Help! New tortoise owner.

[Mlynn]

My daughter's friend moved to Japan recently and we agreed to take the family's two Russian tortoises. They have a 50 watt UV lamp, a glass terrarium that is about three feet long and 1.5 feet wide. The light is on from 7 am-9 pm. They have what looks like moss and loose soil as substrate. (How often should I clean this out? I have not as of yet because they just got comfortable enough to start eating. I do not want to stress them yet.) Temp in the middle of the enclosure is about 80, humidity about 70. I was given no input or instruction as to how to care for them. I have relied on online resources, but many contradict each other. I have had them just under two weeks at this point.

I need real input and help to make sure I am caring for them properly. This is what I am doing so far:

• I purchased a Zoomed tortoise house. I plan to build a stand and keep the tortoises on the patio during the day where they will get indirect sunlight. We are in So Cal about 4 miles inland, so the temps are moderate. What substrate should I use? How often should I clean the enclosure?
• I am soaking them for 10 minutes every other day. Is this okay? (They drink at this time and poop. The female has loose stool and so has the male, though I think that was diet-related as the poop is more formed now that they are getting darker greens.)
  
• The male is attempting to mount the female. They are small--I would say the female is 4-5 inches across the shell; the male maybe 4. Do I need to worry about eggs? Is it advisable that I rehome one of them, or is it okay if the female lays? Dangerous for her at all? They have always been together and the owner said that breeding would not be an issue for "many years yet". I am reading otherwise. Thoughts?
• Feeding: I am filling a bowl with dark, leafy greens (about a handful) and sprinkling it with reptical powder. I put it in before I leave for work and it is empty upon return. Is this enough?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

I'm sorry you've spent $$ on buying the Zoo Med Tortoise House, because it is way too small for two Russian tortoises. If you want the tortoises to be healthy and happy, you need to set them up in an outdoor habitat. And because you have a male and a female, the habitat will have to be pretty big with lots of sight barriers so she can get out of his sight. Otherwise he will be trying to breed her all the time and it is stressful for her. She is not big enough yet to be bred.

If you have no yard, and the tortoises must be kept indoors, then I suggest two habitats, the biggest you can possibly afford. They make some pretty nice plastic tubs that don't cost an arm and a leg.

I really don't feel its a good idea to keep a pair in the same habitat. You have no way of knowing if each tortoise is getting their share of the food, plus Russians are scrappy and in pairs it usually ends up that one, the less dominant one or the female, will end up being bullied and picked on.

Your diet sounds ok, but each tortoise should be getting a handful, and at their size you can cut back to soaking once a week. Or put a waterer in the habitat and let them self hydrate.

 

[Mlynn]

They have water in the enclosure. So, are they okay solitary? My brother has a yard and would happily take the male for his family. My daughter would like to keep the female. I just want to make sure that separating them won't stress them.

As for the ZooMed, will it be okay for the one? I plan to have the tortoise outside during the day and inside in the terrarium we have at night. I am still unclear as to how often to clean the entire enclosure out. Some sites say weekly, some monthly, others say very rarely. Plus, substrate? I have guinea pigs and tons of Timothy hay. Over the weekend, I set up a pen on the patio lines with paper and topped with tons of hay. They seemed to enjoy burrowing in the hay, munching on it a bit, etc. Can I do a mix of reptile stuff with hay?

 

[wellington]

Keeping them together will become very stressful for her and possibly even her death. Give you brother the male and keep the female and they both will be much happier for it.
Hello and Welcome

 

[Tom]

All great advice so far. Here is how I like to keep them. I think this will answer many of your questions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Here is a good one for what NOT to do:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

For substrate cleaning, I prefer to spot clean daily (meaning I remove any poop of leftover food daily), and that is it. If the substrate is not full of poop and leftover food, no need to replace it. I have done this for years. If you want to change yours more often, you can do it as often as you like. Your tortoise will fare best if it lives outside most of the time anyway. In the care sheet is and example of just one way to house them outside. There are many ways to do it successfully. Just be aware that russians are the premier escape artists and climbers of the tortoise world.

 

[Mlynn]

I have been spot cleaning daily and the terrarium looks and smells clean, so I think I will not mess with it for now. We live in a condo, so outside is not really an option. I do have a large patio and I plan to put the Zoomed house on a table outside so the tortoise I keep can get some natural sunlight daily. We get racoons at night sometimes, so I would not feel comfortable leaving the tortoise outside at night. Thanks for the links; I will check those out!

 

[bouaboua]

You already received so many suggestions and advises so I just here to say Hello and Welcome.

Good to have you here.

 

[Teacup]

They have water in the enclosure. So, are they okay solitary?

Yes, they will be fine. It is actually the best thing for them to ensure each one is getting enough food/resources and no one is being bullied.