Re: Hingeback Tortoise- new general information needed

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Posted by emligon on February 06, 1999 at 17:34:24:

In Reply to: Hingeback Tortoise- new general information needed posted by Courtney on August 21, 1998 at 12:02:31:

I have a male hingeback (exact type unknown) - all I know is that he's African. He (his name is Bolivar) is about 6 in. long with an sandy brown shell that has light yellow stripes in it. He also has some green markings. He is very shy & has to be propped in front of his food & placed in the water dish; otherwise, he won't eat or drink. It took me almost a year to wean him from being hand-fed & hand-watered in the sink. He spends most of the time in his hide box, but will venture out if I take him out & sit in the enclosure with him. There are 2 leopards, a Southern box, an orante box & an eastern box turtle in the enclosure, but he doesn't want to socialize with them. He will not eat in the vicinity of the others. He does like to be held on occasion - he must be fully supported or he will panic & sometimes makes little grunting noises when I hold him. He will not go to the bathroom unless I place him in lukewarm & it must be lukewarm water & do not stare at him or watch him very closely. If you put the bathroom water in a semi-hidden area he will go much faster. He does not like bright light & prefers to sit on a heating pad. Outdoors, he immediately runs for cover - will not pause to bask. No major health problems (I've had Bolivar for almost 3 years now) he goes to the vet once a year for a checkup. He did have a cold the first year that was treated with antibiotics. I put a drop of cod liver oil in his food every 2 weeks & vitamins in the water. He can smell the powdered vitamins on food & will refuse to eat unless I mash a boiled yam into his food. He eats greens (collard & kale) red lettuce, green beans, yams, potatoes, bananas, peas & corn. Carrots if they're shaved or chopped. Does not like meat of any kind in any shape or form. He loves fruit like mangoes, peaches, strawberries & will even eat a piece of whole wheat bread on occasion. He has not grown much since I got him - he weighs about 3lbs. Does he need another hingeback for companionship? Should he be separated from the others? Is he a healthy size?

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: : I have a male hingeback (exact type unknown) - all I know is that he's African. He (his name is Bolivar) is about 6 in. long with an sandy brown shell that has light yellow stripes in it. He also has some green markings. He is very shy & has to be propped in front of his food & placed in the water dish; otherwise, he won't eat or drink. It took me almost a year to wean him from being hand-fed & hand-watered in the sink. He spends most of the time in his hide box, but will venture out if I take him out & sit in the enclosure with him. There are 2 leopards, a Southern box, an orante box & an eastern box turtle in the enclosure, but he doesn't want to socialize with them. He will not eat in the vicinity of the others. He does like to be held on occasion - he must be fully supported or he will panic & sometimes makes little grunting noises when I hold him. He will not go to the bathroom unless I place him in lukewarm & it must be lukewarm water & do not stare at him or watch him very closely. If you put the bathroom water in a semi-hidden area he will go much faster. He does not like bright light & prefers to sit on a heating pad. Outdoors, he immediately runs for cover - will not pause to bask. No major health problems (I've had Bolivar for almost 3 years now) he goes to the vet once a year for a checkup. He did have a cold the first year that was treated with antibiotics. I put a drop of cod liver oil in his food every 2 weeks & vitamins in the water. He can smell the powdered vitamins on food & will refuse to eat unless I mash a boiled yam into his food. He eats greens (collard & kale) red lettuce, green beans, yams, potatoes, bananas, peas & corn. Carrots if they're shaved or chopped. Does not like meat of any kind in any shape or form. He loves fruit like mangoes, peaches, strawberries & will even eat a piece of whole wheat bread on occasion. He has not grown much since I got him - he weighs about 3lbs. Does he need another hingeback for companionship? Should he be separated from the others? Is he a healthy size?

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