Please Help Me (need Russian info, please)

LindseyP

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Apr 21, 2020
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Last month I got a tortoise for my 14th birthday and I named him Michelangelo. But the funny thing is that the people at PetSmart told my mom that he was a testudo tortoise and I was so confused on why they would give us a pamphlet that was about Hermann, Greek, and Russian tortoises. But this month I looked up a testudo tortoise only to find out that testudo tortoises are a group of Hermann, Greek, and Russian tortoises. So, the people at PetSmart basically just told me that Michelangelo is a tortoise.? I looked up each tortoise and Michelangelo looks nothing like a Hermann or Greek tortoise so I’m pretty positive that he’s a Russian tortoise because he literally looks exactly like the pictures online.

Anyway, now for the questions:
- Can Russian tortoises eat fruit, if so how often?
- What foods can Russian tortoises not eat?
- Is it normal for Michelangelo to tuck in his head and front legs when he sleeps?
- Do Russian tortoises hibernate?
- It says everywhere that tortoises can’t have a lot of basically any veggie. So how often can I feed Michelangelo each veggie? Twice a week?
- Should I be worried that Michelangelo has never drunken out of his water dish but only drunken from his bathing dish?
- Should I keep the water dish in if he never drinks from it?
- Can anyone give me a weekly diet for a Russian tortoise?
- How big do Russian tortoises get?
- The people at PetSmart said he was a few weeks old but if he was a few weeks old why would they not know the exact date and I don’t think tortoises are as big as Michelangelo was when they are a few weeks. So my question is how big are Russian tortoises when they are a few weeks?
- Is there anything I need to do different for a tortoise that’s only a few months? ( if he is anyway)
- How can I tell what age Michelangelo is?
- How do I know what gender Michelangelo is?
- How often should I take Michelangelo to the vet?
- Is it normal if Michelangelo doesn’t eat for a few days?
- How often should he eat lettuce?

Thank you and any other advice would be much appreciated.?

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Crush da Baum

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Wow that's a lot of questions!

-Russian tortoises do not eat a lot of fruit and should only eat it very very rarely. I, personally, have never fed fruit to mine but some people will feed watermelon on occasion for hydration.
-If you want to know what things are good and bad for tortoises I recommend, https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/
-Yes, all torts have different personalities and sleep differently.
-Yes, Russian can hibernate but do not need to. I do not hibernate mine and if it is not done correctly can be very dangerous. The only time they need to hibernate is if you want to breed them.
-Veggies are a some-times food and really do not need to be in their diet. If you do want to feed him that just keep it to a minimum.
-Tortoises will drink from their water dish but most times you will not get to see him do it. As long as you soak him often than he is fine. That is completely normal.
-Yes, even if you do not see him drink, he still does.
-Russian tortoises need a variety of broadleaf weeds and you can either harvest them from safe places with no pesticides or grow them. I grow this https://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix. It works very well! I will link to another thread about their diet at the bottom.
-It depends on the gender. Males get around 5 to 6 inches and females get from 8 to 10 inches.
-He is not a few weeks old. He is a wild-caught adult Russian. Probably, over ten years but if you give us his length, and a picture of the bottom of his shell we can give a more accurate estimate. Remember tortoises are one of the few animals that have something called negligible senescence. So basically he will live until something kills him. If you do the right things he will be with you for the rest of your life.
- giving him daily or every other day soaks in a plastic container for 20 minutes (a container that he can not get out) will keep him and his shell hydrated and fight against pyramiding. (even though Testudo species are resistant to it)
-If you post a picture of the bottom of his shell I can tell you his gender.
- I usually only take him to the vet if something happens but some people take theirs to the vet once a year to check for parasites, but it is best to take him to the vet after you get him from Petco to check for parasites he might have.
.Yes, if he does not eat then that could be a problem. He is also pretty stressed out from being introduced to a new habitat.


 

LindseyP

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Idaho
Thank you so much!!! If I measured correctly, I got 9 inches long and 10/5 inches wide.
 

