New.. Just wanted to ask how often to feed my tortoise.

[PetrieLeaves]

Hi! about 4 days ago I adopted my russian tortoise Petrie. Stupidly, I got him from petco but I went in there for a whole different thing and when I saw him in there I didn't wanna leave without him. I already made him a tortoise table I started with the mistake of a glass tank but I changed that quickly. I was just wondering how often should I feed him? They had no idea how old he is or anything. He's about 4 inches and a half. He's a male, he does have the full tail that goes to the side of his shell. I just thought you guys would be the best people to ask. Thank you!

 

[SinLA]

Welcome! Can you provide pics of your tortoise top, bottom, and backside, as well as your enclosure? I know that is not what you are asking about, but you'd be surprised what good info this forum can provide based on that.

I would not believe anything petco tells you, but I think you already know that.

Feed him as much as he wants, so long as its of the right stuff and you have the space for him to walk around to digest, and place to bask, also to help digest. The link below will help, also look at the Tortoise Table app and lots of links here on what is the right food for Russians.

If you haven't already, please read the below.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Tom]

Hi! about 4 days ago I adopted my russian tortoise Petrie. Stupidly, I got him from petco but I went in there for a whole different thing and when I saw him in there I didn't wanna leave without him. I already made him a tortoise table I started with the mistake of a glass tank but I changed that quickly. I was just wondering how often should I feed him? They had no idea how old he is or anything. He's about 4 inches and a half. He's a male, he does have the full tail that goes to the side of his shell. I just thought you guys would be the best people to ask. Thank you!

Hello and welcome! You've come to the right place.

Glass tanks are fine if they are large enough. They don't sell any common sizes that are big enough for an adult Russian tortoise though. I mention this because it illustrates all the false tortoise care info that you find on the internet. It can be very frustrating and confusing.

Your tortoise is an adult. Likely 10 or so years old. They probably sold you the wrong lights and water bowl, but they usually get the substrate correct. He should be fed as much as he wants to eat of the right foods daily. Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to graze all day.

Here is the correct care info. Look near the bottom for the temperate species care sheet:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Tom]

Welcome! Can you provide pics of your tortoise top, bottom, and backside, as well as your enclosure? I know that is not what you are asking about, but you'd be surprised what good info this forum can provide based on that.

I would not believe anything petco tells you, but I think you already know that.

Feed him as much as he wants, so long as its of the right stuff and you have the space for him to walk around to digest, and place to bask, also to help digest. The link below will help, also look at the Tortoise Table app and lots of links here on what is the right food for Russians.

If you haven't already, please read the below.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Simultaneous typing!

 

[SinLA]

Hello and welcome! You've come to the right place.

Glass tanks are fine if they are large enough. They don't sell any common sizes that are big enough for an adult Russian tortoise though. I mention this because it illustrates all the false tortoise care info that you find on the internet. It can be very frustrating and confusing.

Your tortoise is an adult. Likely 10 or so years old. They probably sold you the wrong lights and water bowl, but they usually get the substrate correct. He should be fed as much as he wants to eat of the right foods daily. Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to graze all day.

Here is the correct care info. Look near the bottom for the temperate species care sheet:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

jinx

 

[SinLA]

Simultaneous typing!

Double jinx!

 

[PetrieLeaves]

 

[PetrieLeaves]

View attachment 361607View attachment 361608

 

[PetrieLeaves]

Hello and welcome! You've come to the right place.

Glass tanks are fine if they are large enough. They don't sell any common sizes that are big enough for an adult Russian tortoise though. I mention this because it illustrates all the false tortoise care info that you find on the internet. It can be very frustrating and confusing.

Your tortoise is an adult. Likely 10 or so years old. They probably sold you the wrong lights and water bowl, but they usually get the substrate correct. He should be fed as much as he wants to eat of the right foods daily. Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to graze all day.

Here is the correct care info. Look near the bottom for the temperate species care sheet:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Hi! wow he's 10?? How would you know that?! Is it because of his tail length? I added pictures of him at the end of the forum. You can critique anything I do not mind if anything I'd love that. I want this tortoise to be as happy as he can be. Thank you for being kind. I change out his lettuce everyday some days he's hungry others he's not.

 

[PetrieLeaves]

Welcome! Can you provide pics of your tortoise top, bottom, and backside, as well as your enclosure? I know that is not what you are asking about, but you'd be surprised what good info this forum can provide based on that.

I would not believe anything petco tells you, but I think you already know that.

Feed him as much as he wants, so long as its of the right stuff and you have the space for him to walk around to digest, and place to bask, also to help digest. The link below will help, also look at the Tortoise Table app and lots of links here on what is the right food for Russians.

If you haven't already, please read the below.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

I did start reading that thread but for me personally when I engage in convo it helps me learn more and get me more engaged since I feel my questions are being answered personally. I added photos of him at the bottom! Critique me all you want. I tried to make a comfy area for him, I know they're not supposed to have strawberries but I just wanted him to try it so he maybe likes me more and can see that im trying. He's already eating from my hands when I hold out salad pieces! Thank you for responding to me. it means a lot.

