Hi I'm new to Russians and this forum

[Vicky#newtothis]

Hi all. I'm vicky
Been reading so many great things on this forum Thanks everyone!!
I live in the UK & i became the very proud owner of a Russian tortoise just over 4 weeks ago .
His name is timmy and he's approx 3years old. He seems to have settled in well and I'm really enjoying him.
Here's a few pics of him xx

 

[Lyn W]

Hi Vicky and welcome to you and Timmy
I'm in the UK too. This certainly is a great place for up to date advice.
if you haven't already found them there are some good caresheets in the Russian section of the Species threads which will tell you all about temps, diet, substrate etc.
The Beginners Mistakes thread will help you avoid problems experienced by others, and the Enclosures thread is full of great ideas.
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk is a good guide for which plants are safe or not.
So plenty to read but ask as many questions as you like there will always be someone around to help.

 

[jsheffield]

Welcome to TFO!

Jamie

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome Vicky, glad to see Timmy eating the vitamin block. Tried one with my sully and it just ended up molding.

 

[Scott350]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

Thanks all.
I think he's happy it's me that worries that I'm not doing things correctly. He doesn't burrow which bothers me as nearly all others I have read about do.
He had coco husk & coir as a substrate when I got him but I have changed 1/3 of this to topsoil hoping he will like it better.

 

[JoesMum]

Hi Vicky

Please could you post some photos of your enclosure and lighting as they will help us to help you.


I recommend you read the TFO care guides and compare them with your setup.

They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.

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

Baby Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

This is his enclosure before I added the topsoil xx

 

[Sleppo]

Hi and welcome! His enclosure looks nice! This forum is a wonderful resource don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

[Lyn W]

The enclosure is looking good but Russians are great climbers and will use corners and anything in them to help them. So I would level out that corner as he will be up and over that in a flash!
Maybe he doesn't burrow because he has a nice little hide - does he sleep in there?

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

I made it slightly deeper in the corner as he was scratching there and thought he would have something to dig at instead of scratch.
I've just come home from work and hes sunning himself as usual.
Hes due a bath today so I'm going to do that soon and weigh him as I had him weighed exactly 4 weeks ago at the vet and I'm going to do it monthly to keep a check.
I put him outouts for a while saturday and he just wouldn't stop eating the dandelions on the grass as my grass doesn't grow very well and is very weedy and mossy is this ok for him? I took him in in the end as I thought he would end up exploding with the amount he was eating!!?? xx

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

The enclosure is looking good but Russians are great climbers and will use corners and anything in them to help them. So I would level out that corner as he will be up and over that in a flash!
Maybe he doesn't burrow because he has a nice little hide - does he sleep in there?

He sleeps in the wooden hide attached to the table which is about 21degrees or so it does have a heat mat behind glass but personally dont think it does much (just takes chill off).
He generally lays under his baking lamp with his head under the bridge out of the sun(light).
I want him to burrow lol is there any way I can encourage it? Xxx thanks

 

[Lyn W]

I made it slightly deeper in the corner as he was scratching there and thought he would have something to dig at instead of scratch.
I've just come home from work and hes sunning himself as usual.
Hes due a bath today so I'm going to do that soon and weigh him as I had him weighed exactly 4 weeks ago at the vet and I'm going to do it monthly to keep a check.
I put him outouts for a while saturday and he just wouldn't stop eating the dandelions on the grass as my grass doesn't grow very well and is very weedy and mossy is this ok for him? I took him in in the end as I thought he would end up exploding with the amount he was eating!!?? xx

He sounds happy enough.
It's still quite cold here at the moment so I wouldn't have too much outdoor time yet. He will get cold very quickly because he is a baby.
Do you know what weeds are in your grass? Not all of them are safe so I would try to ID them and pull up any that aren't safe before letting him loose on them.
The Tortoise Table link I gave will help with that.

 

[Lyn W]

He sleeps in the wooden hide attached to the table which is about 21degrees or so it does have a heat mat behind glass but personally dont think it does much (just takes chill off).
He generally lays under his baking lamp with his head under the bridge out of the sun(light).
I want him to burrow lol is there any way I can encourage it? Xxx thanks

Have a look through the Russian tort section, there has been a thread about burrowing recently.
I think they like to burrow in slightly moist substrate - but check that.
If I'm right you could just spray the surface which will also help with his humidity.
Do you leave his light on all night?

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

He sounds happy enough.
It's still quite cold here at the moment so I wouldn't have too much outdoor time yet. He will get cold very quickly because he is a baby.
Do you know what weeds are in your grass? Not all of them are safe so I would try to ID them and pull up any that aren't safe before letting him loose on them.
The Tortoise Table link I gave will help with that.

99% of the weeds are dandelions 2 patches of dock (which I'm going to dig up) & daisies but very mossy in places xx I've ordered a run which will be here in about 2 weeks ready for the warmer weather xx

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

Have a look through the Russian tort section, there has been a thread about burrowing recently.
I think they like to burrow in slightly moist substrate - but check that.
If I'm right you could just spray the surface which will also help with his humidity.
Do you leave his light on all night?

No it's on for about 12 hours goes off around 830 in the evening xx

 

[Vicky#newtothis]

For mother's day I got brought a RING CAMERA by hubby & kids for my tortoise table so I can watch my little timmy while I'm out and about and I'm loving it!!

 

[Lyn W]

For mother's day I got brought a RING CAMERA by hubby & kids for my tortoise table so I can watch my little timmy while I'm out and about and I'm loving it!!

What a great present!

 

[Lyn W]

No it's on for about 12 hours goes off around 830 in the evening xx

If should need any heat at night a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) Is good to have.
I run mine through a thermostat so that it switched on and off when needed and just keeps temps even.
But my tort is a leopard and needs heat at night, whereas Russians may not.

 

[Lyn W]

99% of the weeds are dandelions 2 patches of dock (which I'm going to dig up) & daisies but very mossy in places xx I've ordered a run which will be here in about 2 weeks ready for the warmer weather xx

Dandies make it tort heaven!!