Questions tagged [tortoises]
Tortoises, land living reptiles, kept as pets; as opposed to turtles. All issues relating to the care of tortoises kept as pets, including shell care, feeding, environment, behavior and common health issues.
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I have a Russian Tortoise. Should I let him hibernate from fall till spring without feeding him? Or should I wake him up?
I have an estimated 15 year old Russian tortoise who I've had for 5 years. I typically leave his lights off throughout fall. This year he's gone through winter, too. Should I be doing this or is it ...
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How to care for a turtle / tortoise with a fractured shell?
Prompted by this question:
Assume you care for a turtle or tortoise and by accident it falls from a height and cracks its shell.
The first and most important course of action is to see a vet as soon ...
Elmy♦
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How to identify a turtle/tortoise experienced vet?
It is not easy to find a vet, that is experienced in reptiles. Most cat-dog-vets, who have no experience with reptiles, do not admit that they may be uninformed.
How could I get knowledge about a vet ...
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Wheezing/whistling symptoms in a tortoise
My tortoise was wheezing for a while. I took him to the doctor, who gave him antibiotics. Everything was fine.
Now he’s wheezing or whistling again, not sure how to describe it. Should I be concerned ...
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is it a bad idea to let my tortoise explore my room while supervised?
I let my tortoise wander around my room to let out his energy(if I don't he gets restless and antsy). I was wondering if I need to have the humidity/temperature up in my room? also, some of my cats ...
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Will tortoises get along with gerbils if out of their cages at the same time?
Recently we were thinking of getting gerbils, and we already have a tortoise. We were wondering if the tortoise would mind the gerbils if they were both out of their cages at the same time, or vice ...
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Do Hermann's tortoises enjoy mushrooms, are they healthy for them?
Do Hermann's tortoises enjoy mushrooms, are they healthy for them?
I have read in some forums, that mushrooms are not natural food for Hermann's tortoises.
But I think that it should not be true. ...
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Indian Tortoise all puffy
We have two baby tortoise (twins - from the same egg).
Recently we went on holiday for Christmas and left both Elmo and Leon at a pet boarding (which had good reviews). When we came back yesterday ...
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Can I own a Galapagos Giant Tortoise?
I live in Pennsylvania and I was wondering if I could own one? I am willing to pay whatever amount and age does not matter. Any info would be amazing, thanks.
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My star tortoise doesn't poop since last 8 days
My start tortoise doesn't poop since last 8 days. He eats well and tries hard to get the poop out but no luck. Kindly suggest something so that I can help him.
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Why does my marginated tortoise have a soft shell?
My 1 1/2 year old marginated tortoise still has a soft shell. Also he hasn't grown much since I got him, he is still 4 cm long. I'm pretty sure I'm giving him the correct nutrition because I'...
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Is my pet tortoise's size normal for his age?
I own a 10 month old marginated tortoise who is 6cm long and 3cm wide is that normal?
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How to deal with suspicions of neighbours abusing animals
I'm from the UK and my next-door neighbour keeps 2 dogs and a tortoise in a tiny little house. I have lived in this house for five years and have never seen her walk her dogs once and they constantly ...
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Tortoise came out of hibernation box in the fridge
Yesterday we put our Hermans tortoise in a box in the fridge. When we put him in he was a little agitated at first but settled down immediately. He had spotted eating for a week so we thought it was ...
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Turtle: How do you feed mealworms?
So I've just come into the ownership of a Mexican wood turtle. It's a long story but normally with something like this I'd do a lot of research prior to accepting the responsibility. In this case I ...
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When do Star tortoise lay eggs
I have a pair of Indian Star tortoise. I have make them to stay together since last one month. What is duration that my female will lay egg after breeding? Also How much time it will take for a baby ...
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How Important is Natural Sunlight to Tortoises?
My fiancée and I are considering getting a Mediterranean spur thigh tortoise - neither of us have had one before, and we're unsure if it's suited to our current situation - as much as we both love the ...
