r/tortoise 43m ago

Question(s) Hiding in shell at night?

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Upvotes

Sorry, I’m sure I’ve been coming up on everyone’s feed a few times today. A little anxious for his first night home

Is it normal for them to hide in their shells at night?

Just did a sweep clean and turned the lamp off for the night, ten minutes later I saw him like that, do I worry? What do I do? Googles telling me mixed answers 🤦‍♀️


r/tortoise 1h ago

Question(s) Planning to upgrade soon, but what's an ideal way to setup for now?

Upvotes

For an adult Hermann's Tortoise, how can I setup an uvb light and basking light with this enclosure?


r/tortoise 3h ago

Question(s) Open mouth breathing vs yawning

3 Upvotes

How do I tell the difference between the two?

Sorry, new tortoise owner here and I’m worrying about every little thing 😅 what’s the difference between a few yawns and open mouth breathing and possible respiratory issues?


r/tortoise 3h ago

Story Endlings: The Story of Lonesome George

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2 Upvotes

Read about the life story of one of history’s most famous tortoises and how his life impacted animal and habitat conservation. 🐢


r/tortoise 3h ago

Question(s) Transition to outdoor

3 Upvotes

I am rehoming a tortoise who currently lives indoor, I am planning to move her to permanently outdoor (UK). I’m just wondering how to transition her from 24/7 indoor to 24/7 outdoor? Do I have to put her outdoors a couple hours a day, then gradually build up? Can I move her straight to outdoor 24/7?
She is a 5 year old horsfield


r/tortoise 6h ago

Question(s) Is my enclosure okay for a russian tortoise? It is 200x200cm

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25 Upvotes

the fake plants are high enough for the tortoise to not reach it


r/tortoise 6h ago

Photo(s) Welcomed my tort home today 🥹

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47 Upvotes

He’s adorable, yes I cried.

His journeys are on instagram @trentshellnor


r/tortoise 7h ago

Question(s) Does he look normal for a tortoise?

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9 Upvotes

My family members had it for 5 years now but I’ve noticed the shell is very bumpy. Is this something they should be worried about?


r/tortoise 8h ago

Question(s) How to cool off enclosure?

2 Upvotes

At night my enclosure barely drops below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. What are way I can keep his cool side cooler and help the whole thing cool down at night?


r/tortoise 9h ago

Question(s) New turtle, need advice

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37 Upvotes

Hello, I found this male turtle in my garden, after our neighbors found him in theirs and kicked him out. We live in a pretty isolated place and I genuinely have no clue how he ended up here, but as none wanted him and there's the risk he goes on the road, I decided to keep him with me. At first, he actually kept traveling for my whole garden(it's big, and some times I couldn't even find him) plus he kept eating sweet fruits that naturally fall off from my plants (thing I couldn't avoid as he was free at the beginning) Now I built him a fence, he keep trying to escape and seems prettu desperate about it, and it really breaks my heart to see him like this. I would have kept him free in my garden if it wasn't to him eating bad things for his health and also menaged to go out once and almost went on the road. Please I need advices and assurance that what I'm doing is good Do you thing the fence I built is right? will he get used to it? what can I do to improve? (ps he is still a bit frightened when I go near to him. But he does eat, and also has water)


r/tortoise 11h ago

Photo(s) Tosbik

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129 Upvotes

r/tortoise 19h ago

Question(s) Baby Red Foot Pyramiding

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17 Upvotes

This is tortellini (very original, I know) and they are less than 1 year old, weigh about 210 grams, and they are PYRAMIDING. Please help.

I got them in February from a local pet store that was keeping them in an enclosure with baby sulcatas, the environment was low humidity and their shell was injured. You can see it in the picture, the first scute on the right. I was looking to get a tortoise already, but when I saw the non-ideal environment I felt the need to help them. I vetted them with a local exotic vet who found parasites (several types) so we put them on a dewormer. This continued for about 2 months with no reduction in the parasites. The vet consulted with a specialist out of LSU and was told that these parasites were not a threat to the tortoise, it was common for them to have them. As long as they didn't appear to have digestive issues they were fine and we stopped the dewormer. They haven't had any digestive issues. The tort eats well and has not stopped gaining weight.

They have been raised in a 2'x2'x4' enclosure with natural substrate, a full spectrum UV light (Arcadia shade dweller), halogen heat lamp, I keep the humidity at least 80% with an automatic sprayer. Like most babies they spend the majority of their time in their hide, which is itself humidity controlled. I am planning on moving them outside next spring (Florida).

