Rescued Russian

Beebuns

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Aug 25, 2021
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Whitehall
Rescued this 10 yo (from what I'm told) Russian from an abandonment situation. I'm learning everything I can.
She didn't have any of these (growth marks?) Between her scutes when I got her 4 months ago. I am monitoring her weight (thickness of arms and legs) to make sure she isn't overweight.
As much as I'm learning I would really appreciate any opinions or advice based on how her shell looks. I just want her to be healthy so bad.
I've gathered every Russian tortoise care checklist I can find on any legitimate site and I am confident she has everything she needs, but I greatly value any insight that you all could give me.
 

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Beebuns

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Whitehall
Rescued this 10 yo (from what I'm told) Russian from an abandonment situation. I'm learning everything I can.
She didn't have any of these (growth marks?) Between her scutes when I got her 4 months ago. I am monitoring her weight (thickness of arms and legs) to make sure she isn't overweight.
As much as I'm learning I would really appreciate any opinions or advice based on how her shell looks. I just want her to be healthy so bad.
I've gathered every Russian tortoise care checklist I can find on any legitimate site and I am confident she has everything she needs, but I greatly value any insight that you all could give me.
Also she eats a variety of collards, dandelion, and mustard greens (sometimes kale if the others aren't available fresh when I need) I feed her every other day sometimes skip a day, and she finishes what I give her in about 40 mins-1 hr. Calcium supplement in powder form, uva/uvb light, basking lamp, cuttle bones and she goes outside with me for a few hours every few days.
I live in MI, USA so very cold winters so that will come to an end soon.
She does like to run around the house as well.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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Welcome! I’m no expert, but here is the recommended care sheet for a Russian. It’s pretty comprehensive, and possibly overwhelming, but it helped me immensely.

Just a small tip: the best way to monitor your tortoise’s weight is to get a digital food scale and keep a log. Weigh her in grams as that is the standard for vets and other tortoise keepers.

Good luck!

 

wellington

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Feed her every day, no need to skip. They would eat everyday in the wild if food is available. Give her a proper size enclosure, minimum 4x8 larger is better both inside and out and she won't get fat or over eat. Have water available 24/7 in a low sided clay saucer big enough she can get into it and self soak if she wants.
Read the caresheet and come back with any questions.
 

jsheffield

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The comments people have given so far have been great... read Tom's careguide.

I noticed that you said the tortoise likes to run around inside your home... this is dangerous in that they can find/eat all sorts of nasty things which can lead to blockages and poisoning. It's better to have a satisfactory enclosure for them inside and outside.

Good luck and keep asking questions!

Jamie
 

Bridgebob

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Arlington, Virginia
Rescued this 10 yo (from what I'm told) Russian from an abandonment situation. I'm learning everything I can.
She didn't have any of these (growth marks?) Between her scutes when I got her 4 months ago. I am monitoring her weight (thickness of arms and legs) to make sure she isn't overweight.
As much as I'm learning I would really appreciate any opinions or advice based on how her shell looks. I just want her to be healthy so bad.
I've gathered every Russian tortoise care checklist I can find on any legitimate site and I am confident she has everything she needs, but I greatly value any insight that you all could give me.
I rescued an Eastern Box from the bicycle trail with a amputated foot and a broken rear leg. I've fed her a high protein diet since she is still a baby consisting of egg and fruit and reptile vitamin. Don't worry they will eat the egg shell and all. They need UV LIGHT. She is growing very quickly and getting nasty when I pick her up. The EBT doesn't bite but will hiss and pee on you.

She knows me now so she isn't afraid of me and associates me with food.

These are very tough and resilient animals. Feed them properly and make sure their enclosures are fine with UV light and you almost have nothing to worry about.
 

Beebuns

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Joined
Aug 25, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
Whitehall
The comments people have given so far have been great... read Tom's careguide.

I noticed that you said the tortoise likes to run around inside your home... this is dangerous in that they can find/eat all sorts of nasty things which can lead to blockages and poisoning. It's better to have a satisfactory enclosure for them inside and outside.

