A brief story of Cecil Baron's current lifestyle.
Ok then. I bought a Russian tortoise(Cecil) for my boys for Christmas. He is from Petsmart and I can only assume what they told me that he's between, 2 and 3 years old at most. It's really for me because I saw one that I really wanted cause he just looked a certain way. (You know how it is when the animal picks you because the second you see it you think "Aw man! I have to bring him home with me!) , but they really wanted a turtle more than anything so I killed two birds with one stone on that one. Don't worry, I'm not a "see it must have it" kind of pet owner. I am responsible.
Anyway, I did the whole 50 gallon terrarium (upgrading to a table but I'll get into that in a couple paragraphs), bark substrate, hiding log and food/water dishes along with a heat light, UV Bulb and I've been steadily keeping the temps at about 100 on the hot side and 70 on the cool side during the day, and the whole thing stays about 65 all night. I mist a few times a day and keep him at 50% humidity. Give or take 5% throughout the day. I also make sure to pay attention to where he is all the time and I keep is UV bulb over him to make sure he gets enough of its light.
He refuses to eat the commercial pellet I bought for him, no matter how I try to serve it, so while I experiment with other foods I've been giving him a wide assortment of different types of leafy greens from Wegmans a couple times a day, sprinkled with calcium every other day. I plan on getting some recommended seed mix to grow him a nice variety. I keep a shallow water dish full all the time as well. He gets soaked 2-3 times a week in room temp water (treated to remove chlorine, etc using a water conditioner for turtles).
He is an awesome little dude. The first week he was extremely shy. Hid in the shell as soon as I would come near him. He's warming up nicely though as I spent 2 or 3 times a day taking him out and letting him roam around my bedroom to explore. Now when I bother him he doesn't hide at all and he takes off like a bullet (a slow one) as soon as I bring him out. Everyone loves him and since I could stop hiding him from the kids Christmas morning, I let him roam the bottom floor wherever he wants to go for 20-30 minutes at a time a couple times a day. He really seems to love it. I lay him on my lap with a towel over most of him too and he rests there for a while before he climbs up my chest, across my arm and to the top of the sofa, where he walks around the top edge like he owns the place already. (It's against a wall, so he can't fall down).
So far, I'd just like to hear from the experts here if I'm doing things right. I AM DEFINITLY getting rid of the terrarium in favor of a tortoise table of some sort. I will be building my own, and I'd like to base it off of these designs. I just have a couple questions:
http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/common/files/forum/sam76/9460/main_tortoise_table.jpg
http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/images/...37/large/442ec293a56b353d1beedb5e3abce5ea.JPG
It's going to house just one Russian. What is the most appropriate size for him for indoors?
If I change the substrate to sand/soil or playsand/coir mix (which I plan on doing) will I have a hard time maintaining the humidity being the table will be shallow and open topped? I read that some people say that a good substrate will keep humidity well enough right at the ground level where he reaches.
Is having a UV lamp for general light and a spot heat area for basking still a good setup for him On a table? As long as the heat lamp still provides 90-100 degrees where is points?\
I am sparing no expense to make his home the best it can be cause I dearly love all of my animals. If there's anything you guys can see that's not good for him at all, please tell me. If there are things that I am doing well, please tell me that too. I have had everything from dogs and cats to goats and ducks throughout my life. Never owned a reptile. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.
Ok then. I bought a Russian tortoise(Cecil) for my boys for Christmas. He is from Petsmart and I can only assume what they told me that he's between, 2 and 3 years old at most. It's really for me because I saw one that I really wanted cause he just looked a certain way. (You know how it is when the animal picks you because the second you see it you think "Aw man! I have to bring him home with me!) , but they really wanted a turtle more than anything so I killed two birds with one stone on that one. Don't worry, I'm not a "see it must have it" kind of pet owner. I am responsible.
Anyway, I did the whole 50 gallon terrarium (upgrading to a table but I'll get into that in a couple paragraphs), bark substrate, hiding log and food/water dishes along with a heat light, UV Bulb and I've been steadily keeping the temps at about 100 on the hot side and 70 on the cool side during the day, and the whole thing stays about 65 all night. I mist a few times a day and keep him at 50% humidity. Give or take 5% throughout the day. I also make sure to pay attention to where he is all the time and I keep is UV bulb over him to make sure he gets enough of its light.
He refuses to eat the commercial pellet I bought for him, no matter how I try to serve it, so while I experiment with other foods I've been giving him a wide assortment of different types of leafy greens from Wegmans a couple times a day, sprinkled with calcium every other day. I plan on getting some recommended seed mix to grow him a nice variety. I keep a shallow water dish full all the time as well. He gets soaked 2-3 times a week in room temp water (treated to remove chlorine, etc using a water conditioner for turtles).
He is an awesome little dude. The first week he was extremely shy. Hid in the shell as soon as I would come near him. He's warming up nicely though as I spent 2 or 3 times a day taking him out and letting him roam around my bedroom to explore. Now when I bother him he doesn't hide at all and he takes off like a bullet (a slow one) as soon as I bring him out. Everyone loves him and since I could stop hiding him from the kids Christmas morning, I let him roam the bottom floor wherever he wants to go for 20-30 minutes at a time a couple times a day. He really seems to love it. I lay him on my lap with a towel over most of him too and he rests there for a while before he climbs up my chest, across my arm and to the top of the sofa, where he walks around the top edge like he owns the place already. (It's against a wall, so he can't fall down).
So far, I'd just like to hear from the experts here if I'm doing things right. I AM DEFINITLY getting rid of the terrarium in favor of a tortoise table of some sort. I will be building my own, and I'd like to base it off of these designs. I just have a couple questions:
http://www.tortoise-protection-group.org.uk/common/files/forum/sam76/9460/main_tortoise_table.jpg
http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/images/...37/large/442ec293a56b353d1beedb5e3abce5ea.JPG
It's going to house just one Russian. What is the most appropriate size for him for indoors?
If I change the substrate to sand/soil or playsand/coir mix (which I plan on doing) will I have a hard time maintaining the humidity being the table will be shallow and open topped? I read that some people say that a good substrate will keep humidity well enough right at the ground level where he reaches.
Is having a UV lamp for general light and a spot heat area for basking still a good setup for him On a table? As long as the heat lamp still provides 90-100 degrees where is points?\
I am sparing no expense to make his home the best it can be cause I dearly love all of my animals. If there's anything you guys can see that's not good for him at all, please tell me. If there are things that I am doing well, please tell me that too. I have had everything from dogs and cats to goats and ducks throughout my life. Never owned a reptile. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.