Please Help ? ? (Need info on Russian tortoise)

Berri

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I am looking as much information and advice as possible.
My partner has always wanted a tortoise, so his sister got him one as a surprise, which is lovely, but we had nowhere to keep her or anything.
We went and bought a vivarium, heat lamp, UV lamp, food and water bowls. I am hoping this is all okay for her, but I have no experience looking after a tortoise. I have googled as much as I can think of, but advice from other people with tortoises would be wonderful.
We have all fallen in love with her and we want to do what is best for her.
His sister gave us little to no information about her, but from looking things up, I think she is a Russian tortoise that is around 2 years old. This is Tonks (as named by my 7 year old Potter head)
Please be kind, I am really trying ?
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jeneliza

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I own a redfoot so my knowledge of Russians is very limited, so I don't want to offer the wrong advise, but pics of your setup would be helpful so advise can be offered, and we can let you know if changes would be best
 

Chubbs the tegu

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Here is a thread for russian care you can read through until the russian tort experts get here . And welcome to the forum
 

Tom

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Hello and welcome. We are happy to help.

That is a very unusual looking tortoise. Can we get more pics of it? And pics of the enclosure too.

Here is one more thread that will help in addition to the one posted by Chubbs:
 

Berri

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Thank you all for replying.
Here are some more pictures of Tonks and her home.
Like I said before, I am completely new to caring for a tortoise, so I am not expecting to have gotten everything right, if anything... ?


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Berri

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Hello and welcome. We are happy to help.

That is a very unusual looking tortoise. Can we get more pics of it? And pics of the enclosure too.

Here is one more thread that will help in addition to the one posted by Chubbs:
Can I ask in what sense is she unusual looking?
Thank you ?
 

Yvonne G

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The tortoise is showing an unusual amount of the light yellow coloration. Most Russians have more black on them. Your tortoise is very pretty!

Without a fence around that upper level, the tortoise might fall off and land upside down in the water. I would add a layer of some sort of bark - coco bark, fir bark - over the top of your substrate. Those white bits encourage the tortoise to eat them, and that's not a good thing.
 

Berri

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The tortoise is showing an unusual amount of the light yellow coloration. Most Russians have more black on them. Your tortoise is very pretty!

Without a fence around that upper level, the tortoise might fall off and land upside down in the water. I would add a layer of some sort of bark - coco bark, fir bark - over the top of your substrate. Those white bits encourage the tortoise to eat them, and that's not a good thing.
I didn't know that about the colouring. Would it be as a result of something being wrong, or is it just the way she is?
I have temporarily fixed some of the bark pieces around the edge of her platform, but I am waiting some bamboo roll that I have ordered to arrive, so I can cut it size and attach as a permanent fixture. Do you think that will be okay?
I will have a look into the bark options to cover the substrate.
Sorry for more questions.
Thank you ?
 

Ink

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Very pretty tortoise!
 

Tom

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Sorry for more questions.
Thank you ?
We are all here to talk tortoises. Your questions fuel the conversation. Don't be sorry! :)

That Pets at Home substrate is bad. Encouraging the tortoise to eat its sandy substrate to satisfy its calcium cravings is a horrible idea. The rest of your enclosure looks pretty good, with the exception of what Yvonne already commented on, but that substrate should be replace ASAP. Fine grade orchid bark works best.

Russians need large enclosures. I know you just got this one, but its too small. They need something around 4x8'.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Thank you all for replying.
Here are some more pictures of Tonks and her home.
Like I said before, I am completely new to caring for a tortoise, so I am not expecting to have gotten everything right, if anything... ?


View attachment 290273View attachment 290274View attachment 290275View attachment 290276View attachment 290277View attachment 290278View attachment 290279View attachment 290280
Hey there, where did you get your ladder and the wooden thing it is on with the poles? I love everything in your tank! It looks awesome. Looking to get some new stuff for my guys tank.
Did you find out what kind of tortoise it was? Where did you purchase your tortoise?
 

Berri

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That Pets at Home substrate is bad. Encouraging the tortoise to eat its sandy substrate to satisfy its calcium cravings is a horrible idea. The rest of your enclosure looks pretty good, with the exception of what Yvonne already commented on, but that substrate should be replace ASAP. Fine grade orchid bark works best.

Russians need large enclosures. I know you just got this one, but its too small. They need something around 4x8'.
She doesn't tend to eat her substrate, even the white bits. I do put a calcium and multivitamin supplement on her food, so maybe that's why, but I will definitely be ordering one of the above suggestions.
I think the enclosure she is in currently is 4x2 or 4x3, it was a hurried purchase as she came to us in a hamster cage with sawdust. It is second hand from someone who was getting a larger enclosure for his tort. We are working on a much larger enclosure for her outside and while the weather has been so nice she has spent a lot of time in a temporary enclosure in the garden. In the meantime, would it be beneficial to her if I made the platform area larger to give her more ground to cover whilst indoors.
Thank you so much for all of your advice. ?
 

