Russian tortoise help Please!!

[0215]

Hi guys. It's me again as you know from my last thread,
I need help on what kind of tortoise to get and how to care for it.
Well I've decided to get a Russian tortoise and make a new
thread about how to care for one

I know that a Russian tortoise is a good beginner tortoise.
I would like to know a Russian tortoise's diet, habitat, size when full
grown, and materials needed to make its habitat. I know I need a UVB
light or two, but I'm not sure if I need a vita light or not. Can you
Put them in a 3' long 2' tall 1' wide glass tank if I put tape on it to show the tortoise the perimeter of the tank.

Thanks for your help,
0215

 

[jkingler]

RE: Rain tortoise help Please!!

What is the "rain" bit in your thread title about?

Re: diet, habitat, size, etc., http://www.russiantortoise.org should have all the info you need and more.

The tank you are describing would be OK for a hatchling or a very small Russian, but you would want a bigger enclosure for when it gets bigger.

A rule of thumb I've heard is that you want at least 1 sq. ft. of floor space for every inch in length (SCL) of tortoise you plan to care for. And more space is always better, provided you can still provide the proper temperature, humidity, etc.

 

[0215]

Sorry I don't know what happened to the topic title
It's supposed to be Russian tortoise help Please
Not Rain tortoise help please.

Anyway, thank you for your help. This should help
Me a lot while caring for my RUSSIAN tortoise.

 

[ada caro]

Russians is ur best bet, very hardy.

 

[lynnedit]

Definitely a bigger enclosure. You can get a used bookcase and turn it on its side, remove the shelves, and line with pond liner or a heavy duty shower curtain stapled up the sides. Most of the time a Powersun 100w or 160w (depending on size) is enough. It provides a good range of UV and heat.
The link Joe mentioned has a lot of good information. The rubbermaid tote they mention is a good start, eventually bigger is better.
Russians do the best if you can keep them outside for at least part of the year in a secure enclosure.

 

[lauren43201]

Hello! Im also sort of new with the whole tortoise thing. I recently got my first tortoise, a russian, from petco so i've already done all the research and all that jazz, and im still learning bits and pieces along the way. For russian tortoises the smallest size enclosure you should have is a space atleast 4ft by 2ft. I recommend building a tortoise table, which can easily be made for about $20, depending where you buy your supplies. Or if your looking for a cheap route you can use a large rubbermaid tub ordeal. Russian tortoises can grow to be 8"-10". RT's also eat alot of greens like Romaine and spring mix along with the normal tortoise food. Make sure they get the calcium needed for them, easily reached with calcium powder. As a substrate i recommend coconut coir, because it's cheap and you don't have to worry about bugs or mold, but it can be easily mixed with top soil or mulches if desired. As a light they need the UVB light along with a heat lamp that will keep the "hotter side" of the enclosure a good 90-95 degrees F. The "cooler side" should be atleast 60-70 degrees (atleast what i keep mine). For me instead of using two separate lights i use a lightbulb that contains the UVB and heat combined and Donatello loves to lay under there and bath. It is a 125 watt bulb and keep the hotter end of my enclosure at 92 degrees perfectly(i have a 4ft by 2ft tortoise table). Also, a hide is required to allow them to get away.

Sorry it's so long, but i tried to answer all your questions! bahaha.