wemakegreatpets
Member
Got my first tortoise from a rescue after about a month of planning. She’s a Russian tortoise. Female, older (she’s full sized and I mean FULL SIZED—maybe 9” from front to back of shell!) she was apparently kept in a 40g tank with another tort for many years she’s liking my setup (it’s about an 8’ by 4’ kiddie pool filled with a few inches of topsoil and cypress).
I’ve had her for less than 24 hours and she’s already eating out of my hand. She’s also met my cat, and they seem to be fond of each other (cat just follows her around and licks her shell haha).
One question. She seems to go under her heat lamp for 15-20 minute intervals a few times a day. Otherwise she’s digging, climbing or on the opposite end of her enclosure. Is this okay that she’s not under the heat lamp a lot? She’s readily eating and is healthy otherwise despite not living in a big enough enclosure for so long. No pyramiding, healthy shell and no respiratory issues. She’s also pretty active. I gave her a soak and let her have her way on the carpet. My house is decently warm even in the winter (the room she’s in is probably 70-72 degrees F). Is she okay not being under the heat lamp most of the time? I thought she’d bask in it for several hours but she seems more curious about her enclosure.
I’ve had her for less than 24 hours and she’s already eating out of my hand. She’s also met my cat, and they seem to be fond of each other (cat just follows her around and licks her shell haha).
One question. She seems to go under her heat lamp for 15-20 minute intervals a few times a day. Otherwise she’s digging, climbing or on the opposite end of her enclosure. Is this okay that she’s not under the heat lamp a lot? She’s readily eating and is healthy otherwise despite not living in a big enough enclosure for so long. No pyramiding, healthy shell and no respiratory issues. She’s also pretty active. I gave her a soak and let her have her way on the carpet. My house is decently warm even in the winter (the room she’s in is probably 70-72 degrees F). Is she okay not being under the heat lamp most of the time? I thought she’d bask in it for several hours but she seems more curious about her enclosure.