Berri

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Hey there, where did you get your ladder and the wooden thing it is on with the poles? I love everything in your tank! It looks awesome. Looking to get some new stuff for my guys tank.
Did you find out what kind of tortoise it was? Where did you purchase your tortoise?
Aww thank you hopefully, taking on board some of the advice given on this thread it will be great for Tonks.
If I remember correctly, it's all from Amazon, I might be mistaken, but I think that's where I got it.
We think she is a Russian tortoise and she was a surprise from my sister in law. ?
 

Tom

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She doesn't tend to eat her substrate, even the white bits. I do put a calcium and multivitamin supplement on her food, so maybe that's why, but I will definitely be ordering one of the above suggestions.
I think the enclosure she is in currently is 4x2 or 4x3, it was a hurried purchase as she came to us in a hamster cage with sawdust. It is second hand from someone who was getting a larger enclosure for his tort. We are working on a much larger enclosure for her outside and while the weather has been so nice she has spent a lot of time in a temporary enclosure in the garden. In the meantime, would it be beneficial to her if I made the platform area larger to give her more ground to cover whilst indoors.
Thank you so much for all of your advice. ?
Few tortoises tend to eat their substrate, but in time, they will ingest too much sand from that. The sand can lodge in their intestines and eventually cause a blockage that would need surgery for removal.

About calcium cravings: They come and go. Some people put cuttle bone in their enclosures for the tortoises to munch on at will. It is very common for the cuttle bine to sit untouched for weeks or months and then be gobbled up in a few days at the start of a growth spurt, or for any other reason. So while your tortoise isn't currently nibbling on the white bits, it could start at any time.

I know that it seems contrary to logic, but pet stores are full of bad information and the wrong products. Its really one of the worse places to go to get care info for a pet.
 

Berri

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Few tortoises tend to eat their substrate, but in time, they will ingest too much sand from that. The sand can lodge in their intestines and eventually cause a blockage that would need surgery for removal.

About calcium cravings: They come and go. Some people put cuttle bone in their enclosures for the tortoises to munch on at will. It is very common for the cuttle bine to sit untouched for weeks or months and then be gobbled up in a few days at the start of a growth spurt, or for any other reason. So while your tortoise isn't currently nibbling on the white bits, it could start at any time.

I know that it seems contrary to logic, but pet stores are full of bad information and the wrong products. Its really one of the worse places to go to get care info for a pet.
That's helpful to know. I am currently looking at ordering a replacement.
I have tried not to do anything via a petshop as I have heard they often give out bad or misguided advice, but I did have to get the cuttle bone from one. Everything we got for her was based on information online, unfortunately, as I'm finding with the substrate, it's not all correct. Hopefully it is better for her than the environment she arrived to us in, whilst we make improvements.
As I said above, we are working on making her a larger outside enclosure, do you have any tips or advice on how best to approach that? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you?
 

Cathie G

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I didn't know that about the colouring. Would it be as a result of something being wrong, or is it just the way she is?
I have temporarily fixed some of the bark pieces around the edge of her platform, but I am waiting some bamboo roll that I have ordered to arrive, so I can cut it size and attach as a permanent fixture. Do you think that will be okay?
I will have a look into the bark options to cover the substrate.
Sorry for more questions.
Thank you ?
Hello and welcome. Don't apologize for questions. It's a lot to learn. It does get easier. The learning is probably the hardest part. And you are at the right site to build it right the first time. Also your little one is an "in duh vidual" sooo...you have to keep an eye on a Russian. I swear they're part monkey. Have fun.
 

Toddrickfl1

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That's a very unique looking Russian you've got there.
 

freespirit4488

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Thank you all for replying.
Here are some more pictures of Tonks and her home.
Like I said before, I am completely new to caring for a tortoise, so I am not expecting to have gotten everything right, if anything... ?


View attachment 290273View attachment 290274View attachment 290275View attachment 290276View attachment 290277View attachment 290278View attachment 290279View attachment 290280
The ground layer you have isn't good....She might eat it which would not be a great thing for her to do...I have 3 Russian Tortoises. the one in alone in her habitat just has about 6 inches of mulch in it....they like to dig and sometimes sleep inside it. I've had them for 4 years now and always used mulch when in doors in a habitat. The mulch also helps keep the moisture in which they also need. Not too much but just enough. My other 2 are outside all year round but I do live in Apache Junction, AZ. Wyette which is the female I keep indoors is the baby of the 2 outside which are Piper (girl) and Leo (boy). Hope this helps!
 

Moozillion

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That tortoise almost looks more like a Hermann's tortoise than a Russian, but I could easily be wrong. it does not look like a typical Russian to me, but I don't keep Russians (yet! ) :) ?
 

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