New Tortoise owner

[lne927]

Hi all, I am a brand new Tortoise owner !

I just bought a Russian hatchling about 3 inches from a breeder.
he arrived 2 days ago healthy and fit.

His enclosure is a 3 by 2 by 2 aquarium filled about 6 inches with 50/50 coconut coir/ play sand
he has some flat rocks, and a log for hiding / climbing and a 90 degree basking area on one side of the tank.

Everything seems to be in order, when i first got him he was very alert and active, he walked around for 45 minutes or so and then went to sleep inside his log.
I left him alone I figured he was stressed and tired I am sure he didn't get a bit of sleep on his trip from California to New York.

When i woke up this morning he was still in his same spot sleeping, I turned on his heat lamp and let the area heat up before waking him up and putting him in his bask spot, I was worried he would be getting too cold.

He chilled for 25 minutes or so soaking up the heat, walked around a bit, ate a bit then went back to sleep.
He slept for 10 hours or more, I just woke him up again, put him in his spot, he soaked up the heat again for a bit then had a few bites and has gone back to sleep again.

*edit*
In between the first and second meal he was also soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, I also sprayed the enclosure a bit as I heard it was recommended for a bit of humidity

is this normal? Is he just adjusting to the new environment?

 

[leigti]

Welcome to the forum. I don't have experience with small young Russians just adults. But maybe your baby is too cold. Also, get rid of the sand. It can cause impaction. Your tortoise will need a bigger enclosure. Do you have pictures of your tortoise and his enclosure? People can make specific suggestions then.
There is a lot of conflicting information out there, and most of us have fallen for it. Check out the Russian tortoise section for a great care sheet.
It is not unusual for them to hide when you first get them. It takes a while to get used to everything.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Please read the "beginners' thread" as well as different care sheets, which are very helpful. Posting pics of your tortoise as well as its enclosure would enable the experience members here to help you.

Good luck to you as well as you little tort.

 

[lne927]

This is the Tortoise ( Pistachio)
and his enclosure.

I don't think my enclosure is too small I did do a lot of research on this and have seen people keeping adults of this species in plastic bins much smaller then this tank.

He is 3 inches , he fits in the palm of my hand, but here is the set up - The ambient temp of the room is about 75 degrees, I don't have a temp gauge on the cool side but the warm side is 90 degrees, I would expect the cool side to be about 80

I just took the picture of the tank and he is once again inside his log where he likes to dig himself a little hole.

I've also read that fine sand and fine coir is an ideal substrate for these guys

 

[Gillian M]

A cute little tort-GOD bless.

Is that a glass enclosure? If so, please note that torts do not understand the concept of glass, and would keep trying to get out of it. This I have noticed when my beloved Greek tort is roaming around the flat: each and every time it gets to the window, it would try to get through.

 

[leigti]

I love that name your tortoise will need a bigger enclosure when he hits full size. They recommend 4 x 8' for an indoor enclosure. Depending on where you live you can make an outdoor enclosure for at least part of the year.
All the conflicting information can make it difficult to figure out what is right for your tortoise. But this site has the most updated information out there, books, pet stores, and even veterinarians usually do not give the right information. The Internet is full of tortoises photographed in completely inappropriate enclosures.
It takes a while to get everything set up right but once you do there a low maintenance pet.

 

[lne927]

hmm well I feel like I shouldn't bury his food dish . it actually has quite high walls but hes so little I thnik he struggles to climb it, so I buried it a bit to bring the food closer to the floor for him. But I don't want him eating too much of the substrate to prevent impacting.

From what i'm reading keeping him well hydrated, high in fiber and keeping the food off the substrate will go a long way in avoiding that problem. I plan to do all of the above.

