Is this normal? A new Russian owner needs a Tort Whisperer

adapa

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Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
SAN DIEGO
I'd probably avoid the peppers all together, they are quite high in sugars which can upset the tortoises gut flora. Cucumber also isn't much good... not that it contains anything bad, it's just pretty much green water with very little nutritional value to it.
My hermanns loves it but I literally smush a tiny bit into his other greens because he seems to love the taste and smell, but I wouldn't rely on it to bring anything other than flavour to his diet.
i hear you but it's the only thing she has eaten in literally *weeks*. That's why i'm so excited
 

Morla's Human

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
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2
Location (City and/or State)
Wakefield
Hi, I don't usually post on here (I usually just read posts) but wanted to check how your tortoise is doing?

I really do hope she is doing much better and is awake and eating more and not trying to hibernate still? It seems like it's already been covered in the posts but it does sound like your tortoise was very cold which from reading on here the past 2 years seems to cause them to 'shut down' to preserve heat.

I noticed your a recently new Tortoise parent but if you get chance to look on here, there is a section on here dedicated to Russians as well as lots of other posts that are really helpful.

I've found lots of brilliant advice on how to raise tortoise's to have a happy thriving life that help not just for new tortoise parents but all tortoise parents.

I started reading the forum before we got our tortoise 2 years ago and have found lots of brilliant advice that has helped us raise a very happy and healthy tortoise so far and still find lots of valuable advice on here regularly.

Hopefully you manage to read the sections for Russians and are able to get some warm and secure areas for her to roam happily and safely. As lovely as it sounds to have your tortoise roam freely there are some horror stories on here that make you quickly rethink free roaming as well as the heat/uv side of things. We saw lots of 'cute' videos of free roaming tortoises when we were still in the research stage before we got our tortoise and thankfully read posts on why it's not a good idea as it seems to be more accidental horror stories that end badly for the tortoise (I'm sure their are lots of equally happy free roaming tortoises there just seems to be a lot of horror stories with bad endings).

Ours has a large permanent house inside our living room so he (we're unsure of sex until he/she is older so we usually say him) get's plenty of interaction as well as being able to stay warm and feel secure (and we are are able to notice any change in behavior or problems as well as being able to act on them quickly) and he has a set house outside so we can take him out when the weather is warm enough but he is still secure, has areas to hide if it is too warm for him or he feels exposed and more importantly isn't able to run and escape.

I've read enough posts on here to know their very fast when they want to be and can be little escape artists if they see an opportunity.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to see how your tortoise is doing and wanted you to be able to see how much valuable information there is on this site that would not just help you give her the best housing and set up but make your tortoise very happy in the long term :)
 

Krista S

Well-Known Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
1,364
Location (City and/or State)
Saskatchewan
Hi, I don't usually post on here (I usually just read posts) but wanted to check how your tortoise is doing?

I really do hope she is doing much better and is awake and eating more and not trying to hibernate still? It seems like it's already been covered in the posts but it does sound like your tortoise was very cold which from reading on here the past 2 years seems to cause them to 'shut down' to preserve heat.

I noticed your a recently new Tortoise parent but if you get chance to look on here, there is a section on here dedicated to Russians as well as lots of other posts that are really helpful.

I've found lots of brilliant advice on how to raise tortoise's to have a happy thriving life that help not just for new tortoise parents but all tortoise parents.

I started reading the forum before we got our tortoise 2 years ago and have found lots of brilliant advice that has helped us raise a very happy and healthy tortoise so far and still find lots of valuable advice on here regularly.

Hopefully you manage to read the sections for Russians and are able to get some warm and secure areas for her to roam happily and safely. As lovely as it sounds to have your tortoise roam freely there are some horror stories on here that make you quickly rethink free roaming as well as the heat/uv side of things. We saw lots of 'cute' videos of free roaming tortoises when we were still in the research stage before we got our tortoise and thankfully read posts on why it's not a good idea as it seems to be more accidental horror stories that end badly for the tortoise (I'm sure their are lots of equally happy free roaming tortoises there just seems to be a lot of horror stories with bad endings).

Ours has a large permanent house inside our living room so he (we're unsure of sex until he/she is older so we usually say him) get's plenty of interaction as well as being able to stay warm and feel secure (and we are are able to notice any change in behavior or problems as well as being able to act on them quickly) and he has a set house outside so we can take him out when the weather is warm enough but he is still secure, has areas to hide if it is too warm for him or he feels exposed and more importantly isn't able to run and escape.