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My tortoise doesn't want to eat
I was driving my car and saw something on the road, I was about to continue but then I double checked and realized it's a small tortoise, so I picked it up and brought it home.
Anyway, it's been here ...
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My tortoise is not moving [duplicate]
I have a star tortoise of 2 years old. just this morning I have kept it in water and left it, I don't know when it moved away from the box and fell down from four floors.i just found it and its ok ...
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Can I feed my Hermann's tortoise less often?
I have two hatchling Hermann's tortoises, both 34 weeks old. Sherman and Tiffany. Sherman is 5.9 cm and 42 grams (perfect weight on Jackson's ratio) Tiffany (now nicknamed Biffany) is 6.4 cm and 60 ...
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Can I let my tortoise play outside while it's raining?
From this topic.
I have 20-year old Red-footed tortoise ("jabuti" type), and I would like to know if it would be a problem to let my tortoise outside in the rain, and what consequences might happen ...
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Why is it important to clean a tortoise's shell?
I have this tortoise "Jabuti" (Red-footed tortoise), for like 20 years, his shell was never cleaned because he always lived in the garden with mud. I have read about tortoise care suggesting to clean ...
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Tortoise with probable metabolic bone disease
A family member of mine has a yellowfoot tortoise that has been kept in very inadequate conditions. Its limbs seem to be feeble and it walks with a sluggish motion primarily using its front legs with ...
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How can I protect my tortoise from ant attacks?
I've been getting prepared before attaining a new tortoise, and I thought I'd have everything figured out and set up before I get it. A while ago when I was cleaning my turtle's pool I left it to ...
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Do mosquitoes bite reptiles? Is there any danger of communicating pathogens?
I'd like to know the generic answer for reptiles, but I'm particularly concerned about tortoises.
Mine is largely an indoor tortoise, and the mosquitoes are already pretty much gone from our area, ...
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Swollen right leg on tortoise [closed]
I just discovered that my tortoise's right front leg is swollen. I don't see any redness, and no problems with movement except for its right leg, which it can't extend.
It eats well. Its diet ...
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What is the difference between a tortoise and a turtle?
I've noticed that both are quite often called the other (turtles being called tortoises and tortoises being called turtles). Just in case there is some confusion, could someone clarify what makes a ...
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What spurs a tortoise to try to climb out of its enclosure?
I have a 10 year old redfoot tortoise that seems to want to get away. This is not a new problem, but I'm wondering if anyone has any insights as to what causes her to want to do this. Of course, ...
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Can a hamster and a tortoise/land turtle coexist peacefully?
We're interested in keeping a hamster in the house, and I know my wife is fond of small reptiles.
Is it possible to keep a tortoise and a hamster in the same enclosure?
I'm thinking this is ...
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How can I clean the shell of my tortoise?
The top and bottom of my tortoise's shell tend to get messy from wet substrate, waste, etc. How can I safely clean the shell, without damaging it in any way?
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How do I determine when my tortoise is sated?
How do I determine when my tortoise is sated and, if there's no way to tell when she is, are there any long-term effects of (mildly) overfeeding her?
I've given my tortoise a lot of food, she'll ...
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How much calcium and vitamin D₃ supplementation is beneficial to an adult tortoise who may be deficient?
I have a 10 year old redfoot tortoise. Her natural origins are in South American, so she's not desperately dependent on UV-B radiation to survive like an African species is. She gets plenty of ...
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Why does my tortoise make a peeping or whistling sound while breathing?
I'm not asking for health-related advice, as I've had the vet following this for many years to make sure it's not respiratory-related, but this is more of a "does it fit the animal's natural history" ...
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Counterbalancing air flow and humidity in a tortoise enclosure
I'm in the process of designing a new enclosure for my Redfoot tortoise. As a South American breed, she needs a lot of moisture, which at present I am providing via moistening her substrate (sphagnum ...
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Is there a substrate for a Redfoot tortoise that won't retain excess moisture?
I have a South American tortoise (a Redfoot) that lives on sphagnum moss bedding. I have given some thought to switching her to a topsoil-based substrate, but I'm concerned that such a base will ...
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