Hello from Tenerife South

[Mark Tenerife]

Hi just want to say hello. Need loads of advice on keeping my new Russians Freddie & Freida outside. I have limited space but have a lovely sunny (little garden) plants and ground cover are my main concern at the moment. I have Cactus growing but think I will have to move them. I understand money plants and hibiscus are good and they grow like crazy here. Any advice welcome. Thanks everyone M Tenerife

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome
As you will come to know, Russians do NOT do well in pairs.
They are the scrappiest, grouchiest and most "unfriendly" to other tortoises as they get.
You will need a BIG outdoor enclosure. (One that is climb proof.) Because they can climb up and over like a mountain goat.
And be prepared to house them separately indoors.

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Oh no I didn't realise that at all. I brought a boy and girl because it would be cruel just to have a boy. That was the only reason I got the boy and girl. The enclosure won't be huge either. Will they fight? That's not what I wanted at all. The pet shop that I go to and spend a fortune in could have told me...the boys and girls were separated but I just thought it was because of the space not because they were vicious to each other. Thanks for the warning. Maybe I will have to have a rethink about the whole set up.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome to the forum; you've come to a good place for information.

Tortoises are not like humans or dogs. They don't get lonely, they don't want a friend. It is cruel to have two, not the other way around. One will bully the other; you may not be able to see the signs but eventually the health of the one being bullied will suffer.

Pet stores often don't know very much of tortoises and even if they did, they are business of selling tortoises. Selling two is in their best interest.

How old are your tortoises? You can't tell the sex on tortoises for four to five years and it would be unusual for most pet stores to have tortoises for that long. Typically they are imported for sale before they reach an age before you can tell them apart. So I am just wondering about that.

Is it too late to return one?

Here are some great threads to read:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

More good threads are stickied to the top of the subforum on Russian tortoises: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/russian-tortoises.81/

 

[RosemaryDW]

I know you say your space is small but can you give a more exact size?

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Thanks Rosemary. They are 3 years old. Here we can only buy captive breeds (thankfully) and we have to have certification here in Spain they are all regulated and numbered.
I may be able to return one. I certainly do not want to cause distress to either of them.
I have been reading up and there is a lot of conflicting advice about the Russian tourtouse.
Tomorrow I will go to the pet store and try to return the female. They will be housed outside in a reasonably sized area until late they are big enough to roam the terraces and garden areas.
I will have to talk to the pet store I only brought them on Thursday. Thanks again if anyone has any other ideas please let me know

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Oh regarding the size about 10 foot by 4 foot.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Mark

 

[JoesMum]

Oh regarding the size about 10 foot by 4 foot.

That's a good size for one Russian.

Hello and welcome to TFO.

My uncle is a British expat living in Tenerife

 

[Stuart S.]

Hello and Welcome!!

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Welcome to the forum; you've come to a good place for information.

Tortoises are not like humans or dogs. They don't get lonely, they don't want a friend. It is cruel to have two, not the other way around. One will bully the other; you may not be able to see the signs but eventually the health of the one being bullied will suffer.

Pet stores often don't know very much of tortoises and even if they did, they are business of selling tortoises. Selling two is in their best interest.

How old are your tortoises? You can't tell the sex on tortoises for four to five years and it would be unusual for most pet stores to have tortoises for that long. Typically they are imported for sale before they reach an age before you can tell them apart. So I am just wondering about that.

Is it too late to return one?

Here are some great threads to read:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

More good threads are stickied to the top of the subforum on Russian tortoises: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/russian-tortoises.81/

These are great links and useful anyway I will see if the pet shop will play ball
I have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 ponds koi in one tropical in the other so I am a good customer. I can explain in Spanglish fingers crossed

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Welcome to the forum; you've come to a good place for information.

Tortoises are not like humans or dogs. They don't get lonely, they don't want a friend. It is cruel to have two, not the other way around. One will bully the other; you may not be able to see the signs but eventually the health of the one being bullied will suffer.

Pet stores often don't know very much of tortoises and even if they did, they are business of selling tortoises. Selling two is in their best interest.

How old are your tortoises? You can't tell the sex on tortoises for four to five years and it would be unusual for most pet stores to have tortoises for that long. Typically they are imported for sale before they reach an age before you can tell them apart. So I am just wondering about that.

Is it too late to return one?

Here are some great threads to read:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

More good threads are stickied to the top of the subforum on Russian tortoises: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/russian-tortoises.81/

Oh they are a boy and girl one has a tail and one has a short stubby one. I hope it's a tail !!!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oh they are a boy and girl one has a tail and one has a short stubby one. I hope it's a tail !!!

Remember they are Russians.
One might be a tail and one is the stump that once was a tail.........

 

[RosemaryDW]

Oh regarding the size about 10 foot by 4 foot.

Okay, thanks. That is not big enough for two.

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Oh don't say that please. They were separated and the man Pepe said that the girls were in the other enclosure.
I am going to the shop tonight to see if they will take the girl back.
I am hopeful because I am a good customer. My only concern is that because of the documents we have to sign when we buy them the registration documents may be a problem for the shop
So stressed about it all. M xx

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Okay, thanks. That is not big enough for two.

Mmmm I know that now it's a case of stupidly on my part. I feel terrible

 

[Mark Tenerife]

The intention was to keep them in there until they were able to be out and about on the terraces. Then they would have had a place to roam and a special area for digging and shade plus a source of running water. But it's all going horribly wrong. I really wish I had done my research. I was under so many misconceptions.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The intention was to keep them in there until they were able to be out and about on the terraces. Then they would have had a place to roam and a special area for digging and shade plus a source of running water. But it's all going horribly wrong. I really wish I had done my research. I was under so many misconceptions.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's a very common thought that tortoises are social creatures like a lot of mammals are. Many, Many new members get a pair. Sometimes it goes smoothly for a while, too.
A few members were so upset about hearing this that they left the forum.

Maybe it's a good thing to not think like a tortoise.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I really wish I had done my research. I was under so many misconceptions.

Don't feel bad, many people make the exact mistake. We usually know what cats and dogs need, because they are such common pets, domesticated ones at that.

It would be horrible if harm came to one of them, but now you won't let that happen. And I can see you are going to be a good tortoise owner.

 

[Mark Tenerife]

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's a very common thought that tortoises are social creatures like a lot of mammals are. Many, Many new members get a pair. Sometimes it goes smoothly for a while, too.
A few members were so upset about hearing this that they left the forum.

Maybe it's a good thing to not think like a tortoise.

Thanks for that. I'm feeling rotten about it. I certainly won't be leaving the forum. I have read so much now my head is spinning
I go to the pet shop in about an hour. I will let all my new found friends know how I get on. Thanks again