I've read enough posts on here to know their very fast when they want to be and can be little escape artists if they see an opportunity.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to see how your tortoise is doing and wanted you to be able to see how much valuable information there is on this site that would not just help you give her the best housing and set up but make your tortoise very happy in the long term :)
This is a great post with a lot of great information and insight. You should post more often! ?
 

adapa

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
SAN DIEGO
Thanks Steele, Great advice.

The odd thing to me is that Oosy doesn't seek out the warmth.
But she is doing better, i roused her yesterday & she ate romain & cucumbers. not a huge amount but i didn't hand feed her. she just ate them on her own. I'll start introducing more substantial foods soon. She ate maybe about a 2/3 of a cup of food- so not normal but better then a bite or 2. Then went back to bed. Its been about 85 ish ambiant during the day.
i think the over grown beak is presenting a problem for eating- just watching her try and eat is difficult.

She seems to like being in her box & unsure what to do in larger spaces. My back yard is 11 by 17 and will be her permanent forever home. According to all the local tort folks- they need to be outside. Which means i need a heat lamp in a house which means outdoor power needs to be installed (never ending house projects ;) ). I've already beefed up security and am usually out there with her when she's out side.

Regardless, i think she had a very sheltered, indoor existence, with little knowledgeable husbandry up to this point. I also think she's older, so kind of set in her ways. ;) Hence me trying to figure out what she's trying to tell me.
 

Morla's Human

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Wakefield
hi! sorry I forgot to log in when I was reading the posts so I didn't actually see the reply! If you search on here there are various posts of Tortoises 'shutting down' rather than searching for warmth a we do, they seem to prefer to conserve heat instead so its our job to provide them with the warmth they need in a safe way :) That's brilliant news if she is eating more I'm really glad hopefully she takes to new foods soon for you.

We've been lucky so far and not needed beak trimming but I have read lots on here about beak trimming which may be worth considering if she is struggling to eat, as we have a large house for ours we find slate place mats to be perfect for keeping his beak down, we have one which is for his food (despite being small he's a messy eater so the large plate placemats you can buy for tables are perfect for us as no matter how messy he eats he's still on the placemat) and another in a separate area for his cuttle bones ( he can go awhile without touching them but we leave them in as suddenly we hear loud chomping and hes eating them again) as well as a terracotta plant saucer for his water, so far with these in place hes not needed any beak trimming so it may be worth after you get her beak trimmed looking into things like them to help keep it down so its not over growing again for her :)

I have read about large spaces can be over whelming for them which could be why she likes to stay in her box and seems unsure about what to do in large spaces, it s easy for us to over look as we know their safe as we do everything can to make sure their in a safe environment but their little animals which are easily picked up by other animals so large places can make them feel vulnerable and exposed.

It sounds like your looking to give her the happiest life she can and have deffinaltly come to the right site for advice. I've learnt so much from being on here so far, I'm by no means perfect and still have lots to learn which is why I still keep reading through things but its nice to have a site where I can not only learn but read other peoples experience's, what's helped them and mistakes they've made and have learnt from as every one on here seems to want the same thing regardless of the breed which is the best for their tortoises :) the only downside to this site is now I've just signed up to facebook and found tortoise pages for the cute pictures I'm now constantly horrified with the advice given and some of the things people do and recommend on some of the pages as it's very different advice to this site lol
 
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adapa

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
21
Location (City and/or State)
SAN DIEGO
I’m in San Diego and looking for adult female Russians . I have beautiful large habitat . If you do decide to re-home at some point. I’d love the opportunity
The Tort society had a large female up for adoption at their yard sale last week. If i need to rehome Oosy, i'll contact u or post on this forum :) Thanks for the offer.

Oosy update, she's doing fine. I've moved to more normal (less treat) food & she's still eating. Dandylions, romain, etc veg and some mushy Mazuri. The fine folk at the local tort society suggested the Mazuri
Thankfully she seems to be ok in her box (tort hm), all tho on occasion she gets annoying. Then i'll put her out side in my enclosed porch for some sun and exercise

I did take her to a exotics vet for the trim. Just because i was unsure & wanted it done right. I'll likely do it myself going forward.
 

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