tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.comments2024-02-14T12:53:51.345-08:00TortaddictionKatharineBradleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06816396358813823981noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-19486899591176929722018-02-01T12:31:33.465-08:002018-02-01T12:31:33.465-08:00Wow this was very informative. I’ve been taking ca...Wow this was very informative. I’ve been taking care of 1 that showed up 5 years ago and he’s picking on a new one that just recently showed up ( I have an acre of land). I set up an area for them so the dogs wouldn’t hurt them but now that i have two in there, the bigger one has been trying to flip over the little one. And he actually did it but I saw what happened and set the little one back on legs very quickly after. Looks like I’ll have to build another seperate area for them. I’d let them loose but there is a busy road near by. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13981738475315247347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-59645360493466742492018-01-23T10:26:30.402-08:002018-01-23T10:26:30.402-08:00Thank you for clarification of "living togeth...Thank you for clarification of "living together." I have two male Russian Tortoises who have been separated since adoption (eight years ago). I had been getting mixed messages on whether to put them together. Now I know they will stay separated. TortoiseMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00599444873759421223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-54151926474792083552017-08-06T15:13:28.532-07:002017-08-06T15:13:28.532-07:00Hi Marci,
the new round little growth is just the...Hi Marci, <br />the new round little growth is just the spur regrowing. It may look a little funky at the beginning - since initially it may be the "scar tissue" version of the spur. But as long as there isn't any sign of infection, it will be fine. :) <br /><br />As far as the underbite goes, this is definitely not normal. I wouldn't recommend a novice to try trimming the lower beak, but you might try filing it with an emery board? It will likely take multiple sessions, and possibly two people holding Wilbur. A qualified vet can also help - (please see my blog post about how to find a good vet: http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2014/07/how-to-find-good-veterinarian-for-your.html - it includes a link to a list to recommended reptile vets)<br /><br />Best of luck!MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-32874838269085577802017-08-01T13:25:02.666-07:002017-08-01T13:25:02.666-07:00I just came backing separating the aggressive male...I just came backing separating the aggressive male away from the pen and now the depressed female starts to eat RIGHT AWAY. <br /><br />AMAZING. <br /><br />THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS BLOGAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05455705829934057367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-51429962145014647682017-08-01T13:04:43.512-07:002017-08-01T13:04:43.512-07:00Thank you so much for sharing this. I really appre...Thank you so much for sharing this. I really appreciate it, much more than I can tell. And Thank God this is the VERY FIRST day I have two russian tortoise together. Even the first day I already notice the "shy" female not as active as the male. So I started to consider it towards some typical dominating animal behavior. And I searched it before I was going to do something.<br /><br />And look what I found.<br /><br />So thanks again.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05455705829934057367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-37917328200462100572017-07-30T22:28:32.320-07:002017-07-30T22:28:32.320-07:00Hello!!!
