Adopted Russian

emerald_8122

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Jul 28, 2017
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13
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Ontario, Canada
I've just adopted a mature male Russian who was brought in as a "stray" to a local animal services. Can anyone make an educated guess on age or whether he is captive bred/export?

Is there anyone in my area (southern Ontario, Canada) or in the northern States that has experience housing Russians outdoors in the warmer months in this climate? Did you need additional heating or protection from the rain, etc? I am going to build a shelter in the outdoor enclosure - any tips for keeping it dry and warm?
 

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wellington

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Hard to say age. I would say most likely wild caught and my guess would be over ten years. How much over no one will ever know. In the summer my Russian lives outside with a lockable hide box to go into at night and to get out of rain or sun. It's big so he has lots of room if he stays in all day. I lock all torts up at night. It needs to be escape proof as they can dig and climb out. The hide is not heated for summer. If we have a real cold day, I will put him inside his winter enclosure and give him a day time heat basking bulb, but no heat at night as it stays warm inside the winter enclosure during the summer months.
 

emerald_8122

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Joined
Jul 28, 2017
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13
Location (City and/or State)
Ontario, Canada
Thank you! I appreciate this information. Our outdoor enclosure is about 6' x 8' and has two heavy lids on hinges made of a wood frame and thicker gauge chicken wire. But I have always wondered how people who have the really large enclosures that are not covered cope with potential predators and locking them in the hide box at night answers that question!
 

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