Introductions!

[RangerKev]

Hello from Georgia! I'm new to the forums but recently found myself adopting from a local rescue from whom I adopted a ball python years prior! Franky is a (supposedly) 2 year old (supposedly) captive bred Russian male that was surrendered along with an entire reptile collection after he was purchased from some unknown store. No idea what his history is but I love him all the same. Ive worked with captive reptiles in a professional capacity for years, but this forum has been a phenomenal resource for bringing home my first tortoise species, so I wanted to give a big thank you to the entire forum for having such a vast collective of knowledgeable minds!

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Welcome to the forums

 

[Ink]

Welcome to the forum

 

[SinLA]

Welcome to the forum! You may have seen this already, but if not, this is a good place to start: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

it looks like you have a 2x3 "tortoise house" for him, just know that that is not considered enough room for him to be healthy. Recommended size is 4 x 8 for a Russian.

 

[RangerKev]

Welcome to the forum! You may have seen this already, but if not, this is a good place to start: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954

it looks like you have a 2x3 "tortoise house" for him, just know that that is not considered enough room for him to be healthy. Recommended size is 4 x 8 for a Russian.

Thanks for the advice! He was described as a yearling, so I was expecting him to be a fair bit smaller and wanted expand as he grew but since he's a big fella I'm working on his expansions into a "tortoise mansion" haha

 

[SinLA]

Thanks for the advice! He was described as a yearling, so I was expecting him to be a fair bit smaller and wanted expand as he grew but since he's a big fella I'm working on his expansions into a "tortoise mansion" haha

99% of the time when someone says they have a yearling CB russian, its really a wild caught one that is probably 10+ years old, but people won't buy them that way. that certainly is what Petco told the original owners of my Russian, but there's no way hes either CB or was only 1 year old...

 

[TammyJ]

Welcome to the forum! Your cute tortoise does need a much bigger enclosure and hide.

 

[RangerKev]

99% of the time when someone says they have a yearling CB russian, its really a wild caught one that is probably 10+ years old, but people won't buy them that way. that certainly is what Petco told the original owners of my Russian, but there's no way hes either CB or was only 1 year old...

Fortunately it does not stymie our ability to appreciate and care for them!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome to the forum from South Florida
Give this a read and let us know if you have any questions

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome!

I don't want to get too personal, but where in GA? I know the Senoia, Peachtree, and Newnan areas very well. I've got friends in Grovetown and Grayson.

 

[RangerKev]

Hello and welcome!

I don't want to get too personal, but where in GA? I know the Senoia, Peachtree, and Newnan areas very well. I've got friends in Grovetown and Grayson.

Thanks Tom! I gotta say I'm a bit starstruck by all the knowledge you have 🤩. I'm up in the beautiful ridges of Northwest Georgia, closer to Chattanooga than Atlanta

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom! I gotta say I'm a bit starstruck by all the knowledge you have 🤩. I'm up in the beautiful ridges of Northwest Georgia, closer to Chattanooga than Atlanta

I haven't been up that way much, but the entire state is absolutely beautiful, so I believe you.

I learned a lot of what I know from other people who know more than me, and from just plain old fashioned putting in the time. Welcome to the forum! I hope your tortoise journey is a pleasant one.