So, I haven't kept a russian in years, but I was wondering if others had trouble with this species and shell rot. Is this something that is triggered by damp substrate, or is it something that is merely exacerbated by it (i.e. the tortoise already had an epidermal infection that was given opportunity via damp conditions)? I've read that leopards are very sensitive to this, but in all my years, I've never seen a leopard with this condition, nor have I ever seen a sulcata with it. In fact, the only tortoise I've ever seen suffer from this malady was a female Russian tortoise that came into my care with this problem, and though she seemed to get over it and resume eating, she quickly backslid after a few days of rain. It got me kind of paranoid about keeping the species again, not that I'm really considering it, given that I have enough on my plate with my margie colony. But still. I was curious if other members had experience with shell rot in this species, or any species, for that matter, and I was wondering if some of our more well read/experienced members had any explanations that could debunk the old Highfield-isms of "humidity/moisture bad; dryness good; pyramiding caused by protein." Clearly, humid conditions don't lead to shell rot and respiratory distress in leopards as so many of the old books said they would. But how does this work with Russians? What are the mechanisms involved?
T.G.
T.G.