OVERWHELMED!!

[Kylee L.]

I wish I would have had these 30 years ago when I was breeding snakes. I leave them in the enclosure. One under the basking light. One in her cool end hide. This is the current environment in my tortoise enclosure. View attachment 278001

I can check it anytime I want. Get the ones that use the AA batteries and come with a probe. They’re $29 on amazon. The app is named Engbird.... no idea why it’s different... serious peace of mind that the environment is right...

this is awesome!

 

[RosemaryDW]

I don’t see that anyone has posted our thread specific to baby Russians; also worth a read: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/.

 

[dmilam]

I don’t see that anyone has posted our thread specific to baby Russians; also worth a read: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/.

Great thread, thank you for sharing. This is exactly the kind of information new keepers like me need. Good suggestions and reaffirmation of things I’m doing right.

 

[dmilam]

Do have one question, is this bulb safe or is this considered a curly fluorescent?

 

[Jordan93]

Do have one question, is this bulb safe or is this considered a curly fluorescent? View attachment 278011

I’d always go for the strip light for UVB just to be on the safe side never had any issues with them [emoji4]

 

[Cathie G]

Don't forget the weeds! My neighbors cut there eye at me, but baby's gotta eat! Plaintain Weed.

My little Russian guy loves plantain, dandelion flowers especially, and wild strawberries. I'm really blessed with the neighbors I have. All of us like animals. One neighbor has a rooster but I live in a city???!!! Another neighbor helps me with our yard work but lets me have my weeds and toads safely...and so on...

 

[Kylee L.]

My little Russian guy loves plantain, dandelion flowers especially, and wild strawberries. I'm really blessed with the neighbors I have. All of us like animals. One neighbor has a rooster but I live in a city???!!! Another neighbor helps me with our yard work but lets me have my weeds and toads safely...and so on...

I have started collecting plants for his personal garden and I have identified some cat ear weeds in my yard... I may have wild strawberries too...

 

[Pangolin123]

Don't forget the weeds! My neighbors cut there eye at me, but baby's gotta eat! Plaintain Weed.

My neighbours actually passed our front garden the other day and said to each other 'the previous owners used to take such pride...'
So rude. How can my baba get all his greens if I don't let them run riot XD

 

[Kylee L.]

My neighbours actually passed our front garden the other day and said to each other 'the previous owners used to take such pride...'
So rude. How can my baba get all his greens if I don't let them run riot XD

LOL!!! I just told a co worker that my neighbors are going to think im crazy when I start planting weeds in my yard ;D

 

[Kylee L.]

I wish I would have had these 30 years ago when I was breeding snakes. I leave them in the enclosure. One under the basking light. One in her cool end hide. This is the current environment in my tortoise enclosure. View attachment 278001

I can check it anytime I want. Get the ones that use the AA batteries and come with a probe. They’re $29 on amazon. The app is named Engbird.... no idea why it’s different... serious peace of mind that the environment is right...

what is the gadget called that you bought in Amazon? and it links to the app?

 

[Ray--Opo]

Do have one question, is this bulb safe or is this considered a curly fluorescent? View attachment 278011

Not safe. Get a flouresnt type lamp. Arcadia has one with a 5.0 HO lamp that works well. You can put it on a timer 12 hrs on 12hrs off.
If you can get your tort outside supervised for a hr 2 or 3 times a week. You won't need UVB right now. You will though when the weather gets cold.

 

[dmilam]

Not safe. Get a flouresnt type lamp. Arcadia has one with a 5.0 HO lamp that works well. You can put it on a timer 12 hrs on 12hrs off.
If you can get your tort outside supervised for a hr 2 or 3 times a week. You won't need UVB right now. You will though when the weather gets cold.

Perfect, thank you Ray... that’s what I thought but I wanted confirmation... already have timer for basking and another timer for general light... I’ve removed it, I’ll get it replaced this weekend... I tried the visit to the backyard but she’s so small she disappears into the grass... I’ll have to find a better spot...

 

[The Hutt]

Perfect, thank you Ray... that’s what I thought but I wanted confirmation... already have timer for basking and another timer for general light... I’ve removed it, I’ll get it replaced this weekend... I tried the visit to the backyard but she’s so small she disappears into the grass... I’ll have to find a better spot...

If she is still small a kiddie pool might work nice?

 

[dmilam]

If she is still small a kiddie pool might work nice?

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I measured her last week and she’s 1.9 inches. I’m going to explore the kiddie pool this weekend.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A lot of the stress of tortoise keeping ends as soon as you get everything "dialed in".
Once you have everything set up correctly. It's all downhill from there.

 

[Cathie G]

A lot of the stress of tortoise keeping ends as soon as you get everything "dialed in".
Once you have everything set up correctly. It's all downhill from there.

Yes. It's tons of info to sort through at first. And all that research is really important but a tortoise isn't really a hard animal to take good care of. I consider rabbits the hardest.

 

[boardpunkchic]

I have been reading myself to death about what to do work a baby Russian tortise! Do they need humidity or no? do I keep them in a plastic storage container or something larger for them to roam? is their substrate supposed to be moist or dry? PLEASE HELP! I thought we were ready to bring him home and now I'm not sure we're even close

Hello and welcome! I have a redfoot so I can’t give advice on care but I just wanted to say that I totally felt the same way when I brought Soup home. Everyone has opinions and I thought Soup hated me for the first few months lol. He was 4 months old when I got him. I did not understand that he was still a tiny “Newborn” and his instincts were telling him to sleep and hide. But I made an effort to talk to him every day and just let him know I was here and boy is he a social butterfly now! He’s a year old and as soon as he hears my voice he comes running over to me. He cocks his had and listens and looks at me when I talk to him. He begs to be picked up and run around the house (obviously I closely monitor him and have some play pens set up so he can’t wonder far). With your reptile experience and the help of this forum you will be a great tortoise parent
What kinds of snakes do you have? I love snakes but I just can’t get past the feeding part

 

[Kylee L.]

Hello and welcome! I have a redfoot so I can’t give advice on care but I just wanted to say that I totally felt the same way when I brought Soup home. Everyone has opinions and I thought Soup hated me for the first few months lol. He was 4 months old when I got him. I did not understand that he was still a tiny “Newborn” and his instincts were telling him to sleep and hide. But I made an effort to talk to him every day and just let him know I was here and boy is he a social butterfly now! He’s a year old and as soon as he hears my voice he comes running over to me. He cocks his had and listens and looks at me when I talk to him. He begs to be picked up and run around the house (obviously I closely monitor him and have some play pens set up so he can’t wonder far). With your reptile experience and the help of this forum you will be a great tortoise parent
What kinds of snakes do you have? I love snakes but I just can’t get past the feeding part

thank you! I've gotten a bunch of advice and help so I'm not as overwhelmed as beforebut still needing lots of questions answered. I don't have snakes, we're getting a Russian next month

 

[Kylee L.]

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I measured her last week and she’s 1.9 inches. I’m going to explore the kiddie pool this weekend.

so I feel stupid lol I didn't realize they were so tiny when you bring them home, I hope he doesn't get lost in his encloser...

 

[dmilam]

so I feel stupid lol I didn't realize they were so tiny when you bring them home, I hope he doesn't get lost in his encloser...

I could have adopted an adult Russian but this one was listed locally so I bought it.