Good luck and keep asking questions!

Jamie
I just read that in the care sheet! When outside she is kept in an enclosure that I put together. She can't escape but I don't take my eye off her for fear of predators.
I won't be letting her run around the house anymore.
The care sheet was exceptional! Everything I was looking for.
 

Beebuns

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Whitehall
Feed her every day, no need to skip. They would eat everyday in the wild if food is available. Give her a proper size enclosure, minimum 4x8 larger is better both inside and out and she won't get fat or over eat. Have water available 24/7 in a low sided clay saucer big enough she can get into it and self soak if she wants.
Read the caresheet and come back with any questions.
Noted! Thank you!
This is her water dish I clean/replace daily with spring water. She doesn't always sit in it but once every few days she does on average. She gets soakings regularly as well so I wasn't sure if her sitting in her water was a sign she needed more, but it sounds like she's supposed to sit in her water? Lol.
Thanks again!
 

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Beebuns

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2021
Messages
7
Location (City and/or State)
Whitehall
Welcome! I’m no expert, but here is the recommended care sheet for a Russian. It’s pretty comprehensive, and possibly overwhelming, but it helped me immensely.

Just a small tip: the best way to monitor your tortoise’s weight is to get a digital food scale and keep a log. Weigh her in grams as that is the standard for vets and other tortoise keepers.

Good luck!

Just bought one online thank you!
 

Barbara ONeil

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Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
9
Location (City and/or State)
Gravesend
Rescued this 10 yo (from what I'm told) Russian from an abandonment situation. I'm learning everything I can.
She didn't have any of these (growth marks?) Between her scutes when I got her 4 months ago. I am monitoring her weight (thickness of arms and legs) to make sure she isn't overweight.
As much as I'm learning I would really appreciate any opinions or advice based on how her shell looks. I just want her to be healthy so bad.
I've gathered every Russian tortoise care checklist I can find on any legitimate site and I am confident she has everything she needs, but I greatly value any insight that you all could give me.
Do you mean the yellow between the shell scales? That is just normal new growth and shows how much better she now is! If you weigh her regularly you will see she will also see she is heavier.
 

Eryl Rayner

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Nov 5, 2016
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She does need a bigger water dish. A clay saucer, the kind you out under flower pots are highly recommended. Get one that she can fit into and have room between her and the sides.
I put my 75 year old Hermann in a butler sink most days for 30 mins ish. We’ve had her for about 15 years and she’s always sunned herself in the conservatory (when we get sun). She walks away from the heat lamp. Walks round the garden eats a few weeds then I put her in an enclosure around our Redwood tree. She also eats the odd bit of banana, rocket, grapes , saw thistle and dandelion and some moistened dried food. In at night into a bed in a box.
always like reading your advice for different torts on this site. It appears I do everything wrong!!! But she is big and healthy although she just had to have a claw out. Most people and torts seem to come from USA whereas I’m in UK
 

florida1

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Oct 26, 2019
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Palm Harbor
I rescued an Eastern Box from the bicycle trail with a amputated foot and a broken rear leg. I've fed her a high protein diet since she is still a baby consisting of egg and fruit and reptile vitamin. Don't worry they will eat the egg shell and all. They need UV LIGHT. She is growing very quickly and getting nasty when I pick her up. The EBT doesn't bite but will hiss and pee on you.

She knows me now so she isn't afraid of me and associates me with food.

These are very tough and resilient animals. Feed them properly and make sure their enclosures are fine with UV light and you almost have nothing to worry about.
I took my 5 yr old Russian to the vet and he said she was too fat. They need to be able to close up in their shell. I am in Tampa and she stays on the porch in a large tupperware bin but gets to roam our walled-in yard at will and comes back into the porch when she is done exploring. During the summer heat she sleeps most of the time and doesn't eat as much as spring and fall when she is very active and really likes to roam. If it gets too cold in the winter I bring her in and put a light on her. She mostly eats kale, dark romaine leaves, timothy hay and has a cuttlestick she likes to chew on. She loves a slice of zuccini as a treat once in a while but its not good as a regular diet. I think the thick grow lines are because she grew too fast and ate too much so that is probably why yours is getting them.
 

