Bringing A Russian Inside

[niki090909]

Hey everyone! New here!

I have a Russian, Pokey, who spends the summer outside here in Central Illinois. I have a nice little place outside for him with a great patch of tortoise pasture mix that I bought online last spring. This is when I got him. *Shudders* I bought him from Petco.. I know.. I know.

Anyhow, it's been cold here for quite awhile and I've brought him inside. I should have planned this better, but I didn't. I'm not sure the proper set up for him. I have a 55 gallon long and a 30 gallon long fish tank. I've had him in both enclosures. I prefer the 30 gallon as it takes up less space. We live in an old farm house and he has to be on the first floor as the basement living room and our upstairs is just too cold. So space is a bit of an issue. I worry that the 30 gallon isn't giving him enough room, but he doesn't really seem to do much except eat and then bask under his day lamp. Does he actually NEED the space of the 55 gallon if he's generally outside in a large pen for half the year? I don't want him to not get enough exercise, etc. I want to eventually build him a tortoise table, but I'm trying to figure out a good place to put it and how to build one with a lid. I have cats and dogs inside that would bother him. Doubt they'd ever hurt him, maybe only lick him to death, but I'm not taking any chances!

Second question, diet. Outside he has a diet general approved treats, but mainly hay (which he seems to play in more than eat) and tortoise pasture mix. I can't remember where I got it from. Maybe Carolina supply? Anyhow, it's starting to die off outside and won't be much good until spring time. For those of you in cold climates, what is you basic diet in the winter? I've been trying different things from the store and so far he seems to love romaine lettuce, but I feel like he needs more than just that? The last month he's ate mainly romaine lettuce and dandelion. With tiny bits of his pasture mix that hasn't went brown yet. What is a good winter diet? I did try to grow some pasture mix inside and it didn't work out so well. My green them is pretty brown.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Niki

 

[skittles1]

Romaine, endive, chicory, turnip tops carrot tops, butter squash, pumkin (some say it's a natural worm prevention for torts), raddchio, red leaf lettuce,collard greens,ocassioal spinach leaves. I add tnt powder about 3 times a week. my male will often slow down on eating during the colder months, but my female chows all year long. don't forget the soakings very improtant 2-3 times per week. when they are inside.
janay

 

[Yvonne G]

pumkin (some say it's a natural worm prevention for torts),
janay

Pumpkin isn't the natural de-wormer...its the seeds that de-worm your tort. In order for them to get the de-worming benefits from them, the seeds have to be either ground up or crushed. If you notice, most seeds and corn pass right through without breaking down, so you have to crush them.

Yvonne

 

[skittles1]

Thanks for clearing that up. Its just something I had run accross way back when I was first researching russian care. I wasn't for sure it was true, that's why I worded it that way. That is good to know though. wonder why no one markets ground up pumkin seeds for torts? Is there any other natural thing that helps with worms?

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks for clearing that up. Its just something I had run accross way back when I was first researching russian care. I wasn't for sure it was true, that's why I worded it that way. That is good to know though. wonder why no one markets ground up pumkin seeds for torts? Is there any other natural thing that helps with worms?

In the wild, animals will eat toxic plants in order to clear out a parasite load. I know that my own tortoises will eat quite a few different plants that are on the poison plant lists. I have an extensive Euphorbia collection. The sap from these plants causes big red welts on my skin when I mess with them, but the tortoises would eat it down to the dirt if I allowed it.

Yvonne

 

[niki090909]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Seems I'm on the right track!