Thank you! so good you are all here :-)

Pushkin's mom

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Woodinville/WA/USA
I am a new mom to not- so-new Russian Torties.
It was my forever dream to have a torties but never put any attention to it.... until 2 weeks ago when I was standing in line to check out at my pet store (bird's food...) a lady came in and abended 2 torties. she said that she inherited them and can't take care of them. the only info she gave is that they are about 10YO.
I immediately wanted to save them - but the store manager told me that I need to go and read to make sure I know what it is like to become an owner.
she also told me that they are Russian tortoise and I better take just one, the male, since it is not good for them to live together and plus, she can't tell if the female is pregnant, and she won't give her to not experienced owner.
I went home that night read A LOT and luckily found this amazing forum. I read for hours and hours. after couple of days, I came back to the store and told the manager that I am ready to step up and become a tortoise mom. but since it will take me at least a week to get set up - if she can still keep him in the store for me.... long story short - I picked him up 10 days after I first saw him. I got him a customized in-door encloser at the moment (we live in a relatively cold and rainy place) and now planning to build the outdoor encloser for the spring/summertime.
we are already having so much joy having him. learning his ways... I never thought seeing a tortoise eating/sleeping/yawning is so funny to watch.

I want to thank the tenured members here and their detailed information they have posted over the years!

here are few pictures of our lovely - Sir Tortoise Pushkin the 1st.

Puskin's mom
 

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Lyn W

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Hi and welcome!
You'll find great information here from people who only have the best interests of torts at heart.
This is the caresheet you need to help you get the living conditions right and if you post some pics of your set up and the lamps you use you'll get good feedback. to make sure everything is as safe as possible.
Please read that for up to date advice about substrate, diet temps heating and lighting etc.
He looks pretty small for a 10 YO, but that could be the pics.
The water dish you have is too steep for a rigid tort and could be a drowning hazard if he tips backwards while trying to get out, or if he does it when getting in he could over heat under a lamp. A cheap terracotta saucer sunk level with the substrate will be far safer and easier for him to access and exit.

I must admit I'm impressed to hear of a pet shop which gives good advice to potential keepers to research care, and most would have been happy to get the 2 off their hands regardless of the fact they shouldn't be kept together. I hope the other and her babies (if she does lay eggs) also find good forever homes.
 
Last edited:

Ink

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2,455
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Virginia
Congrats on Sir Tortoise Pushkin. It was meant to be.... enjoy
 

KarenSoCal

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Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
It looks to me like he might need his upper beak trimmed a bit. He could go to the vet for it, or you could trim it. Let's see if other members think it's a little long. And to me he looks a little chubby, no doubt from being spoiled. ?

He's beautiful! You and he will have a great time together.
 

wellington

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Congrats.
I agree the beak is a little long. You can feed him on a piece of slate and see if it will file it down, sometimes it will sometimes not.
He also needs a different water dish. The one you got is dangerous, they can flip and drown. He needs a clay saucer the kind that goes under flower pots and big enough he can get his whole body into but only deep enough that the water only goes up just past where the top and bottom shell meets.
He does look a bit chubby. This happens when either fed the wrong foods or does not have a proper sized enclosure to get enough exercise. An adult Russian needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure. Bigger if possible. They roam a big in the wild.
 

Pushkin's mom

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
13
Location (City and/or State)
Woodinville/WA/USA
thank you all!!
I did read the article that was the main reason I ordered 2 of Aivituvin-AIR21 wooden tortoise house.
to be honest - I ordered one and after reading the recommendations - I ordered the second. I know it is still relatively smaller than it should be (only 2X8... and not 4X8) but I wanted to get him home sooner and out of the pet store - and upgrades are coming his way!!
I did a lot of modification to the 2 enclosures to better serve his space.
for substrate - I choose to work with forest floor and cypress mulch and coco husk.
his water dish came with him - his previous owner left it with him, so I will lower the water level in his dish but will keep it there since it seems he like it there.
for his beak - I thought it is a little too long (well, his nails were super long, and the store manager cut it the day I took him, I asked her too). I already have a vet appointment set for him to mid Feb (couldn't get anything earlier) I will ask about it for sure.
lights - I tossed the packaging of the lights - so I took pictures of the lamps - I hope you can figure it out from the pictures.... (Stupid of me to threw it away without taking a proper picture of it)
for feeding - his likes endive the best! I am giving him a verity of things every day. carrot leaves, endive, timothy hay, and fresh cut flowers and leaves of African Violet from my garden. I tried Prickly pear, but he didn't care for it at all.
I planted in his encloser wheat grass and aloe vera - he tried them both.
I got some calcium powder, vitamins and zoomed grassland tortoise food.
I got a cuttlebone for him inside the encloser as well.

