Darker patches on Russian tortoise?

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I know that feeling.. but don't cry!
With MBD tortoises usually drag their legs too. You said yours was moving around fine. And you also got the Arcadia 12% which is a good UVB bulb. Any possible problem in the past can be corrected going forward, if there was any problem that is.
Tupperware lid feeling is normal too. I do the coconut oil and weighing every week as well. Lets me know if he's growing or not.
Hi again,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on Toto.
He gained 2 grams since last week so I'm super happy and I've finally swapped out the old substrate i used for orchid bark (did it this morning). It's amazing. It makes his enclosure look so much better and retains the humidity well. It's also a lot cleaner as he doesnt drag the soil into his food anymore. It makes my room smell like a forest a little, but i like it.
I'll keep you posted?
IMG-20210605-WA0005.jpeg
 

Lyn W

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Hi again,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on Toto.
He gained 2 grams since last week so I'm super happy and I've finally swapped out the old substrate i used for orchid bark (did it this morning). It's amazing. It makes his enclosure look so much better and retains the humidity well. It's also a lot cleaner as he doesnt drag the soil into his food anymore. It makes my room smell like a forest a little, but i like it.
I'll keep you posted?
View attachment 326577
It looks good but could probably be a little deeper as Russians like to dig in their substrate. He's going to need more space soon as he's growing.
 
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It looks good but could probably be a little deeper as Russians like to dig in their substrate. He's going to need more space soon as he's growing.
Heyy,
I agree with you.
I want to stick with a vivarium but to find one large enough is super difficult in the UK. I'm probably better off building one, unless you know anywhere i can get a large viv? The substrate gets deeper towards the back (i know it doesn't look like it, right?) and there's a lot more in the hides as (like you said) they like to dig. I still have some substrate left so I'll add it.
Thank you for recommending the terracotta plate. It's so much easier for him and he just sits in it??
Xx
 

harrythetortoise

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Hi again,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on Toto.
He gained 2 grams since last week so I'm super happy and I've finally swapped out the old substrate i used for orchid bark (did it this morning). It's amazing. It makes his enclosure look so much better and retains the humidity well. It's also a lot cleaner as he doesnt drag the soil into his food anymore. It makes my room smell like a forest a little, but i like it.
I'll keep you posted?
View attachment 326577
Thanks for the update! I like how you designed the enclosure :)
I recently switched from coco coir to orchid bark as well, and I love how the water doesn't get dirty after 5 mins of replacing it. ?
 
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Thanks for the update! I like how you designed the enclosure :)
I recently switched from coco coir to orchid bark as well, and I love how the water doesn't get dirty after 5 mins of replacing it. ?
Thank you?. Toto is really getting spoiled..
I was going to get coco coir but i could never work out how many liters one block was..so i went with the bark. I think it was a much better option because my tort would sit in the bowl, then walk around and then sit in it again. It was filthy? and he sits on his food too so i always had to wash it as soil was every where. I'll definetly be sticking with bark.
I also got a tortoise camera..so i can see what he's up too when I'm out, cause he's naughty. Xx
 

harrythetortoise

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Thank you?. Toto is really getting spoiled..
I was going to get coco coir but i could never work out how many liters one block was..so i went with the bark. I think it was a much better option because my tort would sit in the bowl, then walk around and then sit in it again. It was filthy? and he sits on his food too so i always had to wash it as soil was every where. I'll definetly be sticking with bark.
I also got a tortoise camera..so i can see what he's up too when I'm out, cause he's naughty. Xx
Nice! That's next on my list - a pet cam :)
 

Sarah2020

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Hi again,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on Toto.
He gained 2 grams since last week so I'm super happy and I've finally swapped out the old substrate i used for orchid bark (did it this morning). It's amazing. It makes his enclosure look so much better and retains the humidity well. It's also a lot cleaner as he doesnt drag the soil into his food anymore. It makes my room smell like a forest a little, but i like it.
I'll keep you posted?
View attachment 326577
Great nice when suggestions are implemented ?. Looks a nice layout. You will find it climbing on both hides and potential toppling as they explore so watch out for that. You may find it digging/ burrowing in the substrate and only top scutes showing that is fine as they can breath. They hate change so may take a few days to settle after new substrate and also once you find where they like to sleep try making substrate higher to encourage burrowing options. You may find removing 1 hide may be required. Enjoy and observe and adjust....
 
