The tortoise keepers' thread

[elsiegee40]

As I was taking this thread http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/85987-most-mundane-thing-you-have-ever-ordered-off-internet-4.html#post758444 OT talking about dried dandelion leaves, I though I'd introduce Joe, part of the gee family for 41 years and aged somehwere between 45 and 50. He's a mediterranean spur thigh (Testudo Graeca Graeca)

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff404/Joes_Mum/Joe/My18th046.jpg

 

He was ill in the spring and didn't put weight on this summer, so he's not allowed to hibernate. As a result, I have no dining room. The furniture is in the garage and the floor occupied by a 6' x 4'6" bookcase lined with pond liner. In answer to @gshaw 's question, you prevent hibernation by keeping keeping him warm. We have to maintain a day-time background temp of 28-30C, nightime background temp of around 24C and supply UV light for 12-14 hours a day and basking lights.

 

Fortunately, the vet says he can go out for a couple of hours each day regardless of the weather to let off steam as he's used to having the entire garden to rampage round.

 

So here's my dining room... We eat in the kitchen, or wrap up warm and use the conservatory!

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff404/Joes_Mum/Joe/DSC03004crop.jpg

[gshaw]

Nice, hope he appreciates it

 

Where did you find out about all this stuff, have seen a few websites but they tend to contradict each other and vets don't seem to know a lot about them either!

[witch]

I love the bricks! I presume he enjoys clambering up and down them?

So - Christmas dinner on your laps then, or in a cold conservatory??

[HaleStorm]

I know my friend who keeps a tortoise has a contact at Twycross Zoo that she e-mails when she needs advice and help. Maybe worth investigating other zoo's or pet shops specialising in reptiles

[elsiegee40]

I had a dreadful job finding a vet to treat him when he was ill. Eventually I got put on to a Zoo qualified vet, who's a tortoise specialist, in Maidstone and he's brilliant. I built this on his instructions (the enclosure is a book case with the shelves knocked out) and showed him the photo. His only advice was to move the UV light closer to the basking lamps to maximise exposure.

 

The bricks are for climbing and Joe spends a lot of time scrambling over them. We settled on bricks as they're something he doesn't try to mate with he quite enjoys basking on them!

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff404/Joes_Mum/Joe/November002.jpg

 

I dip into both Shelled Warriors and Tortoise Forum for additional information, but TBH many of the keepers on there have tiny torts that never go in the garden. Using 4 inches of soil isn't an option in an enclosure this big! Their tortoises never hibernate.