Re: FOREST HINGEBACK - My New Tortoise

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Posted by Freight on March 05, 2002 at 21:43:33:

In Reply to: FOREST HINGEBACK - My New Tortoise posted by PATMAN on March 05, 2002 at 07:33:51:

Most important at first is a trip to the vet, and de-worming! I have 2 of these guys, and both were loaded with worms. One of them required 6 treatments with 2 medications to remedy tha gut infestation.

I have found that they don't really like alot of heat, mine stay in the low to mid 70's, and have a 75 watt black incandescent heat lamp over a large slate which is used only occasionally, as they seem comfortable at the moderate temps. I also use a 4 ft Reptisun flourescent for UVB a few times per week. The idea with the black bulb is that they don't like alot of light, and I have found that forest dwellers will more readily bask without being inflicted with the brightness.

They are shy, and they can be very picky about eating, but I find that mine actually like greens alot! Protein, fruit, and sweet veggies seen to work too, so try it all, as they all seem to have different preferences.

Moderate moisture seems to work well from spraying, as both of mine go back and forth from damp to dry. A good partial substrate that they seem to like is sphagnum moss, for a section that they can dig into.

I have both my tortoises in a 6ft x 4ft enclosure, and it seems to work well, because in the warmer months they migrate back and forth across the enclosure all the time, and they have plenty of places to hide, and multiple substrates/terraine.As far as a 35gal rubbermaid tub, its OK for a quick quarantine, but it will more than likely make for a miserable tort that will attempt escape frequently, and could end up listless and depressed. I use a 55gal tub for occasional quarantines and the full grown guys don't like it at all, but it could be a good sleeping place just for at night if they can walk around or be outside during the day.

Lastly, they like to be left alone, as they are quite shy, although I have read about a few feisty ones too!

Hope that helps!

Freight

: Hi Everyone,

: I recently purchased a forest hingeback on sale for $35 (was $45), it had been there for 2 months in lousy conditions.

: I plan to have it dewormed at the vet. I joined Tom Arbours Hingeback forum at Yahoo.com but would also like to hear from any expierenced hingeback owners here at Kingsnake on the proper care of these anmals.

: I have her in a 35 gallon rubbermaid tub, with a 75 watt red heat lamp, hide box, water dish, newspaper for substrate. I also have a small humidifier running in the tub for high humdity.

: If you keep hingebacks please let me know what you use for substrate and what type of diet you feed these very shy tortoises. Any information provided I would greatly appreciate. Thank you.

: Patrick

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Re: Thanks Freight and Ed more... PATMAN 03/06/02 (0)

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: Most important at first is a trip to the vet, and de-worming! I have 2 of these guys, and both were loaded with worms. One of them required 6 treatments with 2 medications to remedy tha gut infestation. : I have found that they don't really like alot of heat, mine stay in the low to mid 70's, and have a 75 watt black incandescent heat lamp over a large slate which is used only occasionally, as they seem comfortable at the moderate temps. I also use a 4 ft Reptisun flourescent for UVB a few times per week. The idea with the black bulb is that they don't like alot of light, and I have found that forest dwellers will more readily bask without being inflicted with the brightness. : They are shy, and they can be very picky about eating, but I find that mine actually like greens alot! Protein, fruit, and sweet veggies seen to work too, so try it all, as they all seem to have different preferences. : Moderate moisture seems to work well from spraying, as both of mine go back and forth from damp to dry. A good partial substrate that they seem to like is sphagnum moss, for a section that they can dig into. : I have both my tortoises in a 6ft x 4ft enclosure, and it seems to work well, because in the warmer months they migrate back and forth across the enclosure all the time, and they have plenty of places to hide, and multiple substrates/terraine.As far as a 35gal rubbermaid tub, its OK for a quick quarantine, but it will more than likely make for a miserable tort that will attempt escape frequently, and could end up listless and depressed. I use a 55gal tub for occasional quarantines and the full grown guys don't like it at all, but it could be a good sleeping place just for at night if they can walk around or be outside during the day. : Lastly, they like to be left alone, as they are quite shy, although I have read about a few feisty ones too! : Hope that helps! : Freight : : : Hi Everyone, : : I recently purchased a forest hingeback on sale for $35 (was $45), it had been there for 2 months in lousy conditions. : : I plan to have it dewormed at the vet. I joined Tom Arbours Hingeback forum at Yahoo.com but would also like to hear from any expierenced hingeback owners here at Kingsnake on the proper care of these anmals. : : I have her in a 35 gallon rubbermaid tub, with a 75 watt red heat lamp, hide box, water dish, newspaper for substrate. I also have a small humidifier running in the tub for high humdity. : : If you keep hingebacks please let me know what you use for substrate and what type of diet you feed these very shy tortoises. Any information provided I would greatly appreciate. Thank you. : : Patrick

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