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Coraleaf0

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(The reply above got all the points with lots of info I actually need to know too!) yep that’s a Russian tortoise for sure, and definitely not a few weeks old... when I got my tortoises at Denny’s Pet World abt 2 yrs ago, they were probably close to that size or a bit smaller and they were supposed to be ~5-6 yrs (male)
 

Tom

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Last month I got a tortoise for my 14th birthday and I named him Michelangelo. But the funny thing is that the people at PetSmart told my mom that he was a testudo tortoise and I was so confused on why they would give us a pamphlet that was about Hermann, Greek, and Russian tortoises. But this month I looked up a testudo tortoise only to find out that testudo tortoises are a group of Hermann, Greek, and Russian tortoises. So, the people at PetSmart basically just told me that Michelangelo is a tortoise.? I looked up each tortoise and Michelangelo looks nothing like a Hermann or Greek tortoise so I’m pretty positive that he’s a Russian tortoise because he literally looks exactly like the pictures online.

Anyway, now for the questions:
- Can Russian tortoises eat fruit, if so how often?
- What foods can Russian tortoises not eat?
- Is it normal for Michelangelo to tuck in his head and front legs when he sleeps?
- Do Russian tortoises hibernate?
- It says everywhere that tortoises can’t have a lot of basically any veggie. So how often can I feed Michelangelo each veggie? Twice a week?
- Should I be worried that Michelangelo has never drunken out of his water dish but only drunken from his bathing dish?
- Should I keep the water dish in if he never drinks from it?
- Can anyone give me a weekly diet for a Russian tortoise?
- How big do Russian tortoises get?
- The people at PetSmart said he was a few weeks old but if he was a few weeks old why would they not know the exact date and I don’t think tortoises are as big as Michelangelo was when they are a few weeks. So my question is how big are Russian tortoises when they are a few weeks?
- Is there anything I need to do different for a tortoise that’s only a few months? ( if he is anyway)
- How can I tell what age Michelangelo is?
- How do I know what gender Michelangelo is?
- How often should I take Michelangelo to the vet?
- Is it normal if Michelangelo doesn’t eat for a few days?
- How often should he eat lettuce?

Thank you and any other advice would be much appreciated.?
Hello and welcome. I'll also answer your questions one at a time, but the answers from Crush were pretty good. Pet stores give bad info and tend to sell the wrong products. Did they sell you a 40 gallon tank, compact florescent bulb, ramped water bowl, a red bulb for night heat, and a compact florescent bulb for UV? Every single one of those things is wrong and bad for your tortoise. Post a pic of your enclosure, and we can help you out there too.

Your questions:
  1. No fruit. Its not good for them.
  2. The list of what they cannot eat would take pages to begin to answer. Read the care sheet linked by crush for some good food ideas.
  3. Yes its normal to tuck in while sleeping.
  4. Yes they do hibernate, but they don't "have" to.
  5. Which veggie are you asking about? There is not one answer to cover all of them.
  6. You should be worried that he has not drunken out of the water bowl. That is an indicator that he is not comfortable with it for some reason. Show us what you've got and we can suggest improvements.
  7. Yes, you should always have the correct type of water dish available. You need a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate.
  8. Weekly diet? Nah. You don't need that. Just feed him as much variety as you can. Mostly broadleaf weeds and leaves of the right types.
  9. Males typically get around 6 inches and females around 7-8.
  10. Russian tortoises are about 20 grams and one inch in the first few weeks. Your tortoise is an adult. Probably 10 or more years old. One more reason to avoid the pet store.
  11. You can't tell the age unless you know the hatch date.
  12. Tail size is the best indicator of gender. You have a male.
  13. If there is no problem then there is no need to go to the vet. Most vets know nothing about tortoise care and do more harm than good. There is no semester on tortoise care in vet school.
  14. Not normal for him to not eat in spring time. Your temperatures might be off, or you might have the wrong bulbs. What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, overnight low and basking area?
  15. I wouldn't ever feed lettuce if you have better choices available. If you must use lettuce, then you need add amendments to it. More explanation on that later.
Read that care sheet, and read this one too. Questions and conversation are welcome here.
 

Sa Ga

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That's a fine boy! (He has a thick longer tail and a "v" shape in the shell by the tail.

I don't know how you measured, but 9 inches is HUGE for a male Russie. Typically females run 6-8 inches, and males tend to run smaller.

