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Post by prodigal gardener on Jan 19, 2013 16:53:36 GMT
As some of you know I have undergone some major life changes this year, one of which was having to leave my beloved Sheba  I miss her every day but my new lifestyle doesnt inclde room for a dog and it wouldnt be fair on her. I really missed having some one (thing) to look after so ...........  Lol they are great  |
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 19, 2013 18:28:03 GMT
Cute little chaps PG - I've always wanted a tortoise!
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Post by Tig on Jan 19, 2013 18:58:47 GMT
A lot less hassle than a dog, they sleep a lot, don't require grooming or exercise, and take up much less space  Do you know how old they are? They could outlive you!! x Tig |
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Post by Auricula on Jan 19, 2013 19:05:12 GMT
Oh bless prodigal gardener they are much cuter than their names imply I had a tortoise when I was little, he seemed to live on lettuce if I recall correctly  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 19, 2013 19:16:58 GMT
They're so cute PG my grandchildren would love them. Do they hibernate?
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Post by prodigal gardener on Jan 19, 2013 19:39:29 GMT
They are about 3 years old, a boy (Ronnie) and a girl (Reggie - LOL!!) they dont hibernate as I have them in the house. I have a vivarium for them but soon as I get in from work I let them out and they wander round my house for most of the evening. They are really funny, very inquisitive and like to climb up things, unfortuantley they also fall down a lot too !!! I feed them on lettuce, cucumber, tomato, apple and cabbage. They also like slippers and toes  If they outlive me I reckon our Jake will be quite pleased - as he likes them ! |
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Post by Missredhead on Jan 19, 2013 19:51:57 GMT
awww.....I always wanted a tortoise too but never had one.....no good now as it would eat my garden...
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Post by prodigal gardener on Jan 19, 2013 19:56:04 GMT
ha ha - mine live in the house with me MRH I will let them out in the summer but it will be under STRICT supervision |
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Post by Missredhead on Jan 19, 2013 20:06:36 GMT
I have steps in my garden so dont think that would be very good for them... I bet they get some of your garden stuff  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 20, 2013 9:56:14 GMT
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jan 20, 2013 10:01:33 GMT
How lovely they are really cute |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Jan 21, 2013 17:30:06 GMT
Oooooooh....aren't they handsome? Me want one. |
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Post by florence on Jan 22, 2013 15:23:24 GMT
They are just beautiful. You are doing so right to keep them awake and eating through the winter while they are small. I love reptiles, i have 4 tortoises. I did have 5 but lost Eddie last winter, I'd had him 25 years. He was a rescue and had a very bad life before. He was a real lager lout. He'd sleep in the sun most of the day, wake up, eat, rape one of the females and fall asleep on the job, but we loved him I must have had Buster,one of the other boys, close on 35 years now. He is they only one I bought, he cost £4. All the others are rescues |
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Post by prodigal gardener on Jan 22, 2013 17:41:52 GMT
It's nice to know someone with a bit of knowledge on tortoises. I don't have a clue, but they seem to be thriving despite it !! I'm a bit worried that they keep turning their water dish over and wetting the wood chip stuff in the bottom of their house. I'm not all that sure about the wood chip stuff either tbh !! It's what the lady I bought them from had in and she gave me a huge bag of it. They seem to prefer my carpet really :-D £4 was a bargain. They cost A LOT more than that, but worth every penny. Would you mind awfully if I picked your brain from time to time  |
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Post by florence on Jan 22, 2013 18:53:49 GMT
Feel free, any time but i've never had a tiny baby. If you keep them warm enough to continue eating you're along the right track. They need to get their temperature up before they can eat, but you'll know that The water dish is a bit of a problem when they are inside. Mine do the same thing with theirs when they first come out of hibernation and its still too cold to put them out. They need to stretch their neck out and down to drink properly, they are probably climbing into the dish and tipping it up. Can you bury it somehow in something that will hold it steady. It needs a slight slope running up to a flat top into which the dish sits, but the top needs to be big enough for the little un to stand on if you see what i mean. When they can go out its easy to fit the water dish into the ground. I use a very shallow baking tray sunk into but level with the ground and they walk right into the water and drink. I've had several goes at hatching eggs but not had any luck. I have seen them hatch and it is so amazing to see these bright, perfect little tortoises crawl out of their shells. Good luck with them, they are lovely and not the dumb, slow, boring things some people think. Do you know, are they spur thighed. They look as if they are but its not easy to tell from the photo. |
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Post by prodigal gardener on Jan 28, 2013 20:39:13 GMT
They are horse field tortoises I've been told. I think they are also known as Russian tortoises??? . I've been having a look at some "houses" on the Internet. I can't wait for the summer when I can put them outside. I will have to get a proper run for them as I have heard the are escape artists and like to dig !!! That could come in handy :-)
Lots of people in America appear to keep them in those big plastic tubs, I might get one to use as a cooler area for them as the vivarium isn't very big for two of them and they can't get away from the light so I thought that might be a good idea - what do you think ??
