What kind of habitat should I purchase?

[Matthew Torrey Jr]

Hello so for Christmas my parents are going to let me buy a Russian tortoise we have already put a deposit on him at the pet store and we will pick him up in a few days because we are going skiing tomorrow. I met the tortoise and he was great. And the person at the store said we could either get a rabbit cage or a normal 40 gallon reptile tank. I wanted to know what you guys think would work better and pros and cons of both habitats.

 

[Jodie]

Neither is nearly big enough. Read the care guide in the Russian section. There is also an enclosure section.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Matthew

 

[BILBO-03]

Hi and Welcome! you will need a 8x4 tortoise table for a adult what size is the one you are purchasing?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

What age/size Russian? In the United States, most people are buying adults so they need much more space than either of your options. In Europe or Canada, people are generally buying hatchlings who could last a year in a 40 gallon tank. Enclosure advice is dependent on how large/mature the tortoise is.

 

[Matthew Torrey Jr]

Oh and just FYI the tortoise is 1 and a half years old.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Oh and just FYI the tortoise is 1 and a half years old.

How large (straight carapace length is the standard tortoise length measure) is it? 2", 3", 4"? They all grow at different rates.

 

[Matthew Torrey Jr]

He is about 4 inches. I was also wondering if there were pros and cons with either of the set ups.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Rabbit cage - if you mean the wired one - is pretty much all cons. It's small and hard to keep warm and humid. Hatchling tortoises need warmth and humidity, so people recommend tanks because they make it easier to maintain conditions. So if you have a hatchling, the 40 gallon would make your life easier.

A 4" Russian isn't a hatchling Russian, however. It could very well be an adult already. Are you buying from a pet store or a breeder? Pet stores rarely actually know hatch dates for what they sell - in the US, they generally sell wild caught Russians, so they never know the hatch date.

An adult is easier in a lot of ways though. You need a lot more space, but the care is simpler. 4'x8' is the enclosure size recommend for a mature Russian, but you can start with a bookshelf on its back (take the shelves out) and line is with a shower curtain before putting substrate in. Then, you only need your basking/UVB light(s) set up. Adult Russian don't (generally) need night heat or high humidity, so an open topped "tortoise table" works fine for them. In the summer, he'll do well set up outside.

 

[Matthew Torrey Jr]

Thank you so much that was very helpful!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Matthew!

I'm sorry to say that the pet store has given you incorrect information about the tortoise. In order for a Russian tortoise to comply with the 4" rule all pet stores have to abide by, the tortoise is at least 8 or 10 years old. It takes that long for a small species like the Russians to reach 4". Also, a tortoise that old requires much more space than either of those choices offer. He's wild caught and used to roaming free. Being cooped up in such a small container as either of those mentioned will be very stressful. He'll dig at the corners constantly trying to escape. He'll try to climb the walls. His scratching and climbing and falling back down, thumping and bumping will drive you crazy because you soon realize he's so unhappy in those living conditions.

If your dad is at all handy, try to find a used book case. Remove the shelves and lay it on it's back in the spot where you want to keep it (once you've added substrate, etc. you won't be able to move it). Then line it with plastic sheeting or a shower curtain and staple that in place. Then you're going to need about 3 or 4" of substrate. Most on here use coco coir, but I like either orchid bark or cypress mulch. You'll also need a couple plant saucers for food and water, a GOOD UVB light (don't get the curly shaped compact fluorescent bulb as those don't put out much UVB and some of them are harmful to the tortoise's eyes), some sort of night heat if your house gets very cold at night and a couple hiding places.

Be thinking about building this tortoise a safe and secure outdoor pen for when the weather warms up. Russian tortoises to much better outside where they don't realize they're contained.

 

[Tom]

Hello so for Christmas my parents are going to let me buy a Russian tortoise we have already put a deposit on him at the pet store and we will pick him up in a few days because we are going skiing tomorrow. I met the tortoise and he was great. And the person at the store said we could either get a rabbit cage or a normal 40 gallon reptile tank. I wanted to know what you guys think would work better and pros and cons of both habitats.

Hello and welcome Matthew.

Russian tortoises are great, but the pet stores are full of incorrect care info and misinformation. Yvonne is right. If this tortoise is 4"+ it it much older than 18 months, but 18 months is a pretty common thing for the pet store workers to tell people. It is likely that most of what they tell you will not be good advice and most of what they try to sell you will be overpriced junk, and in some cases dangerous to your tortoise, like the ramped water bowls, sandy substrate or coil type UV bulbs. No enclosure sold at the pet store will be big enough for your tortoise. You are going to have to make something. Hopefully a friend or family member can help you. Tortoises need a lot of space. If you don't have a lot of space and can't make the right size enclosure, then get something other than a tortoise than can live well with what you have to offer. There are many snakes and lizards that will do just fine in a properly set up 40-60 gallon tank from a pet store, but not a tortoise.

Here is the correct care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/