Soon to be owner, looking for advice

[msasa19]

Hello, im new to this forum but have used forums in the past as find them very informative and i always get the best advice.
A friend of mine has a Horsefield Tortoise, which is about 4 years old, unsure if its male or female but it called George.
She asked if i would like him as hes in the spare room and as much as they like him he doesnt get the attention he needs.
i had a quick google to ensure he would be suitable for me and im sure that he is.
his tortoise table is a VIVEXOTIC VIVA TORTOISE TABLE, with just the one lamp, which i think is just a heat lamp.
hes been fed on fresh veg.
basically i just need some advice as to whether what he has currently is suitable and what else i need to get. i know it can become an expensive hobby but im willing to spend money.
please, any advice would be greatly appreciated, im picking him up tomorrow.

[JerryMaffz]

Hello, The best thing you can do is to post a picture of the set-up when you have it, so the good people of this forum can advise you.
You have done the right thing by asking for advice early, this will help your tortoise and save you money, because you won't have to buy things twice.
I don't keep Horsfields so will just give you some basic info that others will add to.
The Tortoise Table you describe isn't too bad, but you will need an outdoor enclosure for the summer. The lamp may be a combined heat/UV lamp, the height of this should be set so that it gives a thermometer reading of 30-32 degrees at tortoise level. Locate it towards one end of the table so you have a warm basking area and also a cooler area (ie temperature gradient).
Horsfields love to dig, so the substrate (I use Topsoil and Play sand at a 70%-30% ratio) should be quite deep.....but also bear in mind that Horsfields are also good climbers so leave the sides high enough to prevent escape.
With regards to diet, fresh weeds are best. There is a website called the Tortoise Table which will help you identify what they can and can't eat..As a winter stop-gap, some keepers feed Florette Crispy Salad which you can get at the supermarket..It must be the "Crispy" version though. This isn't an ideal continual diet, but it doesn't contain anything that is bad for your tortoise.

Welcome to the forum.

[msasa19]

i have 2x thermometers on order, one for inside the table and one for the room George is in. also looking for a second hand rabbit run for summer time.
Also plan to check the bulb when it goes off tonight, should it say on it somewhere? i would buy the 2 in 1 lamp, where online could i get this? if i needed to.
George is currently on sawdust, ive ordered some playsand to pick up tomorrow and will go to the garden centre for top soil.
is there a dry food i could feed him as at the minute im going to struggle to find weeds, ive put some cabbage and kale in for now.
george has no 'Decoration' in his house so im going to buy some slate, rocks and places to hide tomorrow.
Also, George is not hibernating, and never has, former owner was told he was too young to hibernate, and after my research the last few days ive discovered that is not true.
George looks quite big, so i plan on adding the extension to his table soon.

[burnt toast]

Hello welcome. How exciting! You will need 5 posts & then there will be no delay in your posts appearing. You can also add pictures, which will help greatly.
So maybe make some comments on pictures etc to get past 5!

There is a how to post photos thread in the top of "pictures" section.

[Jan W]

Hello and welcome!

Ensure water available at all times for drinking to maintain hydration and warm baths.

Do you need more detail on this?

[Suze65]

Hello and welcome, very exciting for you to be getting a tortoise. I agree with Keith,very good advice, you must need a basic tortoise table, with deep top soil as he said, coz Horsfields like to dig, day time temps under the basking spot need to be 30/32c and back ground temp 20/22c. In the winter ( if your over wintering him) just make sure night time temps don't drop to low, about 17c, but this can vary depending on the individual tort, if it gets too low at night , you will know, because he will get up late, and become less active.
It does sound like you might have a combination bulb, if it's not, and it only heat, then you will need to get a uv strip bulb. Always provide a water dish, and a hide.
Please ask away.

[CherryBrandy]

Welcome, both you and George, my only observation is that sand can irritate the old eyes. Horsfields are quite unique in that they will burrow right down and under anything and everything - including rabbit runs if not pinned down and sometimes they may forget to close their eyes when burrowing deep or open them on the way out...either way the fine granuals can get in and will likely cause infection or scratch the eyeball ....and cause infection. or they rub with their legs and same happens. Other tortoises are not so susceptible. If you are going to use sand maybe use in the middle where he is unlikely to burrow. Rabbit pens...as long as adequate space (secure two together for more room and he will have fun climbing out of one into the other through a tunnel) and lots of interest . pots and plants to climb over, under round...! good luck. he is a lovely little thing CB

[sandy]

Originally Posted by msasa19

i have 2x thermometers on order, one for inside the table and one for the room George is in. also looking for a second hand rabbit run for summer time.
Also plan to check the bulb when it goes off tonight, should it say on it somewhere? i would buy the 2 in 1 lamp, where online could i get this? if i needed to.
George is currently on sawdust, ive ordered some playsand to pick up tomorrow and will go to the garden centre for top soil.
is there a dry food i could feed him as at the minute im going to struggle to find weeds, ive put some cabbage and kale in for now.
george has no 'Decoration' in his house so im going to buy some slate, rocks and places to hide tomorrow.
Also, George is not hibernating, and never has, former owner was told he was too young to hibernate, and after my research the last few days ive discovered that is not true.
George looks quite big, so i plan on adding the extension to his table soon.

Just a word about rabbit runs for tortoises.
You will have to put an edge around the bottom, so the tortoise cant see through the wire. If they can see the other side, they can stress as thats where they want to be:0)

[Poppy470]

Hi there, I'm in the same boat ...I've just taken on two torts and am trying to decide which bulb to buy, I think I'm going to get a heat and flood light in one, but then I'm not sure if you need to also have a separate uv light? Who knew it would be so complicated ....?.

[CherryBrandy]

hi poppy, I think people may have helped on your other threads. Just check one has UV A & B on one and the other is heat source if you don't get an Arcadia D3 which is both - make sure it suits your Tortoises species though as in size - too big - too hot unless yo have plenty of height and airy space, CB