I need all the advice I can get (on Russian tortoise care)

melissamtga

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Jan 17, 2017
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Hi everyone!

My name's Melissa and I'm new to the forums. I have a Russian tortoise named Shell.

I first purchased Shell at the age of 9 from a rundown pet shop. I thought, at the time, that the shop owner had knowledge about my little guy. Turns out, she knew nothing. She claimed he was five, but really had no background on him.

He was in really bad shape.

Since then, I've been learning to care for him on my own. I've made significant changes to improve his overall health, but it seems that I am still lacking in many areas.

I will list below what I am giving and/or doing for him - if you guys could continue to point me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful.

Shell lives in a tortoise table I recently built for him. It's very large, and very spacious but he doesn't seem to move around it a lot.

He has a red UVB lamp that I leave on 24/7, and that provides him with the warmth he needs.

He also has a regular light to get the needed nutrients for his shell, which I leave on for 12 hours a day, and shut off for the other 12 hours. I change the bulb every year.

For substrate, I use cypress mulch that I often mist to prevent loose dirt from flying up and causing respiratory problems.

He has a water dish, in case he gets thirsty.

I soak him for 15 minutes in warm water about once a week. The doctor said he is dehydrated and I am not sure how else to fix this problem.

He eats red leaf lettuce on the daily, and I sprinkle that with calcium powder. He refuses to eat kale or other leafy greens.. anyone know how I can make that more enticing for him?

I am also beginning to implement T-REX tortoise dry formula for the needed vitamins he is missing.

He does eat in a separate bin.

He has places to climb and things to do, but he mostly sleeps. The temperate is always about 85 degrees Fahrenheit in his cage, and always warmer under his red lamp, which he basks under.

If you guys could leave me some tips, tricks, or advice, I would so greatly appreciate it. I want Shell to live out the rest of his days in pure paradise. Thanks!!!
 

cmacusa3

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TheSulcata

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Hi everyone!

My name's Melissa and I'm new to the forums. I have a Russian tortoise named Shell.

I first purchased Shell at the age of 9 from a rundown pet shop. I thought, at the time, that the shop owner had knowledge about my little guy. Turns out, she knew nothing. She claimed he was five, but really had no background on him.

He was in really bad shape.

Since then, I've been learning to care for him on my own. I've made significant changes to improve his overall health, but it seems that I am still lacking in many areas.

I will list below what I am giving and/or doing for him - if you guys could continue to point me in the right direction I would be extremely grateful.

Shell lives in a tortoise table I recently built for him. It's very large, and very spacious but he doesn't seem to move around it a lot.

He has a red UVB lamp that I leave on 24/7, and that provides him with the warmth he needs.

He also has a regular light to get the needed nutrients for his shell, which I leave on for 12 hours a day, and shut off for the other 12 hours. I change the bulb every year.

For substrate, I use cypress mulch that I often mist to prevent loose dirt from flying up and causing respiratory problems.

He has a water dish, in case he gets thirsty.

I soak him for 15 minutes in warm water about once a week. The doctor said he is dehydrated and I am not sure how else to fix this problem.

He eats red leaf lettuce on the daily, and I sprinkle that with calcium powder. He refuses to eat kale or other leafy greens.. anyone know how I can make that more enticing for him?

I am also beginning to implement T-REX tortoise dry formula for the needed vitamins he is missing.

He does eat in a separate bin.

He has places to climb and things to do, but he mostly sleeps. The temperate is always about 85 degrees Fahrenheit in his cage, and always warmer under his red lamp, which he basks under.

If you guys could leave me some tips, tricks, or advice, I would so greatly appreciate it. I want Shell to live out the rest of his days in pure paradise. Thanks!!!
Hey, I am not a real expert in Russian torts but I do know a bit about them. First of all, did you make sure the vet you saw was an expert in this field? Some vets are inexperienced in tortoises. Second, what kind of bulb are you using for the UVB? If it is a curly bulb that can cause eye problems. A recommendation to get him to eat what he doesn't want to is to chop it up with the stuff he likes. My sulcata torts usually eat everything.
 

melissamtga

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Jan 17, 2017
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Hey, I am not a real expert in Russian torts but I do know a bit about them. First of all, did you make sure the vet you saw was an expert in this field? Some vets are inexperienced in tortoises. Second, what kind of bulb are you using for the UVB? If it is a curly bulb that can cause eye problems. A recommendation to get him to eat what he doesn't want to is to chop it up with the stuff he likes. My sulcata torts usually eat everything.


The vet seemed a bit inexperienced, but I'm not too positive as he told me I was doing a lot wrong. However, it is not a spiral bulb!
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Hello, Melissa, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Shell. :)
You've come to the right place.
Please read the links that were posted for you above.
I'm glad to hear your table is so big, as a Russian tort needs at least 8' by 4' for its enclosure.
Red light is not good as it can lead to the tortoise eating its substrate as some are attracted to eating red foods.
You need an MVB (mercury vapour bulb) or a strip UVB light for your UVB. The light must be turned off at night as tortoises need total darkness in order to sleep. If you still need night heat you need a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) connected to a thermostat to provide heat but no light.
The best type of water dish is a cheap, shallow, terracotta plant saucer, big enough for the tortoise to soak in and sunk into your substrate.
if you need to him to eat something else mix a little chopped up with his lettuce and gradually reduce the amount of lettuce and increase the other stuff.
Or be tough and just give him the alternatives and no lettuce, he will eat when he gets hungry enough.
 

