Mr. RussianTortoise
Well-Known Member
I might be repeating myself too much and I might be too over-protective but I think something is wrong with my Russian tortoise. My tortoise seems to be smacking his lips but not like open his mouth wide, just opening his mouth like he is smacking his lips. Im worrying that this is a early sign of Respiratory infection. Second thing is that he isn't that active that much. Some days he runs around his enclosure and climbs up his log with brute strength, but then the next day he just stays in his humid area for hours and hours and never comes out to eat so I have to take him out (He does start eating). And tonight I was turning of the basking light, the UVB, (I leave the ceramic heat emitter on) The tank was going to be pitch dark but he just stands there in front of the food bowl, not moving at all. Third thing is that my tortoise doesn't seem to have swelling eyes and even some of yall say that he doesn't have any swelling or that it is due to the terrible lights I gave him (The flood light is coming tomorrow), But when he closes his eyes I think he has swelling eyes. Sorry if im bothering you guys but im just really worried and I want my tortoise to have an amazing and healthy life.
My enclosure size: 38 inches by 21 inches (I'm building him a bigger enclosure)
Tortoise: Russian tort, 522 grams, age is more than 1, 6 inches
Humidity: Cool side is: 60-80 % humidity, and other side is 30-50% humidity.
Temp: Basking: 80-100 degrees, Cool side: 60-70 degrees, Room temperature my tort enclosure is in: It is right now about 60-70 degrees.
Diet: Romain, Cilantro, Kale, sometimes cucumbers, Mazuri Tortoise diet soaked in water, (Currently looking at "Tortoise table" for weeds for my tortoise, so maybe if I research a bit more maybe I'll add: Clover and dandelion to his diet)
Substrate: Reptibark, and in his cool side Eco earth (I spray it every day)
Bathe: I bathe him for 10 min at any time I can in warm water.
Substrate change/ clean: every two weeks.
Supplements: I sprinkle in Reptivite to his Romaine, and kale and shake it in a bag every other day.
Feeding: I feed him his food every morning.
Water: I give him a fresh supply of water every day (I changed the water bowl from a dog dish to a saucer).
Temp in night: Basking area: 80 degrees due to the ceramic heat lamp, Cool side: 60-80 degrees.
Outside: I take him outside any day it is warm and sunny and currently its cold in Nj.
Lighting: Currently I use a Uvb 5.0 Reptisun 13 watts, a Ceramic heat emitter 75 watts, and a infrared basking light 75 watts which as said before I will be switching to a incandescent flood lightbulb 65 watts.
Thank you for reading and have a good day! (I can post pictures of him tomorrow in the afternoon if yall need them)
My enclosure size: 38 inches by 21 inches (I'm building him a bigger enclosure)
Tortoise: Russian tort, 522 grams, age is more than 1, 6 inches
Humidity: Cool side is: 60-80 % humidity, and other side is 30-50% humidity.
Temp: Basking: 80-100 degrees, Cool side: 60-70 degrees, Room temperature my tort enclosure is in: It is right now about 60-70 degrees.
Diet: Romain, Cilantro, Kale, sometimes cucumbers, Mazuri Tortoise diet soaked in water, (Currently looking at "Tortoise table" for weeds for my tortoise, so maybe if I research a bit more maybe I'll add: Clover and dandelion to his diet)
Substrate: Reptibark, and in his cool side Eco earth (I spray it every day)
Bathe: I bathe him for 10 min at any time I can in warm water.
Substrate change/ clean: every two weeks.
Supplements: I sprinkle in Reptivite to his Romaine, and kale and shake it in a bag every other day.
Feeding: I feed him his food every morning.
Water: I give him a fresh supply of water every day (I changed the water bowl from a dog dish to a saucer).
Temp in night: Basking area: 80 degrees due to the ceramic heat lamp, Cool side: 60-80 degrees.
Outside: I take him outside any day it is warm and sunny and currently its cold in Nj.
Lighting: Currently I use a Uvb 5.0 Reptisun 13 watts, a Ceramic heat emitter 75 watts, and a infrared basking light 75 watts which as said before I will be switching to a incandescent flood lightbulb 65 watts.
Thank you for reading and have a good day! (I can post pictures of him tomorrow in the afternoon if yall need them)