Helping a neglected Russian? First Time Owner

[ljb]

After finally deciding to seek a Russian tortoise at the beginning of next year, I was slowly starting to gather the things I will need for its inside and outside enclosure. Things didn't quite go to plan and I am now the proud owner of a Russian tortoise.

The problem is he has been neglected and I am unsure if you jump straight into giving him all of the things he should have been getting or introduce them slowly?

He has lived for 2.5 years in a zoo med wooden tortoise enclosure, fed exclusively on romaine lettuce and with no UVA or UVB light or calcium.

What aggrevates me is that he came from a multi million pound home with all the money and space to have given him the care he needed, but alas ignorance is bliss.

I have so many questions but hopefully someone can just let me know the things I should be concerned about given his background.

 

[Tom]

Just start giving him what he needs. Important steps would be daily soaks for a while and lots of sunshine. If he'll eat other foods, that is great, but you'll probably have to start introducing the new stuff by chopping up a small amount of the new stuff and mixing it in with the romaine. It will take time.

Here are some threads for you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Gillian M]

After finally deciding to seek a Russian tortoise at the beginning of next year, I was slowly starting to gather the things I will need for its inside and outside enclosure. Things didn't quite go to plan and I am now the proud owner of a Russian tortoise.

The problem is he has been neglected and I am unsure if you jump straight into giving him all of the things he should have been getting or introduce them slowly?

He has lived for 2.5 years in a zoo med wooden tortoise enclosure, fed exclusively on romaine lettuce and with no UVA or UVB light or calcium.

What aggrevates me is that he came from a multi million pound home with all the money and space to have given him the care he needed, but alas ignorance is bliss.

I have so many questions but hopefully someone can just let me know the things I should be concerned about given his background.

Hello there. Sorry to have heard your tort is "ill." I personally don't have that much expeience in dealing with torts though I've had one for a couple of years now. One thing I'm sure of: they need a lot of SUNSHINE. For this reason I often take my beloved tortoise out for "a walk" in the sun, and I feel it enjoys it. Wishes for your tortoise to get well soon.

 

[pam]

Russians are tough he should do fine take it slow he will come around it takes time

 

[Jabuticaba]

Hello. Sounds like you rescued the poor guy from a spoilt, bored owner. So good of you to take him. And good on you for doing research and resource gathering, instead of jumping into it! I can already tell this RT will have a much better life!

Have you named him, yet?

One very important thing to keep in mind that the days are getting shorter and natural UVB is not as plentiful even in Southern UK, by now. At this time of yr, at the latitude you and I (in Canada) are, UVB is limited to noon hours; ie, 1100-1400hrs, on clear days and only for a few more weeks. By late September, there's almost no UVB at all and by October, there's 0!

It should be getting cooler in the evenings, too, dropping below 20°, correct? If so, yes, do get him a good full-spectrum, linear light source--if you haven't already--and keep him indoors overnight. Just make sure to avoid coil bulbs. They've been associated with many cases of eye damage in pets (and at least one human).

Please post pictures, when you get a chance. And welcome to the forum!


May, Aussies, & Hermannis
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[ljb]

Thanks for all of the replies.

I am actually in Georgia, USA but originally from the UK hence me saying pound rather than dollars, doh! We still have a good month or two of hot/warm weather that he could go out in. I am trying to quickly build an outdoor enclosure so that he can get some sunshine. Is it a must that under the ground be hardware cloth? We have clay for soil and I am not sure how I am going to dig up a large area to lay it!

Is his enclosure now ok for nighttime use for the next month or so while I build him a more suitable place? If he is outside all day of course.

Right now he seems super stressed and keeps hissing and attempting to dig, which is impossible because their isn't enough substrate currently in his box. Where do you find soil with nothing added? I go to Home Depots website and can't find anything suitable.

He has no name, I am hoping his personality shows soon and I will name him then.

 

[ljb]

Sorry for the bad photos but I didn't want to bug him too much, I haven't actually picked him up yet to assess him but from the second shot I can see his nails are way overgrown. In the first pic can anyone tell me what is going on with his shell?

 

[Tom]

You don't need soil. Please read the linked care sheet above. It has the answers to your question.

I've never buried wire in a russian enclosure or any other. There is an example of a cheap, easy to make, outdoor enclosure in the care sheet. Just make sure to provide ample shade and a small underground retreat if possible.

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a pretty nice-looking Russian tortoise.

Add more substrate. You can use dirt from the yard, orchid bark, more pebble bark...just add quite a bit more so when he digs at night to settle in, he can't reach the actual flooring.

Don't do a thing to those nails. russian tortoise nails are a bit longer than other tortoises' and yours look just fine to me.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

What's wrong with his shell? That just how they look, unless I'm missing something!! Do you know if it's a girl? 'she' looks very wide... Here's another good one- http://russiantortoise.net/care_sheet.htm

 

[ljb]

The pics didn't pick it up but his shell is slightly peeling in places.

He us definitely a boy, super long tail that he holds to the side, i agree though he is almost as wide as he is long!

 

[lynnedit]

Yep, add untreated garden soil and he will be happier. Or, ACE hardware sells their name brand topsoil which is great.

With your clay soil, have you considered a raised bed for his outside enclosure? If you can manage it, 16'x4' would work.
You can line the bottom with galvanized wire or plastic garden fencing if needed, set the raised bed on top, then 3-4 inches of gravel for drainage, then at least 13 inches of garden dirt, with some peat moss mixed in to improve drainage.
If you make it 36" high, you have plenty of room for gravel, then soil and still have clearance to prevent climb outs.
If flooding is still an issue, dig a 4-6" trench around the perimeter and backfill with gravel to help more with drainage.

Congratulations on helping this little tortoise out!

 

[smarch]

They can be stubborn when it comes to eating new foods no matter how healthy it is for them, Inititally mix some romaine in with healthier greens, if he picks out the romaine and leaves the rest then chopping would be good. (one time my 'Nank up and decided all he wanted to eat was romaine in the winter while I was doing the "grocery-green-shuffle" and it was a huge hassle to make him stop that, he went 3 dats without eating before he got hungry enough I guess... tough love is hard!
As for the shell, looks like he/she had been dry for a while, soaks will be helpful in that (i'd do daily/every other day for a while). And you said not UVA/AVB was provided so that probably explains the shell peeling and stuff, just light and calcium will help prevent it from happening more, and I have a little thing of vita-shell from zoomed that I was using when 'Nank had a large dry patch on te back of his shell that was starting to peel/flake as he grew. 'Nank came from a petco so his care before me was less than perfect. I know many people here don't like vita-shell but it did help, I only used a little and only in the spot needed as directed, I think monthly for us. I only had to do it a few times before it was just like the rest of the shell. That decision could be up to you, I know that's not bad for a Russian shell though, and as long as deep flakes aren't coming off he really isn't hurting from it.
For inside you could just take soil from outside if you don't use fertilizers, pesticides or other nasties in the yard, Franklin LOVES his soil in his inside enclosure!