We bought a baby marginated tortoise four years ago and she seems happy enough but I'm worried whether we are actually caring for her properly. We did read all the care sheets and she lives in a large wooden tortoise table which has a substract of a mixture of soil with a bit of fine sand which is about 1 inch thick. She has a 100w heat/UVA lamp which is suspended at the correct height above one end of the cage and her daytime temperature is approximately 30 degrees. The lamp is on between 7am and 4.30 pm every day.She has various pieces of flat slate to walk over and bits of bark to climb on and we also put in flower pots and other wooden items to give interest. She has a small and larger flower pot saucer with fresh water and a cuttlefish. We feed her a mixture of romaine lettuce, canpunula flowers and leaves, winter jasmine flowers and in the Summer add dandelion flowers and leaves and clover. This is sprinkled with a pinch of calcium supplement 5 times a week and the general nutrobal twice a week. Although she is less active in the winter she normally wakes up as soon as the light comes on in the morning, and alternates between basking under the lamp and exploring and eating before slightly digging herself into a corner after the light goes out. She gets bathed about every three weeks as she seems to find it very stressful. We haven't hibernated her yet because we are not sure if she is big enough. On hot days we put her in a temporary enclosure in the garden (no artificial heat) but she spends the whole time walking around the perimeter and trying to get out. When we bought her I envisaged her spending the summer in the garden but didn't realise how much she needs strong heat. I see now that she will need a heat lamp and waterproof shelter, and I think she would spend all her time in that and not out in the sun as she likes the intense heat. I'm worried that we have chose the wrong breed and that she isn't having much of a life. My daughter loves her and does sometimes get her out to walk about her room but she walks everywhere really quick and we don't know if it just stresses her out. Advice from a marginated tortoise expert would be appreciated.

Brief questions first - 

1. Which Care sheets ?

2. Which light, how old is it, what height is it above your tort. ?

3. Does it eat the cuttlefish bone ?

4. What does 'bathed' mean ? 

5. What size is the temp. enclosure ?

6. Can you post some pics of the tort. & setup please ?

Regards,

Tom

I've read the care sheets on your site.

Lighting ok.

Most other things you are doing are wrong.

It should be in hibernation in winter.

How you can think an 80x60cm enclosure is adequate for a 4yr old Marginata is beyond belief !!!

It needs an outside enclosure of at least 15sqm in Summer & of course it needs an outside house for overnight, shade, etc., no heat. 

Torts like to soak in tepid water - let it relax.

You need to do a lot of reading & thinking.

I think our Posts have crossed.

By the way, I'm also a breeder. Don't be afraid to hibernate.

For advice on food there is a new book, the author has studied the subject for 30 years & has many imitators. Go to - tortoises.net

Best wishes,

Tom

ps Keep careful weight records.

Thank you yes we will monitor her weight now.

Be aware the garage temp must be at least 3C. Fridges can't maintain temps., if the ambient temp is at, or below freezing - similarly the fridge temp will be the same.

You can buy special hibe. fridges, e.g. Lucky Reptile.

Cuttlefish - smack into several smaller bits, use singly.

Sorry to bother you again but I have been researching on the internet to buy Opuntia cacti and also Lady T's seed mix so I can grow a variety of weeds myself. Herbiseed.com appears to have gone out of business. Can you recommend another supplier?

Thanks

Lin., the author of the book I recommended is the Tlady & will know re Herbiseed. There is a lot more to her book than a list of plants.

Re. opuntia I don't use it, but I use aloe vera which is similar.

If you put "opuntia" into Google, you'll find a supplier.