Looking after a wee Russian Tort for 6 months, and stressing out over it!

[Ash626]

Hi there! I'm looking after a lovely wee Russian tort called Ravi. My friend is working away for the next 6 months and asked if I could look after her, not because I've got experience looking after torts but I've always been interested in them. So they gave me her enclosure, and some very simple instructions on how to look after her.

So fast forward a few days and I've noticed she spends nearly all her time in the corner hiding away, not really eating or drinking. I've looked up alot of threads on here, which is then stressing me out 😅

A few things that I was told by my friend was to keep the heat mat on at all times and make sure the temperature is always around 20c, and that she really only eats Kale with the Calcium powder on top of it.

What should I be doing different?

 

[wellington]

Where is the heat mat? They should not be on a heat mat if she truly is only 6 months.
With the pyramiding she has, she looks to be older
Temps should be 75-80 during the day, 65-70 at night, basking area with incandescent flood bulb should be 85-100.
Humidity 80%
Kale is not good for a daily food. You must get her to eat many different greens, tort safe weeds are better
Your friend doesn't have the greatest advice so, follow the care sheet under the Mediterranean section and click on Russian.

 

[Ash626]

Where is the heat mat? They should not be on a heat mat if she truly is only 6 months.
With the pyramiding she has, she looks to be older
Temps should be 75-80 during the day, 65-70 at night, basking area with incandescent flood bulb should be 85-100.
Humidity 80%
Kale is not good for a daily food. You must get her to eat many different greens, tort safe weeds are better
Your friend doesn't have the greatest advice so, follow the care sheet under the Mediterranean section and click on Russian.

So the heat map is under her log. And no she's a year and a half.
Okay I'll have a look at that cheers

 

[wellington]

So the heat map is under her log. And no she's a year and a half.
Okay I'll have a look at that cheers

Yeah, remove the heat mat. They are only to be used with large adults with a heat source over it. They heat from the top, not the bottom and can burn because they are waiting for their top shell to warm which never will
Yeah, I mixed the 6 months you are watching him with age lol.
Even at a year and a half you has extreme pyramiding and Russians don't pyramid easily like other species. Get the humidity to 80% and don't use any mercury vapor bulb, halogen bulbs or coil bulbs.