Hi all!

[JT’sfather]

Hello everyone, my name is Alan and here is JT. I got this little one about 4 weeks ago. It’s been a learning process on how to take care for a tortoise but I love it! There are certain details that I wish to find out more.

•How much is too much food and how often? (Currently I’m feeding every day mixing it up per info I came across in this forum).

•I’ve noticed on JT’s shell (please zoom in to see what I’ve marked) there’s like dry spots and or white lines but after doing the soaks (I do them 2 times a week) they go away for a bit and then it comes back. Should I be worried about shell rot or fungal infection?

•And lastly, is JT a male russian tortoise?

 

[wellington]

Hello and welcome.
Feed every day enough food that he can graze off and on all day
He is an adult Russian and needs 50% humidity and a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure.
He looks to be too dry. Get the humidity up it will help.
What type of lighting are you using? Mercury vapor bulbs, halogen bulbs, spot bulbs and cfl coil bulbs should not be used, the first three are two intense and the cfl can damage eyes

 

[EppsDynasty]

Welcome Alan .... I am a learner too and not an expert but I'll do my best to answer some of your questions until an expert does chime in. When they do you will need to give some important details such as Temperatures (Basking, Warm Side, Cool Side and Lows overnight) lighting (what lights Uvb, Compact Fluorescent etc.) and dietary questions.
As for feed, feed them as much as they will eat. You are not going to over feed them, as long as your diet is correct.
The marked areas of the shell ... A tortoise shell is Keratin covered bone, keratin just like your nails and hair. The keratin (shell) can get dry, dehydrated and needs to be treated to re-hydrate it. This can be done with Coconut Oil (it's the best) rub downs and an hour later a wipe off.

One of the experts just chimed in @wellington .....
Please ask ANY questions you have and remember the experts are here most importantly for your tortoises well being and want your tortoise to thrive.

 

[JT’sfather]

Hello and welcome.
Feed every day enough food that he can graze off and on all day
He is an adult Russian and needs 50% humidity and a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure.
He looks to be too dry. Get the humidity up it will help.
What type of lighting are you using? Mercury vapor bulbs, halogen bulbs, spot bulbs and cfl coil bulbs should not be used, the first three are two intense and the cfl can damage eyes

Hi there and thank you for the reply,

Currently I have him in a 20 gallon enclosure and I’m using a uvb lamp (Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 T5-HO UVB Fluorescent Bulb) and a heat emitter (Zoo Med Repticare Heat Emitter, 10-20 Gallon, 60 Watt). Both are on during the day at a 81° to 82° temp and at night the heat emitter is on at a lower temp of 75°. I have them on one side of the enclosure so it’s not just in the center and he seems to like it.
Regarding the humidity, I have a dual thermometer and humidity gauge and the humidity seems to change from 50 to mid 40.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[zovick]

Hello everyone, my name is Alan and here is JT. I got this little one about 4 weeks ago. It’s been a learning process on how to take care for a tortoise but I love it! There are certain details that I wish to find out more.

•How much is too much food and how often? (Currently I’m feeding every day mixing it up per info I came across in this forum).

•I’ve noticed on JT’s shell (please zoom in to see what I’ve marked) there’s like dry spots and or white lines but after doing the soaks (I do them 2 times a week) they go away for a bit and then it comes back. Should I be worried about shell rot or fungal infection?

•And lastly, is JT a male russian tortoise?

The white lines you have marked are mineral deposits from hard water. When water gets on the shell and then evaporates, the minerals are left behind on the shell and form the white lines. When you soak the tortoise, the lines go away because the water permeates the minerals, but as the shell dries, they become visible again and will get a bit larger each time since additional minerals are being left.

The mineral deposits can be removed with white vinegar or lemon juice on a rag or on a cotton swab. I always used warm vinegar and it works very well.

Note that you can use water without minerals in it for the soaks going forward and the deposits will not form as it evaporates. Some people like to use RO (reverse osmosis) water for this reason.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome.
Think of his shell as an upturned bowl and feed that much to start with but if he wants more feed more. He'll stop when he's had enough.

 

[SinLA]

Sorry for the bad news, but a 20 gallon tank is much much too small. It’s cruel. You didn’t know, not your fault, and certainly a lot of people do it, but tortoises need much more space than people are told when they buy them in pet stores or online.

they need to be able to walk around, 4’ x 8’ is what this forum recommends.

 

[JT’sfather]

Sorry for the bad news, but a 20 gallon tank is much much too small. It’s cruel. You didn’t know, not your fault, and certainly a lot of people do it, but tortoises need much more space than people are told when they buy them in pet stores or online.

they need to be able to walk around, 4’ x 8’ is what this forum recommends.

Oh and I agree, I’m getting him a much bigger enclosure. I take him out and let him roam around my loft and backyard with lots of supervision.

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone, my name is Alan and here is JT. I got this little one about 4 weeks ago. It’s been a learning process on how to take care for a tortoise but I love it! There are certain details that I wish to find out more.

•How much is too much food and how often? (Currently I’m feeding every day mixing it up per info I came across in this forum).

•I’ve noticed on JT’s shell (please zoom in to see what I’ve marked) there’s like dry spots and or white lines but after doing the soaks (I do them 2 times a week) they go away for a bit and then it comes back. Should I be worried about shell rot or fungal infection?

•And lastly, is JT a male russian tortoise?

Hello Alan! Welcome to the forum. JT is indeed a male.

Start here for the correct care info. Read through it all a couple fo times at least.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

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The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

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[wellington]

Oh and I agree, I’m getting him a much bigger enclosure. I take him out and let him roam around my loft and backyard with lots of supervision.

Outside is great, but make him an enclosure. Too many lost because the supervisor got distracted.
Do not let him roam your floors, very dangerous and we have seen many sick, injured or dead tortoises because they kept them roam the floors.

 

[Tom]

Outside is great, but make him an enclosure. Too many lost because the supervisor got distracted.
Do not let him roam your floors, very dangerous and we have seen many sick, injured or dead tortoises because they kept them roam the floors.

@JT’sfather
Wellington is right. Here's one that just happened. They don't all have such a happy ending, as this one did, and Russians are number one for escaping or disappearing. No other species comes close.

Just sharing

Guys 😭 I literally just made my account because I need to share with someone what just happened.. A few weeks ago I got my first tortoise, a 2” sulcata hatchling from a breeder and she’s perfect! I did all the research and have been improving on her care daily because I’ve always wanted one...

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[ZEROPILOT]

Hello and welcome to the forum from South Florida