I start this post by asking..
When the last time you ever feel so happy when one of member family just got back home ???
Hello Hive Pets community. This day I will share you my first experience after 9 years receiving another Tortoise. I know some of you have already know the story about by watching the main picture of this post. Before I go further I just want you to know 9 years ago I have a tortoise name Dude, I know it kinda stupid naming a tortoise "dude" , but it is what it is, and long story short my tortoise ( It was Indian Star Tortoise ) taken by my brother to Bali, I was very sad back then but in the logical way I think it was the best way for us, because I was in college, so many thing to do.. so definetely he going to be so lonely, so I took the advice and let him go.
Out of the blue I adopt new one , my perception was to reminisce the old days, how happy it felt to have a tortoise. So many people asking me "what exaactly they do ???", man... you don't know how it feels to just simply watching them eating !!! if you have Tortoise you know what I mean. RIGHT ???. I just into the the Reptile Community recently, having discussion of all reptile that exist in the market, and I swear to God the price went high rocket every single year. All of sudden they put Aldabra Tortoise in the conversation and I still strong enough because I dont really into that expensive-large creature into my house, and then they fling on Radiata Tortoise still I strong enough to handle even though it was little shaky to say no, but when the Indian Star Tortoise come up... NO !!!
Right the time some of them offered the Indian Star I just snapped and shout "THATS MINE !!!" and two days after the delivery guy showed up in front of my door.
The delivery guy bombin me with "WOAHHH, BEAUTIFULL, DAMN, HOW MUCH IS THAT, LOOK AT THAT COLOR, IS THAT EVEN ALIVE, etc" and I goes with "Sloooooooowwww mann", you know how it feels right when people around you adding more hype and make your heart beat faster. The thing is from previous Torto I bought straight from the dealer with my car, and this time they sent it with delivery guy, so I feel so worry all the time. You can tell by the picture how I eager to open the box. I opened whatsapp immediately and asked the seller "when the last time you feed this one??" and he replied "Don't worry my boyy , he so fed this morning". I swear to God even though he sent pictures and video when he was eating, running around, and basking still I so worry about him, it was long a long distance delivery if you wannt to know, it was 90 kilometer away from my home and this is the picture he sent.
What a healthy baby Tortoise..
Oh ya by the way it so expensive tho, mine are 6 cm long and for 6 cm Tortoise they put $570 each !!! I was like OMG compared to Giant Aldabra that able reach 170 cm feel long this so expensive considering the maximum long just for 25 cm, BUT if you talk about color I think this is the first class, so many people shout with "Radiated Tortoise is the best !!!" well offcourse it preferences but for me this tortoise is the most beautiful because of the line motif scrumble but somehow neat, like a modern art pattern color, so thats my stand.
Look how cute he going to be...
When he grow up I think he going to be so cool. The relieve that I've got knowing he is a eating machine (Indian Star Tortoise known a very shy pet) made my day so so bright, considering Indian Star Tortoise is easily ill creature. Oh ya for you who don't know especialy Asia continent known with picky distributor, they seems like put animal into classification oftenly and then put higher price for a certain class unlike Europe and America that more like appreciate the creature for what it is, and guys remember this one is LEGAL, they haven't send the legal pdf to me, I think because of "bureaucracy" take longer than I expected. And please guys please, if you find this article unintended wrong just comment below okayyy.
Again guys correct me if Im wrong guys but my diet routine for him is Breakfast under the sun eating Repcal/T-Balance, and Dinner with green and vegetables. The problem is I feel like they appetite seems so down when it comes with feeding without the actual sun, I don't know if it just me or maybe it just insecurity but I feel so worry about that, considering BLADDER STONE is the main enemy, if they dont put it with sunblast (UVB) it will affect the appetite and also it will affect the main structural body, and eventually Pyramiding or even worse.
For supplies and multivitamin I add Calcium + D3 from exoterra and for Tortoise Pellet I use T-Balance , the reason I stick with this T-Blance is beacuse the crude fat is because the Fiber still not too high as high as Zoomed grassland, and also the protein still average considering the Tortoise is still baby and still okay to add little bit protein for a maximum growth and offcourse it still in term of necesity, and for the callcium powder I add it into the the Green (vegetable) 1 time a week considering the pellet has already add multivitamin for him.
HINT : Do not use to many calcium or any inorganic sets for the extra food adding too much, especially if you use product from a multiple different brand. As long they have clear eyes, clean nose, and good appetite it means they healthy and happy, don't get to cocky for buying products that offer you "Beautiful Shape of Tortoise" it affect their behaviour and weaken the metabolism.
[ I will make a separate post for the pellets, comparing the nutrition and benefit and maybe I spill the minus of each brand ]
Oh ya I forgot, I use electrolyte liquid 1 time every 3 day (50 ml for 200 ml of water) in the morning and bask him under the sun, the reason is He still baby and I think he need it more for the sake of mood and boost his spirit to be more active and Im not going to lie it works, like hell I mean it it works, he so active and not only sleeping all day, and I use this Torto oil for the food supply I use it every morning too, the reason I use it is because this help him to have a clear and clean belly and prevention of Bladder Stone, I swear to God that disease haunt me every day, still make sense tho considering Tortoises are rarely drink water all the time.
HINT: This Torto Oil suggested by so many people to use as internal and external use, please guys don't do that from my previous expereience I took a hard lesson on this, ya in theory it able to use for the purpose of moisturizer for the carapace but somehow the smell / the scents of the oil remain in his body that makes your Tortoise losing appetite for every food u give to them, Im not saying its a dangerous product but like imagine you smell a delicious steik and you eat that steik yes it would be awesome but if the smell stick with you all week it would be nasty right ?
More or less for the indoor setup it goes like this, UVA - UVB - Heater, the UVA I use from exoterra basking spot lamp (60 watt) and for UVB I use Exoterra 150 (26 watt). Guys FYI I don't need heater at all, that because Indonesia is a Tropical country and even without heater or uva it already 28 celcius the reason I bought it as an act of prevention, in case in rain season the rain so strong or just simply heavy rain come I just don't want to lose the propher heat of his house. I use UVB 10 hour a day and UVA for almost 24 hour non stop. The distance between UVA to the ground is perfectly 50 cm and for UVB I put 30 cm in the middle. I keep the humidity stay strong in 50% and maintain the temperature ALWAYS in range of 30 - 35.
This is the wide shot of his house. The "microgreen" plant I put is to keep the humidty valid and the reason I use clay flower pot is because clay absorb water better and makes the whole room correct in humid, the weak side of the clay is you have to keep the hygiene over time because that thing is easier to get on microba or bacteria, but offcourse its not as dangerous as it sounds you have to understand even in wild life in their original habitat they face more difficulties and still survive.. they strong animal my friend !!! get easy on them. The water dish I use is relatively small but it will do the job to again add humidity and more importantly for the drink, guys trust me... watching your Torto drink was a true form of blessed 😂😅😁. I mean it tho...😆
The pick up of the Tortoise and the paper nowadays is kinda hard because of the illegal traffic getting stronger and more silent day by day, I hope you understand whatever kind of pet you have got was a PART OF YOUR FAMILY please threat them with love and respect even though I do believe all people in this #hivepets community already know that but I just want you to know some animals are better off the reach of children, they get frutated easily.
And guys do not hesitate to put your argument in the comment bellow if you think there's something wrong in this post. So I hope this post can help you guys with you baby Tortoise.
And guys, please help me to pick a name for this one, Im still confuse for the paper. Do you guys have any suggestion ???