Is my Russian Tortoise healthy? Please take a look :)

[D3sirable]

Hello everyone!

I bought my Russian Tortoise 26th July and I'm still trying to do research everyday about how I can make him as happy as possible everyday. I took a few pictures of him and the enclosure, can you please take a look and tell me if he looks healthy? And if something looks wrong that I'm doing.

What I use/do:

Reptiglo 10.0 UVB - 14 hours a day (I know that many say coiled are bad, I plan to change it ASAP, however there hasn't been any damage done after using it for 3 months)
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb150.php

Intense Basking spot 50W - 14 hours a day, I put it around 17-20 CM above the ground so it should be 93-95 degrees under it
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/intense_basking_spot.php

100% Exo Terra Plantation Soil "made from compressed coconut husk fibre from the plantations of tropical Asia"
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/plantation_soil.php

Reptical with D3 every other day http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Reptical.html

I feed him clovers, different kind of dandelions (or plants that looks like it) everyday, its limited plants I have where I live, so it's hard to get other kind (Sweden)

It's very cold where I live, so sadly I can't take him outside most time of the year for real sun. I will try to take him out every summer.

I soak him for 15 mins 3-4 times a week

I greatly appreciate the help

Here are the pictures:

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! i would really take out the coil bulbs, they can damage your torts eyes. also the enclosure is was to small, russians may be small but they are hardwired to move around and explore. please read this entire care sheet http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ your russian looks fine, also if you didn't know already its a boy

 

[D3sirable]

welcome to the forum! i would really take out the coil bulbs, they can damage your torts eyes. also the enclosure is was to small, russians may be small but they are hardwired to move around and explore. please read this entire care sheet http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ your russian looks fine, also if you didn't know already its a boy

Thanks for your reply
This was the biggest tank I could find on the pet shops around where I live. Also my home is really small so I wouldn't have space for a bigger. But I will eventually try to find something.

I have used the coil bulbs for 3 months so far and nothing bad happened. This was the bulb the seller told me to buy the day I got my tortoise. I will change it ASAP.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

you can always try to build your own cage, i have seen some amazing creations made here and that where not that expensive to make.

 

[lismar79]

If you can not go big consider building a two story enclosure. I also do not see a water dish in his tank. A small terra cotta dish would work well and is important to their health. Also would change out the food plate you are using to a flat rock or dish. This will help keep his beak filed down. Plus a paper plate could be nibbled on and cause internal problems....
Keep in mind that tortoises matabolize slower and it takes longer to see any damage that that light may cause. D3 can be overdone, I only give mine twice a week and she is insinde now too.
Your diet can be harmful with out the variety. Clover and dandelions, though both good foods, should both be given in moderation. Look into what store bought greens you can add. This of course is not ideal but gets many of us through the winters.
He is a good looking tort

 

[D3sirable]

If you can not go big consider building a two story enclosure. I also do not see a water dish in his tank. A small terra cotta dish would work well and is important to their health. Also would change out the food plate you are using to a flat rock or dish. This will help keep his beak filed down. Plus a paper plate could be nibbled on and cause internal problems....
Keep in mind that tortoises matabolize slower and it takes longer to see any damage that that light may cause. D3 can be overdone, I only give mine twice a week and she is insinde now too.
Your diet can be harmful with out the variety. Clover and dandelions, though both good foods, should both be given in moderation. Look into what store bought greens you can add. This of course is not ideal but gets many of us through the winters.
He is a good looking tort

Thank you very much for the tips

I have a water dish on top right corner if you can see it. But my tortoise never goes into it, it's always untouched although I change the water every 2 days.

I give a little of the Reptical with D3 every other day, I'm afraid if I give less it'll miss calcium? I can't find the one without D3, pet shops for reptiles arent very popular where I live, so it's hard to find things.

I also thought that food bought in store are bad for tortoises and I try to avoid them. But I guess since there are nothing else I will have to use them to give it more varied diet.

 

[lismar79]

Thank you very much for the tips

I have a water dish on top right corner if you can see it. But my tortoise never goes into it, it's always untouched although I change the water every 2 days.

I give a little of the Reptical with D3 every other day, I'm afraid if I give less it'll miss calcium? I can't find the one without D3, pet shops for reptiles arent very popular where I live, so it's hard to find things.

I also thought that food bought in store are bad for tortoises and I try to avoid them. But I guess since there are nothing else I will have to use them to give it more varied diet.

