Just adopted a 2 month old Russian tortoise!

[courtoon]

Hello! My name is Courtney and I'm so happy I have a tortoise and have found this forum!
I'm 21! I live in the Chicago suburbs area, so every day is an adventure!
I have always wanted a Russian tortoise. I started off wanting a Reeves water turtle, but decided that aquatic would be too much work for what i have right now. I began researching and fell in love with tortoises of all kinds!

I was searching Craigslist randomly and found a man whose Russians just had babies, and was selling them. I promptly messaged him! Even though Craigslist is sketchy, I trusted it more than getting one online.

He said he had been basking the babies at 89 degrees, so they should be female. So I've rolled with it, and decided to name her Sahara, after the Sahara desert! She is completely beautiful and I am so in love with her already!
I am, however, a newbie, so I decided to join a forum to talk to people who have had experience!
I literally just got her today, and as soon as I put her in her enclosure, she ran under the hiding log and burrowed right away.
She also hasn't eaten yet, but I've read that's normal.

I have a temp. gauge and its sitting at 85 degrees exact, with the cooler side being around 72.
I had a 75 watt basking lamp at first, but it wasn't getting warm enough, it would only get to about 70 degrees, so I went and bought a 150 watt lamp instead. I also have her UVAUVB lamp. Do you think I should put in the 75 watt lamp too on the other side?
I also will be changing her substrate to jungle wood, and changing her water bowl to a terracotta plate so she can just walk in without it being to deep.

I tried soaking her a little first but only kept her in for about a minute.

Any tips, suggestions, things you think I should know about with handling baby torts? I really want her to stop being so scared of me, and I'm a little worried that she won't eat for awhile.

Thanks guys!

 

[Maitaimommy]

Not sure I agree with everything your doing but you've certainly done you're homework
Keep coming on here, youll learn alot from these good people

 

[Eduardo Hernandez]

Is junge wood reptibark? Haven't heard of it.

By temp gauge, do you mean those plastic dials? They are very inaccurate, and I'd recommend a temp gun in order to measure your temps.

Babies need high humidity, so for Russians the substrate recommended is coco coir, just water it until its humid and pack it down with your hand for it to be neat. Russians also need a basking area, around 95-100 degrees but I'm not sure if babies are in the same range. I can tell you 72 is too cold for a cold side, 80 is generally the lowest for babies.

UVB doesn't go through screen, so you might wanna remove it or cut a hole out. Soaking for a minute does pretty much nothing, 20-30 minutes is optimal. Most torts don't like to soak, but you have to give them some tough love lol.

I believe you shouldn't handle torts too much. They're more of a look but dont touch pet. They will pretty much always be scared as babies, but in a couple of weeks he should become more accustomed to you.

 

[courtoon]

Is junge wood reptibark? Haven't heard of it.

By temp gauge, do you mean those plastic dials? They are very inaccurate, and I'd recommend a temp gun in order to measure your temps.

Babies need high humidity, so for Russians the substrate recommended is coco coir, just water it until its humid and pack it down with your hand for it to be neat. Russians also need a basking area, around 95-100 degrees but I'm not sure if babies are in the same range. I can tell you 72 is too cold for a cold side, 80 is generally the lowest for babies.

UVB doesn't go through screen, so you might wanna remove it or cut a hole out. Soaking for a minute does pretty much nothing, 20-30 minutes is optimal. Most torts don't like to soak, but you have to give them some tough love lol.

I believe you shouldn't handle torts too much. They're more of a look but dont touch pet. They will pretty much always be scared as babies, but in a couple of weeks he should become more accustomed to you.

Okay I'll try and go get one of those guns. I feel like shes very fragile so I hope its not too off in temperature I'm struggling to keep the temperature up because I have her in my finished basement, but its still pretty cold down there, around 60 degrees. Thats a good idea though for the UVB thank you!
Thanks for the reply!

 

[Eduardo Hernandez]

No problem! You can try getting a ceramic heat emitter, no light but they emit a lot of heat! However, during night they do need a temp drop, not exactly sure how low a baby can go but I'm sure 70s is fine at night.

 

[courtoon]

No problem! You can try getting a ceramic heat emitter, no light but they emit a lot of heat! However, during night they do need a temp drop, not exactly sure how low a baby can go but I'm sure 70s is fine at night.

Would you suggest having a basking lamp and a heat emitter on at the same time? and should the heat emitter to stay on on one side of the cage at night to keep it warm, so I can turn off the other bright lamp?

 

[Eduardo Hernandez]

Would you suggest having a basking lamp and a heat emitter on at the same time? and should the heat emitter to stay on on one side of the cage at night to keep it warm, so I can turn off the other bright lamp?

once you get a temp gun and know your accurate temps, then you can decide what is necessary. Definitely turn off the lights at night though, if they have them on its difficult to sleep.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Courtney

 

[Stuart S.]

Hello and welcome!!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Courtney and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and Sahara
I have spent so much time wandering about in the Sahara !
Try http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
and http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
If you study them you will find most of the information you need. Follow them and you won't go far wrong.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!