# i have always wanted one!



## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

ive always wanted a tortoise but at the moment do not have the money or time for one. have any of you got any good experiences with them?


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## shaz179 (May 14, 2010)

there great little pets. More interesting than people think. You do need to know what ur doing with them thou. How to care for them and food to give them. The wrong housing or wrong food can cause them a number of problems. Growth rate, bad shells, and all sorts of health problems


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

yer ive been doing a lot of reading up on them, they seem so cool! but so expensive ha


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## shaz179 (May 14, 2010)

Once you have them the only cost then is the lightening bill. Food u can grow yourself. They eat weeds so that one less thing to pay for. 
Do need money put to one side thou incase you need a vet, but then thats the same with any pet.


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

mine drive me nuts .


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

We have a tortoise in the family. My Grandparents have had Pepi for the last 45 years. He's an heirloom and will be passed down to my Mum and then down to me and then probably down to my children. He's lovely. He loves me as I always used to feed him yummy stuff like spagetti hoops and sausages ha ha. He'll eat off a spoon too.

We don't hibernate him anymore, we haven't for a good few years now as for the last couple of years that we hibernated him he woke up jaundiced and on the brink of death. So the vet said just don't bother hibernating him so he just stays indoors in cold weather. 

He's a clever little thing though as if he doesn't know you're around he'll eat by himself no problem but if he sees you he'll pretend he cant eat by himself so you'll feed him ha ha.

He's a hardcore oldskool tortoise as he doesn't need a tank or heat lamps or anything though he does love to lie on the fire hearth when its on. I dont think you can get them like him anymore. He's actually still eating atm even though it's October!!

If someone can tell me how to put photo's on here I'll post a pic of him. He's 50+ years old!


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

use the manage attachments bit at the bottom of the page when you write a post . you can add an image thats downloaded onto your computer.


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

This is Pepi (aka The Fossil)! He's 50+ years old.


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> This is Pepi (aka The Fossil)! He's 50+ years old.


aww bless hes beautifull!


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

Thank you! We love him to bits!! He's a big boy. Weighs around 5pounds!


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

cool mine are only 300+ grams im really struggling with them at the moment because they keep losing weight.


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## lovedeternally (Oct 7, 2011)

Beautiful picture of Pepi!

I love my tortoise Ovid very much - I think they make ideal pets because they don't need constant attention and once the start up costs (ie buying the tort, housing, lighting and accessories like a digital thermometer) have been paid out they are very cheap to keep!


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## lovedeternally (Oct 7, 2011)

natty01 said:


> cool mine are only 300+ grams im really struggling with them at the moment because they keep losing weight.


Are they eating well Natty or has their appetite dropped?


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

lovedeternally said:


> Are they eating well Natty or has their appetite dropped?


no they are hardly eating thats the trouble . one did do a tiny poop today so thats a better sign and i think some food got eaten today but its hard to tell since when it dries up it looks less and they always walk over it .


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## lovedeternally (Oct 7, 2011)

A trick that I have used is to squeeze a little cucumber juice over their food, they seem to love the smell and taste and also maybe rip the food into tiny bite sized pieces for them. Keep the temps up and the lighting good and hopefully this should help them start snacking again!


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

awww he is so cute! i think it just would not be the right pet for me at the moment but in the future maybe. i love the idea of it being passed down the family coz it makes sure he will be cared for


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## shaz179 (May 14, 2010)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> This is Pepi (aka The Fossil)! He's 50+ years old.


Must be doing something right with him, his shell looks nice and smooth :thumbup:


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## lovedeternally (Oct 7, 2011)

MerImmure said:


> Hello. And Bye. cnmwnicmxricmx,er mrfpwrermcegm ericmercmeecec


I don't know if I agree or not, but I admire your pluck for saying it


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

natty01 said:


> cool mine are only 300+ grams im really struggling with them at the moment because they keep losing weight.


Sorry I've only just seen your post. You could take them to the vet as they can tube feed them and give them vitamin injections. We've done that with pepi a few with pepi after coming out of hibernation. That's why we stopped hibernating him.

How are they doing now?


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

lovedeternally said:


> Beautiful picture of Pepi!
> 
> I love my tortoise Ovid very much - I think they make ideal pets because they don't need constant attention and once the start up costs (ie buying the tort, housing, lighting and accessories like a digital thermometer) have been paid out they are very cheap to keep!


Ours never had a tank or lights. He was shipped over from Greece and my grandparents bought him in a pet shop for 5 shillings. He's old skool! But you are right they are so cheap to keep!


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

jimbo_28_02 said:


> awww he is so cute! i think it just would not be the right pet for me at the moment but in the future maybe. i love the idea of it being passed down the family coz it makes sure he will be cared for


He he yeah! He's the family heirloom! My inheredence!! Ha ha xxx


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

WelshYorkieLover said:


> Sorry I've only just seen your post. You could take them to the vet as they can tube feed them and give them vitamin injections. We've done that with pepi a few with pepi after coming out of hibernation. That's why we stopped hibernating him.
> 
> How are they doing now?


ive just weighed them , looking back at a previous post i think i put 300g i think i meant 300mm lol

21/aug /11 matilda 104g miranda 132g
11/dec/11 matilda 152g miranda 169g

so i think at the moment we are heading back in the right direction touchwood it stays that way its been a stressfull few months .


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

They can be difficult to get eating but sounds like things are going well. Have you tried placing them in a bowl of warm water? It can be refreshing! It's done pepi the world of good sometimes xx


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## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

yeah i give them a dip every day .


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