Tomorrow my boyfriend are I are adopting two adult Russian tortoises. We are concerned that our redfoot, which is our baby, will contract a disease from the Russians. Is it ok to keep the tortoises in the same ROOM in SEPERATE enclosures as long as they do not come in contact with each other?? How concerned do we need to be about the tortoises playing in the same areas, at different times of course. Is there any point in time where they will be able to meet each other and have it be safe? We do not want there to be ANY chance of our redfoot being harmed or infected.
Redfoot with Two Russians???
- Thread starter Jessadawn
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I would not allow them access to the same area, and no, I would never allow them to meet each other. However, it is safe to keep them in the same room, but separate enclosures.
I believe you will need to keep separate outside enclosures as well, just because each type of tortoise has its own natural and safe bacteria, etc., which could be deadly to another kind. Good handwashing between enclosures.
Lots of people have different torts groups and they do extremely well.
Lots of people have different torts groups and they do extremely well.
same room, okay
different outdoor yard space for each species, okay
meeting and co habitating with one another, not so good
different outdoor yard space for each species, okay
meeting and co habitating with one another, not so good
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First you have to consider the species and their needs. Redfoots and Russians are at nearly opposite ends of the environmental scale! Redfoots are sub-tropical/tropical species that do well in more consistent temperatures with higher humidity,generally moist substrate overall, prefer above ground shade, more moisture and ambient humidity. Their diet is more omnivorous and with a higher fruit content and can get large, 10"+.
Russians prefer a more arid overall environment with less (but some) moisture in isolated areas, they burrow and can stay hidden for weeks, sometimes months, they do not tolerate extend periods of high humidity but prefer a much larger temperature gradient from day to night and can withstand very cold temperatures. Their diet can be considered strictly herbivore and even more so the extent that they consume almost exclusively greens with very little vegetable matter. Fruit should definitely not be part of their diet. They stay much smaller with a very large female being 8", more typically males and females are 5-7".
Keeping the two species together wouldn't even be like comparing apples and oranges, more like apples and potatoes!
Within the same room would be possible but you're most likely going to have to set the room up for the Russians and then cover the Redfoot enclosure to be able to provide additional humidity and supplemental heat for the Redfoot.
Essentially you're trying to provide two extremely seperate climates in one area.
Russians prefer a more arid overall environment with less (but some) moisture in isolated areas, they burrow and can stay hidden for weeks, sometimes months, they do not tolerate extend periods of high humidity but prefer a much larger temperature gradient from day to night and can withstand very cold temperatures. Their diet can be considered strictly herbivore and even more so the extent that they consume almost exclusively greens with very little vegetable matter. Fruit should definitely not be part of their diet. They stay much smaller with a very large female being 8", more typically males and females are 5-7".
Keeping the two species together wouldn't even be like comparing apples and oranges, more like apples and potatoes!
Within the same room would be possible but you're most likely going to have to set the room up for the Russians and then cover the Redfoot enclosure to be able to provide additional humidity and supplemental heat for the Redfoot.
Essentially you're trying to provide two extremely seperate climates in one area.
That's a great summary.
oh yeah....WE LOVE PICS
Lol. I will try to post pics when we get them all settled in. Today they burrowed themselves under our umbrella tree for awhile. This was new for me since our redfoot is not a digger. We switched their home around on them a little. We added some cypress mulch to the dirt that they had previously, and added a new hide with a second story accessible by rock pile. Igor has already ventured up there to check it out but Oxanya just hurried into the hide and buried herself in the moss that we also added for their bedding. I am going to wait to offer them any food until tomorrow as I figured they are probably stressed from the move and won't feel like eating. The previous owner fed them fruit often which I have read is not good for RT's so I am feeling little guilty about taking that away from them but I know that it is in their best interest. Anyhow, thanks again for all of your advice!!
Good luck to you. So glad you asked this question.
Watch out for the female. Male russians can be very aggressive with their females. Most of the time it is necessary to keep multiple females with one male in a large enclosure to spread the aggression around and not have just one female take the brunt of it. Even if he's not too bad now, as we move into fall, keep an eye out in the spring as it often gets worse that time of year.
Watch out for the female. Male russians can be very aggressive with their females. Most of the time it is necessary to keep multiple females with one male in a large enclosure to spread the aggression around and not have just one female take the brunt of it. Even if he's not too bad now, as we move into fall, keep an eye out in the spring as it often gets worse that time of year.
M
Maggie Cummings
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Also remember that Russians are GREAT escape artists and can get out of most enclosures...
Lol. Thanks for the warning!! We have already started coming up with fixes for different scenarios!! I've scoped out the enclosures surrounding area for hiding spots in case we have to go on a tortie hunt!! We also plan on putting a lid over the second story section as it is kindof high in the enclosure and curious little Igor may try to take the leap!!!
Jessadawn said:
They did not get fruit that often. May be once every 3 months I'd buy them some catcus fruit or a kiwi as a treat. But they would only eat half of it. I had that squash laying around for a few weeks. I did not want it, so I figured it would be a nice "goodbye treat." I fed them a diet of mainly organic mixed greens with some romaine about once a week (which they love). The reason I knew about what fruit they liked is my dad fed them a diet steady on romaine and fruit before I got them (probably the reason the boy was in such rough shape when I got him).
And I agree. Watch that little boy. Like I told you, he IS an escape artist. He has figured out he can pull himself up and over things and he has figured out the climbing thing. The female has not tried to escape when my father had her nor when I had her. The boy does tend to be somewhat agressive towards the girl. However, I noticed that when he pushes her too far, she does come back at him. I have witnessed her bullying him a few times. As mellow as she seems, she can be MEAN towards him. I mean, she will push him, bite him, refuse him access to food. She will be up in his face, making him regret that he ever messed with her. Generally, she is very tolerant of him though (surprisingly). But, sometimes a time out can do wonders for him. I'm not talking 10 minutes. I'm talking a couple of hours.
But, like I have said, I am happy you guys took them. Thanks! I hope you guys enjoy them as much as I have. And I love the new names! Cute!
--Beth
And be careful with the cypress mulch. They tend to graze on that too. That's one of the reasons I quit using it for them. I was concerned about what it would do to them.
yup...put a lid on the second floor....I have an adult male CDT that will jump and jump and jump and jump and, well, you get it
Also, cactus is not something I would class as "fruit" in the sense of the word.....Cactus fruit is, however, is absolutely alright to do once or twice a year in the warm season when they are apt to increase their water intake....
ESCAPE ESCAPE ESCAPE...if the little man knows of it, he will strive to do it...OCD at is best....they dig dig dig and fast.... just a further heads up...
Congrats on the newbies
Also, cactus is not something I would class as "fruit" in the sense of the word.....Cactus fruit is, however, is absolutely alright to do once or twice a year in the warm season when they are apt to increase their water intake....
ESCAPE ESCAPE ESCAPE...if the little man knows of it, he will strive to do it...OCD at is best....they dig dig dig and fast.... just a further heads up...
Congrats on the newbies
C
Claireabbo
Guest
same room. seperate enclosure. but im not sure about putting them in the same place. sorryy...
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