First Turtle!! (Enclosure question)

[Rt21]

Hi everyone, first time posting on here and also first time Tortoise owner. Was just looking to get a little feedback on my setup, particularly if my Torts hidey spot is in an acceptable location (it's from 78-80 degrees underneath when the lights on). On the top which he's been using as a basking spot is 95-100 degrees depending on my rooms temperature. So I'm curious if there might be a complication with this that a more experienced person could point out or if it's okay.

The right half of the tank is from 70-75 degrees at all times, like I said sometimes it sways a tid bit depending on the whole rooms temp. And the humidity is no less than 45 but no more than 50 at all times.

My Torts a male Russian and is just about 4 inches long, but I'm not entirely sure of his precise age.

I plan on building an outdoor enclosure but I live in Wisconsin and it's still too cold to do that so it's on hold for now.

Still getting to know him so haven't named him yet

 

[leigti]

Hello, welcome to the forum. Please read the Russian tortoise care sheet thread in the species specific section. It sounds like you have a general idea about temperatures correct, but your tortoise is going to need a much much larger enclosure. For safety reasons, replace the water bowl with a terra-cotta plant saucer. That ramp abort you have can cause a tortoise to flip over and drowned. Is that a 2 x 4 ramp in the middle there leading up to the top of the log? You can remove it because he can get on top of the log very easily by myself. Just pile up the substrate so it makes a ramp.
What are you using to gauge the temperature? I temperature gun is accurate and easy to use.
More suggestions will come along soon. It takes a little bit to get everything set up so don't get discouraged.
Also check out the enclosures section for some ideas.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[Justin Gleiter]

Hey Rt,
I too am looking at getting my first Tort as well. I too am a Wisconsinite and will be building an outdoor enclosure but the weather has not been cooperating too much. The biggest question that I am going to have would be the enclosures as well. I will be doing a little more research prior to me getting my tort. If you could pictures of the tort would be good too.

 

[Rt21]

Hello, welcome to the forum. Please read the Russian tortoise care sheet thread in the species specific section. It sounds like you have a general idea about temperatures correct, but your tortoise is going to need a much much larger enclosure. For safety reasons, replace the water bowl with a terra-cotta plant saucer. That ramp abort you have can cause a tortoise to flip over and drowned. Is that a 2 x 4 ramp in the middle there leading up to the top of the log? You can remove it because he can get on top of the log very easily by myself. Just pile up the substrate so it makes a ramp.
What are you using to gauge the temperature? I temperature gun is accurate and easy to use.
More suggestions will come along soon. It takes a little bit to get everything set up so don't get discouraged.
Also check out the enclosures section for some ideas.

 

[Rt21]

Thanks for the speedy reply! Was just curious to why I would need a bigger enclosure, It's a 40 gallon tank and there's already tons of room for him to wander around and do turtle stuff, especially now that I changed out the water dish. I know he's gonna grow and get bigger over time but he seems fine with it now especially since I put the ramp in (the logs kinda too steep and hard for him to climb). Plus he can climb around it and down the other sides ramp I made with the substrate. (It's too wide of a log for me to make a ramp with the substrate on both sides, hence the ramp )

 

[Rt21]

Hey Rt,
I too am looking at getting my first Tort as well. I too am a Wisconsinite and will be building an outdoor enclosure but the weather has not been cooperating too much. The biggest question that I am going to have would be the enclosures as well. I will be doing a little more research prior to me getting my tort. If you could pictures of the tort would be good too.

 

[Rt21]

I can get pics of him tomorrow, the lights are off and he's sleeping and I don't wanna wake him up and make him grumpy lol.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome from another Russian tortoise owner! This is a great place to learn how to keep a healthy tortoise.

Russian tortoises walk miles and miles in the wild. It's not just the way they are built, they need the long distance walks to help digest their food. Please don't think that their small size means they can live in a small tank; they are some of the best (worst?) walkers out there. I'm so sorry, because you probably spent good money on it, but that tank is far too small.

Our care sheet on Russians is a good place to start: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

You'll find it, and much more, in the subspecies section reserved just for Russian tortoises: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/russian-tortoises.81/

The beginner's mistake care sheet is also essential: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html

It's a lot to take in; take some time to read it and we'll be here for questions when you get back.

 

[Rt21]

So I can't keep him in it at ALL? Not even until the weather warms up and can get him into the outdoor enclosure? Cause he doesn't scratch at the walls or anything indicative of him being uncomfortable. He's been eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, and doing his turtle wandering/climbing on the hidey hole I got for him. Seems like a perfectly normal/healthy turtle to me honestly.

 

[leigti]

For a short term, less expensive alternative right now go to Home Depot and get the Rubbermaid 55 gallon bins, Connect two of them together and use that for his indoor enclosure until you can build one outdoors when the weather gets better.
Us in the north have to deal with not having our tortoises outside year-round. That means the indoor enclosures have to be better and more spacious because they are spending much more time in them that they would if they lived where they could be outside more. It also means that lighting and UVB is more important.
So make a temporary larger Indoor enclosure for now. You can even use a plastic swimming pool if you don't have dogs or cats running around.

Are use plastic stock tanks for my indoor enclosures, I have a ramp connecting two of them. This is just an example, like I said there are some quick easy inexpensive things you can do right now to get you through the rest of the colder weather.

 

[Eric Phillips]

Hello and Welcome!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I think you're just fine temporarily. The tortoise seems ok being in a small container and the weather is starting to get warmer. Be sure to read all the info on the links provided. And remember when you're building the outdoor yard, they are great escape artists. Make sure you make a secure area.