New member/new russian tortoise owner

vanisle09

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
45
Hello everyone.

My wife and I recently purchased a new russian tortoise from a petstore. We have never owned a reptile before. The petstore didnt know his/her age or sex but (I am going to say he) is young. His shell is only about 2.5 inches long.
Our tortoises name is Yoshi and I we live in Calgary Ab Canada. Due to the weather here we wont be keeping him outside so we have a 50 g rubbermaid with 70/30 coco coir to organic potting soil. We had a compact florescent for uvb and a basking light, but after reading the threads on here about possible blindness I went and got a mercury vapor(zoo med powersun 100w) and a light stand. We have a water dish that he can sit in and a hide and food dish. The basking temp is about 90-100 and the cool side is at about 75-80. I find it hard to measure humidity as the substrate is moist but my humidity gauge (which is stuck on the wall about 2 inches above the ground) says 25% yet I know it is more humid in the soil.

This is my quick intro.

I look forward to hearing from some members

Thanks,
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Sounds like you already have a pretty good set up. Hot electric bulbs really dry out the air near them and your tortoises carapace. They are needed for warmth, but be aware of the damage they can do. I find that having a humid hide to retreat to and deep enough substrate to burrow into mitigates the desiccating effects of electric light bulbs. Still, my preference is to have them outside in large well planted enclosures when weather permits. Here are a couple of threads that might help even more:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

It might help if you cover or partially cover the habitat. It looks pretty hokey, but I use aluminum cooking foil. If you keep the substrate moist (Pour water over it then mix it up with your hand - the light quickly dries out the top layer but it stays moist underneath), the cover helps to keep the humid air inside the habitat. I also use moist sphagnum moss inside the hiding place for them to burrow into. But be very careful with moisture. If they get cold (under 75F) while wet/moist, they will get sick.

As the tortoise gets older/bigger, he will have a little less need for moisture in the habitat. But at the size you've described, he's still pretty much a baby and the humidity helps.
 
Last edited:

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I'm not disputing your post, but 2.5 inches and pet shop don't really compute. Pet stores are not supposed to sell any turtle or tortoise less than 4". The way a tortoise is measured is a straight line from front to back (not over the curve of the shell). If you have made a mistake in measuring the tortoise, and it really is 4" or more, then forget all I said about moisture and humidity. A 4" russian tortoise doesn't need it. He's almost fully grown.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Oh, man! I really should pay more attention. The 4" rule is a U.S. regulation. I'm not sure Canada has the same regulation about it or not. Just disregard the ramblings of an old woman, and listen to Tom.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
10,878
Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . When do we get Picts of your tort in its enclosure ?


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum
 

vanisle09

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
45
Thanks for all the info. I will post pictures as soon as I can.
We took him to the vet yesterday because he has a swollen left eye that he wouldn't(or couldn't open)and the vet said he is a baby still. She gave us some eye ointment and parasite medicine. She also told us to feed him some protein such as meal worms? We have been feeding him organic spring mix and dandelion greens as well as any other dark leafy greens that I have found on the list of edibles. From everything I have read feeding him meal worms is not good for him?
 

kezilulu

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
155
No mealworms aren't good Russians only eat greens/weeds they're herbivores!
xXx
 

kezilulu

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
155
My vet told me to keep my Russian in an enclosure with just newspaper down nothing else I ignored the vet and listened to the guys and girls on here as they know what they're talking about!
xXx
 

vanisle09

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
45
Her is 2 pics of Yoshi sleeping. I am working so I will have to wait to take pictures of his enclosure when I have time.

Thanks
image.jpeg image.jpeg
 

shanu303

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
1,073
Location (City and/or State)
India
Hello and Welcome to TFO :) your tort looks amazing :)
 

New Posts

Top