New indoor enclosure for Russian Tortoise

Jeanettics

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Sacramento, CA
I used an old bookshelf to create a new enclosure for Tortellini. It’s 69” x 28” x 9.5” so not quite big but definitely a step up! I’m hoping when I move to a new place in September I can create an outdoor enclosure for him.

I was a bit nervous posting because everyone here is so knowledgeable it’s intimidating.. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to improve the enclosure!

I just ordered 2 AcuRite digital temperature & humidity monitors so I’ll add those in soon. I recently stopped using the coiled UV bulb due to everyone warning about them harming tortoise eyes. I saw a recommendation for the tube type T-5 fluorescent UVB bulb so I’ll buy that. What does the T-5 mean?
 

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iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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Why did you included those other Plastic tubs in your enclosure?
Can your tortoise get to them?
T-5 is a Type of UVB.
How old is your Tortoise?
 

Jeanettics

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I added the plastic tubs to prevent the different substrates from mixing together too much. He has no trouble crawling between bins. I will probably add more substrate to each bin and fill them up more.

I don’t know how old he is. I bought him as a rescue from the Phoenix Herptetological Sanctuary. Is there a way to estimate his age?
 

iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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I added the plastic tubs to prevent the different substrates from mixing together too much. He has no trouble crawling between bins. I will probably add more substrate to each bin and fill them up more.

I don’t know how old he is. I bought him as a rescue from the Phoenix Herptetological Sanctuary. Is there a way to estimate his age?
How many Inches is he/she?
 

Jeanettics

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Im pretty sure he/she is too Young. If your tortoise falls between on the edge of the Bins can your Tortoise go back up?

If you mean the long strip of soil on the left side of the enclosure, yes he can crawl up from there.
Too young for what? ? An open-topped enclosure? Should I increase the humidity?
 

Blastoise

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They meant too young to tell the sex of the Tortoise. I would think the Herpitological Sanctuary would know the difference between male and female tortoises. They have something like 4 or 5 hundred tortoises. It's most likely a male. You can tell by the tail. Check out this page to see the difference between the sexes.

I think your enclosure looks great! I would probably fill the tubs just a bit more like you said to create a more even surface. It looks like you taped cardboard around the corners to prevent escape? He is stronger than tape, i would recommend cutting a triangle shaped pieces of wood and make caps in the corners by using screws to hold the wood on. Maybe add one of those half logs. Mine love climbing on them.
 

Jeanettics

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Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA
They meant too young to tell the sex of the Tortoise. I would think the Herpitological Sanctuary would know the difference between male and female tortoises. They have something like 4 or 5 hundred tortoises. It's most likely a male. You can tell by the tail. Check out this page to see the difference between the sexes.

I think your enclosure looks great! I would probably fill the tubs just a bit more like you said to create a more even surface. It looks like you taped cardboard around the corners to prevent escape? He is stronger than tape, i would recommend cutting a triangle shaped pieces of wood and make caps in the corners by using screws to hold the wood on. Maybe add one of those half logs. Mine love climbing on them.

I will definitely add caps to the corners! Thank you very much for the advice.
 

Kim&Tim

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At 4 inches, in general you can identify the sex with Russians. I have a 4 inch male who is 5 years old and weighs 410 gr. He's a male, he had flashed his tortoise bits quite a few times. I grew up with a testudo greaca graeca male, I know what they look like? I think your tortoise is around 4/5 years old.

I like your table, nice size and lots of interest for him.

Why do you use woodchips etc? They mold quite quickly and keeping it slightly damp is difficult. They are also not nice to dig in. I used the little pebbles too for a while, until I saw him trying to eat them and found mini pebbles in his faeces. So I quit using them.
 

Jeanettics

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Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA
At 4 inches, in general you can identify the sex with Russians. I have a 4 inch male who is 5 years old and weighs 410 gr. He's a male, he had flashed his tortoise bits quite a few times. I grew up with a testudo greaca graeca male, I know what they look like? I think your tortoise is around 4/5 years old.

I like your table, nice size and lots of interest for him.

Why do you use woodchips etc? They mold quite quickly and keeping it slightly damp is difficult. They are also not nice to dig in. I used the little pebbles too for a while, until I saw him trying to eat them and found mini pebbles in his faeces. So I quit using them.

The wood chips are cypress mulch (Zoo Med). It was one of the suggested substrate choices I saw on this forum, so I thought it was okay. I’ll keep an eye on his feces for pebbles.. so far every time he bites a radicchio leaf that’s lying on the pebbles he spits it out.
 

Kim&Tim

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The wood chips are cypress mulch (Zoo Med). It was one of the suggested substrate choices I saw on this forum, so I thought it was okay. I’ll keep an eye on his feces for pebbles.. so far every time he bites a radicchio leaf that’s lying on the pebbles he spits it out.
Oh ok, I didn't see it correctly, my bad. I'm more into the soil type substrates and cocohusk, I've never used that. But it's a nice and interesting table. I think he'll have alot of fun in there. If he doesn't care for pebbles than it's fine! But Timmie actively looked for ones he could eat, so I had to take it out.

We have the same cave??
 
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