Because it is hard to find good, safe weeds, store bought is often needed.
1.) Zoo Med Grassland tortoise pellets: Soak them in water until they're soft (mushy)--I do about 5 pellets in a tiny hamster feeding bowl w/ enough water to cover them till they soak it all in (takes 10-15 mins usually).
2.) Escarole and Endive are great main things to supplement the pellets. I get fresh bunches at Cub Foods (though not all locations seem to have it so check around).
3.) Plus add one or two of these per feeding (be sure to alternate between for good nutrition): radicchio, romaine, collard greens and chard (both sparingly), kale, dandelion greens.
4.) Fresh plants: check that tortoise table site in a post above, but unless you're SURE it's actually that correct plant and free of ALL pesticides, stick to clean, well-rinsed. Mostly, that means to grow your own--and away from where they might get sprayed accidentally or by a neighbor, or buy human food grade ones. Examples of easy plants to identify (do not use flower shop plants--they're likely to have pesticides): hibiscus (leaves and flowers), rose petals, gerbera daisy.
5.) Make sure 2x per week you are sprinkling food (a small pinch of each) with Reptivite and Calcium w/ D3.
6.) Keep soaking him (daily if possible about 15-20 min in lukewarm water--dont let it get cold) and keep his water bowl in his cage too. ***WATCH always FOR DEHYDRATION! Sunken eyes (they look flat, dull, tired), hard white urates in his pee (thick toothpaste-like and gritty), low energy and/or appetite. If you see signs of this, soak him in 1/2 carrot baby food + 1/2 mixture for 30 min daily until urates are back to a softer, "slimy" white texture.
7.) I do give Morla a TINY bit of fruit daily. It helps her poop. She will get a tiny piece of apple (thumbnail size, sliced about cardboard thickness so she doesn't choke) OR one blueberry, OR a like-sized (to the apple) slice of strawberry. When she's constipated (no poo in 1-2 days, she gets a like-sized slice of banana instead.

Make sure you have good UVB lighting, keep good temps and humidity, and never take her out of her cage without keeping your eyes on her EVERY second--they're faster than you think!

Make sure you find a good, tortoise-savvy vet *now* for Russian torts!!! Not all vets are the same and there are waaaaay too many that don't actually know anything about torts.

It's a good idea to find one now, before an emergency arises. It is also a good idea to even bring him in for an initial exam, complete with parasite and blood work (check liver and kidney function, as well as general health). This will get you established with your vet, and also give you a baseline to identify I'd there are any problems. (My Morla was a rescue from Petsmart. If I hadn't gotten her bloodwork done, I wouldn't have known she came with chronic kidney disease and she would have died bf I'd been able to do anything about it. Because I DO know, I make sure she's hydrated well and that helps her kidneys keep functioning as best they can.)

If you have any questions on what I said above, by all means, feel free to ask or private message me if you want.

20200423_001226.jpg
(Morla sitting w/ me as I read.)

Enjoy and congrats on your new friend! if you have any questions, by all means feel free!
 

Sa Ga

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P.S. Tom and I are really at odds about vets. They're just like human M.D.s ...if they don't have any real experience working w/ people, of course they're terrible! But if they DO work with people, they're literally a lifesaver to see for both preventative and acute (sick/injured) care! And both ARE important.

Unfortunately, vets are not monitored for their true expertise the way human docs are, so you have to do a bit of homework.... Google your local Herpatology Society group. Email or call and see if you can get in touch with someone who can personally recommend a competent tort vet. Another possible resource could be a tortoise rescue group. (If you can't locate one, let us know. We may be able to help you.)

Once you've found one, (or esp if you can't find one already referred), feel free to call their office and ask them to call back, as you're looking for a new vet. Then when they call back, ask them about their experience with Russian torts. I know I have quizzed vets before, asking as if I didn't know ...to see if they actually did!
-"What can they eat?" [LOOK AT THE INFO YOU'VE GOTTEN HERE]
-"Do they need special lighting?" [YES, BASKING AND TUBE UVB LIGHTS.]
-"Can I use those coiled/ compact UVB bulbs?" [DEFINITE NO! HURTS THEIR EYES.]
-"Do they need a water bowl?" [YES--THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH WATER FROM THEIR FOOD ALONE!]
-Etc. (Any other quiz questions you can think of.)

If they answer incorrectly, just politely say, "THANKS" and RUN!
 

