I had a quick question, about how much sun does a Russian tortoise need through out the day? If anyone can give me some tips I would really appreciate it very much thanks.
In summer, a Russian tortoise should probably get about 8 hours of sun. Preferably, it should be real sunlight for as much as possible. Lamps still work very well though.
My Russian, on a nice warm day, gets about 4 hours real garden sunlight and 6 hours artificial.
They thermal regulate themselfs, why not allow them to choose. Provide it all day and have a good shade/hide spot so they can get out if they want too.
They usually come out in the morning, sit in the sun to warm up, then go around grazing. After about an hour they go back into their hide and don't come out again until early evening.
If you're asking because you don't want to buy a UVB light, then the answer would be two or three hours a day would be sufficient.
Well it was more in regards to which pen I should use I have two different pens in my back yard but one gets more sun then the other. One of the pens will get about two hours of sun light where the other one gets about six to seven hours. But it makes sense to have more sun for them. Thank you for your guys knowledge though helps a lot haha
I agree with Angi, Greg and Yvonne G. Just give them plenty of places to hide from the sun if they are in the enclosure and they will enjoy the sun when they want graze and then hide. Thats what my Sulcata hatchling does. Bask's in the sun, graze and then hide in the shade and then repeats it all some time later.