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5 Common Mistakes Tortoise Owners Make
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 14. 08. 2024
- I hope you enjoy this video, please share it with anyone considering getting a tortoise and hopefully it gives them some tips. Let me know if there's any mistakes that you think I missed that would be in your top 5. Thank you for watching đ
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Tortoise forum: tortoiseforum.org
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Thank you so much for watching!
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Glad that you mention the longevity, It REALLY is something to consider. I got mine in 1959 as a 4 year old, now heading to my latter years and have to think about her future which will probably be longer than mine. I've left instructions with the family that they should rehome her if they can't commit to the responsibility.
This was so helpful thank you I am think of getting a hermann tortoise in july so it really helps to have good advice!
Youâre welcome, Iâm glad it helped! Itâs great you are planning and researching before you bring your tortoise home đđą
Did you get a hermanns
My hermanns is officially a year tomorrow, I got it as a hatchling, its the best decision ever, good luck :)
Iâm getting one in a few weeks :)
@@crazypumpkin2886 cool keep me updated đđ
Wow thanks ! Iâve had my tortoise for only a month but Iâve done a tun of re-search, her name is ivy and sheâs 1 year old and sheâs a Greek tortoise and I have a really good enclosure
i have a greek tortoise too! also love ur PFP : )
Alaa what country do you live in because some are illegal I was just wondering
Vivariums can work perfectly if set up correctly and of an adequate size as well. They rnt just "not appropriate", they work just fine
this is amazing. I am STILL having problems with keeping my tortoise's enclosure humid. I'm going to switch from just top soil to adding some coconut coir on the top layer and see how that does. Honestly every tortoise is different and every environment is different getting the right set up for your tortoise is going to be trial and error. But if you notice something is off, don't wait to see if "it'll sort itself out" try something else. If there's an issue even a small one tortoises can get respiratory infections so quickly. And once they get bone disease that's it.
Coconut coir is AMAZING for humidity!!
I block of all dangerous places for my tortoise and let him walk around my garden
I am inheriting my nan's tortoise from my mum. It's roughly 80 years old and has always lived in the garden with no tortoise table or heat lamp and has been fed on lettuce and cucumber with calcium powder. It gets put into a box full of newspaper and into the shed to hibernate. I'm collecting it when it comes out of hibernation in April and I'm questioning whether I keep doing what it's used to or change everything up according to the advice in this video.
Don't ever feed them lettuce, thanks
@@I_am_BiG_Al why?
@@ponyboy1664 high water content with no nutritious value
@@I_am_BiG_Al she's done alright for the last 80 years on it.
@@ponyboy1664 they eat dark greens like mustard, turnip greens grass weeds and flowers, only time I would think about feeding lettuce is if tortoise is dehydrated... but hell, what do I know we only have 6 of them!
All good advice, especially with regards to knowing the species. Mine turned out to be a Sulcata, and unfortunately he has just taken over the place. I wouldn''t say I'm afraid of him, but I definitely keep my distance when he's grumpy. Oh dear. And you know their spiel: He's entirely peaceful, won't get too big, just like a puppy...
That sounds like a tricky situation to have ended up in, I feel like some people will say anything to sell you something đ They are a species I would love to have one day but I can only imagine the space they would take up.
Looks like youâve made a crucial, but far too common mistake. Please find him an appropriate home if you canât care for him properly. Heâs not gonna stop growing anytime soon. Give him to a tortoise sanctuary if you have to.
@@BeckysAnimals People will and do say anything to make a sale. Pet shops are particularly infamous for this. They give out the worst info, too. They donât care 1 iota about the animals. Thereâs so many tortoises that arenât being cared for properly.
Hey David..I have got 2 Sulcata tortoise and they are the best for keeping if one thinks of having tortoise as pet..they are the most friendly among all the tortoise breeds we know..
I'm so glad you mentioned vivariums. I find it quite upsetting seeing people putting their torts in them. I am always surprised that people purchase an animal without doing some basic research first.
I have done my research but I let my tortoise outside in the day time and he goes in his vivarium at night time for bed . I would be interested to hear your opinion on if you think that's ok ?
What if I get a vivarium but cover the sides?
Itâs so common too. Drives me nuts.