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Great nice when suggestions are implemented ?. Looks a nice layout. You will find it climbing on both hides and potential toppling as they explore so watch out for that. You may find it digging/ burrowing in the substrate and only top scutes showing that is fine as they can breath. They hate change so may take a few days to settle after new substrate and also once you find where they like to sleep try making substrate higher to encourage burrowing options. You may find removing 1 hide may be required. Enjoy and observe and adjust....
Thank you so much. Yes he loves climbing on his hides. When i go out for long periods of time, i do remove the log one as it is quite high. The other one he does climb, but he knows how to get down. I have a camera now so I'm constantly monitoring him. He prefers to sleep in the bendy stick hide so there is a lot of substrate in there, aswell as the other one. He kept sniffing the substrate when i first put him in but he seems to prefer it as it doesn't get stuck to him anymore.
I took this picture of him climbing his hide before i changed the substrate20210531_142136.jpg ? xx
 
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Tupperware lid feeling is normal too. I do the coconut oil and weighing every week as well. Lets me know if he's growing or not.
[Update timee~]
Hello everyone, I hope you are all well.
Happy to say that Toto has been growing well. He is now 104g! I think he gained weight a bit too quickly from last week (5g) so i think I'll try going a day or too without feeding him, or maybe giving him a little less food. Sometimes i cant help it, every morning he sits at his food plate waiting to be fed like a little puppy?. But he's gaining weight which I'm happy about. He's also shedding, so I know he's growing.

I did have a question though. When your tortoises shell grows, is the new growth supposed to be pliable, which then hardens over time? The tip of his scutes are nice and hard so i was just a bit concerned.
Xx
 

Sarah2020

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[Update timee~]
Hello everyone, I hope you are all well.
Happy to say that Toto has been growing well. He is now 104g! I think he gained weight a bit too quickly from last week (5g) so i think I'll try going a day or too without feeding him, or maybe giving him a little less food. Sometimes i cant help it, every morning he sits at his food plate waiting to be fed like a little puppy?. But he's gaining weight which I'm happy about. He's also shedding, so I know he's growing.

I did have a question though. When your tortoises shell grows, is the new growth supposed to be pliable, which then hardens over time? The tip of his scutes are nice and hard so i was just a bit concerned.
Xx
Hi, You should not skip food or water. They will eat what they need. You can reduce the portion if your piling it high!. Sometimes mine gain between 5g and 13g. It is not an issue they will have growth spurts like children. Shell is like your nails so ensure calcium (light dusting of power) is part of the diet to add strength. P.S I provide fresh leaves and water at around 08.00 in the morning and I do remove all uneaten food and debris and refresh water dish only at 18.00 in the evening so you could review that if your leaving food in?
 
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Hi, You should not skip food or water. They will eat what they need. You can reduce the portion if your piling it high!. Sometimes mine gain between 5g and 13g. It is not an issue they will have growth spurts like children. Shell is like your nails so ensure calcium (light dusting of power) is part of the diet to add strength. P.S I provide fresh leaves and water at around 08.00 in the morning and I do remove all uneaten food and debris and refresh water dish only at 18.00 in the evening so you could review that if your leaving food in?
Thank you for reply. I won't let him skip meals. I think i was worried because i read somewhere that you want to aim for 2-3g of weight gain per week so i thought i was overfeeding him. When he finishes his food i do give him more throughout the day and buy time he has gone to sleep, there is usually some left. I also sprinkle some Calcium 2-3 times a week. i change his water everyday (sometimes more, if he gets it super dirty).
My tortoise is an early riser. He gets up between 6:45 and 7:30, so i give him fresh greens then. Xx
 

Sarah2020

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I would stop the top up through the day. 1 plate of greens and weeds in the morning and they graze through the day. I will add the odd fresh dandelion sometime in the afternoon if I spot one growing.
 
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