eating substrate

[tortoiselover2158]

Hi, I recently bought a juvenile russian tortoise. He has been eating his substrate this morning which is a coarse coconut type of substrate. I was wondering if this is safe for him, and/or is this a sign that he is deficient in anything. Just a worried new mother.

 

[JoesMum]

Hi

Do you have any coloured lamps?

Is the substrate moist and packed down?

Are there any bits in the substrate (vermiculite, stones, etc)?

A picture of the enclosure may help.

 

[Jodie]

What kind of lights are you using? It is unusual they eat coco coir. It is not dangerous though.

 

[tortoiselover2158]

this is his enclosure and the name of the two substrates I'm using are coarse coconut fiber and loose coconut fiber

 

[JoesMum]

I see you are new to the forum.

Have you read these guides?

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

It's hard to see your enclosure fully, but it looks too small and it won't hold the humidity.

If you read the above, you will see what your tort actually needs.

 

[tortoiselover2158]

humidity levels run around 50-60%. Thanks for suggesting those pages, I will read through them. Do you have any thoughts on why he's eating his substrate?

 

[tortoiselover2158]

his enclosure is 40" by 21" by 16.5" high

 

[JoesMum]

It is too small for certain.

How big is your tortoise? Straight Carapace Length is measured like this:
http://www.tlady.clara.net/measure.htm

Can you post more pictures of the enclosure and lights please?

Is there anything edible in the enclosure when your tort is eating substrate?

 

[JoesMum]

Also, do you have a cuttlebone in there for him to chew on? If not then you can get one from the bird section of your nearest pet shop.

 

[tortoiselover2158]

yes, I put out a nice salad of dandelion greens, endive, and green bell pepper for him, but he went for the substrate before eating the veggies. I do have a cuttlebone in there, but so far he hasn't touched it. He is quite small, maybe about 5 inches long. He is a baby Russian tortoise. I am going to get him a bigger enclosure soon, but this was the largest they had at the store I bought him, so this is all I have for now. As far as lighting goes, he has a deep dome basking light, and the basking temps stay around 90-95 F. Also, he has a 30" uv lamp. What enclosure would you recommend? Do you use a specific brand or anything? Would you recommend anything different? Besides the substrate eating, he's been very active and doing many normal behaviors such as climbing, burrowing, getting in and out of his water bowl, and eating. So, I'm one very happy, loving mother.

 

[JoesMum]

yes, I put out a nice salad of dandelion greens, endive, and green bell pepper for him, but he went for the substrate before eating the veggies. I do have a cuttlebone in there, but so far he hasn't touched it. He is quite small, maybe about 5 inches long. He is a baby Russian tortoise.

At 5 inches your tort is definitely not a baby. If you bought him from a pet store, he is almost certainly a wild caught tortoise that is sub adult.

I am going to get him a bigger enclosure soon, but this was the largest they had at the store I bought him, so this is all I have for now.

A tortoise this size needs a minimum of 4'x 8' space. Russians are very active tortoises that need lots of space to roam.

An old bookcase with the shelves knocked out, lined with pond liner or an old shower curtain to protect the wood from damp substrate, makes a great tortoise table. Russians are excellent climbers, so it is necessary to cap corners, and sometimes the edges too, to prevent escape.

Unfortunately, most pet stores have little experience of proper care and some, sadly, will say anything to make a sale. The information they give out on care is frequently significantly outdated.

The links I gave you earlier give you the most up to date care information written by species experts working hard to get the correct information put to people. Please read them and use them to give your tort the care he needs. He'll be with you for at least the next 60 years with good care

As far as lighting goes, he has a deep dome basking light, and the basking temps stay around 90-95 F. Also, he has a 30" uv lamp. What enclosure would you recommend? Do you use a specific brand or anything? Would you recommend anything different?

The tube UVB is good.

You need 95-100F directly under the basking lamp. This lamp must hang down vertically. (I haven't got a photo to work from so I am sorry if it's already like this) Don't trust clamp lamp holders - they are known to slip and you don't want to risk a fire.

Besides the substrate eating, he's been very active and doing many normal behaviors such as climbing, burrowing, getting in and out of his water bowl, and eating. So, I'm one very happy, loving mother.

He sounds good, he just needs much more space.

Again, I cannot see from your photo, so this may not apply.

Reptile bowls are not suitable for tortoises as they're a tipping hazard.

Food is best served on a piece of flat rock or slate which is easy to access and helps to abrade the beak, stopping it from overgrowing, while your tort eats.

Water is best served in a terracotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate so the edge is level with the surface.

Add a tiny pinch of calcium powder to food three times a week.

 

[tortoiselover2158]

Thanks so much for the advice! I will definitely get him a bigger enclosure, and his lighting is hanging down vertically. They said he is about 8 months old when I bought him, do you think that would be accurate based on his size?

 

[JoesMum]

* Chokes* 8 months and 5 inches! Definitely not!

It is impossible to tell the age of a tortoise of that size without knowing the hatch date.

A photograph would help, but the best I can do without is more than 5 years old, possibly more than 10.

 

[tortoiselover2158]

Wow thats a surprise. We are taking it to the vet soon, so hopefully they will have more of an idea on the age of my tortoise. I would post a pic but my tort is sleeping under his log at the moment so can't snap one right now. Ill try to post a pic tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the advice, its been a great help.

 

[JoesMum]

Beware of vets that are not tortoise specialists.

Most are not and they can do more harm than good. Like pet stores, the non-specialists frequently give outdated care information so, if the vet is contradicting what you have learned here, then beware. You really may know more than the vet about care of your Russian by the time you have read the care sheets!

There really is no need to take a tortoise to the vet for a general checkup. We managed 40 years before we made our first visit and that is not unusual.

Whereabouts are you located? We may be able to recommend a suitably qualified one

 

[tortoiselover2158]

I'm in the California Bay Area. Thanks for informing me about the vet issue. If you have any recommendations, I'd be very glad to hear them. Thanks so much