I have an African Sulcata that is almost ...Hello!!!<br />I have an African Sulcata that is almost a year old. I was told by the breeder that he was either born in Aug or Sept of 2016. He had a green sharpie dot on his back (designating him a male); however, from reading much information since, I have come to understand that it is very difficult to sex a tortoise until they are close to 5 years old. On to my problems.. Wilbur has.. well, I want to call it an underbite. When he chews, his upper beak catches on his lower beak, making a snapping sound. Not sure if this is normal or not. Problem number two: shortly after I got Wilbur, my momma was holding him. We were at the park. She accidentally dropped him (she felt terrible), and one of his 'spurs' broke off his left front leg. I wasn't too worried about it, because he did not act like it bothered him, and he walks on it fine. However, now, several months later, where the spur was, a small, hard, roundish 'thing' has grown in it's place. If I had to say what it resembled, I would say a tiny little cauliflower. I don't know if I should worry about this or not. Any info would be greatly appreciated!<br />Thank you!<br />MarciMunchkinrnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06762006653973600489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-10354794276821970892017-04-22T13:28:56.860-07:002017-04-22T13:28:56.860-07:00So glad I came across this, I will leave my tortoi...So glad I came across this, I will leave my tortoise living on her own 😮 Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11728480981270487088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-9457921853634462252017-04-08T16:24:34.921-07:002017-04-08T16:24:34.921-07:00Hi,
I have 2 male spur thighed tortoises and keep ...Hi,<br />I have 2 male spur thighed tortoises and keep them part in the garden. One is in a run and the other in the garden. I then swap them over. Their indoor habitat is separate but quite small is this ok as they do not move around much once in. They go out daily April to September unless weather is bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-41568066318908964062016-12-09T22:29:48.945-08:002016-12-09T22:29:48.945-08:00Hi Heather,
a good vet, with proper tools (a smal...Hi Heather, <br />a good vet, with proper tools (a small dull hook tool, and a rubber wedge) should be able to trim the lower beak without sedation. If your vet can't (or won't) without sedation, that most likely will still be fine though, if there are no other qualified reptile vets in the area. A low dose of sedation merely will help the tortoise relax, rather than pulling into his shell. <br />As far as the cause of the rapid beak growth - there can be multiple causes, but the TNT is not one of them. What does his shell look like? Are there signs of rapid new growth between the scutes? If the tortoise's whole body is growing too rapidly, then you may be feeding too much. However, the more likely cause may be that you are feeding foods that are too soft, such as grocery store bought lettuces (just making a guess). In the wild, the beak gets worn down naturally as the tortoise grazes on tough weeds and greens. In captivity, beaks don't get worn down as easily. You can help by feeding more weeds and tough foods in the warm season, and in the winter, aiming for the tougher grocery store foods, such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, etc. - and don't cut them up or tear them up. :) I hope this helps!MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-17527822749442381922016-12-09T10:38:48.165-08:002016-12-09T10:38:48.165-08:00Hello, I've been able to file down our tortois...Hello, I've been able to file down our tortoise's upper beak per your directions, although it is still a bit long. I just noticed today that his LOWER beak is looking way too long. We've had him about 3 years (but he was adopted to us as an adult) and it seems like his beak growth has just taken off (sped up) this last year. Could we be giving him too much TNT supplement (minerals from Carolina pet supply for RT's) and causing too-quick of growth? Also, the vets I contacted indicated he may need to be sedated to do a lower beak trim, do you have any advice/experience with this? I'm nervous to have him sedated!Heather Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12717704949738321544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-87165044718802412442016-11-15T19:17:17.328-08:002016-11-15T19:17:17.328-08:00Hi Naito, I would strongly advise that you take yo...Hi Naito, I would strongly advise that you take your tortoise to a qualified reptile vet ASAP! A barking sound is a sign of acute respiratory distress, and not a normal or healthy sound. The fact that his beak is so long he can't easily push his head out means it desperately needs to be trimmed - and is probably beyond what you can do at home. A vet will have a special tool to hook behind the beak and gently pull the head out, and then trim. If necessary, they probably even have a curved trimmer, so they can do the initial trim while the head is still in the shell, just so that he can get his head out more easily. <br />Swollen eyes is usually a sign of vitamin A deficiency - but please don't let your vet give any vitamin shots. Those are actually very harmful. Instead, soak your tortoise in a mixture of unsweetened pumpkin purree and water once daily. This is IN