 

[leigti]

A terra-cotta plant saucer works well as a food dish. It is shallow so he can't tip over trying to climb in and out of it and he can reach the food easily. What type of bulb do you have? Coil bulbs should be avoided because they've been known to cause eye problems, especially in young tortoises. A mercury vapor bald in a large fixture works well. You can get a 11 inch ceramic based fixture at the feed store for around 10 bucks or even less.
And you are right, keep the food off the substrate, soak your tortoise often, and keep the substrate slightly damp. All this will help. But I would still get rid of the sand A temperature gun and something to measure humidity would come in very handy. Some of the stuff pet stores provide really isn't very good and you can get much better quality at a much better price at the hardware store. Here's some examples.View attachment ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1439602378.187286.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1439602410.602985.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1439602429.486337.jpg
The care she will tell you basically all you need to know. But feel free to continue asking questions. And your tortoises very adorable by the way.

 

[TMartin510]

All I can say is the advice you will get here is worth listening too . However your free to do as you will as he is your tort.
I had some sand as well, said vet approved bla bla. Came here and read about it, and that it can be dangerous. So I tossed it and got some different substrate, I like bark and cypress mulch. He mostly just peed on the sand anyways making it stick to him lol. The info you will get here will be great and advice from people that had to learn the hard way and they pass it down to us so we can learn with them.
Even tho if you feed him right and he his hydrated, the chance is still there, the chance that a tort can be harmed by something that costs 10 dollars. And can be replaced by another 10 dollars with something better. And that's why I got rid of it quickly, because I would worry about the guy when I am gone.
Also looking up what they have to do for an impaction surgery and what the guy would have to go through. Just isn't worth it in my opinion.

Edit ( Oh and my little russian did that when I moved him into his bigger place, and he would sleep and come out to eat mostly. And after a few days of getting use to it, he was up and doin his thing even before I was up. I named my lil Guy Buster cause well he's a Buster. Lol.)

 

[lne927]

Thanks so much for the advice guys - so his sleeping all day is normal for a young tort in a new home?

Should I not wake him and out him in his heat spot?
Just leave him be ?

I just don't want him to get too cold

 

[Angel Carrion]

Thanks so much for the advice guys - so his sleeping all day is normal for a young tort in a new home?

Should I not wake him and out him in his heat spot?
Just leave him be ?

I just don't want him to get too cold

Yup. Him sleeping and burrowing down a lot is normal. As long as he looks alert with clear eyes when he's out and moving and eating, he's good. After he gets used to the place he will most likely be out more.
Make sure to keep the humidity very high.

 

[Yvonne G]

You may need to have some sort of night time heat on the aquarium while he's a baby.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!!

 

[Tom]

We are trying to help you. There is all sorts of incorrect outdated info circulating around out in the world. If you are going to counter everything we tell you with, "Well, I've read such and such…", we are not going to waste our time typing up response after response trying to help you and your tortoise. You can find somebody saying anything you want on the internet. Doesn't make it true. How many people said all the computers would shut down when the century turned? The advice you are getting here is real world, experience based advice.

1. You have gotten and followed some bad advice. Please open your mind and accept better ways of keeping your tortoise healthy.
2. Your tortoise is not a hatchling. It is probably around 2 or three years old and it has been raised incorrectly. Too dry, which, coincidentally, is what lots of other people say to do with them on most of the internet. All dry all the time is wrong and not healthy for them, as the pyramiding on your tortoises carapace indicates.
3. Sand is dangerous. You need to remove it ASAP. It is an impaction risk and it can be a skin and eye irritant. How do I know this? Because I've been to the vet for it a number of times from following the old incorrect advice, and seen dozens of cases from my vet friends. Don't use sand.
4. Your water dish is a flipping/drowning hazard. Get rid of it ASAP. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate are much safer and more attractive to the tortoise. It does no good to have a water dish if your tortoise won't use it, and many won't use those.
5. Your tank is too small. You need something bigger. Because someone else also kept one in something too small is not a reason to follow their example. Russians need room to roam. Lots of room. Locomotion helps with digestion just like it dose in horses. Daily soaks and lots of walking can help any sand that has already made its way into your tortoises GI tract pass on through.
6. I see no thermometers or probes in your enclosure. What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and over night low? Reptile activity levels are temperature dependent. This might be related to your problem.
7. What are you using for UV? Coiled type cfl bulb maybe? Those can burn their eyes and might explain the lack of activity.

