how to look after a tortoise?

Question

what type of heat lamps and light lamps? what they eat?
what they live in?

Answer 1

Please have alook at the tortoise trust website. They have lots of useful information there. Keeping a tortoise properly is quite a complicated matter. The different species need different types of care.

Answer 2

Before you ask that, ask yourself "where is the nearest reptilian specialist?"

The care is the easy part, and differs among tortoises and aquatic turtles. Also, is your animal wild caught? Please return it to the wild immediately, so it can find a place for hibernation on time. Also, they may carry diseases or be a threatened species in your state and you may do more harm than good.

Is it store-bought? Hopefully it was not wild caught. The store will try to sell you canned diets that the animal will never eat. Did you get it through a reputable breeder? Then ask about the diet it was on. And hopefully you'll have it checked by a reptilian specialist in your area that will confirm the animal has no internat parasites or lessions on the shell that will develop into life-threatening infections.

Keep the calcium high to prevent pyramiding. Depending on the species you'll have to feed more vegetables than protein, but some species, depending on the age, need a good dose of protein as hatchlings. And nothing replaces natural sunlight, no matter what the bulb's box says.

Answer 3

whatever you do, do NOT feed it meat!!!! You must not feed naything high in protein, it is an old wives tale. My tortoise was found wandering and a specialist vet check showed he had at some time been fed on meat or peas, beans etc which caused too fast shell growth which makes in weak, it also causes severe kidney damage.
Join some tortoise forums online, and do a lot of research before even considering getting a tortoise. They are best left to people who know what they are doing.They are very high maintainance exotic pets.

Answer 4

first of all how old is the tortoise and where do u live? you do not need to keep heat lamps on them if u live in a warm climate. you can build an enclosure in your back yard for it, make sure he cant see through the fence or it will spend all its time trying to get out. at night when its cooler it will sleep, which they have to. heat lamps will just keep it moving. put a little shelter in the enclosure for it so its safe and feels secure. They will dig so put the sides down in the dirt. They eat a variety of foods, DO NOT FEED ICEBERG LETTUCE!! there is no nutrition in it, they love it and will eat themselves to death. Here is a list of good food, grate up what u can, they seem to like a tossed salad, so to speak. Romaine lettuce (a natural antibiotic) watercress, turnip greens, green beans, carrots, kale, cactus, spinach, green bell peppers, grape leaves, mustard greens, apple (no seeds) banana, black berries,blueberries, mango. They need water, so twice a week put them in about 2 inches of water and they will drink as much as they need. In Oct they will hibernate until April. keep them in a dry clean box in a safe place(closet for instance). if u have any more questions e mail me. There are poisonous foods NO AVOCADOS. NO SEEDS OF ANY KIND, POTATOES, RHUBARB, MUSHROOMS

Answer 5

It depends what breed you have got.
Many need to live it vivariums. A good size would be 4ft by 2ft by 2ft. For this size viv you will need a 2ft long heat mat to heat it. This shouldn't take up the whole floor as they need cool places to get away from the heat too. A ceramic heat bulb if you are going to use one of those fixed in a metal fixture with a grated cage for saftey. Some breeds also need a UVB bulb to about a 5% light, this minics natural unlight fo rthem and should be left on for a miminum of 6hrs a day, it also provides them a good source of vit D. As for temp it depends on what breed you have got, I think it is 70deg check it though as this is vital. Go to any reptile shop and they will sort you out. You need to provide plenty of fresh water in a low rim bowl so they can access it. This shouldn't be too deep as they can drown. A dish of veg should be provided. A good diet is dandelion leaves which provide calcium and vitamin C, carrots, cucumber for water, corgette, and plenty of green leaves. You can also by vit powder from good pet shops which you use to dust their food and provide all the essential vitamins and minerals they need. My knowledge is limited. I suggest you go out an buy a good reptile book as soon as possile and read up. Please lest your little one will not last long.

Answer 6

For Austsralian long necks , you need to put a split level in your tank . The same as you do with water lizards ,and Anphbians .
You can probably buy a tank ready to go , from a respectable Aquarium out let , and they will sell you every thing your turtle needs .

If not cut a piece of glass the width of the tank , and about a third the length , about three to four inches above the bottom of the tank , secure it firmly in place , with acidic based silicon ,Construction grade .

Cut another strip of glass about three inches wide ,and as long as the width of the tank .secure it to the edge of your split level at about 30dg to allow the tortoise to climb up on and half submurge himself , keeping his head out of the water and allowing him to rest .
You will need a Growlux flourescent light tube and hood . the Growlux provides three spectrums of light simulating sunlight , and allowing your tortoise to produce Vitamin D .
You will also need an infared light bulb suspended with in your tank, to give the turtle heat , to warm its blood to keep it active and well .
You will need to filtrate the water . I would suggest buying gravel mats , that sit at the bottom of the tank . air is pumped down through tubes from the air pump you will have to buy . This causes the water to circulate through the gravel , causing the gravel to act as an active filter . cut the tubes off so they sit at water level .
You will need to buy water conditioner to neutralise the flouride ,from the tap water . You will also need to buy Biozymes , which are active bacteria , that live in your gravel . It neutralises the waist , this comes in powder form .
You will need to buy aquatic plants , rock or timber , for the turtle to climb up on .
It will probably eat meal worms mostly , a bit of blood worm ,some live fish , and some eatable weed .
Good luck with yor tortoise
Check my blog out .
Kevin

Answer 7

some eat meat and some don't, live in rainforest's type place and and you should just get the purpler heat lamp

Answer 8

there like lettuce and tomatoes there also like there freedom to walk around a heat mat is best for them to lye on at night time .a heat lamp for the winter .to let it hibernate in.

Answer 9

Good grief..........you should have gotten all the info BEFORE you got home with the precious creature! If you are asking in anticipation of adopting one check the website below!

Answer 10

I had 3 box turtles and they loved alpo dog food in a can also lettuce and tomatoes and fruit. and worms but you should buy a book or something