luvMrT Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I`m new to this forum and wondered if anyone else has any useful advice . I have had my tortoise for 7 yrs and he is called MrT ,trouble,tank,meatpie,. these are some of the names he gets called . Anyone know why tortoises eat cat poo and how often do any of you worm tortoises? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 My Tort doesn't, eat cat poo that is, he eats greens, etc!! Could be mr t is short of vits? Try Arkovit, mine won't eat it, but he stuffs himself with allsorts, so he's ok, He's 50, I've had him since I was 6!! Look on the Tortoise Trust website, that's pretty helpful too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I know someone who has a tort I Will give him a nudge also, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Not sure why he'd eat cat poo... mine ignores rabbit and chicken poo! Probably best he avoids it though, mine gets greens with Nutrobal and Limestone Flour on with occasional fruit and veg a couple times a week. Does yours live outdoors I guess? I've never wormed Hughie (he's 9 and had him 6 years) but have been reading up on it recently. I think if they're outside they need to be wormed more but indoors they need it less so. Will speak to the vets and see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Yes, we have a tortoise. He's never eaten cat poo and never been wormed either. I don't think it would be a good idea for a tortoise to eat cat poo and if he is, I think worming would be a very good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 We have a spur thighed tortoise called Kevin who is 34-40, he lives free range in the garden until it gets cold and then he hibernates in our living room. We worm him once a year prior to hibernation so that there is nothing nasty in there during his long sleep. He does not eat cat poo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I have wormed mine in the past, It is Not Easy, as you can imagine. We use a syringe down his beak.... I get plastered in it, but some goes down. he sulks for a week afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 We have a tortoise also but she has never tried to eat poo either. We had a dog who came from kennels with bad worms and when I enquired if they could spread to the tort I was told that they are species specific so shouldn't. If yours has diarrhoa it could be a sign of parasites so would be worth getting a stool sample checked. I had a cat that came into our garden and pooped in all my patio pots I was most cross luckily no cats have risked it since we got our second dog though. Chucky Mama lucky Kevin hibernating in your living room you must like it cool or does he have his own fridge? Ours has to make do with the garage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Chucky Mama lucky Kevin hibernating in your living room you must like it cool or does he have his own fridge? Ours has to make do with the garage! When we first had him we were given the date to box him up in the garage and the date to open the box by his previous owner (of some years). We did this the first 2 years and when we went to unbox him he was awake looking at us each time and I worried about how long the poor boy had been waiting to be opened up. Then the following year we bought him in when it was cold to worm him and prepare him for hibernation and he slowed down and went to sleep himself under the dog's bed (we wondered why the dog wasn't keen to go to bed - rather large hard lump in it ) So, that year we left him too it under the dog's bed and he woke himself up pretty much when he was supposed to. Every year since then we bring him in, he slows down rather like a toy with it's battery wearing out, and goes to sleep. I then put him behind our heavy living room curtains where he is least likely to get disturbed. He did wake up for half a day at Christmas as it got quite hot in there but apart from that despite the central heating and noise, he sleeps right through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Ours has a box of straw, inside another box of straw, heavily labeled, and put in the woodshed, except if it's forcast tp be really stupidly cold, then he gets airlifted to the downstairs loo! The loo isn't very big to start with, so everyone has to shuffle in sideways!! He tends to dig himself in outside at first, we keep an eye for where, and dig him up to box him about 2 weeks after he's gone to ground, so to speak! We scrub him off in the spring, leave him to trudge around the kitchen floor for about ten days, he has an enormous pee, then he'll eat and is out a bit if weather ok, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Every year since then we bring him in, he slows down rather like a toy with it's battery wearing out, and goes to sleep. I then put him behind our heavy living room curtains where he is least likely to get disturbed. He did wake up for half a day at Christmas as it got quite hot in there but apart from that despite the central heating and noise, he sleeps right through Wow that's amazing he stays asleep does he not loose too much weight being kept at above 10 when we inherited ours I had to learn what to do as I was worried that I may do something wrong and after he's been in my OH's family for many years I had to make sure he came through. I check him to see if he's woken up from about March or when the outside temp stays around 10 for several days. Mind you he's made it through about 50 years previously without much attention as in the 60's the information/care was very different to what we know today. I had visions of Kevin trundling round the living room checking out the TV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Our tortoise hibernates outside, he digs himself a nice hole we then mark his position with a stick (so we can keep an eye on him over winter ), he then gets lots of grass cuttings/straw/shredded newspaper