LindseyP

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Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
Hello and welcome. I'll also answer your questions one at a time, but the answers from Crush were pretty good. Pet stores give bad info and tend to sell the wrong products. Did they sell you a 40 gallon tank, compact florescent bulb, ramped water bowl, a red bulb for night heat, and a compact florescent bulb for UV? Every single one of those things is wrong and bad for your tortoise. Post a pic of your enclosure, and we can help you out there too.

Your questions:
  1. No fruit. Its not good for them.
  2. The list of what they cannot eat would take pages to begin to answer. Read the care sheet linked by crush for some good food ideas.
  3. Yes its normal to tuck in while sleeping.
  4. Yes they do hibernate, but they don't "have" to.
  5. Which veggie are you asking about? There is not one answer to cover all of them.
  6. You should be worried that he has not drunken out of the water bowl. That is an indicator that he is not comfortable with it for some reason. Show us what you've got and we can suggest improvements.
  7. Yes, you should always have the correct type of water dish available. You need a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate.
  8. Weekly diet? Nah. You don't need that. Just feed him as much variety as you can. Mostly broadleaf weeds and leaves of the right types.
  9. Males typically get around 6 inches and females around 7-8.
  10. Russian tortoises are about 20 grams and one inch in the first few weeks. Your tortoise is an adult. Probably 10 or more years old. One more reason to avoid the pet store.
  11. You can't tell the age unless you know the hatch date.
  12. Tail size is the best indicator of gender. You have a male.
  13. If there is no problem then there is no need to go to the vet. Most vets know nothing about tortoise care and do more harm than good. There is no semester on tortoise care in vet school.
  14. Not normal for him to not eat in spring time. Your temperatures might be off, or you might have the wrong bulbs. What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, overnight low and basking area?
  15. I wouldn't ever feed lettuce if you have better choices available. If you must use lettuce, then you need add amendments to it. More explanation on that later.
Read that care sheet, and read this one too. Questions and conversation are welcome here.



Thank you so much for your answers. Michelangelo’s favorite veggie is broccoli, how often can he have it? I can’t remember for sure what size tank but it’s either a 40 or a 50 gallon. I do have a ramped bathing bowl but not a ramped drinking dish. I do not have a red bulb for night heat, I turn the heat off at night. They did sell us a compact fluorescent bulb for UV. The warm side temperature is usually somewhere between 80-100, the cool side is usually somewhere between 60-80, the overnight low is usually somewhere between 40-60, and the basking area is usually somewhere between 80-100. But what’s the difference between the warm side and the basking area? The pictures below are Michelangelo’s habitat and the basking bulb I use.
 

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turtlebean

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I don’t think he needs two separate water dishes, one should be okay. A terra cotta saucer sunken into the substrate, so the tortoise can get in and out easily, will work wonders!

Also your basking temperature should be between 95-100. And I’m pretty sure if the nighttime temps fall below 60 you should be running a ceramic heat emmiter.

I hope that helps,
Julia R :)
 
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LindseyP

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I don’t think he needs two separate water dishes, one should be okay. A terra cotta saucer sunken into the substrate, so the tortoise can get in and out easily, will work wonders!

Also your basking temperature should be between 95-100. And I’m pretty sure if the nighttime temps fall below 60 you should be running a ceramic heat emmiter.

I hope that helps,
Julia R :)


Thank you so much. That does help.?
 

LindseyP

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Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
I don’t think he needs two separate water dishes, one should be okay. A terra cotta saucer sunken into the substrate, so the tortoise can get in and out easily, will work wonders!

Also your basking temperature should be between 95-100. And I’m pretty sure if the nighttime temps fall below 60 you should be running a ceramic heat emmiter.

I hope that helps,
Julia R :)

But the big water dish is for bathing. Am I not suppose to have a bathing dish in the habitat?
 

LindseyP

New Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
Idaho
P.S. Tom and I are really at odds about vets. They're just like human M.D.s ...if they don't have any real experience working w/ people, of course they're terrible! But if they DO work with people, they're literally a lifesaver to see for both preventative and acute (sick/injured) care! And both ARE important.

Unfortunately, vets are not monitored for their true expertise the way human docs are, so you have to do a bit of homework.... Google your local Herpatology Society group. Email or call and see if you can get in touch with someone who can personally recommend a competent tort vet. Another possible resource could be a tortoise rescue group. (If you can't locate one, let us know. We may be able to help you.)