I'm sorry that you found bad info out there in the world and that it is muddling the issue here, but please understand that you have finally found people that know what they are talking about. We don't parrot the same wrong stuff that has been repeated for decades. We have learned from our past mistakes and we've found better ways to do things. We are trying to give you a short cut so you don't have to go through the decades of trial and error that many of us have already been through.

Here is the correct care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[leigti]

When I first got my tortoise I would take her out of her hide first thing in the morning and put her under her heat lamp and then I would put food out. After a week or two she came out on her own every morning. Follow the advice in Tom's threads.

 

[Speedy-1]

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
It is quite normal for a young tortoise to sleep and hide a lot.
In nature they would be considered prey animals.
Once he has got used to the fact that this is his territory and he's not intruding on something else's and you are the food god and not planning on eating him for your supper, he'll settle in.
And the advice given above is correct.

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi all, I am a brand new Tortoise owner !

I just bought a Russian hatchling about 3 inches from a breeder.
he arrived 2 days ago healthy and fit.

His enclosure is a 3 by 2 by 2 aquarium filled about 6 inches with 50/50 coconut coir/ play sand
he has some flat rocks, and a log for hiding / climbing and a 90 degree basking area on one side of the tank.

Everything seems to be in order, when i first got him he was very alert and active, he walked around for 45 minutes or so and then went to sleep inside his log.
I left him alone I figured he was stressed and tired I am sure he didn't get a bit of sleep on his trip from California to New York.

When i woke up this morning he was still in his same spot sleeping, I turned on his heat lamp and let the area heat up before waking him up and putting him in his bask spot, I was worried he would be getting too cold.

He chilled for 25 minutes or so soaking up the heat, walked around a bit, ate a bit then went back to sleep.
He slept for 10 hours or more, I just woke him up again, put him in his spot, he soaked up the heat again for a bit then had a few bites and has gone back to sleep again.

*edit*
In between the first and second meal he was also soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, I also sprayed the enclosure a bit as I heard it was recommended for a bit of humidity

is this normal? Is he just adjusting to the new environment?

Hi all, I am a brand new Tortoise owner !

I just bought a Russian hatchling about 3 inches from a breeder.
he arrived 2 days ago healthy and fit.

His enclosure is a 3 by 2 by 2 aquarium filled about 6 inches with 50/50 coconut coir/ play sand
he has some flat rocks, and a log for hiding / climbing and a 90 degree basking area on one side of the tank.

Everything seems to be in order, when i first got him he was very alert and active, he walked around for 45 minutes or so and then went to sleep inside his log.
I left him alone I figured he was stressed and tired I am sure he didn't get a bit of sleep on his trip from California to New York.

When i woke up this morning he was still in his same spot sleeping, I turned on his heat lamp and let the area heat up before waking him up and putting him in his bask spot, I was worried he would be getting too cold.

He chilled for 25 minutes or so soaking up the heat, walked around a bit, ate a bit then went back to sleep.
He slept for 10 hours or more, I just woke him up again, put him in his spot, he soaked up the heat again for a bit then had a few bites and has gone back to sleep again.

*edit*
In between the first and second meal he was also soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, I also sprayed the enclosure a bit as I heard it was recommended for a bit of humidity

is this normal? Is he just adjusting to the new environment?

Hi and welcome.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Welcome. We are here to help.

I've done the 50/50 sand/coir mixture, probably on the same advice, and cannot recommend it. The risk of impaction is real. As time goes on, the organic elements in the substrate break down. The sand doesn't. So you end up with 75% sand. A trace amount won't hurt, probably, but not much.

Those tortoises in tiny habitats are not doing alright. The keepers just can't tell the difference. After a while you'll see it for yourself.

Your habitat is too small and too dry. Your tortoise is beginning to pyramid from its earlier care. You can stop it from getting worse with proper humidity. That breeder who claims this is a hatchling may not be the best source of info on care.

What kind of light are you using?