tortoise related issues?

Question

Can anyone answer these questions (my tortoise is 4):
Is it bad to give my tortoise those tortoise food pellet things?
What's the best thing to protect the floor of the tortoise box?
Should you put calcium on the food of my tortoise?
how long should it be under the special light?
should i still give him baths? how often?
Is it bad that i hand feed him?
When should he start hibernating? is it 5 or 6 years?
thanks

Answer 1

1. Pellet tortoise/turtle food is actually quite bad to feed your turtle. Not only is it difficult for them to swallow it often leads to malnourishment when it is the only source of food.



2. there are a few ways to get calcium into a tortoises diet, you can put in a cuttle fish bone in the enclosure and let the tortoise regulate its own calcium intake, or you can get a good calcium supplement from a pet store and sprinkle it over the tortoises food or you feed your tortoise lots of food that are rich in calcium, these include the de-spined pads off a prickly pear cactus (optunia) dandelions are a good source of calcium as well, personally i do all 3 of these, i feed a good Natural weed diet with dark green leaves that are rich in calcium and once or twice a week i sprinkle a calcium supplement over the food i feed but they also have a cuttle bone in their enclosure just in case, don't forget you also need a good exposure to a uv source either the natural sunlight or a uv lamp as tortoises need this to help absorb the calcium that they eat



3. Your tortoise will do well with a bulb that emits 3-5% UVB, left on for 10-12 hours per day.



4. Yes, you should give your tortoise a bath and about once a month. Heres some more info on it



http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/bath.html



5.My own tortoise, a Russian, did the same thing. She ate mostly carrots, strawberries, and romaine when I got her and only when I hand fed her. The two things that got her to switch was to grow feed in her pen and to feed Sulcata Gold.

Sulcata Gold is a form of pellet food that is grass based and very good for all kinds of tortoises. Some like the Russians and Sulcata who eat solely grass and greens can be offered alot of it while others like redfoots who eat some worms and fruit in the wild only need it as a supplement... But I've heard from other keepers that if at first you soak it in warm water for a long time (like 40 minutes until it gets soft and slimy!) it really seems to awaken the tortoise's instincts to eat green things...Something about the smell, they can't resist it! It worked for me too...After awhile you don't need to soak it so long. When she gets to eating that really good, you can then smash it up and smear it on some romaine. When she's eating that like crazy (and that shouldn't be long since she already likes romaine) start tearing the romaine up in little bits and putting it into a food dish but let her watch you set it down... When she learns to eat that out of the bowl, start mixing in little bits of spring mix (bagged salad mix). The spring mix makes a great base for the green part of a tortoise's diet. Once they eat this readily mine started eating anything I offered her. You can also try offering turnip greens--they're very strong-smelling and mine took to it faster than any other greens. It should not be a base of the diet though.



6. if a tortoise is kept in a viv with artificial heating and lighting it won't hibernate, for a tortoise to go into hibernation it needs the conditions to be right, the major ques for triggering hibernation behavior begin in late summer/early Autumn, the environmental triggers are,

1.falling temperatures, the days become cooler with lower temps,

2,the shortening of days, the day length is monitored by the pineal gland in the tortoises

3, the reduced intensity of day light the lower position of the sun in the sky and the shorter days mean the sun falling on the tortoise is less intense and this too is monitored by the pineal gland,

from mid september onwards the tortoises behavior will change, it will start to bask more and eat less by late oct the tortoise will cease to eat altogether but will still be drinking, once all this happens the tortoise will start to dig a burrow or find a place to hibernate, a tortoise needs 3-6 weeks (depending on the size) of not eating before it can safely sleep, some people say you can not hibernate a tortoise before it is 5 years old but it is safe as long as you follow the guidelines here is a site that will set them out for you http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/sa… if your tortoise is kept in a viv then you need to start the hibernation process as the artificial light will keep your tortoise awake and eating so that means lowering the temp and shortening the light exposure you can't just put a torotises in a box with out preperation or it won't survive, but as long as you torotise is over a year old there is no reason if it is fit and healthy why it can not hinernate



Hope I could help!

