Sighing

[Sunshie]

New tortoise owner here. Still getting an overabundance of conflicting info on how to best house my Russian tort who has been with me 2 weeks. I am a little worried that his substrate might be too dusty. (I've read that is bad in the long run. My husband says I read to much and need to chill.) Right now he is on 2 parts coconut fiber and 1 part reptibark. He's got about 5 inches and happily digs about all day and buries himself at night.

My question is: 2-3 times a day I hear what sounds like a sigh out of him. Not a wheeze or cough. Just a loud, steady exhale. Is this a normal tortoise thing or something I need to figure out?

Thank you for any thoughts. I have not been able to take him for his first wellness visit yet as the local vets who will see tortoises are only seeing emergencies right now.

 

[Tom]

Sigh is normal, but dusty substrate is a problem in several ways. The substrate should be kept damp, this will prevent dust, but also give the tootsie some much needed ambient humidity.

 

[Sunshie]

Sigh is normal, but dusty substrate is a problem in several ways. The substrate should be kept damp, this will prevent dust, but also give the tootsie some much needed ambient humidity.

Thank you so much. I have seen several things that say don't mist a Russians substrate and others that say do. I will get my misting bottle back out.

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much. I have seen several things that say don't mist a Russians substrate and others that say do. I will get my misting bottle back out.

I wouldn't mist. That doesn't do much. You need to pour water into the substrate to keep it properly damp. How much water and how often varies greatly. You have to go by feel.

 

[Sunshie]

I wouldn't mist. That doesn't do much. You need to pour water into the substrate to keep it properly damp. How much water and how often varies greatly. You have to go by feel.

Got it. Treat it a little more like a potting soil mixture.

 

[Tom]

Got it. Treat it a little more like a potting soil mixture.

Yes!

 

[Sleppo]

You’ll chill out as more time passes with him in your care. if you have the means I would recommend an outdoor enclosure too they love being outside.

 

[Sunshie]

You’ll chill out as more time passes with him in your care. if you have the means I would recommend an outdoor enclosure too they love being outside.

We have a small back yard. He has access to it a bit right now. We are working on tortoise proofing it. Super excited for more outside time for him.