Exotic Pet Forum - tortoise bedding nessie - Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject: tortoise bedding
i was just wondering if anyone used alfalfa my vet told me that i should use it for my marginated tortoise as she had metabolic bone disease when i got her 3 months ago but im having problems getting hold of it i got auboise that was supposed to be the next best thing but im not sure
thanks in advance for any help Beckyess - Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:03 pm Post subject:
Presumeably she isn't hibernating! Have you tried chopped flax?
Becky
Poser_Doll - Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:25 pm Post subject:
For any tortoise, alfaalfa is not great. can cause impact and dehydration.
Marginated can be kept on soil, or soil mixed with playsand.
Its soft, easy...and nice for the tortoise.
Or you could put a corner of woodchips, the rest soil/sand mix.
metabolic bone disease stays with them for life, the only thing you can do is prevent it from getting worse and hopefully within time get the tortoises shell to smooth out.
What do you keep the tortoise in?
what does the tortoise get fed?
what lighting do you use?
how old is the tortoise?
and what heating do supply?
littlelab - Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:23 am Post subject:
Crikey Tay, you know your Tortoises sambo - Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject:
You took the word right out of my mouth there Nat nessie - Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:
no shes not hibernating becky she wasnt well enough when i got her iv had her 3 months now and her shell has improved alot it was soft underneath when i got her it is now alot firmer. we built a tortoise table for her 2.1/2 foot by 4 ft she has uv lighting and 2 basking lights with a 3rd if it gets too cold and a red heat lamp for night as tortoise dont see red light but it still keeps her from getting too cold, shes fed on greens that are higher calcium to phosphoris 2-1 she also has vitamin suppliments and i was told to bath her every other night so she didnt dehydrate that also has electrolyte powder in it shes 4 year old. i had read about soil and sand but the vet said that they can also get impacted if they eat the sand but i also read the same about alfalfa so many contradicting things so any advice would be great thanks Poser_Doll - Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:29 pm Post subject:
hehe, i dont know my tortoises...i know basic care on the Testudo side.
No nessie, your vet is wrong. Soil and playsand mixed is fantastic for any tortoise.
Here is your basic care on testudo ok?
Tortoise table/rabbit cage for enclosure
if your tortoise is over 4 inches then you need a 4-5 foot enclosure.
Feed various greens with weeds [stacks of weeds]
Weed list:
dandelions, bindweed, plantain, rose petals, sow thistle, clovers, pansy, yarrow, hebe, hosta, lavenda, go to www.russiantortoise.org click edible plants...thats the whole list of edible things for all tortoises.
Uv light should be over 5.0
Basking light should be at least 60 watt, possibly 75 if you can!
Substrate is ranging, seriously, you can use turfed grass, but i do seriously recommend Soil mixed with playsand. it does good.
Bathing should not be so often, it can tire the tortoise out, i find this with my baby tortoise. So i bath every 2-3 days.
Marginates, hermanns, horsefields, and greeks never need to be hibernated. you dont need to. ok they do thrive on it but what they dont get they dont miss?
so if shes never been hibernated...dont bother until shes much bigger.
I would take out the alfaalfa stuff, use soil/sand mix...and then i would put some rocks, logs, and at least 2-3 hides.
so you do not have a bored tortoise lol...you'd be suprised on how bored they get. my two use to head butt things if they were bored. now they climb, dig...and even climb on top of each other.
This is your basic care of a tortoise. Nothing to it..just gotta stick to it.
