NEW OWNER NEED ADVICE!!!

KGRoberts

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So I recently became the owner of a baby horsefield but I'm questioning myself if I have done the right or wrong thing by purchasing a vivarium rather than a table. Ive seen many sites arguing for and against and went to 2 different stores beforehand, one saying a well ventilated viv is fine (mine has 3 vents at the top) and the other saying only a table should ever be used for the horsefield.


Temperature throughout the viv is 80•F in the left hand side (cooler) and around 90•F under the basking bulb. At night i turn the thermostat for the basking bulb to 70•F and turn off the UV/B light


All advice welcome

85F1EC21-B3D6-48EF-BAAE-6E8F3F8B35B3.jpeg
 

Lyn W

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H and welcome.
I think a viv will be fine for now for a baby, but eventually he will need a much bigger space (4x8 feet is the recommended minimum for a juvenile/adult of the smaller species).
I can't enlarge your pic for some reason the moment so can't see what substrate you have there - it looks quite dry though which isn't great for Russians as they like to dig. If it's pellets they can go mouldy when damp so best to avoid those.
Please read the link https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ - that will tell you all about diet, temps humidity and substrate etc
Ignore anything the pet shop said because they are only really interested in profit so often sell unsuitabe/unsafe or unnecessary equipment and rarely give up to date advice about after care.
You'll also find www.thetortoisetable.org.uk a good guide to tort safe foods.
Have a read of the link and ask as many questions as you like - someone will get back to you asap.
 

Lyn W

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http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Is a great help too.
Torts need darkness to sleep so rather than leave the basking bulb on at night try a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) on a thermostat so that your temps will stay even.
The caresheet and other Russian keepers will be best to advise you about night temps though.
 

Maro2Bear

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Greetings, to follow-up what Lyn noted, it looks like you are using rabbit pellets as your substrate. Not sure WHY petstores continue to promote this stuff as a substrate for torts, BUT, you want to remove and replace with a proper tortoise substrate.

From the Care Sheet

Indoor Enclosure type and size:
Most people want to know the minimum size enclosure that they can keep their tortoise in. Instead, I say figure out the maximum! Russians are a very active species and wild ones cover a lot of ground in very large territories. Any normal tub or tank is going to be too small for an adult. GO BIG! I like a minimum of a 4x8' table for an adult. Babies are fine in 40-100 gallon tanks or tubs. Adults do well in open topped tables. I like a damp, natural substrate that they can dig into. Plain soil with no guano, perlite or other additives, orchid bark, cypress mulch and coco coir all work. These substrates can be bought in bulk at most hardware or garden centers at a tremendous savings over pet store prices. Regular dirt from your yard will work too, if its of a suitable composition. I don't like to use sand in any amount for Russians, or any other tortoise species. It can be a skin and eye irritant and an impaction risk. Damp substrate will help to maintain moderate humidity and allow them to dig in and create their own little microclimate. I also like to offer a humid hide box for them to sleep in and retreat to. This will really help to maintain hydration and good shell growth in an open topped table. For babies I like to use large tubs or tanks and partially cover the top to maintain 50-70% humidity. I also offer a humid hide and my substrate of choice for babies is about 3-4" of damp coco coir. I hand pack it down to reduce the messiness. I don't worry about what the humidity level is for adults, AS LONG AS they have a damp substrate that they can dig into and a humid hide to retreat to. All russians should have water available and I like to use appropriately sized terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate for this purpose.

Good luck!
 

KGRoberts

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http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Is a great help too.
Torts need darkness to sleep so rather than leave the basking bulb on at night try a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) on a thermostat so that your temps will stay even.
The caresheet and other Russian keepers will be best to advise you about night temps though.
Hi thanks for the advice, when i turn the basking bulb temp down, the light turns off but the heat is still being provided. I also have a food bowl in at all times with fresh water daily so the tort is able to drink as he pleases and take the food out of a night. I shall look at changing the substrate as soon as i can.
 

