New owner of a horsfield tortoise

[jo2312]

Hi this is all new to me so not sure what I'm doing lol. I live in South Yorkshire uk i just have the 1 tortoise speedy who we got yesterday but have wanted one for years so finally bit the bullet.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ,USA . Russians Rule !

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[keepergale]

Hi and welcome to Tortoise Forum.
What kind of substrate is that. I am not familiar with it.(I think)

 

[keepergale]

Is the substrate excelsior/wood wool?

 

[pam]

Welcome Russians are awesome

 

[tortdad]

Hello and welcome to TFO

 

[Jacqui]

*waves* Hi and welcome. Glad you bit the bullet.

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum. That is an adorable little tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

Aspen bedding is ok for snakes, but your new little Russian tortoise is going to need a substrate that you can moisten. I like to use orchid bark, but quite a few of the folks on our Forum use Coco Coir.

We have a couple of good care sheets pinned at the top of our Russian tortoise section here on the Forum.

 

[bouaboua]

Hello and Welcome.

Good to have you here and that substrate need to be change into coco coil or just garden earth.

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Welcome! What a cute baby tortoise!

 

[HotdogKnight]

Welcome! I also have a baby Russian! He looks very cute, but like the others said you'll definitely have a problem with humidity if you keep to the substrate you have at the moment

 

[jo2312]

Didn't think I'd have problems with humidity with it been a tortoise table.

 

[HotdogKnight]

Is it an open top table? As any moisture in there would go straight up, I have a wooden table but I cover it with a plastic/tin foil cover to keep anything in.
Baby Russians need a lot of humidity, so regular soaks are recommended also a substrate that is noticeably moist. Where did you get him from, a lot of pet places tell you they are a 'dry species' but without the right conditions they can get sick very fast.
My photos show my enclosure after a 'misting', I use coco coir which really helps to hold in moisture and is easy for my RT underfoot.

 

[jo2312]

The pt shop I got him from went very forth coming with information so went to a pet shop and spent an hour with the owner and got lots of advice n information but never mentioned about the substrate

 

[Yvonne G]

Didn't think I'd have problems with humidity with it been a tortoise table.

I think you misunderstand - when we talk about humidity it's because your tortoise NEEDS humidity. You WANT humidity. An open topped table and dry substrate don't allow humidity, so you need to change the substrate to something you can moisten, and maybe partially cover the table.

 

[jo2312]

It's all new so its trial and error and was going on what the pet shop told me I needed

 

[Yvonne G]

I know. I think we should outlaw pet stores from being able to give care information!

 

[jo2312]

The one I got mine from especially but the one I have been too today spent an hour going over everything which was encouraging