A new lodger moving in

I was chatting to a lady the other night in my taxi, she bought a tortoise over 9 years ago when it was a hatchling. I told her I was a member of a tortoise forum and asked her if she was, she replied she was not but I was telling her Ive been studying alot and my intentions are to build an enclsure and adopt one from the tortoise trust next year, she then asked me if I would like to take her tortoise on, I love these creatures they are my favourite animal and I had one for many years when I was a child and said I would love to have another and yes I would take hers on when I get everything sorted out at home but not rushing into it as I want everything right first time round. I joined the tortoise trust about 5 months ago now and been doing lots of research. building a tortoise enclosre was all part of the plan for next year,but it now looks like Im gonna have to sort something out sooner rather than later lol, the lady although loves this little creature has had problems bringing him up and as a result his shell is deformed bless him, he has been eating cat food which is not a very good idea at all.

I went to see him this week for the first time and she confirmed he was a Herman but he is infact a spur thighed Iberia lol, and I also think He is a SHE lol

Meet George with the deformed shell bless. Born between the 07/07/03 - 31/07/03 I think its a female but waiting for expert advice on it.








I havent got him home yet as nothing is sorted but the lady told me there is no hurry.

Aw it (he/she) is lovely. Are they difficult to look after?

I had one for years along time ago, about 35 years ago and had no problems until a family at the bottom of the street said they were going to hibernate theres and asked if we wanted to hibernate ours with theres, I had always kept mine awake and in the house over the winters, we fed them up and then placed them in the boxes and they died, I now know it was the feeding them up that killed them, the food rots in the gut and kills them, you have to empty there stomachs, starve them, it wont happen this time though as Ive got the knowledge this time round.

Keeping them is all different now but generally they need to be warmed up in the mornings so they can get moving and eat, they also need calcium powder which you sprinkle on there food and they need UV-B which many use lights for but new eveidence is coming out that its not that great for them, you get enough UV-B naturally from out doors. There is obviously diet as well but this mostly consists of the proper weeds. If anyone has any interest in these creatures I recommend lots of reading forst and a great source of info is the tortoise trust, a brilliant forum, too many torts end up with the wrong care.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And here is the forum [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Also watch which type of tort you buy, the med types are the easiest to keep, anyone living in Tenerife has a great head start because of the climate. Anyone needing any help or info can contact me Ive done lots of reseach but the best source is defo the forum. Andy the owner does amazing reseach and has studied on different parts of the world with all sorts of species, he now lives in Spain and gaves us regular photos of wild torts and there habitat.

We had a tortoise when I was little. I never knew of all the special care for them. You love your hobbies Daryn

Yes your right there lol. My wife hates them though hehehe. She said she dont want it walking round her feet when she is hanging the washing out hahahaha

had to laugh at that comment Daryn,

She said she don't want it walking round her feet when she is hanging the washing out

I think its a ploy to get me to hangout the washing lol

Hey Daryn, bit off tropical, oh no thats a beer then, not very good either. Anyway, your avatar, is that Sid from Viz? Good publication. Is it still going? This forum used to be like that, but sadly losing its way a bit. Dinosaurforum.com. Its the future, as Reg used to say........

Perfectspecimen wrote:Hey Daryn, bit off tropical, oh no thats a beer then, not very good either. Anyway, your avatar, is that Sid from Viz? Good publication. Is it still going? This forum used to be like that, but sadly losing its way a bit. Dinosaurforum.com. Its the future, as Reg used to say........

Thats who it is!!! I've been trying to remember for ages, thanks Vince

It was on the tele the other day, recognised it as one of ours. Geordies I believe.

Daryn wrote:I had one for years along time ago, about 35 years ago and had no problems until a family at the bottom of the street said they were going to hibernate theres and asked if we wanted to hibernate ours with theres, I had always kept mine awake and in the house over the winters, we fed them up and then placed them in the boxes and they died, I now know it was the feeding them up that killed them, the food rots in the gut and kills them, you have to empty there stomachs, starve them, it wont happen this time though as Ive got the knowledge this time round.

Keeping them is all different now but generally they need to be warmed up in the mornings so they can get moving and eat, they also need calcium powder which you sprinkle on there food and they need UV-B which many use lights for but new eveidence is coming out that its not that great for them, you get enough UV-B naturally from out doors. There is obviously diet as well but this mostly consists of the proper weeds. If anyone has any interest in these creatures I recommend lots of reading forst and a great source of info is the tortoise trust, a brilliant forum, too many torts end up with the wrong care.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And here is the forum [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Also watch which type of tort you buy, the med types are the easiest to keep, anyone living in Tenerife has a great head start because of the climate. Anyone needing any help or info can contact me Ive done lots of reseach but the best source is defo the forum. Andy the owner does amazing reseach and has studied on different parts of the world with all sorts of species, he now lives in Spain and gaves us regular photos of wild torts and there habitat.

They should have put you in charge of Lonesome George, Daryn!

It most certainly is lol.

3rdforum wrote:

They should have put you in charge of Lonesome George, Daryn!

Crikey would have nowhere to put him lol

Daryn wrote:It most certainly is lol.

Now I know why I never scored hehehe