Reptile care info

Instruction to customers - Testudo horsfieldii

ACCLIMATING AND KEEPING TESTUDO HORSFIELDII HEALTHY: USEFUL HINTS FOR IMPORTERS

FOREWORD

BION Terrarium Center deals with import-export, keeping and breeding reptiles since 1993. An important goal of our professional activity is ensuring proper and responsible keeping of the animals by our customers.

No matter from which source tortoises originated – “W”, “F” or “C” – all of them are delicate and vulnerable to stress creatures which need proper care. In fact, all tortoises we are shipping to you are supervised by our veterinarian and are clinically healthy (i.e. have no visual signs of disease like light weight, running nose, etc). Meanwhile to make our customers happy we definitely must cooperate closely with them.

Please keep the information below at hand before receiving tortoises.

1. KEEP ALL TORTOISES IN QUARANTINE FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS AFTER DELIVERY FOR FULL ACCLIMATION. PLS REMEMBER THAT ANY SHIPPING IS  STRESSFUL  FOR ANY TORTOISE;

2. SOAK ALL TORTOISES IN WARM SHALLOW WATER WITH REHYDRON SOLUTION FOR 20 MINUTES SHORTLY AFTER DELIVERY. WATER SHOULD BE CHANGED FOR EACH LOT OF TORTOISES;

3. AVOID DRAUGHTS IN YOUR FACILITIES. DRAUGHTS CAN EASILY CAUSE PNEUMONIA;

4. AVOID KEEPING TESTUDO HORSFIELDII MIXED WITH OTHER TORTOISE SPECIES OR USING FACILITIES WHICH ARE NOT PROPERLY DESINFECTED;

5. DON'T  KEEP TORTOISES OVERCROWDED;

6. PROVIDE PROPER LIGHTING & HEATING GRADUALLY WITHIN 2 DAYS AFTER ARRIVAL. KEEP IN MIND THAT TORTOISES NEED PROPER LEVEL OF HEAT, LIGHT & ULTRAVIOLET TO STAY HEALTHY AND STRONG. GOOD SOLUTION MIGHT BE KEEPING TORTOISES OUTDOORS DURING SUMMER TIME PROVIDED DAY TEMPERATURE IS MINIMUM 25ºC AND NIGHT TEMPERATURE IS AT LEAST 20ºC. KEEPING TORTOISES IN OUTDOOR FACILITIES REQUIRES ENOUGH SPACE & SHELTERS. IN THIS CASE YOU DON'T NEED TO PROVIDE HEATING, LIGHT AND ULTRAVIOLET ARTIFICIALLY. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT TORTOISES ARE EXCELLENT DIGGERS;

7. DO NOT FEED TORTOISES WITH FRUITS & VEGETABLES AS A BASIC FOOD. GIVE THEM AS A BASIC FOOD MIXED GRASSES (HAY) + DANDELIONS, KALLE, LETTUCE, PARSLEY, etc.  TOGETHER WITH BASIC FOOD YOU CAN ALSO GIVE THEM FRESH TOMATOO, APPLE, PEAR, RED & GREEN SWEET PEPPER, CUCUMBER IN REASONABLE AMOUNTS 3 TIMES A WEEK. MIX ALL TOGETHER AND APPLY LIBERAL QUANTITY OF CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT;

8. DON'T KEEP WATER IN FACILITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS;

9. CHECK ALL TORTOISES ON ARRIVAL. IN CASE YOU FIND ANY WEAK OR SICK TORTOISES PLS LET US KNOW WITHIN 48 HOURS. DURING QUARANTINE PERIOD, CHECK ALL TORTOISES DAILY TO SELECT WEAK AND SICK ONES (IF ANY). IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM IN SEPARATE ROOM FOR TREATMENT;

10. PREPARE PROPER ROOM FOR TORTOISES ACCORDING TO THE SIZE AND QUANTITY WELL IN ADVANCE BEFORE ACCEPTING THE SHIPMENT. DON'T USE CAGES FOR BIRDS AND RODENTS AND AQUARIUMS AS FACILITIES FOR TORTOISES;

11. IF YOUR TORTOISES WANT TO DIG - LET THEM DO SO THROUGH PROVIDING ENOUGH SUBSTRATE;

12. IF YOU PLAN TO KEEP TORTOISES FOR A LONG TIME PLS KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY'LL NEED WINTER HIBERNATION;

13. PLS SEND THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR CUSTOMERS BEFORE SELLING TORTOISES. EXPLAIN THEM YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT CLAIMS IN CASE OF IMPROPER KEEPING. IF SOMEONE DOESN'T INTEND TO OFFER RESPONSIBLE CARE - IT IS BETTER TO AVOID THE ORDER. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP A TORTOISE IN THE ROOM LIKE CAT OR DOG. ALL TORTOISES NEED SPECIAL FACILITY, PROPER HEAT, LIGHT AND FOOD. MEANWHILE WHEN KEPT PROPERLY TORTOISES CAN BE KEPT FOR MANY YEARS AND EVEN BREED;

14. IN CASE YOU ARE A WHOLESALER AND HAVE ALREADY CONFIRMED ORDERS WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS WE CAN MARK BOXES PROPERLY WITH SEPARATE ORDERS AND YOU'LL JUST FORWARD THEM ALONG TO YOUR CLIENTS TO AVOID EXTRA STRESS;

15. THIS INFO COULD BE USEFUL WHEN KEEPING OTHER TORTOISES SPECIES AS WELL.