ADDITION to taking him to the vet though. <br /><br />If you take a look at the following blog post (http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2014/07/how-to-find-good-veterinarian-for-your.html), there is a link to a tortoise vet database, sorted by State. You can hopefully find a good vet this way. <br />I wish you good luck, and hopefully your tortoise can be helped! It sounds like he was the victim of neglect before he came into your care... hopefully his story will have a happy ending. :)MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-23727365865435503142016-11-14T22:52:39.300-08:002016-11-14T22:52:39.300-08:00hello im sorry to bother you but i read your blog ...hello im sorry to bother you but i read your blog and though it is very good i think our tort is even worst than any here, i will explain, we where given a 12 year old russian and it had one inch long nails and we couldent see its head, he had it fully in his shell and he well, barked when we took him in our hands, so we thought he was just stressed so we put him in his enclosure ( 8 feet x 3 feet and 12 inches high indoors with a 4 feet uvb and basking ) he just burried himself and wouldent eat so after 3 day's i took him and put some warm water in the tub about an inch and put him in, i saw he was trying to pocke out his head but something was off, after about 7 minutes he pooped twice and i heard a pop and his head popped out ! his skin is all white on the head and well his eyes where like a newborn's and by looking at him the front of his head is almost higher than the gap in his shell for his head, and when he saw me he spooked and went back in and he hasent come back out :( how do i trim it if his head wont even come out ?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06457043933122759208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-79027178461539963322016-10-13T19:05:50.251-07:002016-10-13T19:05:50.251-07:00For a 60lb sulcata, you will most likely need to d...For a 60lb sulcata, you will most likely need to do a beak trim with a Dremel. There is a barrel shaped sanding attachment that works best for this. One person has to hold the tortoise's head very still, and the other can then sand down an overgrown sully beak. <br />That said, a Dremel tool has the potential to really hurt the tortoise if you slip... so it may be best to have a vet or otherwise experienced professional do it for you the first time, so you can watch. Ideally, a sulcata wears down his beak naturally, through grazing and biting tough leafy greens... so if the beak is repeatedly over-growing, I'd also recommend examining whether the diet is correct, or there might be MBD causing accelerated beak growth. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-52601510346098330022016-10-13T18:53:36.825-07:002016-10-13T18:53:36.825-07:00Hi there. In my case I chose not to have metal mes...Hi there. In my case I chose not to have metal mesh covering the outdoor enclosure, because it is up against our house, partially under the eaves... so we don't have to worry about hawks here (though I do have a wooden frame with hog wire covering the juvenile tortoise enclosure!). <br />During the night we do have raccoon and possums around here - to keep the tortoises safe from them, I have a raccoon proof tortoise house I built, complete with a foundation and a lock. In the evening I go around and collect the tortoises up and place them in the house, if they haven't already walked in there on their own (which several do). <br />If you look at www.tortoiseforum.org there are many good ideas there for covered tortoise enclosures that will keep various kinds of intruders out. :) Good job thinking of your tortoise's safety! <br /><br />As far as a healthy weight for a tortoise - there are several "formulas" out there with which you can calculate whether your tortoise is within a healthy weight range. As a rule of thumb, you want your tortoise to feel very solid, and surprisingly heavy, like a rock... if it feels light or hollow, it's too skinny. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-49403783166578633212016-10-13T18:48:04.031-07:002016-10-13T18:48:04.031-07:00Laminate book shelves would work fine. Just be sur...Laminate book shelves would work fine. Just be sure to seal the edges well with silicon caulking, because the press board underneath the laminate is very susceptible to swelling from moisture. <br />The back "wall" of a laminate bookshelf is usually 1/4" pressboard or even thick cardboard though, so you would probably need to get a piece of plywood for the "floor" of the tortoise table. The Home Depot can cut such a piece of wood to size for you. <br />The coffee table tortoise enclosures seem awesome in theory, but you are right that this isn't really suitable. Mainly because there isn't enough clearance in most cases to create the proper temp gradient with proper lighting. Air flow is also a concern. I can see this being a possible option for a tropical lizard species though... MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-35132087728549453102016-10-13T18:45:25.202-07:002016-10-13T18:45:25.202-07:00Hi Rita, I'll try to answer your questions one...Hi Rita, I'll try to answer your questions one by one:<br />Yes, 4" would be enough for him to burrow in, though I might try to make it a bit deeper in his favorite hide area. :) <br />The barn boards will be perfect for building an enclosure!