Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Getting a new baby "Marginated Tortoise" tomorrow

Wanted to know what peoples thoughts are on how often to feed him/her and how long to have the tank lights on for every day ?

Think I may call him/her "Shelly"

Sara x x

Shelly is a cute name...I like that. Sorry...I have no clue how to take care of that kind of tortoise. I'm assuming you have your heat and UV lamp on like the others for 10 to 12 hours a day. I have a basking area of 90 to 95 degrees and a cool side in the 70s. I just turn mine on when I get up and turn them off when it is time to go to bed. I have Hermann tortoises....I feed them mixed lettuce from the grocery store plus grass, clover, rose leaves and petals, blackberry leaves, dandelion, grape leaves, carrots, cucumbers, prickly pear cactus, some fruits. There is some good sites online that tell you what kind of weeds and plants they can have. I hear you need to feed them a good variety of things so I mix lots of different stuff up occationally. And don't forget to lightly dust the food with Calcium and a vitamin (reptivite) everyday. Oh...and soaking them everyday for about ten minutes in shallow warm water. That keeps them hydrated and healthy. Just make sure you dry there shell good so they don't get shell rot. Good luck!!!
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Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
4 Finches
1 Betta

Thanks so much

I've got my "Shelly" he/she just arrived

Sara xx

Shelly,Twiglet,Rhubarb & Custard

I have a yearling marginated, but I've only had him for about a month now (I also have a yearling Hermann's). Their care is essentially the same as for a Hermann's, although they do get quite a bit bigger. You can feed daily, but try to give as much variety as you can, and the more weeds/flowers in their diet, the better (dandelion, sow thistle, mallow, plantain, mulberry & grape leaves, hibiscus flowers, etc.). I keep my lights on 12 hours per day (on a timer), from about 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. He's outside part of the day now, and will be out all day by the beginning of May until at least the end of September.

One thing you should know is that they need a lot of space. Mine is incredibly active and marches all over his enclosure for several hours a day. Right now he has 3' x 2' of space indoors, but I'm working on doubling or tripling that, because he needs the room. Eventually I'm planning to have an outdoor tortoise house/shed so that he can be outside all year round, but still have a heated indoor area.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
0.0.1 Marginated Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

Thanks so much

Just got him/her ohhh I'm so excited