I got hiding spots.

the temp I check with the new gun - the hottest spot on the stone (under his basking light is at the highest around 98F. the rest of the enclosure is cooling down gradually all the way to 72-73F. the lowest in his encloser was measured in the morning before the lights are turn on was 69F.

I already soaked him twice (and he is doing his own soaks as well...) he pooped and peed. he drank.
I am brushing him gently and cleaning him softly as needed...

I just got the scale earlier today - so tomorrow after (or maybe before) the soak I will see how much he weighs,
I will also be going to measure his length. is there an BMI for tortoise anywhere? :)

more pictures are added.

thank you for caring!

 

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wellington

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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Basking temp is good. The over all day temps should be 75 to 80 and then night temps can drop into the 60's.
I believe you mentioned building an outdoor enclosure when temps allow it. With him being outside during the warm weather then this enclosure should be fine for winter.
Feed a varied diet of as much different items as possible. So far sounds like you are doing that. The calcium and vitamins, just a small pinch 2 to 3 times a week.
I still would suggest a different water dish. Why risk keeping one that could be dangerous and thet easily flip over on.
 

KarenSoCal

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Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I think you have done a remarkable job of providing for him! Most often when keepers are new, they get everything wrong, and then we have to tell them their entire setup needs replacing. ☹️

Good for you for researching and following through on recommended methods.

Now, when that water dish is gone, you'll get a ? and ?
 

Ray--Opo

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Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
7,018
Location (City and/or State)
Palm Bay Fl
Ok! Got the measurements in:
Pushkin is 511 grams and 13cm long.
In US: 1.127 ILB and 5.118 inches long.

What do you think? Too small? Too fat? Average? (Obviously too cute ?)…
He is a cutie that's for sure!
That weight seems a little light for a 10 yr old. But I am a sulcata owner and not sure about Russians. To me as long as he is healthy that's what is important.
 

Big Ron

Active Member
Tortoise Club
Joined
Dec 28, 2021
Messages
131
Location (City and/or State)
Florida
thank you all!!
I did read the article that was the main reason I ordered 2 of Aivituvin-AIR21 wooden tortoise house.
to be honest - I ordered one and after reading the recommendations - I ordered the second. I know it is still relatively smaller than it should be (only 2X8... and not 4X8) but I wanted to get him home sooner and out of the pet store - and upgrades are coming his way!!
I did a lot of modification to the 2 enclosures to better serve his space.
for substrate - I choose to work with forest floor and cypress mulch and coco husk.
his water dish came with him - his previous owner left it with him, so I will lower the water level in his dish but will keep it there since it seems he like it there.
for his beak - I thought it is a little too long (well, his nails were super long, and the store manager cut it the day I took him, I asked her too). I already have a vet appointment set for him to mid Feb (couldn't get anything earlier) I will ask about it for sure.
lights - I tossed the packaging of the lights - so I took pictures of the lamps - I hope you can figure it out from the pictures.... (Stupid of me to threw it away without taking a proper picture of it)
for feeding - his likes endive the best! I am giving him a verity of things every day. carrot leaves, endive, timothy hay, and fresh cut flowers and leaves of African Violet from my garden. I tried Prickly pear, but he didn't care for it at all.
I planted in his encloser wheat grass and aloe vera - he tried them both.
I got some calcium powder, vitamins and zoomed grassland tortoise food.
I got a cuttlebone for him inside the encloser as well.

I got hiding spots.

the temp I check with the new gun - the hottest spot on the stone (under his basking light is at the highest around 98F. the rest of the enclosure is cooling down gradually all the way to 72-73F. the lowest in his encloser was measured in the morning before the lights are turn on was 69F.

I already soaked him twice (and he is doing his own soaks as well...) he pooped and peed. he drank.
I am brushing him gently and cleaning him softly as needed...

I just got the scale earlier today - so tomorrow after (or maybe before) the soak I will see how much he weighs,
I will also be going to measure his length. is there an BMI for tortoise anywhere? :)

more pictures are added.

thank you for caring!

Welcome to the forum glad you joined and that is one good looking little friend you have,you sound like a very nervous loving new mom no worries you have found the gold mine of awesome owners and experts right here :)
 

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