@@user-rv2bb1zk7z I canât see the thumbnail for some reason, or Iâd try to give you an answer.
@@EyesHaveMiles420 it is okay I already found out. I was looking for my comment to delete it but couldnât find it until your replied. Thank you.
I would have liked you to expand on your pellet opinion a bit more.
As a supplement to a fresh diet they can be quite useful, especially during the winter months where certain fresh foods are less readily available.
As a stand alone diet however Tortoise food pellets would create issues down the line.
I usually throw a few finger fulls in with my tortoises fresh food and various flower toppings for mine to supplement the meal. It does also depends on the brand like zoomed, habistat etc.
Iâve only had my two baby horsfields since last September so Iâm still learning myself, most brands seem to be well thought out in terms of nutritional balance and as long as theyâre used as part of a varied diet there can be some good benefits.
I feed Mazuri on occasion. That stuff is fine on occasion.
they are way too high in protein
Thank you this was helpful I am going to get a Greek tortoise
I have a pair of sulcatas I love them so much
The clearest video I've watched thank you so much â€ïž
Great video. We'll be checking out the resource websites before we take the plunge.
Did you plunge your turd yet? I mean buy a tort yet?
For my adult hermann tortoise heâs got a 4x2foot table, heâs about 20cm big⊠is that too small? He gets outside time during the summer when itâs sunny/hot enough and when Iâm able I let him free roam my house
My tortoise recently died he/she was only 3 I found my tortoise flipped over a few times when I woke up in the Mornings so god knows how long they where flipped for so sadly he/she passed away from what we believe to be either a twisted intestine or heart failure đ
I'm so sorry :( If you decide to adopt a new tortoise one day, try creating an irregular terrain with stones and wood so that she can flip herself back on her own
I'm not sure if I'm right but if it was under the sun or lamp it may have been over heat it's a common way to die as a pet
@@ameliadavies7277 Yes, you are right. It also happens in water bowls too.
The reason it died is because it was upside down too long, period.
Sorry for your loss
Tysm for mentioning the diet. I was about to get them Mazuri food
Great vid. Just wondered if tortoises are alright with tap water, or does it need de-chlorinating. Thanks for any advice you have.
Well done
Great video, thank you for the information, has helped me and Iâm sure many many moreâ€ïž đą
Hi there, I've a male herman with a problem: he has his tail folded for more 2 weeks.plus with unablity to pee and he is in winter sleep in my room.any information please ????
I got my tortoise today and heâs not eating is it normal because maybe heâs just scared or smth
How is he doing now? They usually take some time to get used to their new home. Itâs not unusual for them to not eat, but donât let it go for too long. He should get more comfortable with time.
I agree with everything except for vivarium. I think that issue comes from small ones. I have a custom one where it is long enough (6x3x2) and there is a temperature difference. It was actually difficult heating that thing. But the closed part keeps in the humidity. It shouldn't be a swamp, but dry humidity will cause pyramiding.
Great tips! Question on Timothy hay (which is an ingredient in some tortoise pellets). I thought it is high in fiber and ok to feed?
What size tank for a dwarf western Hermanâs tortoise
If you are housing your tortoise indoors, a tortoise table is best for Mediterranean species rather than a tank. Bigger is always better as they can become stressed in small enclosures and are surprisingly active animals. In the uk the recommended minimum size for a hatchling is 4ft by 2ft but there doesnât seem to be a specific minimum for adults, as big as you can provide, the better. You could join a forum and have a look at other peopleâs set ups to get some ideas. Some people use heated sheds to house their tortoise if they donât have much room in their house so thereâs lots of options.
A dwarf or just a baby?
is it alright if I have a half uvb and half heat light? or should I use a timer
You should have 1 of each bulb. Itâs better.
I have a question.. if I buy those calcium bones for them, do they still need the calcium powder for their food? Being that the turtle bones provide calcium.
I would, they donât always use their calcium bones and I see them as an added extra source of calcium. The supplements help to recreate what they would be consuming in the wild.
@@BeckysAnimals Thank you.
I sprinkle calcium like 2-3 times a week, and leave his cuttlebone in his enclosure. Just donât overdue it. It can cause impaction if you give too much. So, yes, use both.