Once you've found one, (or esp if you can't find one already referred), feel free to call their office and ask them to call back, as you're looking for a new vet. Then when they call back, ask them about their experience with Russian torts. I know I have quizzed vets before, asking as if I didn't know ...to see if they actually did!
-"What can they eat?" [LOOK AT THE INFO YOU'VE GOTTEN HERE]
-"Do they need special lighting?" [YES, BASKING AND TUBE UVB LIGHTS.]
-"Can I use those coiled/ compact UVB bulbs?" [DEFINITE NO! HURTS THEIR EYES.]
-"Do they need a water bowl?" [YES--THEY DON'T GET ENOUGH WATER FROM THEIR FOOD ALONE!]
-Etc. (Any other quiz questions you can think of.)

If they answer incorrectly, just politely say, "THANKS" and RUN!

Thank you very much. This is definitely helpful.
 

turtlebean

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But the big water dish is for bathing. Am I not suppose to have a bathing dish in the habitat?


It looks like the ramped water dishes you have shouldn’t be in the habitat at all. They can be dangerous and yeah should be taken out. You just need one dish they can drink and soak in the same terra cotta saucer, probably about 10-12 inches should be okay depending on how big your tortoise is.
 

LindseyP

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It looks like the ramped water dishes you have shouldn’t be in the habitat at all. They can be dangerous and yeah should be taken out. You just need one dish they can drink and soak in the same terra cotta saucer, probably about 10-12 inches should be okay depending on how big your tortoise is.


Okay, thank you so much! That’s great to know.
 

Tom

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Thank you so much for your answers. Michelangelo’s favorite veggie is broccoli, how often can he have it? I can’t remember for sure what size tank but it’s either a 40 or a 50 gallon. I do have a ramped bathing bowl but not a ramped drinking dish. I do not have a red bulb for night heat, I turn the heat off at night. They did sell us a compact fluorescent bulb for UV. The warm side temperature is usually somewhere between 80-100, the cool side is usually somewhere between 60-80, the overnight low is usually somewhere between 40-60, and the basking area is usually somewhere between 80-100. But what’s the difference between the warm side and the basking area? The pictures below are Michelangelo’s habitat and the basking bulb I use.

  • A little bit of broccoli once a week should be fine. You can mix it in with the rest of the food for that day.
  • That enclosure is way too small. They need something around 4x8 feet indoors and even larger outdoors.
  • Get rid of the ramped bowl ASAP. It is a drowning/flipping hazard. Your tortoise has had the sense to stay away from it so far, but that could change at any time.
  • The other bowl isn't a good tortoise bowl either. The sides are to tall and steep for a rigid shelled animal to navigate.
  • Glad you didn't get a red bulb.
  • Don't use the cfl bulb. This might be why the tortoise isn't eating. It burns their eyes. If you need indoor UV, get an HO type florescent tube.
  • Warm side should be around 80. 100 is fine directly under the basking bulb. In a small tank like that, there really isn't enough space for the tortoise to get away from the heat source when it wants to.
  • Your house gets down to 40 degrees at night? Really? Double check that one and get back to me. If its really that cold, then you need some night heat.
  • 150 watt spot bulbs is extremely high and hot. Are you messing the temperature directly under the bulb? The stick on thermometer and hygrometer they sold you are inaccurate and unreliable. You don't need to know the temp up on the wall, you need to know the temp where the tortoise goes.
All of this and more is explained in the care sheet. Have you read that yet? It will help.
 

Sa Ga

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Okay, thank you so much! That’s great to know.
Yeah, I bought one initially for Morla. She slid down, landed mashed face-first against the side, and couldn't really move to turn and get out. Definitely use something flat and no more than 1.5"-2" or so deep (the water hits that seam where his top and bottom shell come together on the sides).
 

Cheryl Hills

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You have a lot of great questions. I am glad you came here for advice. Please, follow the guidelines you were given by Tom, he is really knowledgable and experienced with all his torts. You would never go wrong . Please read the care sheet. It will help you and answer your questions. The tank you currently have your tort in is way too small. Try to get him something bigger, ASAP. It is for his health. Welcome and have fun with your tort
 

Ink

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Congratulations on your tortoise. He is very handsome!
 
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