KGRoberts

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Hi thanks for the advice, when i turn the basking bulb temp down, the light turns off but the heat is still being provided. I also have a food bowl in at all times with fresh water daily so the tort is able to drink as he pleases and take the food out of a night. I shall look at changing the substrate as soon as i can.
Could you suggest as to why the tort seems to sleep for ages, usually he sleeps from around 7pm just before i turn lighting off at 8 and doesn't seem to wake until at least 9:30am, but thats with me waking so it can be bathed, even when the lighting is turned on at 8am. Should i just let him wake naturally?
 

Blackdog1714

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My Russian sleeps indoors and outdoors alot. I pull him out and feed him. Then he will walk around for a while before finding a spot then sleeps again
 

AliG

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Could you suggest as to why the tort seems to sleep for ages, usually he sleeps from around 7pm just before i turn lighting off at 8 and doesn't seem to wake until at least 9:30am, but thats with me waking so it can be bathed, even when the lighting is turned on at 8am. Should i just let him wake naturally?


Hiya welcome to the site, it has been a brilliant font of knowledge for us all :)

I noticed that you are using 'cat litter' I have to admit this was something I used at first because I was told it was a good thing to use. Unfortunately it was wrong advice :-( I now use in my indoor house 'tortoise terrain' which i buy from Pets at Home for £8.00 a bag (one is usually enough) I find this a brilliant substrate and so easy to keep clean.

I was also told to get a vivarium and I am so glad to say I ignored a store man when he said this was the best thing to use. I said I would rather have a more natural environment so then I found this site. I only use the indoor cage at night during really bad weather I have stuck to a large indoor rabbit cage with a mesh lid (I have 2 cats and I didn't want a traditional type tortoise table because the cats may have used his area as a litter tray) He is never kept in this for any real length of daytime - he has a great outside enclosure.

Regarding your sleepy tortoise that seems about normal for the moment, he may be just settling down - I usually have a completely crazy wild tortoise or one that is quite happily enjoying his sleep and eating. I bring mine indoors at night during this lovely 'wet' UK summer weather and the timer is set for his lamp from 6am to 8.30am and then he goes into his outdoor enclosure for the rest of the day, if it isn't weather he likes he just walks to his outdoor house and sleeps until I bring him back indoors but at least he is getting some fresh air :)

Food wise - lots and lots of weeds, they love them

Good luck with your little tort, they bring lots of entertainment when they are on form he is very lucky to have found you
 

KGRoberts

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Thanks everyone for the advice, the photo i used earlier was of the viv when first set up. To make it more ‘table like’ i have found an old piece of glass from an old cupboard draw, is this more suitable until i can get a table? Do not worry, the wire is only hanging while checking temp of the cool side
 

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Lyn W

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Babies do sleep a lot, but if you have a digital temp gun (Amazon about £10) you will be able to spot check the temps at tort level to make sure he is warm enough.
 

KGRoberts

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Babies do sleep a lot, but if you have a digital temp gun (Amazon about £10) you will be able to spot check the temps at tort level to make sure he is warm enough.
Shall look into getting one. After being given the wrong advice regarding substrate, could you tell me the correct temps. I was told as its a viv, 80•F during the day and 70 at night
 

Lyn W

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Shall look into getting one. After being given the wrong advice regarding substrate, could you tell me the correct temps. I was told as its a viv, 80•F during the day and 70 at night
The caresheet will tell you the correct temps.
What make bulb are you using for uvb?
The cheaper basking bulbs alone don't give enough for torts to be able to digest their food and absorb minerals like calcium which could cause bone problems. Many members use a tube fitting while others use mvb's (but they can dry out the shell too much apparently).
 
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Lyn W

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Thanks everyone for the advice, the photo i used earlier was of the viv when first set up. To make it more ‘table like’ i have found an old piece of glass from an old cupboard draw, is this more suitable until i can get a table? Do not worry, the wire is only hanging while checking temp of the cool side
I wouldn't worry about making it more table like yet - babies are fine in a viv which hold the heat and humidity better. Adults need a larger table at least 4 x 8 feet
See Tom's caresheet and pictures https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
 

KGRoberts

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The caresheet will tell you the correct temps.
What make bulb are you using for uvb?
The cheaper basking bulbs alone don't give enough for torts to be able to digest their food and absorb minerals like calcium which could cause bone problems. Many members use a tube fitting while others use mvb's (but they can dry out the shell too much apparently).
The UVB is a T5 24w light with 12% uvb
 

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