ZenHerper

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I took my 5 yr old Russian to the vet and he said she was too fat. They need to be able to close up in their shell. I am in Tampa and she stays on the porch in a large tupperware bin but gets to roam our walled-in yard at will and comes back into the porch when she is done exploring. During the summer heat she sleeps most of the time and doesn't eat as much as spring and fall when she is very active and really likes to roam. If it gets too cold in the winter I bring her in and put a light on her. She mostly eats kale, dark romaine leaves, timothy hay and has a cuttlestick she likes to chew on. She loves a slice of zuccini as a treat once in a while but its not good as a regular diet. I think the thick grow lines are because she grew too fast and ate too much so that is probably why yours is getting them.
Russian Tortoises do not have hinged, closeable shells. Your pet's carapace and plastron should never meet.

Do NOT restrict your tortoise from eating a varied diet of nutritive broad leaf plants. The foods you are using will starve her in time.

See here for more complete care information:
 

zolasmum

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I put my 75 year old Hermann in a butler sink most days for 30 mins ish. We’ve had her for about 15 years and she’s always sunned herself in the conservatory (when we get sun). She walks away from the heat lamp. Walks round the garden eats a few weeds then I put her in an enclosure around our Redwood tree. She also eats the odd bit of banana, rocket, grapes , saw thistle and dandelion and some moistened dried food. In at night into a bed in a box.
always like reading your advice for different torts on this site. It appears I do everything wrong!!! But she is big and healthy although she just had to have a claw out. Most people and torts seem to come from USA whereas I’m in UK
Hello Eryl - I am very interested to hear about your 75 year old Hermann - ours is 21, and we have had him from 1 year old. His name is Zola, and we live in the UK - Devon,in fact - where are you ? Just nice to know about other people in the UK .
Angie
 

wellington

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I put my 75 year old Hermann in a butler sink most days for 30 mins ish. We’ve had her for about 15 years and she’s always sunned herself in the conservatory (when we get sun). She walks away from the heat lamp. Walks round the garden eats a few weeds then I put her in an enclosure around our Redwood tree. She also eats the odd bit of banana, rocket, grapes , saw thistle and dandelion and some moistened dried food. In at night into a bed in a box.
always like reading your advice for different torts on this site. It appears I do everything wrong!!! But she is big and healthy although she just had to have a claw out. Most people and torts seem to come from USA whereas I’m in UK
Hermanns shouldn't eat fruit. Too much sugar messes up their gut flora. I would stop the fruit even though you have fed it for years.
When I joined this forum in 2011 the info on here wasn't very old. Maybe 5 years or so. Most people back then had done everything wrong too. Luckily we found this forum and a bunch of long time tortoise keepers that figured things out the right way.
 

wellington

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I took my 5 yr old Russian to the vet and he said she was too fat. They need to be able to close up in their shell. I am in Tampa and she stays on the porch in a large tupperware bin but gets to roam our walled-in yard at will and comes back into the porch when she is done exploring. During the summer heat she sleeps most of the time and doesn't eat as much as spring and fall when she is very active and really likes to roam. If it gets too cold in the winter I bring her in and put a light on her. She mostly eats kale, dark romaine leaves, timothy hay and has a cuttlestick she likes to chew on. She loves a slice of zuccini as a treat once in a while but its not good as a regular diet. I think the thick grow lines are because she grew too fast and ate too much so that is probably why yours is getting them.
I would not trust what your vet said. Most tortoises do not close up like ZenHerper said.
Post a pic of your Russian and we will ket you know if it's over weight. If they have the proper size enclosure and temps and diet they do not get fat.
 

Cathie G

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Oh those shouldn't be hard to find at all. I'll stop and grab one after work thank you!
I use both types of water dishes. I have one similar to yours that is beside my little Russian's feeding tile. Plus I have the terra cotta plant saucer large enough to sit in. I've seen Sapphire drink water from the little pet shop water dish so I just left it in his enclosure.
 
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