Please help! I really need some help and advice about my tortoise!

TinkFoxclaw

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Mar 6, 2018
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Newport, Wales
Hi there, thank you for the add to your site. I really am desperate for some help and advice please. In October last year I was given a tortoise by a family member for my daughter. They didn’t know a lot about the tortoise so they gave me some info but I’m not sure how accurate it all is. Because since I have looked some things up and I’m very unsure of if they knew exactly what they were talking about. I will add some pictures to this, but what I am wondering is if anybody could help me identify things from sex to species. I was told when they got the tortoise they thought it was a male and that he was a hermann. Since looking at information about tortoise’s I have been looking at certain information about all this and my tortoise also looks like a horsefield tortoise aswell because they are so similar to hermann’s. Also there is confusion about the sex of the tortoise because I have seen different aspects that would suggest the tortoise could be male or female. Like the tail, I saw that for a male it will have like a little claw at the end which it does have (I think), but also the shape of the part where it goes to toilet on the tail, looks female not male. It looks almost like a little flower shape not a straight line. Also I’m confused on diet because I don’t want to feed the wrong food and make the tortoise weak or sick. And also about hibernation, because I’m unsure of the species I’m unsure of the hibernation etc. I hope I don’t sound stupid, I just want help with all the right information so I can give my tortoise the best life I can. My tortoise is quite fussy with food so it’s hard to know exactly the right food to give them. I do give them the pellets they were fed from my family member which they got from the store they bought them at. But I wanted to give them a good diet that will make them healthy and strong. I hope somebody can help, I would really appreciate it. And I know my daughter and our tortoise Shelly will definitely appreciate it! Thank you for taking the time to read this! Sarah

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Yvonne G

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Hi Sarah and welcome to the Forum!

Your new little tortoise is a baby Russian (Testudo horsfieldii), and we have a very good care sheet for younger russian tortoises pinned at the top of our Russian section.

You won't be able to tell the sex until he gets to be a little bigger - maybe in a couple years.
 

TechnoCheese

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TinkFoxclaw

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Mar 6, 2018
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Newport, Wales
Hello, thank you I really appreciate the help! I will definitely look up everything I need to so I can take care of our sweet Shelly better and give him a good life. I’m not sure exactly how big as I haven’t measured him. But when I can I will get my measuring tape and measure him. My sister got him from a pet shop close to her, I will ask her if she can get any more info on the age for me.
 

RosemaryDW

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Welcome!

@TinkFoxclaw, it is not legal to import Russians to the UK; your tortoise is captive bred.

Your petstore or perhaps your relative has poor info on tortoises if they thought they could tell the gender at that age; you will not be able to tell for a while. He’s over six months, you know that much. Take a look at the baby Russian care sheet as well as the adult one: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/. It will help you get a closer idea of the age.

You don’t have to hibernate your tortoise, although you can. It’s spring, just about, so you don’t need to fuss about that just yet. The setup with lighting and temperature is the most important thing to get right, diet can wait a little longer. Take some pictures of your setup once you’ve read the care sheets, let us know the temperatures and the kind of lighting you’re using. Get one of these, you’ll need it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Non-contac...=1-3-spons&keywords=digital+thermometer&psc=1

Petstores often have very out of date info, so don’t worry if you’ve gotten some things wrong. Pretty much all of us did. :)
 

TinkFoxclaw

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Mar 6, 2018
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Newport, Wales
Hi I’m sorry it’s taken a while to answer I have been very unwell. Thank you for replying to me. I got one of those thermometers a while ago and I will include a photo of my setup. I am very worried right now because it seems that Shelly is off their food. I’m making sure I bathe them daily so at least they get some water. But I’m trying everything to get them to eat but all they want to do is sleep. I put them under their heat lamp but within minutes they are going back into bed and sleeping continuously. I’m absolutely worried sick that something bad will happen to them because they are not eating. Do you have any advice at all please?
 

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DARKFIRE007

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Okay, I have seen that enclosure before lol...in a different thread, I remember saying to lower that basking lamp until a thermometer read roughly 98 degrees. Personally I don't like the idea or sticking a tort in a fridge, but that is how you hibernate them. Unless I am mistaken, optimal fridge temp is 42-45 degrees for them. But that is a worry for late September/early October.

Sex is easy to determine, if it isn't...it means they are not old enough yet to tell. Huge male tail versus a female nub.

Did you get the basking spot between 95-100 degrees?
 

DARKFIRE007

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Also...it may mean nothing, but nearly every female I see has those dark designs on the top of their head. Mine has a cool diamond. My hale doesn't have one. But again, may mean nothing.
 
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