Plus, the cuttlebone helps file the beak. If you ever see them biting rocks or concrete, thatâs what theyâre doing.
i got a tortoise yesterday for my 13th bday and its 10 weeks old so right now we don't know the gender and i'm gonna ask my mum for the species when she wakes up.
OMG
They have to be five or six years old for you to tell the gender.
I have a question. How do you heat up an outdoor enclosure during winter? Like where do you plug in the heat lamp/uvb when it's outside? I wanna know so when my sulcata gets older he'll be able to stay outside but keep warm
Itâs not something I have experience with yet (I am planning a more permanent outdoor enclosure for Sheldon in the summer so she can be outside more). I would have a look at tortoise forums and see how other tortoise keepers have set theirs up. It may also depend on the climate you live in but I suppose you would need to run electricity out to a shed or tortoise house. There are helpful tortoise forums and Facebook pages that may be able to help, www.tortoiseforum.org may be a good place to ask?
Hey theyâd usually be hibernating by that age over winter I think
@@kathighfield Sulcatas donât hibernate.
Youâre gonna have to build him a little shack with heat. And then a bigger one, and then a bigger one, and then a bigger one. lol
I have a 21 yr old Hermanns who lives outside - her shed is 6x6 - insulated and rigged with electrics (by an electrian) it's quite easy to convert a shed - pond liner on the floor with top soil in - her own hatch to come and go as she pleases . . . if you give me your email I can send pics - have a look at the facebook group Tortoise Addicts UK - it's Admin are super experienced and there are vets in the group too . . .
I got a baby tortoise a couple days ago, and i just finished feeding it, but im kind of scared of salmonella.
If u see this, please tell me how to protect myself and my family plz i would really a appreciate it
I just make sure I wash my hands after handling my tortoise đđą
Hey becky I need to ask if i sun my baby sulcata everyday for around 2 hrs a day do i still need a uvb bulb? Also im from Indonesia
Hi, yes you would still need to provide UVB as 2 hours wouldnât be enough but if your tortoise was outside all day with access to sunlight, you wouldnât need to provide additional UV
Yes, you definitely need more light than that.
My tortoise eat a wee bit of wood shaving will he be OK cause after he eat it he moved on and started to eat his salad will he be OK he is a horsefield
If your tortoise is indoors all year round and is only let in the garden during nice summer days, do you have to hibernate them?
You donât have to hibernate your tortoise, there are pros and cons to hibernation so itâs worth doing some research and deciding what is best for your tortoise. Itâs generally thought to be healthier for the tortoise for them to hibernate however there are a lot of considerations and it can be dangerous if itâs done wrong. There are some very helpful Facebook pages on hibernation, hermann-tortoise.co.uk has some useful information and thereâs an in depth article here about methods: www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/newhibernation.html if you wanted to learn more. I really need to film a series on hibernation too
Safe hibernation is a must. I employ fridge hibernation for all my tortoises. It's easier to monitor to keep them safe.đ
Which species? Some donât hibernate.
Hi Becky (hope I spelt your name rightđ€) brilliant video your incredible and so knowledgeable keep up the awesome content xx
Thank you so much, thatâs so kind đ You spelt my name perfectly â€ïž
@@BeckysAnimals glad to hear I spelt your name correct in my opinion nothing worse nothing worse that than someone spelling a name the wrong way :) xx
Iâm used to it, thereâs a few different spellings of Becky, I just think itâs lovely that people take the time to learn my name at all đ€Ł
@@BeckysAnimals I'm going to be honest I only knew your name from your farm vlog (I think) and you had you finger partially over the lens and that's when you said your name and then i was like "ah shes called Becky" đ„° x
Haha oh yes! I suppose I don't really mention my name very often at all đ€Ł
Your voice is so good đ
Its so big my tortoises are not that big
We have a furrowing wood turtle that was rescued and has become our pet for five years,we now have gotten another rescue one given to us but was in the wild how long should I wait before putting them together.
Iâm afraid I donât know anything about that species but I know with the Mediterranean tortoises that Iâve researched it is generally recommended to quarantine new tortoises for 6 months as some health issues take a long time to show.
So I want to know, how much should I be feeding them? I am planning to get 2 greek tortoises and I did my research, quite exaggerated research if may say so as I don't get the information I want.
