New to tortoise forum

Rockyyy

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Hello, I'm also new here. I've been reading in it for a while! I was wondering if people could watch this video and let me know what they think. It's a short video of my baby horse field tortoise
Thank you
 

Yvonne G

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Welcome!

The last shot makes it quite obvious that you need to change out the waterer. Get a plant saucer and recess it down into the substrate so he doesn't have to climb to get in or reach the water.

Rocky is pretty cute. Loved the video.
 

teresaf

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Great video! Water dish is a tipping hazard. These(pictured below) sunk into the ground are better. They get to self soak in them while they drink. He's a little pyramided so that will help future growth be more smooth.
 

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wellington

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Hello and Welcome. Besides the water dish, the hay/straw needs to go too. It's way too drying. A more natural substrate is needed like dirt, coconut coir, or orchid bark or peat moss and a humidity of around 50% is needed. He's been raised too dry and is the reason for the pyramiding. Also the minimum for an adult Russian enclosure is 4x8. He still looks fairly small but Russians need lots of room even though they are small. They cover a lot of ground in the wild.
 

Souptugo

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Yup a bigger enclosure with the right substrate and hiding areas with plants will keep him happy. Once they get sick it's very difficult to come back from.
 

tortdad

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Also ditch that red light and get a CHE with a reptile thermostat. Rocky looks pretty cool
 

Rockyyy

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Awh thank you for your comments! I'm getting him a new enclosure soon :) and I'll get him a new water dish too.
 

RosemaryDW

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Hi Rocky, we're glad you're here!

You just gotten a bunch of feedback, all good. It might be easier to have it all in one place so here are links to some care sheets for Russian tortoises. The first one is for baby Russians but Rocky is close to two years old and some of this still applies to him. Plus some of the information is connected to his life long care.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

And here is a sheet geared to life long care but it has some baby information at the beginning you probably don't need:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

And finally! Our beginner's mistake care sheet: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/ This is for all tortoise owners.
 

Gillian M

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A very warm welcome to the forum, @Rockyyy .

The larger the enclosure of a tort the better. Please keep in mind that these cute little animals live in the wild where they roam around without boundaries/borders/red lights.
 
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