Hello

I am a new tortoise owner and trying very hard  to keep a happy tortoise!! I have had Tilly for 2 months now and she is just over a year old.  My hubby bought it for me as he knew I wanted one and shelled out lots of money on a viverium! So I immediately did the research to build her an outdoor enclosure as websites did not recommend a viverium.  Am I right in thinking that keepig her in her viverium overnight and on seldom days and mainly outside weather permitting will be fine???  I have posted pics of my outdoor enclosure and the fineal thing I want to add is a house.  I was initially going to build a kennel type house wth a heat lamp etc but reading the care sheet it seems you can buolda cucumber type house with the polycarbonate roof that will be fine...  The substrate in my viv is half tort life and halft large wood chips from the reptile shop.  . .

in my outdor pen it is 50 50 play sand and top soil...

I also have noticed that recnetly she has slowed in movement and I do not see her as active.. I feed her mainly leafy greens with a couple of pellets twice a week and bathe her twice weekly too.. She poos and wees regularly so I am not worries about her diet or hydration but she has recently seem to suffer with her eyes.... radomly I can pick her up and she does not open her eyes... on one occasion she seem to rub her eyes with her front legs and not seem to settle in her enclosure just constanly roaming sround!! Then half hour later her eyes seem fine...

I have ordered some vit A cream from local reptile store and researched vets however the only reptile vet is in a large vet centre which I am not sure of the experience....

Last but not least.. when I went on hol I left her iwth friends who did a great job but in 2 days time I need to visit family for unexpected... Is it ok to take her with me in a plastic container transformed to a tort table similar to her surroundings in her outdoor pen.. I cant take the heat lamp though so would it be fine for her to have access to the greenhouse daily for heat and in the house overnight at my mums...I really want to do the right thing and wish she could tell me if she was hapy or not but feel she is not lately...

SOrry for the long essay but really want to get this right

Vicky

Forgot to say she is a Russian tort...

From my reading, I would suggest a tort table for indoors and use a sand/soil substrate as wood/bark chips can be harmful. I would also suggest looking at www.thetortoisetable for ideas on diet, pellets tend to have too much protein and promotes unnatural shell growth. The Tortoise trust also produce lots of information on care and diet www.tortoisetrust.org .

oops www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

HI Vicky
Sandra has given you some good websites to view, so happy reading.
When you first start out with tortoises it all seems very overwhelming but once you have the basic facts for their care, you have a happy owner and tort. How old is your tort? I would not put any Vit A cream in the eyes without the advice of a specialist tortoise vet. I would strongly advice against the wood chippings, combined with a viv it could be causing irritation to the eyes, it could possibly be releasing toxic fumes.  Open top pens with sand/soil substrate are always recommended as you have good ventilation and it is more of a natural environment. The best way to learn about your torts needs is to see where they originate from and what their natural habitat is like, I know we cannot provide this environment completely, but we can try to replicate it as near as possible.
With regards to taking your little one away, sounds like you will be providing the best you can under the circumstances, just try to keep her in dark whilst travelling as this will help to lessen the stress of the journey.
Don't apologise for essay, it keeps us other members on our toes, so please ask if you need more help or did not understand the reply

HTH
Jane

Really, I am a bloke!

Now you have me confused, I thought you said your name was Sandra
So is it Kris?
Jane

Lol,  no its not my real name and neither is sandra. The confusion occurs from when you first miss spelt my name as "Kissandra", which I attempted to correct in a humorous manner, I obviously failed miserably.

I should know better than to attempt humour lol

Ps I am very happy with Kriss or Krissander