Hello there fellow tortoise friends
I had just rescued 2 Russian Tortoises from a couple who didn't want to care for them anymore. The little guys are 10 and 13 years old from what I'm told, but they're still pretty small only about 5 inches or so. I heard that if they stay in the tank they don't get much bigger is that right?
I used to have a desert tortoise years ago that was unfortunately mistreated when left in the care of a friend when I left for a week I miss the little guy but now I finally have some wonderful little Russians torts. However I have a few questions about them.
I was told they are both male but I'm almost certain at least 1 is a female since the bottom of her is not curved. Also I noticed that one of the torts tries to mate with the other tort, well thats what it looks like to me, but he gets her from the wrong side, ie his bum goes on her face instead of her bum. The other owners said that if they were both different sexes there would probably be babies by now....is that true? if a male/female havent mated in 10 years does that mean they won't ever?
Also I read that you're supposed to feed russians once a day and leave the food in the tank for a half hour or so and then take it out because of some harm it does to the shell(or something like that). But whenever I give them food they dive into it and eat like crazy and eat it all. Am I feeding them too little? Should I feed them more than once a day?
Also I was told by the last owners to give them crushed up tums with their food as a calcium supplement. Is tums okay? They've been eating it for 10 years so I'm assuming if I continue on it will be okay. And I also read that russians like to eat weeds. Are any weeds okay? I dont think they've ever had weeds before. I know all they were fed was romaine lettuce with occasional other greens, and something carrots and strawberries. But I have weeds in my backyard I could give them if I could.
I also read the you're supposed to "soak" your tortoises for about half an hour everyday. Is that true? I know for a fact that the last owners did not soak them. I've noticed they don't drink too much either. Since I've had them for about week I know at least one of them went into the water dish once.
And my last question is their smell. When I take them out of their tank they smell kinda bad. Is there anything i can do about that? They are currently in an aquarium with potting soil, a little water bowl and one of those guinea pigs igloo things that they love, as well as a basking light.
Sorry this is kinda long but I just want to make sure I give these little guys a great home. I've read some of the threads already posted but haven't found all the answers yet.
Thanks very much for your time and have a great day
p.s. i was thinking about building some sort of enclosure outside for them in the next year or so(if I get the okay from the mother that is ) but since they've been inside a tank they're whole lives could they still become outside turtles? And will they ever grow bigger? thanks again
I had just rescued 2 Russian Tortoises from a couple who didn't want to care for them anymore. The little guys are 10 and 13 years old from what I'm told, but they're still pretty small only about 5 inches or so. I heard that if they stay in the tank they don't get much bigger is that right?
I used to have a desert tortoise years ago that was unfortunately mistreated when left in the care of a friend when I left for a week I miss the little guy but now I finally have some wonderful little Russians torts. However I have a few questions about them.
I was told they are both male but I'm almost certain at least 1 is a female since the bottom of her is not curved. Also I noticed that one of the torts tries to mate with the other tort, well thats what it looks like to me, but he gets her from the wrong side, ie his bum goes on her face instead of her bum. The other owners said that if they were both different sexes there would probably be babies by now....is that true? if a male/female havent mated in 10 years does that mean they won't ever?
Also I read that you're supposed to feed russians once a day and leave the food in the tank for a half hour or so and then take it out because of some harm it does to the shell(or something like that). But whenever I give them food they dive into it and eat like crazy and eat it all. Am I feeding them too little? Should I feed them more than once a day?
Also I was told by the last owners to give them crushed up tums with their food as a calcium supplement. Is tums okay? They've been eating it for 10 years so I'm assuming if I continue on it will be okay. And I also read that russians like to eat weeds. Are any weeds okay? I dont think they've ever had weeds before. I know all they were fed was romaine lettuce with occasional other greens, and something carrots and strawberries. But I have weeds in my backyard I could give them if I could.
I also read the you're supposed to "soak" your tortoises for about half an hour everyday. Is that true? I know for a fact that the last owners did not soak them. I've noticed they don't drink too much either. Since I've had them for about week I know at least one of them went into the water dish once.
And my last question is their smell. When I take them out of their tank they smell kinda bad. Is there anything i can do about that? They are currently in an aquarium with potting soil, a little water bowl and one of those guinea pigs igloo things that they love, as well as a basking light.
Sorry this is kinda long but I just want to make sure I give these little guys a great home. I've read some of the threads already posted but haven't found all the answers yet.
Thanks very much for your time and have a great day
p.s. i was thinking about building some sort of enclosure outside for them in the next year or so(if I get the okay from the mother that is ) but since they've been inside a tank they're whole lives could they still become outside turtles? And will they ever grow bigger? thanks again