 

[SinLA]

Ok NO strawberries -- they are bad for him. Carrots not ideal, and iceberg is kind of trash. If you need to start with grocery store foods get: endive, escarole, radicchio, and dandelion greens (aka Chicory) are pretty easy to find. Do not give leaves, flowers from anything that came from a nursey in the last year.

You should put the foot on a slate, it will help keep his beak worn down and less likely to eat substrate.

Do you have hides in there? can you show lighting?

And yes he's a wild-captured adult who probably has had a pretty miserable existence since he was captured and shipped over to be a petco sale, but at least now he'll have a good life with you!

 

[Yvonne G]

When hoomons (said in my best Farengi accent) want to diet to lose weight, one of the food items they consider is that which you show in your picture. That type lettuce has very little nutritional value. First of all educate yourself on edible weeds and look for them as a food source. Then you can buy dark, leafy greens from the market - endive, escarole, turnip greens, mustard greens, raddichio, dandelion greens, kale, etc. Just buy two or three of these items and mix it up next time you shop.

As to how much to feed, you want just a tiny bit left over at the end of the day. If he cleans it up right away you didn't give him enough.

 

[PetrieLeaves]

When hoomons (said in my best Farengi accent) want to diet to lose weight, one of the food items they consider is that which you show in your picture. That type lettuce has very little nutritional value. First of all educate yourself on edible weeds and look for them as a food source. Then you can buy dark, leafy greens from the market - endive, escarole, turnip greens, mustard greens, raddichio, dandelion greens, kale, etc. Just buy two or three of these items and mix it up next time you shop.

As to how much to feed, you want just a tiny bit left over at the end of the day. If he cleans it up right away you didn't give him enough.

Thank you for what you have to say, I honestly didn't know! I will go to the store tonight and get proper food for Petrie. I want him to have a good life and feel loved. He's a good eater, he loves to sit and munch.

 

[PetrieLeaves]

Ok NO strawberries -- they are bad for him. Carrots not ideal, and iceberg is kind of trash. If you need to start with grocery store foods get: endive, escarole, radicchio, and dandelion greens (aka Chicory) are pretty easy to find. Do not give leaves, flowers from anything that came from a nursey in the last year.

You should put the foot on a slate, it will help keep his beak worn down and less likely to eat substrate.

Do you have hides in there? can you show lighting?

And yes he's a wild-captured adult who probably has had a pretty miserable existence since he was captured and shipped over to be a petco sale, but at least now he'll have a good life with you!

Alright no strawberries, noted. On a slate can you show me what the slate would look like?
I have his hut which he goes in when he wants to hide or he just burrows should I get another? I have the zoo lamp and it covers half the cage. I made his turtle box by a bookshelf with no shelves so he had more space. I want him to have a good life so thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[SinLA]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Z3YQ7V8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 this is small, this is larger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1K1BMC/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

also etsy has options

 

[PetrieLeaves]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Z3YQ7V8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 this is small, this is larger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1K1BMC/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

also etsy has options

This is his lighting. Is this okay or should I add more?

 

[PetrieLeaves]

He really likes broccoli is that good? I gave him bell peppers and he hates those he always throws them off the plate

 

[SinLA]

I'll let @Tom comment on lighting, but I would definitely get a slate under the basking area and under his food. Do you have a temp gun (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMI632G/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20) if not get one, its worth its weight in gold to see if you have things correctly set up.

Broccoli is not good. no vegetables, just leafy greens.

For the hide, remove the moss or whatever that is on top - he doesn't need it and if it falls on the ground and he eats it it can cause impaction. Are the leaves covering his hide real or fake? It may look nice to you, but in general I wouldn't put anything he can eat that he shouldn't in there.

What are the overall dimensions. You should get as close to 4' x 8' as you can for an adult.

Good news is adults are way easier to care for than babies

 

[PetrieLeaves]

I'll let @Tom comment on lighting, but I would definitely get a slate under the basking area and under his food. Do you have a temp gun (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMI632G/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20) if not get one, its worth its weight in gold to see if you have things correctly set up.

Broccoli is not good. no vegetables, just leafy greens.

For the hide, remove the moss or whatever that is on top - he doesn't need it and if it falls on the ground and he eats it it can cause impaction. Are the leaves covering his hide real or fake? It may look nice to you, but in general I wouldn't put anything he can eat that he shouldn't in there.

What are the overall dimensions. You should get as close to 4' x 8' as you can for an adult.

Good news is adults are way easier to care for than babies

I think Petrie might be upset about the broccoli. Lol. I'll get the leafy greens. I'm going to go get them now actually. I just ordered a temp gun.
Overall Width: 24.5 inches
Overall Height: 35.96 inches
Overall Depth: 9.45 inches
I'm sorry if I seem like I'm naive & dumb, he came in a glass tank and it was half of what I have now and I think he likes what he's in now. I'll remove the hide. I made it. Good point about if it looks good for me it doesn't matter because Petrie matters more! I guess I just wanted him to have a cute home.

 

[SinLA]

He still needs the hide for sure or at least some kind of hide, it looks good as a hide, just not the outside stuff. That hide looks good otherwise. I use this for my indoor enclosure: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083JPLRXS/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Ok so you have 840 square inches there, recommended is around 4,600 (4' x 8') so plan on expanding as soon as you can, its not healthy for him to be in such a small space long term