Male Russian Bachelor Pad

[Levi the Leopard]

Check out the new diggs for my male Russian!

My 1:3 group has been living together in a 20' x 6' outside enclosure here in SoCal. For the most part they were doing fine. I had a 1.5' x 3' night box they slept in, the whole pen is heavily planted with grasses, weeds, plants and there are many sight barriers. They spent some time basking and eating together and some time in their own areas.
Recently I noticed 2 of the girls hiding a lot more. The one girl who is out and about has now been receiving the most of the boys "attention".
While I could have kept them together I decided not to any longer. I let the girls stay in the pen and moved my male into a different one. Timing is kind of perfect. My larger leopards moved into the full yard a few weeks ago and the small leopards have their own pen, so the former "leopard pen" has become the male Russian's bachelor pad
He will live out his days unable to rape anymore! I haven't decided yet if I will let them come together briefly for breeding next spring or not.
Here is the 20' x 6' pen they shared

Here is the males pen. 17' long 8' wide at one end and it tapers down to 4' wide at the farther end.

So far he likes it. Lots of new things to explore and he is the king of his own castle!

Thanks for looking

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a good-looking russian tortoise. I really like both pens too.

 

[DevilsLettuce]

Awesome pens, your Russians must be happy!

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Everyone look happy. The girls are at peace and your little guy is his own man in his own place. Your pens are the bomb. Inspiring! : )

 

[wellington]

The girls must be very happy to have king macho gone. Great pens, love the houses. Wonder how he will act once he realizes all his exploring is not producing any ladies

 

[LisaTurtle]

Nice place!! I sure wish I lived in a warmer climate so my guy could stay outside. I just had to bring him in the rainy season just started and the temp dropped too much.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Thanks everyone.

I moved him out about a week ago. Pink, the active girl has stayed the same. Purple, the girl who hid the most and I wasn't seeing eat, is now all over the place and hangs with pink a bit. Red still hides but I think she will come out, too once she realizes he is gone. (the girls are named after the nail posh dots )

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[Mrturtle527]

So do you leave them out all night? I ask as eventually I would like to as well but the garden I have made doesn't really lend itself to any sort of cover. Does the box hide work well enough for protection and do you heat it?


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[kanalomele]

Absolutely fabulous in all respects! I love seeing keepers take to heart the advice to give russians much more room. The sightline barriers and dense plantings oooh.. I could kiss you! Thank you for this post. I was recently involved in a "vigorous discussion" with a well respected keeper who recommends and keeps Russians a 1:3 group in a 2×4 space... I boisterously disagreed with the idea that there is benefit to that.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

MrT, the Russians live outside full time. The night boxes have hinged lids that lock. I used to have locking doors that folded down to double as a ramp but dirt constantly clogged the hinge. Now I use a huge brick as the door...until I re do the box with a better door.

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Absolutely fabulous in all respects! I love seeing keepers take to heart the advice to give russians much more room. The sightline barriers and dense plantings oooh.. I could kiss you! Thank you for this post. I was recently involved in a "vigorous discussion" with a well respected keeper who recommends and keeps Russians a 1:3 group in a 2×4 space... I boisterously disagreed with the idea that there is benefit to that.

Thanks

I can't imagine these guys in a space any smaller than this. And a 1:3 in 2x4??? That is some sad news. I have a 3' x 5' mini pen for the tiny baby leopards. But they only go out for an hour or 2 a day. I could never house 1 Russian in there let alone 4!

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[kanalomele]

Well I think that it just shows how much even experienced and well respected keepers have to learn. I know for myself that even after 20 years with this species I am still learning. I like it that way. Not all though, are open to learning from the experiences of others or continuing to expand their thinking. I would never presume that I knew any sort of absolute truth about Russians. I do however know what my personal experience and observation has taught me, and I have to respect that enough to stand by it.

 

[AlishaT]

Sweeeeet!

 

[Irish]

Awesome job on the pen! What lucky RT's. The size is huge.

 

[luvpetz27]

Awesome pen!!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

This silly boy has found a way to see over his kingdom walls! I watched him walk up, spend a while observing the outside territory, turn around and walk down. Lol

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[lynnedit]

Great post! I enjoy posts about keepers who know their tortoises and what works.
And I always love seeing your enclosures.

I fully expected to see him with a pair of binoculars in the second pic!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Thanks lynne means a lot. You stick out as one of my first helpers with the Russians.

I watched him some more today. (i love watching him) He likes to climb up that Yucca tree stump and stumble down. Over and over again. If this was my leopards doing it, I'd freak out about them flipping. But this guy, you couldn't keep him on his back if you tried. (I've tried) Even when he doesnt manage a clean walk down but crashes down, that tail like kick stand flips him over in 2 seconds flat! Lol


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[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Oh my goodness, the over his kingdom walls pictures are funny. : )