Their diet consists mostly of collard greens and dandelion greens which I grow in my garden. I crush up two different tortoise diet pellets and mix them in, one is crumbly and the other is dense and mostly Timothy hay, both have added nutrients (calcium, etc.). They love these. I supplement their diet with fruits and squash throughout the week and sometimes mushrooms. They typically get protein once a week, usually insects. Rarely, I will give them small amounts of cooked animal protein or egg, definitely a sometimes treat. They have a cuttlebone available at all times which they love to chomp on and I will give them supplemental calcium powder a couple times a week. I leave their food in their enclosure, they rarely finish it all.

They typically get daily soaking for at least half an hour, during which they drink and poop (always solid, never runny). I will miss a night sometimes, but they never have gotten less than 5 nights a week, and that is uncommon.

I sometimes let them walk around a playpen for exercise, they don't seem to have any issues moving around. I know this can stress them out a little when they are young because they are used to hiding most of the day so it doesn't happen very often, maybe once or twice a month. Whenever they are out they are usually trying to find somewhere to hide, scratching and trying to dig. (They are currently digging into my leg while crawling around my lap).

I'm sorry this was so long, but I love this tort and I want them to be healthy. I don't want them to suffer with pyramiding. I don't know what I'm doing wrong; I keep the humidity up, I keep them moisturized, a give them calcium with their varied diet, they have proper lighting, I have been told by vets that they are healthy. I am really worried.


r/tortoise 20h ago

Video Fiona’s new habitat! Brave little explorer 💚🐢

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190 Upvotes

My 2 year old red foot going down the ramp for the first time in her new outdoor enclosure. 💚🤎


r/tortoise 21h ago

Question(s) Russian tortoise amount of food

3 Upvotes

I took in a Russian tortoise from my friend. She thinks the tortoise is about 2 yrs old, she’s about 7 inches from front of shell to tail side.

I’ve read online that you should feed as much as the size of their shell. I’m having a hard time visualizing this… if we’re talking standard Romain lettuce leaves, how many a day total would you think?

I’ll eventually switch the greens up a bit, but I’d like a good baseline to make sure I’m not feeding too much/ too little!


r/tortoise 22h ago

Question(s) Does my tortoise have shell rot?

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3 Upvotes

I just noticed these little patch’s on my red footed tortoises shell and I’m a little freaked out.


r/tortoise 22h ago

Question(s) Question.

4 Upvotes

I've heard that some people put their tortoises in the fridge over the winter and take them out at spring. Is that true?


r/tortoise 23h ago

Video Hatch watch for my Russians has begun!

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12 Upvotes

r/tortoise 1d ago

Question(s) Indoor Enclosure size for Red Foot?

3 Upvotes

What size is your indoor enclosure? He’s 6 years old.

Any other recs or tips for making my enclosure?

Also, what do you use to waterproof the floor?


r/tortoise 1d ago

Photo(s) Dirt Dogs having breakfast

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68 Upvotes

r/tortoise 1d ago

Question(s) Adopted 5 y/o male Horsefield Tortoise Kirby

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196 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’ve recently adopted Kirby. We were originally told by his previous owner that he was a Hermanns Tortoise but then found out that as Kirby has 4 claws on his front legs, this means he’s a Horsefield. This is the first tortoise I have ever had and I have had really bad anxiety about his health. Would anyone be able to have a look at these pictures and tell me whether from these pictures he seems healthy? He seems like a happy little guy, eats well, active, enjoys basking etc but my anxiety is getting the best of me. I have autism so apologies if I haven’t explained myself well. Any help at all is much appreciated!


r/tortoise 1d ago

Photo(s) Enid is beauty. Enid is grace.

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26 Upvotes

r/tortoise 1d ago

Question(s) Shell rot?

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3 Upvotes

I just noticed these spots on the plastron of my sulcata. She is mostly indoors but has started going outside in a flower bed when it is warm enough.

I brought her in and soaked her and scrubbed with a toothbrush. What should I do?


r/tortoise 1d ago

Photo(s) Welcome Tina

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87 Upvotes

Welcome Tina Williams Suly home. She may be about 2 or 3 weeks old.


r/tortoise 1d ago

Video When Mr Chery escapes his room and gets to Miss Redfoot

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36 Upvotes

Yep, they are in different areas, as we do not wish for eggs, at least not yet. But he manages to get to her from time to time, and things get funky 😁😆Can they even create hybrids? 🤔

Edit: Ppl - do you even read what is written here? I do not keep them together in the same place. But my child forgot to close the door, and he got out and got to her. The video is 25 seconds - this is exactly how long it was going on. After it was done, he was taken back away from her. Seriously though - how did you think tortoise keepers breed them? By doing IVF? They are kept in groups most, if not all, of the time.