I did ask people on forums but they never answer my core questions. As I get two testudo hermanni boetgerri's (some months old, basically greek tortoises) I still don't know how much I should feed them?
How much grams is appropiate per meal? I have read that you need to feed them the size of their shell but I have not found any confirmation.
A rough guide is to feed the size of their shell as you say. The aim is for slow and steady growth so it seems to be a bit trial and error which may be why there isnât an exact amount. This website explains it well: www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-diet/#.X-Jvw7rfWEc and of course the amount would change as they grow.
Good advice Becky. One point to be aware of is if you 2 tortoises and they both grow to be male, you will need to house them separately. They will fight and can damage each other. Good luck with your new torts.
what about if you had a large vivarium kept
open with a tortoise table or run attached, would that be considered acceptable?
Probably, as this would allow the tortoise to move between microclimates as they want to.
Itâs not the worst idea, but not the best either.
@@EyesHaveMiles420 bro do you not have a life you made over 6 or 7 comments on this video leave people alone your so hateful and opinionated in almost every comment you make go sit up in your tree and leave people alone
@@kamrenjones1641 I said absolutely nothing wrong. Iâm trying to help people with tortoise care. Go cry elsewhere.
Top soil. Thank youc
Good video well done.
I learned all of this stuff already, but thanks for posting. There are a lot of tortoise owners who need to watch this and many more videos. Some real idiots out there. It makes me mad.
I totally agree with you did alot of research on them before I got my Hermann tortoise got him 4 years ago he is the most loving pet follows me around the house and is one very happy tortoise always chilling by my feet đą
@@latineyes88 I have a Hermannâs too and I love him.
@@EyesHaveMiles420 I think ppl underestimate tortoises thinking that all they do is stay still they are very smart and very active.
@@latineyes88 Absolutely
thank god my tortoise lives outside
Quick question when is night time do you need to turn off the heat lamp and the uv lamp? Because I recently got a newborn tortoise
Yes you can switch off at night to allow your tortoise to sleep. Room temperature in your home shouldn't be dropping below 5c.
@@micksmusicchannel thanks!!
You want approximately 12 hours of light, and 12 hours of dark. Just make sure itâs not too cold in his enclosure.
make sure the top soil is not fertilised . . .
I love your vids â€đđ
Thank you so much, that means a lot đ
Could you feed a tortoise some weatbix with lettuce fore fibres
No, that would be an inappropriate diet for a tortoise. I have a diet video here which might give you some ideas but the best diet for a tortoise is fresh edible weeds, flowers and grasses: czcams.com/video/ANwwPyYdSL4/video.html
@@BeckysAnimals Agreed, no.
Tbh, although tortoises is one of the more expensive 'pets', compared to dogs and cats they're not that expensive.
But if you're looking in the long run, sure, yes
True, compared to buying a puppy at the moment, a tortoise would be quite cheap. They cost so much to set up appropriately though so cost is definitely a major consideration đ
I have 2 dogs and a tortoise and I can tell you dogs are more expensive than tortoise
@@latineyes88 I did say that dogs are more expensive than tortoises?
I have a Russia tortoise he was found on the side of the road in a box he look full grown but I'm not sure but it is a big responsibly my tortoise is free range
đ
So why pet stores put them in tanks đ
I rescued my Hermann tortoises
My sister is 11 and she's got a marginated tortoise and she's doing pretty good he's only 3
wonderful information but a bit outdated. Please do not house tortoise hatchlings (!) in tortoise tables or outside. Babies need relatively high humidity minimum ( 60-70%) even the mediterranean species. A vivarium or a glass/plastic enclosure is your best choice when you're getting a tortoise hatchling. Most of the time they are going to bask,eat and burrow themselves into the substrate and almost never use the cool side. Also they're grazing creatures so don't be afraid to provide more food for them. this information applies for babies, when they get bigger, you can move them to a tortoise table.
Nice videos
Thank you so much đ
Brill video
I am a tortoise
I'm learning the difference between a Mediterranean tortoise and a Russian tortoise. From my research Russian tortoises live longer than Mediterranean Hermann tortoise.
That must be interesting to look into. I believe that Mediterranean tortoises are all tortoises of the genus testudo, itâs a group including Hermannâs, Greek, Marginated, Egyptian and Russian. I believe Russians can have a longer lifespan than Hermannâs, itâs something Iâd like to look into more though đ
@@BeckysAnimals That's why I doing my research & I thank God for Google. It's a very helpful tool.
