New mother of a Russian Tortoise

[kimbreid]

Good evening,
My name is Kim and I live in College Station TX. I just got my first tortoise today. My husband and I purchased a Russian Tortoise and named him/her Fred. I will be taking him/her to the vet on Monday and hopefully will find out the sex. I have wanted a tortoise for a very long time and my husband and I finally thought it was time (pics later to follow). I will keep you posted on this new adventure.

 

[dmmj]

salutations. If you post a picture of the vent on the tail we can sex it for you.

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome

Please read the following thoroughly as many pet stores and breeders give out wrong advice and few vets are experienced with tortoises

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian Tortoise Care Sheet
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Please post pictures- we love pictures

Pictures of the enclosure and lighting will help us to help you perfect it for your new friend. S/he will be with you for the next 50+ years, so it's important to get it right!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Kim

 

[Jacqui]

Hi and welcome!

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Hi and welcome to the forum. This is a great place to learn. There are many people on here willing to help. Good luck. I also have Russians. They are cute and funny.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome there's lots to learn - far more than I ever imagined when I was adopted by my tort - but this is the best place to learn it all. So read, search and ask as many questions as you like. Looking forward to seeing pics and hearing all about Fred.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Hello! Welcome !

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Kim!

 

[surfergirl]

Hello and welcome to the TFO where information/ education about tort keeping are only clicks away. I have three russian gals and they are very hardy, active torts. Caring for and watching them thrive brings i guess best way to describe is a zen experience to me reducing stress and allowing me to forget all the other clutter that builds up in my mind every day.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

A note of caution about vets. Unless they have been raising and keeping their own tortoises for years, they are not likely to know what tortoises need or how to care for them. They get their info from handbooks or vet websites, and the info is old and outdated. For example, these handbooks and websites frequently tell them to recommend and administer "vitamin" injections. These injections can make the skin slough off at the injection site, and in some cases they are fatal. My point is to be cautious. Experienced, good tortoise vets are hard to come by.

There is an excellent tortoise vet who is actually a member of this forum over in Beaumont, TX. Too bad its so far from you...

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome Kim and Fred and "Hubby" !

 

[aj2216]

Hi there, I recently joined the forum as well as recently became a mom to a rescue tortoise myself