Hi. Need all the info I can get.

[Lori J]

Hello all. I have been on this forum for hours on and off. This is a great site. I have been interested in getting a Russian. But I have some questions I need answered before I take the huge responsibility! Are they pretty eaasy to take care of? And atleast once a year I go on vaca for a week. Can it be left for a week with food and water? What do you guys do when it has to be left alone for a few days? And we camp a lot in the summer. Can they travel? And what are the most common health issues they can have/get? I am an avid animal lover..but I want to make sure I get all the answers I need before I make this commitment. I have been talking with a lady at Petco. She has been very helpful! They sell them for 100 bucks. I would rather adopt one if I could. Any suggestions on that? And what is a good detup for a beginner like me?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Welcome, I don't personally believe in leaving them alone for more then 2 days. They are very easy to care for. Don't pay $100 for one, tell us where you live and maybe there's a tortoise rescue close to you...

 

[Lori J]

Welcome, I don't personally believe in leaving them alone for more then 2 days. They are very easy to care for. Don't pay $100 for one, tell us where you live and maybe there's a tortoise rescue close to you...

Upstate New York..south of Syracuse.

Can they travel easily?

 

[andrew71888]

Welcome to the forum

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Here ya go...

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TurtleRescueLongIsland/

Julie Maguire ~ www.turtlerescues.org ~ NYS Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator

it's turtlerescuelongisland...I don't know why the long is dotted out...anyhow

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lori:

to the forum!!!

Here's a good place to read about Russian tortoises:

http://russiantortoise.net/

 

[terryo]

Hi Lori...good for you for doing your research before you get your tort. Welcome!

 

[tortoisenerd]

Hi! I agree that I wouldn't leave my tort more than 2 nights. Do you have any friends or family who could either come over to care for a tort, or you could drop off the tort at their house? I have done both and with some prior planning, trust, and instructions, it works well (especially if they can call if they have questions). This is the kind of stuff to be thinking of before you get a pet that can outlive you--great job! I would not call a tort easy to care for. They are actually a bit tricky to get set up for the first time for a new owner. Pet stores are notorious for not providing good care instructions, supplies, or even animals (the Russians you see in a chain pet store are 99% sure caught from the wild, and likely to be sick). I would not travel with a tort as they are sensitive to changes. They can get stressed. Much easier to have someone come to them, or move them one time to someone's house (maybe even in their regular enclosure so it is not a big change), then subject them to a trip. You'll have a lot of stuff to travel with in addition to an enclosure (which ideally for an adult size tort will be a size such that is difficult to move), such as the UVB light, any heating, their food (greens are typically refrigerated), etc. Look in the enclosure section for some ideas. I think the best enclosure is a tortoise table, which is basically an open top wood box; you can even have wood pre-cut an home improvement stores so all you do is fasten it together. It is tough to find plastic containers large enough, but the under the bed size containers are ok except they aren't high enough, but the best ones seem to be the xmas tree storage ones as they are large and high enough but not so high like the regular Rubbermaid containers. Some people even use horse troughs, black plastic cement mixing tubs, etc. For adoptions, look on the pet websites and Craig's List in addition to local animal shelters and rescues, and tort forums like this one. I think adoption is a great idea because then it isn't directly wild caught, not a young and fragile hatchling, etc. Be patient and think of it as time to do the proper research and maybe even start purchasing items for the enclosure (and possibly building). Best wishes.

 

[egyptiandan]

Welcome to the forum Lori

Danny

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Welcome to the forum, Lori.

Good luck on finding the right Russian to rescue as your pet!