get BIG, We'll be moving him/her outdoors into a large enclosure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 The Tortoise Trust Website is great for accurate information regarding the care ot Tortoises - they have loads of info regarding safe hibernation. http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/articles.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 We got our girl up yesterday - she's all OK but I discovered she had been subletting her hibernation box to a family of tiny mice I've left them in there :D Daisy is happily sunning herself in her 'waking up' accommodation in the south facing lounge window :D A few weeks there and she'll be nicely fed and watered and will be ready to move out into her garden residence for the the summer :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