Store bought food is not ideal. Broad leaf weeds are whay you want but in a pinch, store bought greens are a good way to ad variety until you can find more good weeds. Do your pet stores sell cuttle fish bones, the kinds for birds? This is a source f pure calcium and what most of us use. I leave one in my enclosure and if I notice them not using it I just scrape a dusting off onto the food a couple times a week. I use the d3 kind no more than 2 a week.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

D3 is it possible to grow your own tort food?

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone!

I bought my Russian Tortoise 26th July and I'm still trying to do research everyday about how I can make him as happy as possible everyday. I took a few pictures of him and the enclosure, can you please take a look and tell me if he looks healthy? And if something looks wrong that I'm doing.

What I use/do:

Reptiglo 10.0 UVB - 14 hours a day (I know that many say coiled are bad, I plan to change it ASAP, however there hasn't been any damage done after using it for 3 months)
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb150.php

Intense Basking spot 50W - 14 hours a day, I put it around 17-20 CM above the ground so it should be 93-95 degrees under it
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/intense_basking_spot.php

100% Exo Terra Plantation Soil "made from compressed coconut husk fibre from the plantations of tropical Asia"
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/plantation_soil.php

Reptical with D3 every other day http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Reptical.html

I feed him clovers, different kind of dandelions (or plants that looks like it) everyday, its limited plants I have where I live, so it's hard to get other kind (Sweden)

It's very cold where I live, so sadly I can't take him outside most time of the year for real sun. I will try to take him out every summer.

I soak him for 15 mins 3-4 times a week.

Hello everyone!

I bought my Russian Tortoise 26th July and I'm still trying to do research everyday about how I can make him as happy as possible everyday. I took a few pictures of him and the enclosure, can you please take a look and tell me if he looks healthy? And if something looks wrong that I'm doing.

What I use/do:

Reptiglo 10.0 UVB - 14 hours a day (I know that many say coiled are bad, I plan to change it ASAP, however there hasn't been any damage done after using it for 3 months)
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb150.php

Intense Basking spot 50W - 14 hours a day, I put it around 17-20 CM above the ground so it should be 93-95 degrees under it
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/intense_basking_spot.php

100% Exo Terra Plantation Soil "made from compressed coconut husk fibre from the plantations of tropical Asia"
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/plantation_soil.php

Reptical with D3 every other day http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Reptical.html

I feed him clovers, different kind of dandelions (or plants that looks like it) everyday, its limited plants I have where I live, so it's hard to get other kind (Sweden)

It's very cold where I live, so sadly I can't take him outside most time of the year for real sun. I will try to take him out every summer.

I soak him for 15 mins 3-4 times a week.

Over all I think you are doing very well. Here are a few things that I would change:
1. Be careful what weeds you are feeding. Some are not okay. If you have not identified the weed and verified that it is safe, you should not be feeding it to your tortoise.
2. Not all coil bulbs cause problems all the time. You got lucky with the first one, but I would not risk it again. Also, they are not very effective at providing UV anyway. Look into an Arcadia HO tube and fixture to put over your enclosure instead. Since your tortoise is dependent on indoor UV for most of the year it is very important that you actually measure the UV output of your bulbs to make sure he is getting enough.
3. That "intense" spot lamp is no good. It dries out the carapace too much and is contributing to that minor pyramiding you are getting. Use a flood bulb or regular round bulb in a dome instead. And don't assume what the basking temperature is based on height. Measure the temp in your enclosure.
4. Now this may sound harsh, but you asked for help in making your tortoise "happy". No tortoise is happy when crammed into a small enclosure. Frankly, if you don't have room for a large tortoise enclosure, then you don't have room for a tortoise. I'm not saying that to be mean, I'm saying it to help your tortoise. In the wild russians some times wander for miles. That tiny little tank is simply too small. You need to buy or build something bigger as soon as possible. Your tortoise needs room to move. I recommend 122x244 cm as a minimum for this species.
5. That water dish is not suitable. The primary evidence here is that he doesn't touch it. Ever. Normally in a tiny enclosure like that a tortoise would trudge through that water bowl all day. That your tortoise does not is an indicator that he is not comfortable using his bowl. The sides are too tall and steep. An inexpensive terra cotta plant saucer from the hardware store, sunk into the substrate is the best way to go for water. The 3-4 soaks a week that you have been doing are fantastic and should be continued.

Read these and come back with lots of questions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/