Horsefield Tortoise

[josaphine32]

Can anyone give me there expert help please to make sure I am doing things right, I have 2 that way 55 and 46 grams, they are in a large tortoise table with zoo med UVA/UVD 160watt bulb, I have got a proper tortoise run and they go outside for around 12 hours a day, I feed them in dandelions, nettles, sow thistles, clover, petunias, rose petels, chic weed, I sprinkle with calcium, bath them in the morning for around 10 mins in Luke warm water, when I go to a reptile centre I get mixed information, I had the proper sand and soil mix from a specialist, then another told me they get eye in factions on that and to change to pellet substrate, I have sectioned some of the table off so they can choose what they want to hide in, the problem is they are not eating much and are constantly in a hide cave or when they are in the run they go in the shelter, they prefer the cold end of the table to the warm, I don't know if they are warm enough? Can anyone who keeps tortoises advise please,
Many thanks,
Jo

[josaphine32]

They are around 18 months old and just over an inch big,

[rsvp]

Jo I have four torts - one of the a horsefields - you seem to be on the right track by and large. Horsefields are tough little beasties used to quite extremes of temperatures, they love digging (in fact mine digs down for days at a time when it's very hot - it's called asevating) and they are incredible escape artists so be warned!. Once you've got the temps right you'll be fine - my suggestion is for you to go on both The Tortoise Trust forum/web site and The Tortoise Table forum/web site. There are care sheets, advice and lots of pictures of proper housing/bedding/watering/hibernating etc. Do use them, they are brilliant.

[josaphine32]

I will do thank you, if they dig down like they are doing do I just leave them to it? I just worry they are not getting enough vit d, many thanks

[rsvp]

J32 - the digging down is a perfectly natural for them so I leave him to do his own thing. I've dug out a deep pit then double lined it with chicken wire and filled it with a mixture of top soil and play sand plus a few medium sized stones - over part of this are a couple of ceramic half pipes which he crawls under then does the excavating bit - seems as happy as a sandboy. I believe in the wild that between hibernating and aesevating they are only active for about three months of the year. My torts also have several enclosed/waterproof places to go plus two solariums and a heated duckhouse for when it gets a bit chilly. Their run is very large with hollow logs, little or no flat areas, plenty of torti friendly plants plus a couple of shallow water bowls which they often soak in. These are changes daily cos they usually pee and poop in it (perfectly natural as they are programmed to retain moisture until they can replace it).
As for vit D - it's been really, really hot and sunny for ages and they spend much of the day in whatever area they feel most comfortable in -mostly under vegetation or in one of the cooler houses. They sally forth like little shelled warriors around 9.30 am for a mooch around then back under cover til about 5ish when they check out supper. As I'm sure you know, they need to be at a certain temperature before they are active (and able to digest their food) - this system seems to work for mine.
Suggest you get a laser thermometer to check temperatures - it's really interesting the variation around their living quarters. Basking temps need to be around 30c and at night no lower than 10c if they sleep outside. I've got a greenhouse heater on a thermostat in the duck house together with a basking lamp. I don't like pellet substrate as they may ingest it - I use play sand and soil mixed. Suggest (from experience!)most pet shops have little or no up to date knowledge of tortoises - they are their to sell you stuff. Trust those two web sites.

[josaphine32]

Thank you so much, can't wait to start building my outside enclosure for them, I hate there run but they are only tiny and a job to find them at the moment, I am going to have varied houses like cold frames, large hedgehog house, with rockery and edible plants in it, I can't Waite I was tempted to get a greenhouse and build round it, thank you, x x