Good Luck

Answer 2

The best thing to put on your tortoise's floor is a form of sand such as calcium sand or cypress. Giving your tortoise, tortoise food pellets is absolutely fine along with feeding your tortoise by hand. it is beneficial towards the tortoise to put calcium and vitamins in it's food and keeping your tortoise under UVB heating light is only necessary for the day. Bathing your tortoise is still important but only do it annually not every one or two days. Tortoises hibernate around late october every year of it's life please don't allow your tortoise to hibernate late. That is extremely bad! I hope this helped.

Answer 3

Is it bad to give my tortoise those tortoise food pellet things?

No they should be made full of the right ingredients that your tortoise needs.



An ideal diet for tortoises is their natural diet of weeds and herbs. There are several complete processed foods available for tortoises. These are convenient and easy to make up, although should be supplemented with a variety of fresh, natural leafy greens. In fact tortoises can be fed entirely on a natural diet of weeds and herbs. In all cases they require high fibre, low protein and low sugar. Tortoises will also require daily calcium and vitamin supplements, which should be given alternately.



Different types of lettuce should be offered as well as a varying mixture of water cress, rocket, grated carrot, chopped sweet pepper and weeds like dandelion, clover and plantain. Always wash any plants, so they are clean and free from pesticides. It is important to provide a variety of plants, just like they would find in their natural environment, and like humans, they have their preferences.



Small quantities of fruit and vegetables can be given as treat. These include, strawberries, apples, spring greens, kale, broccoli and spinach, but should only be given occasionally as they can irritate their digestive system. Don’t forget to give them plenty of fresh water in a shallow dish, which will need to be changed daily or sooner if they have used it as a toilet!



Plants and flowers that grow from bulbs, such as daffodils are toxic and can cause death. Rhubarb leaves are also poisonous, and soft fruits like bananas can also cause digestive problems.



To give your tortoise the best possible diet, we recommend that you research what food can and must not be fed to tortoises.



What's the best thing to protect the floor of the tortoise box?

I use a towel under any of my tanks to keep the surfaces clean, dry and undamaged from my tanks or other animal containers.

You could always buy a specialist tortoise stand to keep it on or use a surface that you don't mind if somethings happens to it.



Should you put calcium on the food of my tortoise?

Read the instructions and ingredients of the food you use as some of these are already in it, you don't want to over feed it.



how long should it be under the special light?

Tortoises have to have a heater and UV light to help them get there recommended vitamins and to help keep them healthy. Your heater should always be on and your UV light should be on as if it were the sun (7am-8pm) normal daylight times as the UV is an artificial sun.



should i still give him baths? how often?

Tortoises cannot groom themselves, so appreciate a lukewarm bath 2-3 times a week, this should only be up to the depth of their lower shell (the Plastron). A soft toothbrush can be used to clean their shells in water, never use any oils or other chemicals, as they can damage their shells.



Tortoises can urinate in high volumes so it is essential their housing is spot cleaned daily, removing any soiled bedding and faeces. A tortoise fed on the correct diet produces compact, fibrous faeces which are easy to remove. Make sure you have a full clean of the housing every week.



Do not submerge a tortoise in water as they can drown and it can damage there shell.



Is it bad that i hand feed him?

Hand feeding any animal is alright and can help tame them.



When should he start hibernating? is it 5 or 6 years?

In the wild tortoises should hibernate from when they are hatch-lings but when keeping a tortoise as a household pet they recommend getting them ready to hibernate around the age of 3 years old.

Hibernation information: http://www.tortoisecentre.co.uk/HIBERNATION.aspx



I would recommend researching and learning about animals before purchasing as there are so many different species and types that need specialist care and information. There are lots of Facebook groups that can help with caring for your tortoise and even books. I wouldn't always recommend asking in a pet store though as my pet store tried to sell me lots of tortoise items, food etc, when I have a turtle and they are completely different animals, one eats meat, the other eats veg, one lives in water, the other live on land etc.



Best of Luck with your tortoise.