I've also been keeping an eye in the water situation. I have been soaking them for a few minutes every other day and they seem to have stopped messing with their water dish :-D
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Post by florence on Jan 30, 2013 14:42:28 GMT
Sorry, i know absolutely nothing about Horse Field tortoises. Mine are spur thighed and Hermons from around the mediterranean, so like the heat. But they do like somewhere in the shade for mid day if its really hot.
If Ronnie and Reggie are anything like my lot, make their enclosure the biggest you can, you will be surprised how active they are, and yes they are good diggers and very good climbers.
Your little female may need her own space if Ronnie get too amorous, there will be lots of shell banging and leg biting.
I'll do a bit of research on Horse field tortoises just out of interest, never even heard of them before, but i lead a very quiet life and should get out more:))
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Post by florence on Jan 30, 2013 14:52:16 GMT
Just read your post again about the plastic tub. I hate the thought of any tortoise being kept in a plastic tub,sorry, not a very stimulating environment and when they are active it would be for too small imo. But try it if it helped you out for a short time.
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Post by prodigal gardener on Feb 1, 2013 8:59:09 GMT
Yes it sounds awful doesn't it, but some of the picture I've seen do look ok. Mind you they are tiny babies so I don't suppose they need much room. I don't think I will bother tho. My two are released into the wild (my downstairs) everyday and they go where they please. Usually into a corner to scratch the skirting board  There is a bit of leg biting going on from time to time. That's a worry !!! They have nowhere to dig tho that's what's bothering me. I'd like to give them a place to burrow into because they seem to want to do that - I think that's what all the scratching of skirting boards and the floor of their house is about. |
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Post by florence on Feb 1, 2013 17:05:50 GMT
The digging thing is because thats how they like to sleep. Mine tip themselves onto their sides against something to catch as much heat from the sun as possible. Mid afternoon when they wake from their nap, have a feed then look for their favourite place to sleep. They half bury themselves, it helps to retain the warmth from the day. When i pick them up you can feel the heat under their shell and the soil is really warm underneath. I only leave them out on very hot nights, most of the time i put them in their house if they haven't made their own way in. I have a big thick layer of straw in the house and they dig and bury themselves in that to sleep. They are amazing things to look after. They love red and altho they are deaf- well their hearing is different from ours- they hear through vibrations and will soon recognize your footsteps. |
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Post by Auricula on Feb 2, 2013 18:22:51 GMT
They sound like really cool pets to have..... couldn't they have sweeter names prodigal gardener
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Post by prodigal gardener on Feb 3, 2013 9:53:34 GMT
They are great but they are also a pair of buggers. I thought Ronnie and Reggie was quite appropriate !!!!
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Post by Auricula on Feb 3, 2013 10:12:26 GMT
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Post by maggy on Feb 15, 2013 15:56:33 GMT
Ronnie and Reggie sound proper little characters, We have never had tortoise so dont know a lot about them, I did see a man on a campgsite we were at in Scotland with his rather large tortoise on a lead and it was making its way over to my chihuahua Tim at that time who was making a hasty retreat !! I dont think he could understand what that stone was doing moving about |
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Post by florence on Feb 15, 2013 19:57:05 GMT
I had some paying guests last year who phoned before they came and said would they be allowed to bring their tortoise with them as they couldn't find anyone to look after him while they were away. I told them it would be fine as i also had tortoises . He had such a lovely time being with his own kind after being alone for years that they didn't have the heart to take him home and asked if he could stay, of coarse i said yes. They're coming back this year, not sure if they really liked it here or are just coming back to see how their tortoise is doing |
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Post by prodigal gardener on Apr 17, 2013 13:58:38 GMT
I've built an extension for Ronnie and Reggie. They have a bit more room to manoeuvre during the day now, still have them wandering round the house when I'm home tho.  |
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Post by prodigal gardener on Apr 17, 2013 14:14:58 GMT
I'm hoping they will use the stone tray for digging and climbing over but neither of them have been in it yet! I have also changed the substrate after a chat with the lady in the pet shop. They have corn on the cob in there now. It's like little tiny pellets. I think it's seed heads or something. They seem the prefer it to the wood chips. I am going to try them with play sand and topsoil next tho as that is supposedly their preference ( according to the Internet !) I feel really awful about keeping them in the vivarium tho as they got a huge slagging off on the Internet sites I've looked at :-( still now they have their patio !! And I am going to buy them a nice tortoise run (from the range) for summer. Ha ha. Can't wait to see how they react to that one !!!
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Post by Missredhead on Apr 18, 2013 20:15:15 GMT
That is a good idea PG.....I am sure they are happy...
You have fish too..
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Post by prodigal gardener on Apr 18, 2013 20:43:41 GMT
Yep. Love my fish. A house isn't a home without a couple of fish !! I have 3 goldfish and 2 black goldfish. No names tho. I'm not that bad !!!
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Post by prodigal gardener on Apr 18, 2013 20:47:13 GMT
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