Advice from Eleanor Tirtasana-Chubb
Feeding variety
Pushing varied meals and offering fewer favourite choices is vital when weeds and flowers are scarce. Shops should be recommending the slow introduction of dried flowers and high-fibre pellets with safe, fresh feeds. Romaine, baby gem, lambs’ lettuce and rocket are the better lettuce options. Tip – green salad mix can work well for someone with a small collection to feed. Always avoid mixes including, spinach, cabbage and beetroot leaves as they are high in oxalates and will prevent the absorption of calcium and increase the risk of bladder stones.
Seed mixes
Keepers should begin sowing seeds for edible browse. The soil can be sowed with calcium powder or granules to help plants grow calcium rich. Forage should be grown in raised beds away from enclosures and cut and fed throughout the year.
Offering Reptoboost
Vetark’s widely celebrated Reptoboost can be used as a pick-me-up tonic to add to bath waters post hibernation. Reptoboost can help a tortoise resume normal behaviour post-hibernation. But, it is important to avoid prolonged use to prevent sugar overload.
Vitamin supplement
Increased use of a quality multivitamin including D3 is an absolute. Many keepers still use supplements too infrequently. Keepers should use smaller pots as the vitamins can degrade and lose potency quite quickly once opened. Reluctant supplement eaters can be fed vitamins sandwiched into a watery treat such as cucumber slices. Tortoises will take vitamins and healthy plant options if gradually mixed with regular feed items.
Outdoors or under a lamp
Combine the use of a basking lamp in bad weather with full days of natural sunshine from June to September. At the start of the year, time outdoors may be limited to just a few hours, but it will pave the way for a more acclimatised tortoise in summer.
Saving funds
Keepers should invest in a secure outdoor space for sunny days. It is the best way to meet the tortoise’s UVB needs and it will save on the electricity bill! For artificial lighting, try T5 UVB strips and white basking lamps. This offers better overall lighting for an enclosure and the low wattage when compared to a combi-lamp is something to consider with rising electricity prices.
Seasonal changes in lighting
Whatever the method of heating and lighting, sudden changes in temperature and day length should be avoided. Changes should be approached gradually, when possible, to prevent stress. An elderly tortoise who has never had a basking lamp may initially benefit from as little as 4 to 8 hours of basking time in spring.
Night temperatures
In the wild, the commonly-kept species of Mediterranean tortoises would likely experience night time temperatures below a comfortable “room temperature.” Keepers can be encouraged to economise by conditioning a tortoise gradually to have no supplementary heating overnight. This is obviously only appropriate if the ambient house temperature is not dropping below 15°C. If the temperature does drop below this point, Lower and the tortoise may accidentally slip into hibernation behaviour.
Bath time
A 10-to-20-minute soak in lukewarm water is a free way to help counteract the dehydration risks of artificial lighting. This also helps keep the liver and kidneys healthy. The warmth of the water will benefit the tortoise’s activity.
