russian tortoise

Hi, this is my first post here after lurking for years. I need an opinion on whether or not this is an emergency for my tortoise. The earliest exotic vet appointment is August 5th so I don't know if I should wait or not for his check-up. I moved a little over a month ago and my Horsfield...

Hi there, I live in missouri, and I plan on taking my tortoise to the vet here soon for a regular check up. She is my first tortoise, and I’ve had her for a long while. Around 8 years now. I’m unsure if I’ve been taking care of her properly since I got her at a rather young age and just took...

Hi all! I wanted to decorate the outside of my indoor wooden enclosure. Is Sharpie okay? No toxic fumes? Thanks

Hello Guys I have a question. So I recently got a reptibator(I know it's not the best) But I modified it so It can have correct humidity levels and I want to know what are good humidity levels for a Russian tortoise clutch. I put 1 humidity gauge and I trust it because the humidity on the...

I'm very seriously considering a Russian Tortoise as a new addition to my family. Right now I have a 55 gallon aquarium that I'm a bit lost on how to best set up for my unaquired new friend. Due to the climate that I live in I'll be able to set up a small outdoor "playpen" but the large and main...

Hey guys! Yesterday someone on the forum guessed Otis is between 5-10+ years old. Is there a way I can narrow down a closer guess to how old he is? Also, does his shell look dry and should I be doing anything for it? Currently, I mist him and short soaks. Thanks in advance :)

I want to add some plants to Gabby’s enclosure. I see others sharing pictures of pothos and spider plants. Are these safe for decoration? And/or will my Russian tortoise eat them? Do you generally bury the pot a little for aesthetics? Share some pics of your planted enclosures!

Hello! I have had my russian tortoise for over 15 years (got her when I was 12 or so). She does have some unnatural shell growth that was due to improper lighting within the first few years of having her. She has remained the same size/same look since. I wanted to inquire about how lethargic she...

Hey guys, I'm going to get a tort next month but I've never had a tort before. I have some experience with reptiles as my brother keeps lizards but I know it's very important to get it right for torts and I wanna make sure I give him the best possible chance to be happy. I'm going to run...

Hello all! I've been redoing my substrate, when I discovered heavy water damage (presumably from the moist coco coir and general humidity of the air) on the bottom. My enclosure is a unique one, (pics can be found on my profile, I believe) but I'd like to keep this idealogy and apply it to my...

Hi everyone, I live in the Los Angeles area, I have a 7-10 years old Russian tortoise named Lemmy that I am looking to rehome. I live in a small apartment and I can't provide enough space for her to live well. I have had her for 3 years now and she is very healthy. I soak her almost...

My 1 year old Russian Tortoise hasn't been eating very little if at all recently. The temperatures in her enclosure are correct and I've given her a soak as well. She seems active otherwise, but I'm worried about her eating. I heard there are possible mouth infections that could be hindering...

Hi everyone! I am a new russian tortoise owner and I just have a few concerns. My little girl wont eat anything, however she is pooping and is very active! She loves to dig in her substrate and sometimes I find that she's completely buried herself in it. I've tried putting some plants in her...

so i recently got a russian tortoise. he's around two years old (im not sure he came from a rough start). whenever i have him in his indoor enclosure he mostly either sleeps or basks (i do have him run around my backyard and i have an outdoor enclosure for him for when im busy). im not sure if i...

hi, so my russian tortoise eddie hasn’t been acting normal recently. he has slept for 3 days straight, only waking up to move his sleeping spot slightly and when i take him out every morning to soak, even then he’s really sleepy. i took him out of the tank earlier and he went straight to sleep...

hi! i have a horse field/russian tortoise named eddie and i only got him last month. i’m here to ask if there’s anything anyone reccomends i should add on to his routine/tank etc. i’m not sure what exact measurements his tank is but as he is still a baby we will be upgrading it when he grows as...

My Russian tortoise (Sherman) is a round 3.5 years old and 4-5 inches long. Any types on finding out its gender? I’ve added some photos as well if any one can help :)

Hey everyone, I have a question my 2 year old Russian tortoise has started to slow down in pace as the winter rolls into California. He's an indoor tortoise and says inside, except for the occasional outings to his outdoor shelter once in a while when it's not too cold, and not raining...

Hi all! This morning I woke up and went directly upstairs to grab my little nugget. When I soak him, I usually put him in his soaking bowl while I shower. Super cute. Today I walked upstairs and found Tortillini sitting in his saucer water bowl in his enclosure all on his own!! I’m not talking...