- Joined
- Feb 27, 2009
- Messages
- 3,617
- Location (City and/or State)
- The Catskill Mountains of New York State
I personally think that a humidity level below 35% is too low. Ideally more around 50%. When indoors my Russians are in room that reaches about 75% at night and around 50-60% during the daytime. I have never seen any problems with them resulting from this level of humidity.
Hydration and/or humidity should be considered in three different texts: Ambient air humidity, substrate moisture and hydration of the animal itself. With Russian tortoises as well as other species hydration is extremely important. They gain this from the amount of water they take in. Ambient air humidity determines how quickly they will become dehydrated and how fast their environment will dry out. This should usually be in at the mid-range in captivity. With Russian tortoises mainly because they will usually have the lack of a true burrow indoors that they can rest in that is more humid. Substrate humidity does not need to be so high with Russians as with other species. Baby and very young tortoises, including Russian tortoises will benefit from a more moist substrate by growing smoother and remaining better hydrated. But with adult Russians the need for a moist substrate is less critical and too moist of a substrate can be the root of health issues.
75 degrees at night is much warmer than necessary. Russian and other temperate climate tortoises usually do much better and are more active with a 15-20 degree day to night temperature differential. 60-65 degrees indoors at night is more suitable. They can actually take much colder with no harm, as low as 50 but few people keep their house that cold!
80 degrees is fine for an overall temperature within his enclosure during the daytime. Anywhere within about 75-84 during the daytime with a temperature range of 95-110 directly under the basking light and 60-65 at night. As well as a basking light there should be another light, tube flourescents work best, that will intensely illuminate the entire enclosure during the daytime to encourage activity. Hiding places are necessary too so that they can rest from the heat and light when needed.
Russians are almost exclusively greens eaters. Many show no interest in vegetables at all but some do. Fruit should not be part of their regular diet and there is really no reason to feed any fruit at all. Generally, a diet of about 85-90% good quality, varied greens and the rest good quality, varied vegetables works well for Russians.
Hydration and/or humidity should be considered in three different texts: Ambient air humidity, substrate moisture and hydration of the animal itself. With Russian tortoises as well as other species hydration is extremely important. They gain this from the amount of water they take in. Ambient air humidity determines how quickly they will become dehydrated and how fast their environment will dry out. This should usually be in at the mid-range in captivity. With Russian tortoises mainly because they will usually have the lack of a true burrow indoors that they can rest in that is more humid. Substrate humidity does not need to be so high with Russians as with other species. Baby and very young tortoises, including Russian tortoises will benefit from a more moist substrate by growing smoother and remaining better hydrated. But with adult Russians the need for a moist substrate is less critical and too moist of a substrate can be the root of health issues.
75 degrees at night is much warmer than necessary. Russian and other temperate climate tortoises usually do much better and are more active with a 15-20 degree day to night temperature differential. 60-65 degrees indoors at night is more suitable. They can actually take much colder with no harm, as low as 50 but few people keep their house that cold!
80 degrees is fine for an overall temperature within his enclosure during the daytime. Anywhere within about 75-84 during the daytime with a temperature range of 95-110 directly under the basking light and 60-65 at night. As well as a basking light there should be another light, tube flourescents work best, that will intensely illuminate the entire enclosure during the daytime to encourage activity. Hiding places are necessary too so that they can rest from the heat and light when needed.
Russians are almost exclusively greens eaters. Many show no interest in vegetables at all but some do. Fruit should not be part of their regular diet and there is really no reason to feed any fruit at all. Generally, a diet of about 85-90% good quality, varied greens and the rest good quality, varied vegetables works well for Russians.
What am I doing wrong?