Absolutely!! I donât know what Iâd do without the internet haha đ
I own both species as well as others. Horsfields are great tortoises. They tend to have more outgoing personalities in general, but of course all tortoises are unique.đ
Unfortunately your comment on vivariums is incorrect, vivariums work in all circumstances for tortoises if set up correctly, humidity levels are so difficult to achieve in open top as humidity dissipates into the room that the enclosure is situated in, thus leaving the enclosure as humid as your room. Humid hides do help but again it's not easy. Different temps can be achieved in a large enough vivarium aswel as humidity (which is far easier in a viv), I see more issues with cold inactive tortoises in open top tables especially in the UK. The viv/table war will never end but to say that vivariums aren't suitable is just completely false. Many people argue that there's not enough air flow, modern vivs now have adequate venting, if this was the case, tortoises aswel as other reptiles would be dropping dead everywhere. Tables aren't always suitable for tortoises as some species of tortoise require higher levels of humidity or none fluctuating temperatures such as the Egyptian tortoise (definitely more difficult to thrive in captivity). Your comment sounded like you don't fully understand how humidity works. This can be confusing and damaging to those actually trying to give their tortoises better set ups.
Just a comment on diet too, it's completely species related, low protein, high fibre is correct for some species like Mediterranean, however some tortoises like redfoots do require some protein, there is also no need to soak your tortoise, newly hatched tortoises do benefit from soaking however the main source of hydration is what goes into tortoises, they drink and get most of their hydration through the food you supply, small pieces of cucumber help. Soaking tortoises often encourages them to defecate and purge themselves often releasing nutritional minerals early. The more they do this the more counter productive soaking becomes. Soaking only leaves your tortoise wet and, well....empty, some people do it so often they honestly believe their tortoises only poop when bathing, there you go.
It's difficult because you can find conflicting information on tortoise care everywhere. The information I give out is in line with the advice of charities such as The Tortoise Trust. I research topics, find what I believe is the most updated and reliable information at the time and put it into videos together with my personal experiences. I always encourage people to do their own research and make their own informed decision but this is what I recommend based on my research. Feel free to send me links to reputable sources so I can read up more about it as I am always learning and husbandry advice is always improving and changing.
I agree about the diet, different species require different diets and my experience is only with Mediterranean tortoises which perhaps I should have made more clear in the video.
The soaking advice was also in line with what charities such as TTT were advising for Mediterranean species, perhaps this also varies dependant on species?
@@BeckysAnimals apologies if my comment sounded rude and abrupt, I read it back to myself and think I still need to work on not being so opinionated. I completely understand what you're saying with conflicting information and I could gather links from various sites that also conflict with eachother, I think that's the worst thing about tortoise keeping, your advice is brilliant, I've seen a few videos now, I personally can not stand the tortoise trust or tortoise protection group as their advice on husbandry (as good as a lot of it is) is still rather outdated. Tables can work ofcourse but to outright say vivariums are no good is such an awful lie. We've come leaps and bounds with vivariums, material used, increasing ventilation etc, they work wonders as long as they're set up correctly, same as a table. I used to help run a Tortoise Keepers group and its currently one of the largest Facebook groups in the UK. It's crazy how many tortoises we see that aren't thriving in tables. People soaking and soaking and soaking their tortoises, people that cry about sand being used as substrates yet fail to see that hermanns tortoises especially the Eastern testudo boettgeri are often found in areas with huge ammounts of sand! But sand causes impaction apparently, online sites that have outdated info or poor info are rife and it's extremely difficult to help people when these sites and outdated info is being backed up by other people offering advice. Nothing beats experience, knowledge and understanding of not what to do for your tortoise but why. Why certain lights penetrate shells in different ways. Why certain soils are better than others. Why tortoises pyramid and the early signs of MBD. Try and Google the causes of MBD in tortoises and see the crazy ammouts of conflicting info lol, sorry to ramble on. I don't even know why I commented in the first place. The viv/table conflict will never end. Set it up correctly and all will be fine đ
Jonathan is dead now
Holy cow get on with point non stop rambling