how active is your russian tortoise?

turtlebean

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Feb 25, 2020
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190
Location (City and/or State)
Connecticut
Hi all!

Just here to gauge how active everyone’s russians are:)

I have an adult russian tortoise, and have of course read the care guidelines. I’ve had him since end of February and my little one has a healthy appetite, poops regularly, and is soaked regularly. His enclosure is two stories and has a basking temp average of about 95-98 degrees and the humidity stays around 40-50%. It’s been super hot in CT all summer so the ambient temperature in the loft where his enclosure is can get very warm during the daytime but falls to around 68-70 during the nighttime. He always has access to his basking light and food during the daytime, water at all times, and shade is provided in his enclosure.

Some days he will eat and walk his enclosure for hours and hours with little breaks between and some days he will only get up to eat occasionally and then go bury himself for the rest of the day. Today Tortillini picked at his food for a couple hours and has been buried since mid afternoon.

How often do your russian tortoises move all around and about, and how much of the day do they spend sleeping? How active is your tortoise!

Some times I worry that something is wrong because he will sleep most of the day and then the next day he will walk laps and laps. Any input would be much appreciated!

Thanks guys!!
-Julia R
 

MichaelL

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Nov 18, 2018
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Ocala, Fl
In the spring when it wouldn't get too hot, they would wake up and bask around ten and then kind of stay partially active all day/ staying in shade when they get too hot then exploring and grazing again, most of the day.

Now that it is summer, they mainly come out in the afternoons, sometimes skipping morning basks/ early grazing because it gets hot so quickly. (Their enclosure gets full sun almost all day)

Currently mine are active from around 5-7pm (depending on the amount of cloud cover) Sometimes they come out at around 6 and eat, then go back to the burrow. Sometimes they come out around 5 if it is a cloudy, cool afternoon. But they really are active a couple of hours or less during these hot summer days.
 

turtlebean

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Joined
Feb 25, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
Connecticut
In the spring when it wouldn't get too hot, they would wake up and bask around ten and then kind of stay partially active all day/ staying in shade when they get too hot then exploring and grazing again, most of the day.

Now that it is summer, they mainly come out in the afternoons, sometimes skipping morning basks/ early grazing because it gets hot so quickly. (Their enclosure gets full sun almost all day)

Currently mine are active from around 5-7pm (depending on the amount of cloud cover) Sometimes they come out at around 6 and eat, then go back to the burrow. Sometimes they come out around 5 if it is a cloudy, cool afternoon. But they really are active a couple of hours or less during these hot summer days.
Okay so this behavior sounds pretty normal! Thank you for the input:)
 

Suey

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Mar 1, 2020
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156
Location (City and/or State)
England
Hi I’m in the uk and the last few days have been really hot well hot for us ( night 20s ) my two have access to outside but don’t come out as much as I thought they would. They both came out and ate 10 ish this morning, bit of a roam around went back into their shed. They’ve just been out again nibbled on growing weeds sheltered a bit the they’ve both toddled back inside.
 

Suey

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Mar 1, 2020
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England
Sorry just seen spelling mistake should have said high 20s in the day, in the teens at night.
 

Golden Greek Tortoise 567

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Dec 30, 2019
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1,756
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Colorado Springs,CO
My rt is a little monster all day long, she calms down at about 6pm and then settles down for a nice long nap. She destroys her plants, eats lots, and ”runs” around. In the daytime she’s out in her outdoor enclosure, and when it gets really hot she destroys things on the shady part of her enclosure but doesn’t sleep or hide. At night when she comes in to go into her indoor one, she is usually a little more sedate and just burrows down and falls asleep.
 

turtlebean

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Joined
Feb 25, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
Connecticut
My rt is a little monster all day long, she calms down at about 6pm and then settles down for a nice long nap. She destroys her plants, eats lots, and ”runs” around. In the daytime she’s out in her outdoor enclosure, and when it gets really hot she destroys things on the shady part of her enclosure but doesn’t sleep or hide. At night when she comes in to go into her indoor one, she is usually a little more sedate and just burrows down and falls asleep.
hahaha that is so cute! it’s always a treat to see them running around and being so full of energy!!
 

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