After spending the last four days researching and reading everything online that I can get my hands on, he (or she) is now settling in. He has a tort table 1.5ft by 3.5 ft, Arcadia D3 lamp, basking lamp at 32*c, sterilised top soil, play sand 50/50 substrate, different types of tort safe weeds each day, water dish with pebbles in it changed daily and plenty of rocks, pebbles and slate to explore. The cooler shelter end is 20*c. F10 to clean everything also. He is bathed daily in warm water for 10-15 minutes and he is 5cm and 30g. Work on the outdoor enclosure is underway.

So, to the story, an uncle of mine is a reptile enthusiast, two bedrooms of his house are reptile rooms, I avoid entering them as I find it distressing, I am no reptile expert but the conditions often seem sub standard. Him being a close relative, I have been able to mention this but it is met with the 'know it all attitude" and my concerns are ignored.

Anyhow, I have wanted a tortoise since I was a child but had simply never quite got around to buying one. I had a small scale breeder friend where I used to live down south but at the time I used to travel abroad a lot with work so never had the time to care for a pet.

So, my uncle went to Hamm, as he always does, and for my 30th birthday he brought me the tortoise back, with a kind heart and good intentions.

I personally would have never ever bought a tortoise from anywhere other than a UK breeder that I had formed a relationship with beforehand, I am in no way judging anyone who doesn't but I just feel uncomfortable with places like Hamm.

Aside from the stress implications of such a huge amount of travel for a baby, am I to expect a lot of health issues?

He seems to be behaving normally, clear eyes, healthy bowel movements and urine so far. He doesn't eat a great deal though, half a small plantain leaf this morning about 2cm worth but he did have a good few mouthfuls on his cuttlebone which is encouraging.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

You are quite right Hamm is the last place from which you want any reptile. Hopefully it will be ok, continue to observe carefully. No heat or light at night.

Re. it eating cuttlefish 'bone' - put a very light dusting of "Nutrobal" on it's food every few days.

Let it settle in the indoor enclosure for a week or two. An outdoor (moveable) enclosure can be simply knocked up from 15x2cm timber. About 60 x 80x15cm high is fine for that size, wire netting above, with strands of wood laid on top to provide dappled shade, as torts have no way to cool down except by seeking shade.

Can you post a photo of it's A10 Certificate please, some of us are interested in those that come via Hamm.

Regards,

Tom

Given your thoughts about Hamm, I think it is regrettable that you haven't provided details of your A10 Cert., either via the Forum, or direct to me, which I gave you alternatively.

Tom