What do I have to buy for a baby TORTOISE?

Question

I am getting a TORTOISE for 150$? is that to much i'm not sure what breed. it looks a little like a Russian Tortoise? and Red Foot Tortoise? its a baby like maybe 2 or 2 1/2 in. and i need a list of things i need to keep him healthy! any recommendations if i should get a different breed? any warnings? or things to look for??? what size tank???? what do they mostly eat? help!

Answer 1

16 years ago, I got a baby African Leopard Tortoise that was only 1 month hatched. She was about 1 1/2" long at the time. I put her in an aquarium that was about 1 ft by 3 ft and it doesn't matter how high it is. Keep in mind - this was big for her but it gave her growing room. Then you need to get the proper lighting for a heat source. This needs to have the proper uv rays in it. also, I used to put rabbit pellets on the bottom of the tank as ground covering. It worked out well for the first couple of years. I would be able to spot clean messes that way. I did read recently, however, that it is not recommended to use rabbit pellets, but I don't know why. So check into it first. You will need something that your tortoise can crawl under to get away from the lighting. They need to be able to cool off when necessary. You need calcium and vitamin d supplement powder. Get a cuttlebone too, you know the kind that they use for parrots. They need this to keep their beak small - otherwise it can grow out and they may have a problem eating. If I were you, I would put tortoise in google. Start checking into the websites that come up. go to www.tortoise.org you may find good information there, or at least some other resources to check out. email me if you want too, because I may be able to hook you up with a lot more information.
Take care!

By the way, that African Leopard Tortoise I got 16 years ago....she is 36.6 lbs and absolutely huge now and lives in my back yard!!!

Answer 2

$150 for a baby is actually a good price, belive it or not. Being a baby means its more than likely captive bred and born. Thats a VERY good thing. It means less stress for the animal and more joy for you.

First, do not get an aquarium! They are bad. I suggest building a box that is 4x2 feet. It may seem like a lot now, but the baby will love it as they love exploring. Have the bottom be plywood and put four sides on it. Waterproof it with silicone and coat it in polyurethane, let it dry for at least 48hrs. This is what i have my two russian females in. You can also buy a custom cage from someone, just dont use a glass cage because the baby will hurt his nose trying to get thru the glass.
For a baby, I dont know what you would use as bedding. I have mine on crushed walnut shells, and that works fine but I would be worried about baby eating them... Maybe try a sand/gardenloam mix? Thats the most common.

After you get that all done and you have the bedding in, its time to make a sleep box. You can buy a box, or you can build one for him. Either way, make sure its a place he will feel secure. You will also need a box(usually a tote or tupperware) that will have some green moss in it that is slightly damp for a humidity place. They need to be able to dig into their hide box, so pile it with the substrate you chose.

Get a dome fixture with a reptile light for basking. Also, get a UV light. This not only makes them more active, it allows them to absorb the calcium in their diets so they do not get metabolic bone disease. If you dont get a uv light, chances are your tort will die a long death.

When you choose a baby, make sure its bright, alert, and happy-looking. Its skin shouldnt look unusually pale and its eyes should be clear not puffy. Puffy eyes could be a lack of Vitamin A and paleness can be dehydration.

When you feed your tortoise, feed it timothy hay(let him eat this as he wants, so put some in his cage like you would put in the bedding). Also, feed it dry grasses, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, very little of spinach, carrots, and fruit. Make sure food it bite size. This will help digestion.

Good luck with the baby! And give him as much room as possible!

Answer 3

First you should find out what kind of tortoise it is. Different tortoises have different needs. Red footed tortoises have dark shells with yellow spots and red spots on there feet. Russian tortoises are mostly beige.After you figure that out you need a tank, I would say nothing smaller than a 30 gallon tank for the first year. You need a UVA/UVB light that is sufficiant for the tortoise your getting. It all depends on where they are from. Tropical desert etc. Then you need substrate, any kind of wood chips from the reptile section are fine, you should have enough for about a 2 inch layer in your tank. Thermometer, 2 shallow dishes, one for food and 1 big enough for him to get in for water. some sort of cave or something for him to hide in, undertank heater. I think thats about it. Mostly find out what type of tortoise you are getting and do some research. You want to make his home as close to what its natural habitat is.

Answer 4

You seriously need to find out what species it is since care for different species varies greatly. My favorite site is www.chelonia.org they have great care sheets and a species gallery to help you find out what species it is. Russian would be a better choice than Red foots as they stay much smaller.
Heres some links for Russians and Red Foots.
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/russiantortoises.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/redfootcare.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/geochelone_gallery.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/testudo_gallery.htm

Answer 5

Sorry i won't be able to help myself in spite of the incontrovertible fact that what's up with the double question mark? just to be sensible i will attempt to respond to your question; i think you could desire to get a newborn tortoise provided that they are easier to cope with.

Answer 6

i've never had more than a tank full of fish myself but here are a few websites
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/Downloads/Babytort.pdf
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/pets-and-animals/tortoise/241201/

and a video!
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-care-for-baby-tortoises

Answer 7

First find out what kind it is then look it up on the internet.