Tortoise care. Whats changed?

[adelrose 10]

Do tortoises have to be kept in vivs today? why?

I remember ours living happily on the lawn with all the dandelions and leaves he could ever desire, as well as us feeding him more nutrients. He came in the house at night when we called him, and hibernated in his box under the stairs until spring.

Whats changed and why?

[adelrose 10]

:confused:no replies?

[maryjane 11]

no, only when very young, mine both live in the garden, they have the greenhouse with an entrance flap to come and go as they please during the day and also a couple of cloches dotted about the lawn with a slate inside which heats up, they follow the sun around! both head back to their houses at night, I bring them in at night during april may and september, apart from that they stay out in their insulated houses. have you still got yours?

[adelrose 10]

no he was murdered by someone!! I was 11 years old at the time and he, (Fred Whiskey) was 8 .

[fisch 10]

they now say to keep them in a viv with a heat bulb to stop them from hibernating as apparantly if they hibernate they may not wake back up, i have been wondering if this is a load of old tosh to get more money out of people as like u said when i was a kid many people had them as pets and they didnt have vivs for them, i have been thinking about getting a tortoise for a few years now as i always wanted one as a kid but the question is to care for it the old fashioned way or to get a viv, my sister in law has a had a tortoise for over 30 years now that lives in the garden and hibernates behind the fridge in winter

[cg2010 10]

i have a four year old tortoise . He lives in a viv at the moment with uv and heat lights but as he gets bigger there is no option but to transfer him outdoor, as hes growing sooo fast! they dont hibernate in the viv thats correct. apparently u should get them chippted after a lenth of 10mm (i think this is more to prove its yours in cases of theft-as tortioses r so exspensive these days), i have not had mine chippted yet as i dnt see need when it lives indoors.

[carpetviper 10]

Well tortoises are supposed to live for around 60-80 years plus and to be honest they were quite frankly abused when they were just left out in the garden and that's why many died.

 

We have now more understanding on how they should be kept and if someone doesn't wish to spend the extra to provide a comfy home then they really should think about about getting a different type of pet.

[wooler123 10]

Mine lived in the garden when I was a kid, he ran away though

 

Seriously so many died especially after their winter hibernation no matter how carefully you followed Blue Peters guidelines. I remember my dad getting the box with the tortoise in out in the early spring to be confronted with a skeleton! not nice.

[hockeybear 10]

Mine lived in the garden when I was a kid, he ran away though

 

Seriously so many died especially after their winter hibernation no matter how carefully you followed Blue Peters guidelines. I remember my dad getting the box with the tortoise in out in the early spring to be confronted with a skeleton! not nice.

 

many died through starvation because they were put in a box in a warm room and so they either didn't go into hibernation or they woke up early and there was no food

[carpetviper 10]

I keep tropical tortoises but I still constantly hear why spend £150 on a tortoise table when the back garden was good enough when they were little.

 

In the past they also used to drill the shell and paint their tortoises shells all of this as well as well as being left out in all weather caused many of the tortoises to have shortened lives.

 

There's a reason shops say you need a table and that's because to keep a happy tortoise they need warmth and uv lighting.

 

But there's nothing wrong in putting them out in warm weather as long as they are protected from predators.

[maryjane 11]

yes, agree with carpet viper, mine also have a uv lamp, but I only use it on days there isnt any sun. I also soak them regularly, make sure they have a balanced diet, and follow the tortoise trust guidelines for hibernating. they are 16 now, I used a viv for 2 years, but still put them outside on suitable days for short periods and then the table set for a few years, now as I said they are mainly outside from june to august, with the uv lamp back up when needed.

[ami_j 10]

i have a four year old tortoise . He lives in a viv at the moment with uv and heat lights but as he gets bigger there is no option but to transfer him outdoor, as hes growing sooo fast! they dont hibernate in the viv thats correct. apparently u should get them chippted after a lenth of 10mm (i think this is more to prove its yours in cases of theft-as tortioses r so exspensive these days), i have not had mine chippted yet as i dnt see need when it lives indoors.

 

if your tortoise is a hermann's this is CITES requirement

http://www.tortoisecentre.co.uk/Tortoise%20law.aspx