Pet sitting for a week questions?

Purplekat

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So I've got a male russian, he's about 16 years old, he's similar colours like the Hermans but not the same on the underside.
How often should I bathe him?
Pee looks white, why? I know pink means dehydrated but white normal?
How often he should he eat? Seems like every other day and not a great deal, 2-3 thin sliced of courgette or cucumber and a bit of cabbage. I've offered other bit's but he looked grumpy at them.

Also I have been told to wake him up as he doesn't like to sit in his lamp, he'd rather sit in his bed and sleep.
When he's up and bathed in the light he wakes up and is active, likes to explore around the living room.
 

Blackdog1714

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A 34 degree celsius (about 94 F) bath is always welcome. as for the urates white and kinda gooey is normal. You can add daily baths to ensure hydration and keep the water to just touching the base of the top (hard) shell- about 1 cm deep max depending on the size of the tort. As for food I always offer free graze daily- use dandelion weeds, plantain weeds, zinnias (leaves and flowers) and hibiscus (leaves and flowers), Opuntia Cactus is a welcome treat. My Russian LOVES plantain weed
il_794xN.1152609266_bizl.jpg
 

Maro2Bear

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A 34 degree celsius (about 94 F) bath is always welcome. as for the urates white and kinda gooey is normal. You can add daily baths to ensure hydration and keep the water to just touching the base of the top (hard) shell- about 1 cm deep max depending on the size of the tort. As for food I always offer free graze daily- use dandelion weeds, plantain weeds, zinnias (leaves and flowers) and hibiscus (leaves and flowers), Opuntia Cactus is a welcome treat. My Russian LOVES plantain weed
il_794xN.1152609266_bizl.jpg


Thats a good looking plantain down there in Virginia!
 

Purplekat

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He's kinda sulking, which his owner warned he might with new people.
I've left food with him every day and he ate nothing on his own.
He will eat when I hand feed him, owner warned he might.
I sit and hold the food for him to eat, when he's done he walks away.

Also were in the midlands of the uk.
 
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Blackdog1714

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THat is true grumpy Russian behavior-spoiled! Mine just glares at me till I dump the food and walk away! If you can find the plantain weed it is a big hit and it grows wild. Don't hestitate to ask questions. We love to help
 

jsheffield

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BBADD56C-0425-4EBF-B6AA-A24F9499AB98.jpeg Mine loves hibiscus and rose of sharon flowers...
 

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Tom

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So I've got a male russian, he's about 16 years old, he's similar colours like the Hermans but not the same on the underside.
How often should I bathe him?
Pee looks white, why? I know pink means dehydrated but white normal?
How often he should he eat? Seems like every other day and not a great deal, 2-3 thin sliced of courgette or cucumber and a bit of cabbage. I've offered other bit's but he looked grumpy at them.

Also I have been told to wake him up as he doesn't like to sit in his lamp, he'd rather sit in his bed and sleep.
When he's up and bathed in the light he wakes up and is active, likes to explore around the living room.
I would follow the guidelines set by his owners if you've just got him for a week.
 

jsheffield

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I would follow the guidelines set by his owners if you've just got him for a week.

Agreed... if it's just a week, you could just keep the heat and humidity in the ballpark that he's used to and he'll be fine.

Jamie
 

Purplekat

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I do think he might be a bit spoilt insisting on hand feeding.
He is an only pet so he has all the attention he wants.
He looks at the food then at you, I walk away and come back over an hour later ( sometimes over 4 hours) and he's either in his corner sulking or gone to bed.
So I end up cutting fresh stuff (he declines the old) and hand feeding, if he doesn't want that item he walks away and if you get something else he walks back.

I understand why people like tortoises, I didn't understand till I had one for a bit
 

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