Hello! My name is Kristie and I have a 5 year old Russian tortoise named Sheldon. I have always wanted a tortoise and I just moved to Washington from California into my own place so I thought it was the perfect opportunity. My dad and I are about finished with designing Sheldon's new home (I don't like the one he has now. Guy I got him from said to use a fish tank, I have researched and it is horrible!). I will definitely post pic's of the progress and final product. Definitely open to suggestions about what kinda of food Russians like most! He's picky.....

Welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy your visits here. I have found russians to not be particularly picky, what is his diet like?

Welcome

Welcome!

Welcome

Hello and WELCOME

Welcome, Kristie!

Welcome!

As for his diet, he LOVES romaine lettuce and green beans. As soon as I give it to him he starts eating right away. But when I try to give him more of a variety with collared and mustard greens, he wasn't eating it like he does with the romaine. Also, he doesn't like mango. Another thing that's kinda funny, the colored pellets, he will not eat the yellow or purple ones. He picks through them and eats everything but the yellow and purple lol What do they like to eat most? I want to give him more variety. This is what he looks like. (I know tank is bad, I'm in the process of building his home.)

Hi! Well he is being smart to not want the mango. Russians really should not be getting fruits more then as a rare treat. As for the only wanting romaine and green beans, take and cut those really small along with the better greens and weeds. Mix them completely up, so he can't pick out which ones he wants to eat. At first you will have mainly the original foods being the majority of the mixture, but slowly in the next few days add a higher percentage of the new "good" foods into the mixture and less of the beans/romaine. Weeds are really great foods for him, if you can find some without chemicals. Or do you have any mulberry trees or grape vines? The leaves are awesome. How about some cactus? Variety is important, but that does not mean each meal must have a wide variety of food items. Instead just keep rotating what you buy, grow, or find and as one thing is all feed up, move on to another item.

Welcome! I'm not a Russian keeper but I'm sure you'll find all the info you need here, can't wait for pics

Welcome

Welcome!

What are some good/ easy to find/ or easy to grow weeds I could give him? Also, what greens are good? I've looked online and sites contradict each other...annoying

Welcome