hey i just got back from taking my tort to the vet as advised by you guys and he's a poorly lil boy, he should be twice the size that he is and has very dry skin, he is also being tested for worms. I have only had him three months and the vet said he must have been poorly when i was sold him! so i am now totally against buying from pet shops!! he needs to get more UV i have a tube lamp but have been advised to get a combined UV/Basking light too, are they available in the Powersun range???

Thanks
Katie xxxx

Awww poor little thing... lesson learned the hard way I have a combined UV/heat lamp and it is made by powersun. They sell them at reptilekeeping.com - Home in their online shop. Hope this helps and best wishes for stan!

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1.0.0 Bengal Cat (Leon) - nut case
0.1.0 Siamese Cat (Sasha)
0.0.2 Marginated Tortoises (Chunk & Bean)

I am sorry to hear that Stan is so poorly. Hopefully he can pull through this.

Have a look at this link re: combined uv/uvb bulb:

Kimbos Reptile World

Sadly, this is why Phoebe and I get so passionate about buying from petshops and desperately try and tell people to purchase only from a UK breeder.

Keep us updated on his progress and keep your chin up!

Tamie

*****

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1.0.0 Bengal Cat (Leon) - nut case
0.1.0 Siamese Cat (Sasha)
0.0.2 Marginated Tortoises (Chunk & Bean)

Thanks for your replies i live near the people at reptilekeeping.com and went there to get him a new bulb, i have been advised to keep the bedding moist because of his dry skin and varie his diet, i have been advised to feed carrot and parsnip cabbage ect. what are your views of feeding this?? He is still sleepy and under his new lamp sound asleep ive also been told not to hibernate him this winter, is there anything i have to change in the winter ie. temp food??

Katie xxx

Did you go to a specialist vet? i cant see one reccomending veg

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KERRY
0.0.6 Hermanns Tortoises
0.1.0 Hamster
1.0.0 Dalmatian puppy!

Was it a specialist rep vet? if so it seems bizarre to me that he's suggested cabage and carrot. what this little guy needs is frequent baths, i'd say twice a day, weeds and dusting those with limestone, nutrobal. to help perk him up a bit.. I can't think why he'd suggest cabage n carrot :S phoebe tams any ideas as that one's new to me :S

erm as for changin temps this winter.if u can't hibernate him due to his health i'd keep his temps etc the same, if it goes cooler theres a chance he could start to wind down for hibernation, which if he isn't in the best of health could be dangerous.

see normally if people weren't going to hibernate over winter i'd suggest feeding less, as in the wild they only eat three months ayear (well in horsfields case), so that they don't grow to quickly and end up with shell deformities.but if he's underweight i'm not sure.. my instinct is telling me to keep feeding him the same u would normally (leafy jacket that would cover his shell). Phoebe n tams would be much better at helping here though, as that last bit is purely guess work so i could be horribly wrong.

Katie

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Aww Katie, Im so sorry, fingers crossed he pulls through

This is why I get so mad with dealers and pet shops The suffering of these poor animals and the heartache to the owner is cruel.

Ok, firstly, I wouldnt keep his bedding moist, this will encourage shell rot and that's the last thing you need.
Secondly, please don't feed him anything you were advised, these foods are totally inappopriate for tortoises, if humans eat them for lunch, torts don't, good rule of thumb. Stick to weeds such as dandelion, plantain, clover, vetch.... try tempting him with flowers too, dandie flowers, lavatera, honeysuckle, campanula, nasturtiums.

Make sure you bath him at least once a day, hydration is very important when they aren't eating and sleeping under a lamp.....gently move him away from the lamp when he's asleep.

When do you get the faecal results?

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Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

Got here before me Phoebe!

I am stunned at the foods you were told to feed the tortoise!

Tamie

Hey stan has started to perk up a bit now he has been outside loads and festing on the weeds have decided not to feed the carrot and parsnips ect, and stick to the weeds he is having a bath everyday which he loves. I havent had the results of the worms test yet, do u think i should ring the vets to find out? It wasnt a specialist vet i saw but she did ring a specialist for advice.

Katie xxx