rescued tortoise--help please

[S_Owings]

Hi,

Nice to find this forum. My name is Sarah and I am a kindergarten teacher, dog trainer, and animals lover. I currently care for 11 rabbits, 1 iguana, 2 dogs...and now a Russian tortoise named Sugar--which we rescued from someone who was just going to let her loose because they didn't want her anymore. (Can you believe it?)

From the iguana I've learned all about how important it is to research your reptiles in order to give them good care. So here I am doing all the research on tortoises as fast as I can.

Sugar, the tortoise, seems happiest outside toodling around in our very large rabbit pen--but it's been getting very cold lately and we've had rains and flooding in California. So I tried to bring her inside and put her in a temporary 4' x2' box. She's got her hide, a pan of water, shredded newspaper substrate (for the time being because it's all I have), a temporary heat light borrowed from the iguana, a heating pad at night (under the box), and soon I'll get her a UV bulb too if she stays inside very long. However, I don't want to keep her inside much because she seems just miserable! She claws the sides of the box all day long. My mom says I shouldn't leave the light on for her because it is winter and she should be hibernating...But I've been reading posts on this list and many people don't recommend hibernating new and possibly underweight tortoises. So I don't know what to do.

She seems really confused and stressed. She has been eating a little bit, however. Dandelion greens, mixed greens, hibiscus and mulberry leaves.

What more should I do for her? Should she be inside in artificial warmth or outside in the natural light and cold? Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

--Sarah

___________________

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the TFO Sarah what's the temp? she may be cold

 

[dmmj]

welcome I own 3 russians all rescues, and you should not hibernate a new tortoise, basically because you don't know what type of care she has received. So for now even though she may not like it inside you should keep her in a indoor enclosure until next year when it warms up. her diet sounds great and just give her time they take awhile to acclimate to a new enclosure even a temporary winter one.

 

[egyptiandan]

Welcome to the forum Sarah

I agree that you need to keep Sugar up and warm over the winter.

Danny

 

[Laura]

What kind of tortoise is she? Some hibernate and some dont.
If she wants to hibernate, but you dont what her too, then she Needs light and heat
to stay awake and digest her food.
Post a picture so we know what kind we are helping you with.. Care varys as well.
Welcome!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Hi,

Nice to find this forum. My name is Sarah and I am a kindergarten teacher, dog trainer, and animals lover. I currently care for 11 rabbits, 1 iguana, 2 dogs...and now a Russian tortoise named Sugar--which we rescued from someone who was just going to let her loose because they didn't want her anymore. (Can you believe it?)

From the iguana I've learned all about how important it is to research your reptiles in order to give them good care. So here I am doing all the research on tortoises as fast as I can.

Sugar, the tortoise, seems happiest outside toodling around in our very large rabbit pen--but it's been getting very cold lately and we've had rains and flooding in California. So I tried to bring her inside and put her in a temporary 4' x2' box. She's got her hide, a pan of water, shredded newspaper substrate (for the time being because it's all I have), a temporary heat light borrowed from the iguana, a heating pad at night (under the box), and soon I'll get her a UV bulb too if she stays inside very long. However, I don't want to keep her inside much because she seems just miserable! She claws the sides of the box all day long. My mom says I shouldn't leave the light on for her because it is winter and she should be hibernating...But I've been reading posts on this list and many people don't recommend hibernating new and possibly underweight tortoises. So I don't know what to do.

She seems really confused and stressed. She has been eating a little bit, however. Dandelion greens, mixed greens, hibiscus and mulberry leaves.

What more should I do for her? Should she be inside in artificial warmth or outside in the natural light and cold? Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

--Sarah

___________________

Keep Sugar inside this winter, and build her a really nice outside home for spring/summerr...at that point you might decide to let her hibernate or not, but definitely give her a chance to be ready for hibernating by giving her a full year.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Laura, she said Sugar is a Russian...


Welcome to the forum...here is a link to the best Russian information around. But please stay here and continue to ask questions. Sugar won't hibernate as long as you keep her warm...80 degrees and up, and keep her light on for 12 hours...

http://www.russiantortoise.org/

 

[Laura]

How many times did I read that... and still didnt see that.. HA! Sorry!
Yep, like Maggie says..
My russian has been sleeping for a while now.. I wont see him for a few months..
He lives outside. Where his pen is doesnt get wet, so he is cold, but dry.

 

[S_Owings]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I'll keep her inside then. I'm off to the pet store to buy another UV lamp...I'll keep you posted as to how she is doing.

 

[abra]

Since your a new tortoise owner I wouldn't hibernate it for a few years unless you really want to. Many people have told me that it's not necessary.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sarah:

Welcome to the forum!!

Buy the biggest plastic tub you can find. This is my favorite:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YUUOH0/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Or you can go to a few yard sales and pick up a used 5 shelf book case; take out the shelves; lay it on its back; line it with plastic and...Voila! Tort table.

I think once you've established a nice habitat for the tortoise with hiding places, a waterer, a feeding station, maybe a few plants, he will settle down and stop trying to climb the walls. It may take a couple weeks. But tortoises really like to be in a rut. They like to get up at the same time every day; eat at the same time, wander and go to bed at the same time. So now he's undergoing a drastic change in his routine. He's naturally stressed out. But he'll settle down and be a better pet soon.

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome! Sounds like you have a very interesting life. Hope to learn more about you.