<br />12" tall walls all around (before substrate) should be perfect. That leaves 8" of edge above the substrate. Just make sure the "furniture" (hide, rocks, etc)is placed such that he can't use that to climb up and out. I like to install an overhanging lip, out of trim, to help prevent escapes. :)MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-58699609206462593582016-10-13T18:41:02.443-07:002016-10-13T18:41:02.443-07:00Yes, you can definitely use that calcium powder to...Yes, you can definitely use that calcium powder to make a calcium cake. If he refuses that, also, you can powderize it again pretty easily. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-28477130452468932582016-10-13T18:39:16.969-07:002016-10-13T18:39:16.969-07:00Hi Debbie, I just wrote an answer to a similar inq...Hi Debbie, I just wrote an answer to a similar inquiry - right above your comment. :) MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-59051879325806056232016-10-13T18:38:40.651-07:002016-10-13T18:38:40.651-07:00Unfortunately, no. They each have separate, differ...Unfortunately, no. They each have separate, different requirements, and they have the potential of really harming each other, as follows:<br />The sulcata will end up being very large, and very territorial. He needs to be kept separate to keep the other two safe. <br />The Russian tortoise (in comment below - not sure if you are both the same person)is most likely wild caught, so could carry pathogens and parasites that would harm the box, the leo, and the sully. The RT also is territorial, so could harm the box turtle. <br />The leopard tortoise is probably pretty laid back (they are less territorial), but because of the larger size, could harm both the box and the RT. <br />The box turtle is an omnivore, and has a sharper beak than the others... so could inflict biting wounds. Her food also would not be healthy for the other 3. <br />The sully and the leo have the same dietary requirements, with lots of grass for grazing, and hay mixed into healthy greens and weeds and wildflowers. <br />The RT needs dark leafy greens, weeds, and wildflowers, but probably won't want to eat the grass or hay. <br />Also, the box turtle needs access to more water, and needs a more wet environment. <br />The bottom line: You need a separate habitat for each of them. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-70742260024716990662016-10-13T18:33:35.879-07:002016-10-13T18:33:35.879-07:00You need to separate them RIGHT NOW. The female co...You need to separate them RIGHT NOW. The female could die if this continues. You will need 3 separate enclosures... one for each of your tortoises. Or, you may possibly need to rehome one or two, if you aren't able to provide separate enclosures. (Sorry, not trying to sound harsh... )MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-63850011820308825322016-10-13T18:29:59.791-07:002016-10-13T18:29:59.791-07:00Please do not "hibernate" your sulcata. ...Please do not "hibernate" your sulcata. This is not a hibernating (bromating) species. You need a heated shed, where the tortoise can achieve a body temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit... otherwise he won't be able to digest his food. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-71975326131369866322016-10-13T18:26:27.081-07:002016-10-13T18:26:27.081-07:00Since the staples are 6" long, and the ends a...Since the staples are 6" long, and the ends aren't really sharp, I wouldn't worry about it. There are so many much more inviting spots for the tortoises to dig in. They have tried to bulldoze their way into the planting baskets, but haven't focused their digging powers on them. MarksMommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550415180482358287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-72947490080164090222016-09-24T09:37:12.473-07:002016-09-24T09:37:12.473-07:00Hello....I have a Russian Tortoise approx. 15 year...Hello....I have a Russian Tortoise approx. 15 years young (ha.ha.). I love all your hard work and I plan on making an outdoor enclosure. I am concerned about making sure that no other critters such as cats, birds, squirrels could get into the enclosure from the top. I am looking at your pics and maybe I am missing seeing it, but I have been advised that their should be like some kind of heavy mesh covering over the top of the enclosure. Also I have to find another bit of information on what an adult Russian Tortoise should weight. Can you help me some information on that subject. Thank you for help and time in advance. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-61486181948427445252016-09-19T18:02:42.316-07:002016-09-19T18:02:42.316-07:00My tortoise refuses to eat with calcium on his foo...My tortoise refuses to eat with calcium on his food period. But I have the calcium powder. Is there anyway I can take that an make these with it?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480030606016764665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5850325851175543438.post-2848336206083727222016-09-18T16:11:49.505-07:002016-09-18T16:11:49.505-07:00thanks for information; helps!
I have to a questi...thanks for information; helps!<br /><br />I have to a question. my baby russian tortoise develop whiteness around his mouth? What is that caused from?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18382144185035610062noreply@blogger.com