Temps

[missjenny202]

Hi there! I just recently got my first Russian tortoise. He was adopted from someone that no longer wanted him.

He came with a power sun heat and uv bulb. I noticed that when its on, his tank only gets to 75 degrees underneath it. Why is that?

Also, I soaked him for the first time on Saturday. Is it ok that he didn't poop? Will he poop every time I soak him? How often do I soak him?

I'm feeding him spring mix lettuce. He's only eaten once. (I've had him a week.) Should I be concerned?

Thank you!

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome Congrats on your new shelled friend. First, try lowering the light and be sure you are testing temps with a reliable gauge. The point and shoot infrared temp guns are the best, and fairly cheap. Check Home Depot, lowes, menards, or any hardware store. They don't all poop in their soaks. I would also add more then just spring mix. Any dark leafy greens, like mustard greens, kale, endive, watercress, dandelion, etc and all the edible items on this site- tortoisetable.com

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Tortoises and other reptiles are dependent upon temperatures to function. This included digestion. You need to warm him up right away. You can raise or lower your fixture to get your temps just right. For a Russian it should be right around 100 directly under the bulb and gradually cooler as he moves away from the bulb. They don't need night heat unless your hose gets below the 60s.

Broadleaf weeds are the best food for them. There are lots of good ones and many of them are probably growing near you right now. There is a plant ID section that will help you over in the Diet Forum. Make sure all weeds are chemical free.

 

[bigred]

It might be good to soak him everyday for awhile just because he is a new tort. Its up to you some people dont soak torts at all, I think its good to soak the younger torts to make sure they are staying hydrated. As far as poop goes he probably wont poop every time you soak him, its not a big deal. when I soak my youngsters they very rarely poop in the water.