4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Ain't Nobody Here]

..... the tortoise .

 

He's just visiting us while his folks are in Turkey for a fortnight .

 

[cloud]

Hello Squirtle

[Janty]

He's got lovely shell markings.

 

[Space Chick]

He's lovely ANH

[Chickvic]

He's gorgeous - can't you lose him I'd love a tortoise but the cost is a bit

[Couperwife]

Hi squirtle *waves* you look lovely

[Cooks]

Awww cute !

[Olly]

wow, what a lovely shiny shell!

[Chucky Mama]

He is so sweet. A neighbour knocked our door this morning to say they had found a tortoise. Kevin our 40year old spur thighed had legged it over the road after squeezing through a hole the chooks had dug by the fence as a dust bath. You could always pretend it escaped somehow

[Egg Lou]

Ahhh looks like my Jet and about same size.. mine is only 5

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Now that I've got all you tortoise experts on board, can I pick your brains? I've looked after Squirtle before (a few years ago) but my friend obviously thought I'd remember what do to from the last time. I can't really .

 

She's left me frozen mixed veg (which I'm defrosting overnight in the fridge) and I'm putting fresh water in a little shallow dish. Is that OK? Should I give him anything else?

 

His tank looks really boring too . I've put more sawdust in and a nice big stone which he seems to like climbing onto. Is there anything else I can do?

 

I seem to remember giving him a lukewarm bath occasionally too. Is once a week enough or should I do it more?

 

He has a red light and a white one and a heat mat thing which she didn't say to plug in. We switch off the red one at night and leave the white one on. Is that right?

[Chucky Mama]

Warm baths encourage them to drink and poo, hopefully in the right order

 

He would probably love to bask in some of this natural sunshine that we are having on the lawn (with close supervision as they really are like duracell bunnies an once charged up with sunshine they will go like a rocket!)

 

Food wise Kevins favourites foods are melon, cucumber, broccoli, pak choi, strawberries and grapes although he swears he doesn't eat all of the strawberries from our small strawberry patch (really needs to learn to wipe his mouth the red is a real givaway )

[Raina]

Hi, I'm owned by Two Tortoises

 

A Hermann's called ishi (same breed as Squirtle) & a Leopard Tortoise

 

 

They both get warm Baths Everyday for about 20mins

 

 

There is a couple of things you should know

 

 

Tortoises living in tanks/Vivariums do get ill...I should know,they both now live in open topped cages

 

also the food on the pic looks like tortoise pellets.Please do not feed this to the tortoise.

 

 

I had a Horsfield that became really ill, it turned out it was because of the pellets, it also gave him a deformed shell.

 

 

And they Both have 2 Lights, 1 Spot bulb (also known as a heat lamp) and a UV bulb.

 

The UV & Heat are both left on for 12 hours a day and turned off at night! If you keep a heat lamp on all night its supposed to interrupt their natural instincts or something like that

 

 

Also don't use sawdust it's not digestible,I use either news paper or dirt (mine love dirt they like to tunnel in it lol)

 

 

Oh and they aren't supposed to have veg everyday give them weeds (It's FREE )

 

and 20mins outdoors is the equivalent to 3 days with a Uv bulb

 

Also Limestone flour is good for them,it gives them smooth shells and stops them getting bumpy shells, and cuttle fish is good to grind down their beaks but not too much cuz it causes their shells to go soft

 

I hope that doesn't sound like alot & i hope it helps

 

 

P.S he's a cute Tortoise

 

 

EDIT: Here's some pics of My Tortoise setups

 

This one is of my Late tortoise,Homer, He died in his hibernation from living on veg and Tortoise pellets for 5 yrs

 

 

This one Is Ishi's (the white stuff it hemp bedding)

 

This one is Ishi's old one, Squirt is now living in it

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Thanks Chucky Mama and Raina

 

Much as I love my friend, she's not the best at looking after her animals (in my opinion ). She's very laid back and it shows in the care she gives them (she also has 2 dogs, very recently acquired, who are lovely but completely out of control ).

 

Your tortoise setups are brilliant, Raina . That's the kind of thing I'd do if Squirtle was mine. I feel his vivarium is so boring I'd like to do something to make it better (but I've only got him for another 10 days ).

 

Thanks for the tips about food, lights, etc. Don't worry, it's not pellets, I've just been giving him the frozen veg. I'll get some weeds for him today though . I'll also give him a bath .

[Raina]

lol thanks.

 

 

I was just a little worried, cuz it did look like tortoise pellets lol

 

 

Mine love:

 

Clover

Dandilion Leaves/Flowers

Rose petals

Grass

 

 

They also like to try and eat the Chickens Layers Pellets

[jake]

hes beutiful

[dancing cloud]

Hi Squirtle! You're gorgeous .

 

My brother's adopted terrapin's called Squirtle too (but then they called their Mississippi Map Turtle Tom-Tom, so it could have been a lot worse!)