dumped on top to keep him warm and a rainproof cover over that to stop him getting wet/freezing. We did used to hibernate him in a box in the garage, but it was tricky keeping an eye on him waking up, and we found he was happiest al fresco, so that's what he does now. He's been in the family 34 (I think) years - that's longer than me! - so I guess we must be doing something right! CM - I also had visions of Kevin trundling round watching TV, very amusing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 CM - I also had visions of Kevin trundling round watching TV, very amusing! He is quite comical. He woke up briefly on Christmas day in a filthy mood as is to say 'shut up I am trying to sleep!' When he starts to wake up he just starts to wander around looking for my walking boot that he is rather fond of, naughty boy They he had some food, a large smelly poo and then he is off to try and find a way out of the house. He really hates being indoors and can often be found see sawing on the back door threshold if it is left open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Our tortoise hates being inside too. We do try and bring him inside in spring/autumn to warm him up and encourage him to eat. What usually happens is that he charges around inside bashing at the doors like a little armoured tank in an attempt to escape. At this point we then realise that he is expending an awful lot of energy trying to escape and is still not eating, so back outside he goes where at least he can lurk quietly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 What usually happens is that he charges around inside bashing at the doors like a little armoured tank in an attempt to escape. I recognise that senario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Just to say I don't have a tortoise but I loved hearing about Kevin when CM used to post about him and now I love hearing about all of your boys. They sound real characters Thanks for posting everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvMrT Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Thanks for all your messages they are great to read and informative. Mrt spends most of his days in the garden ,he loves to eat milk thistles ,mallow ,dandilions and greens that I grow for him ,which are endives , so during the summer my husband and I go on long walks to find as much natural food as possible. He also likes fruit which he has as a treat. Things he doesn`t like he pulls a face and looks at you in disgust. He spends his nights in his bed in the hall ,he also spend his hiberation there where it is cool and I can keep an eye on him,his bed is a pet carrier filled with news paper on the floor and shredded paper he can snuggle into. We have no cats but we have new neighbours along the road and the cat has decided to use our garden as its litter tray, so I check the garden and remove any poo,it has also taken a liking for the birds that come on my feeders so we hose and shoo the cat at every oppurtunity. Thanks again ,chat soon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvMrT Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 HI again ,what awful weather we are having as if we hadn`t had enough already,It has rained none stop today. Mrt has slowed right down and is more or less gone for his winter slumber.has anyone elses tortoise gone to sleep yet ? zzzzz Mrt went to sleep at this same time last year ,they seem to know when the weather changes and gets colder .I shall look forward to seeing him again in the spring . I look foward to hearing from you all will be in touch again soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Our tortoise crept out for a nibble and a wander a couple of days ago but hasn't been seen since. I expect he'll be digging himself in for winter very shortly. He has put on a bit of weight this year (after the hibernation) but less than last year. The weather has been so rubbish it's been difficult to get him to eat much. I hope he will be okay this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 We bought Kevin in from the garden today before he dug himself in and couldn't be found. He is still eating without artificial heat so he must be hungry. We are going to continue to feed him as long as he wants food. He did the most enormous poo on the door mat that YS blamed the poor dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 He did the most enormous poo on the door mat that YS blamed the poor dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I think it was a dirty protest, he hates being indoors. The dog got her own back by eating all of his cucumber (even though she hates it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 We have the same carry on in our house! Flynn will eat raw cabbage to spite Bloss, and as Spaniels are prone to wind, the consequences are rather dire!! Bloss is still chugging around, i was out in the veg garden weeding today, with him "helping", but we bring him into the summer house at night, as we've had a couple of light frosts. When we had torrential rain on Thursday(we are near to Clovelly), he left his tortoise house, and climbed to the highest bit in the garden!! How do they knwo? we haven't flooded, but he's Really clean now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Ours has been winding down for weeks so his gut should be nice and empty now and tried to cover himself with mud a couple of days ago but can't get far as area very clay rich so he's now in the garage especially as its mainly under 10 degrees now during the day if we get a sunny day I may get him out but I think that's it now so will weigh him periodically over the winter. Have shredding to do so will pack him up and find a big outer box. He normally gets up in the beginning of March when it gets to 10 degrees again usually around my YD b'day so she's pleased and thinks he does it especially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