wellington

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Red bulbs do not give off uv or UVB or anything other then heat. It should not be used at all in my opinion. Get a ceramic heat emitter for added heat and a mercury vapor bulb for UVB and basking spot. The basking spot should be 95-100. The rest of the area around 75-80 and can drop to 70-75 at night. Get the substrate damp a bit for humidity or add a humid hide.
 

melissamtga

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Hello, Melissa, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Shell. :)
You've come to the right place.
Please read the links that were posted for you above.
I'm glad to hear your table is so big, as a Russian tort needs at least 8' by 4' for its enclosure.
Red light is not good as it can lead to the tortoise eating its substrate as some are attracted to eating red foods.
You need an MVB (mercury vapour bulb) or a strip UVB light for your UVB. The light must be turned off at night as tortoises need total darkness in order to sleep. If you still need night heat you need a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) connected to a thermostat to provide heat but no light.
The best type of water dish is a cheap, shallow, terracotta plant saucer, big enough for the tortoise to soak in and sunk into your substrate.
if you need to him to eat something else mix a little chopped up with his lettuce and gradually reduce the amount of lettuce and increase the other stuff.
Or be tough and just give him the alternatives and no lettuce, he will eat when he gets hungry enough.


Thank you! Since I've gotten him, he's had the red light. I feel as if it's almost a comfort thing for him. The few times it's been out (because of a short power outage) he will not sleep until it's back on and he's basking happily beneath it. I've never had a problem with him eating the substrate. I know this is not a matter of a temperature issue because his cage is always a constant 85 degrees fahrenheit. Should I still discontinue use? Or just at night?
 

melissamtga

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Jan 17, 2017
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Hello, Melissa, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Shell. :)
You've come to the right place.
Please read the links that were posted for you above.
I'm glad to hear your table is so big, as a Russian tort needs at least 8' by 4' for its enclosure.
Red light is not good as it can lead to the tortoise eating its substrate as some are attracted to eating red foods.
You need an MVB (mercury vapour bulb) or a strip UVB light for your UVB. The light must be turned off at night as tortoises need total darkness in order to sleep. If you still need night heat you need a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) connected to a thermostat to provide heat but no light.
The best type of water dish is a cheap, shallow, terracotta plant saucer, big enough for the tortoise to soak in and sunk into your substrate.
if you need to him to eat something else mix a little chopped up with his lettuce and gradually reduce the amount of lettuce and increase the other stuff.
Or be tough and just give him the alternatives and no lettuce, he will eat when he gets hungry enough.

Awesome! Thank you.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Thank you! Since I've gotten him, he's had the red light. I feel as if it's almost a comfort thing for him. The few times it's been out (because of a short power outage) he will not sleep until it's back on and he's basking happily beneath it. I've never had a problem with him eating the substrate. I know this is not a matter of a temperature issue because his cage is always a constant 85 degrees fahrenheit. Should I still discontinue use? Or just at night?
No light at all at night and I would discontinue use altogether.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Melissa, and welcome to the Forum!

The first thing that jumped out at me is the heat. Full grown Russian tortoises (and yes, your tortoise is full grown and older than the 5 or 8 years you've allowed him) do much better when they can cool down a bit. If your table is as big as you say, then you should be able to have a warm side and a room temperature side. It should be about 100 + directly under the light fading to about 80F on the warm side and room temperature (70-75F) on the cool side.

Please read the care sheet:

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

Skip over the part for hatchling or baby care, as yours is full grown. Then make any adjustments necessary. I think you'll see an improvement once he's set up properly.
 

melissamtga

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Jan 17, 2017
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Hi Melissa, and welcome to the Forum!

The first thing that jumped out at me is the heat. Full grown Russian tortoises (and yes, your tortoise is full grown and older than the 5 or 8 years you've allowed him) do much better when they can cool down a bit. If your table is as big as you say, then you should be able to have a warm side and a room temperature side. It should be about 100 + directly under the light fading to about 80F on the warm side and room temperature (70-75F) on the cool side.

Please read the care sheet:

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

Skip over the part for hatchling or baby care, as yours is full grown. Then make any adjustments necessary. I think you'll see an improvement once he's set up properly.

Thanks!! Currently, if you're looking directly at the cage, the left side has a white eco-terra UVB light with rocks and things for him to climb over, while the right side, just before his house has the red heat lamp (until I can replace it with a Mercury Vapor Lamp). How should I rearrange the lamps? TIA.
 

Oogway the russian tort

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if u have trouble feeding him tortoise diets what I do I blend it to a powder and sprinkle on Oogway's food same thing with cuttlebone and if you do want a trust worthy vet for ur tort try to find a herpetologist vet they are more experienced
 

melissamtga

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Jan 17, 2017
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if u have trouble feeding him tortoise diets what I do I blend it to a powder and sprinkle on Oogway's food same thing with cuttlebone and if you do want a trust worthy vet for ur tort try to find a herpetologist vet they are more experienced

Great! Thanks! I've implemented every comment I've gotten so far and I have seen a HUGE improvement. I can't be more happy or thankful.
 

domagoj

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Welcome to the forum. Could you post pictures of your enclosure? It could help everyone around here to help you make any improvements still needed. You sound like a caring person and we all want to help you. You've already received wonderful advice but pictures say a thousand words.
 
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