I need help! Any advice for care of a Russian tortoise??

GlitterCritter

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I have had my male Russian tortoise for 2 years now(I'm not sure how old he was when I got him, but based on his current growth rates I feel it's safe to assume that he was 1 or 2 years old, making him 3 or 4 now). I've followed all of the advice the lady at PetCo gave me when I got him, but I really don't feel like I'm being a good care taker. Yesterday I went to check on him in his outdoor enclosure and I had to bring him inside and soak him because he had heat stroke! :c

He is ok now, but obviously his outdoor enclosure is inadequate. I really want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to keep him healthy and happy. Does anyone have any advice on how to be sure I'm doing this right? Literally any advice about his care requirements is appreciated, but these are the things I'm focusing on at the moment.

-outdoor enclosures
-indoor enclosures
-diet (what kind of plants common in the Pacific Northwest are acceptable?)
-things to watch out for (external risks as well as health concerns/unhealthy behavior/signs that something is wrong)
-keeping him happy (what kind of things can I put in the enclosures to make him happy?)

also I don't know if this is normal or not, but his shell looks a bit odd around the bottom. Is it not growing properly? If not, what can I do to change that? ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1469920748.475042.jpg
 

Yvonne G

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Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

If you bought him at Petco, he was probably about 10 years old at that time. It takes a Russian tortoise 5 or 6 years to get up to the size where pet stores can legally sell them.

You just need to make sure the outdoor yard has plenty of shade and cool hiding places, with water.

That's just uneven new growth you're seeing. Nothing to be worried about.
 

Jodie

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Hello, and welcome to the forum. Read the care guide and ask all the questions it creates for you.
 

GlitterCritter

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oh gosh I'm making so many mistakes thanks for the help, I have some ideas on what I can change to improve my tort's quality of life. I'll come back with more questions if I have any.
 

JoesMum

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oh gosh I'm making so many mistakes thanks for the help, I have some ideas on what I can change to improve my tort's quality of life. I'll come back with more questions if I have any.
Hi @GlitterCritter

Don't be afraid to ask before you spend money. We will be more than willing to help you ensure that you don't waste money.

Photographs speak a thousand words and can help us to help you and your tort :)
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Howdy @GlitterCritter. Welcome from a fellow PNW'er. I'm over her in Oregon. You've been directed to some top notch sites here on the tortoise forum. My experience with PetCo employees is that they mean well for the most part when telling you how to care for your tortoise, but truthfully they should stick with kittens and puppies or maybe flipping burgers at Burger King. Here on the forum we have many active, friendly keepers of Russians that will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Lots of us in the PNW are Russian keepers and breeders and will be more than happy as well. I'll get back with you tomorrow with more, but to start, feed him most any broadleaf weed from a clean, no chemical, no fertilizer area and he will be real healthy and happy.
Post us some pictures of your enclosures, both indoor and out, to help us give you some friendly advice and help. Also, are you providing uv with a light? If so what type of light?
I'll touch base with you tomorrow.
 

GlitterCritter

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@Cowboy_Ken
I have a UV light for his indoor tank but not his outdoor enclosure. Also I would post pictures but I'm honestly kind of embarrassed because I've found out that his indoor enclosure is not even anywhere near big enough. I'll have to take pictures of his outdoor enclosure tomorrow when I have some light. It's essentially a large pressed-wood bookcase that has been tipped on its back. The back(now bottom) was replaced with window screening. There is only one shelf and it has a half-circle cut out so that he can very easily go through it. On one side the top is covered with a wooden board and on the other side the top is covered with another screen (to keep bugs and things out). Both covers are removable. It used to be just completely solid wood all around the sides, but I've drilled some small holes near the top to provide better ventilation. The inside isn't going to stay the way it is though. I'm going to replace the bedding with additive-free soil, put some decent hides in it, and replace his water dish with something easier for him to get in and out of. The current water dish I have is from PetCo and so is the bedding. I also had a little wicker tunnel thing from PetCo but I've recently discovered that it is not adequate at all in shading him. But I think the bedding is also part of the reason he was having trouble cooling off; it's basically bark and although it was deep enough for him to bury himself, it didn't provide any insulation. Also the PetCo care sheet said not to have it very humid in his enclosure because it could cause respiratory illness but it's obvious that PetCo doesn't know jack about tortoises and everything I've read so far has said that humidity is good for them. Do you have any suggestions on how I can raise the humidity in his enclosure? I do have a little spray bottle filled with water, if I sprayed the inside of the enclosure to moisten the soil every day would that work or do I need to use more water that that? Thanks so much for the help by the way. I'll be sure to post pictures soon.
 

JoesMum

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Hello there

Please don't feel embarrassed to post pictures. Doing so and saying you don't want to change anything might get people annoyed, but you do want to get things right and pictures make it so much easier for us to help :)

You don't need a UVB lamp outdoors. The sun does that job for you. Even on a cloudy day there is more than enough UVB for your tort :)

To raise humidity in an indoor enclosure, you need a good substrate like orchid bark or coco coir - then you tip water into it and give it a good mix with your hands so that it is damp not wet. You can then use a plant spray to spray water inside the enclosure to top up. You need a good digital hygrometer to measure the humidity and you need a good digital thermometer for temperature. Cold dampness harms torts not warm humidity.

I'll post a lighting summary next that you should find helpful.
 

JoesMum

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Here's a lighting summary:

Your tort needs:

1. A basking lamp
This must hang vertically, not at an angle. Basking is essential to raise your tortoise's core temperature so it can digest food.

2. UVB light
Read the instructions for the source to see how close to the substrate it must be. UVB is essential so your tort can process dietary calcium and have healthy bones and shell.

Both 1 and 2 are available from the sun for those able to live outside.

UVB does not pass through glass or perspex(plexiglass) - light must be direct to be effective not through a window. Mesh screening can also interfere with UVB.

3. A minimum overnight temperature (see the care sheet for your species) and complete darkness at night to sleep.


Notes

(a) A Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) provides combined UVB and Basking. Alternatively you can use 2 bulbs: a tube UVB and a reflector bulb for basking (a household reflector - not low energy or halogen - from a hardware store will do the job; it's the wattage that counts)

(b) Ignore any references to UVA you may read - it's misleading marketing speak.

(c) Compact coil UVB harms tortoise eyes and must not be used.

(d) Basking and UVB should be on a timer so the light(s) are on for 12 hours a day. Temperature under the basking is regulated by its height above the substrate.

(e) Overnight, depending on your home, you may need additional heat. You get this from a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) which must be on a thermostat.

(f) Torts have outstanding colour vision and love red and purple food. Coloured heat lamps colour tank decor and torts don't always apply intelligence to what they eat, resulting them in eating tank decor. Coloured bulbs should not be used.


Measurements

There are 4 important temperatures that you must know for an indoor enclosure.
- Directly under the basking lamp
- Warm side
- Cool side
- Overnight Minimum

You will need digital thermometers for accuracy.

A temperature gun thermometer (inexpensive from Amazon) measures temperature accurately in specific places like directly under the basking lamp.

A min/max thermometer so you know the min/max temperatures in your home by day and night.

You should also get a good digital probe hygrometer to measure humidity.

Thermometers and hygrometers that stick to the side of the enclosure tend to be less accurate.
 

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