Tips please

[codyv34]

Hello Im a new owner of Russain Tortoise, currently he is in a 54 gallon Rubbermaid storage container, the substrate is coconut bark, i have a food a water dish, a 100watt basking bulb, a Repti Glo 10.0 uvb bulb, and a hiding stop and couple rocks.

I know there a many other things i should put on my list and i would like to hear some recommendations and tips on how to provide the best environment for my tort.

I have a pretty good amount of knowledge and experience with tropical fish, and i know that normally it may take a few days for tortoise to settle in. i would just like to know how active i should expect him to be, should i expect him to sleep most of the or spend the day roaming his home. Also i want to know the same for eating, should he be eating quiet a bit or just little amounts. i have seen him eat a little, but he has been drinking regularly. Please just give me some tips, i have done research on there diets and i understand that. I have read about how i should be giving him some sort of calcium or vitamin with his food, please throw some names of good products out there so i know exactly what to look for. thank you so much, Cody

 

[pdrobber]

welcome, that sounds great. Russians are pretty active, but do bask and rest for a good part of the day. Some people feed once or twice a day, but on average, about the amount of food that would equal the same size of the tortoise. He should run over to you when you come with food once he gets to know you. The light you are using has been known to cause eye problems, serious ones. You might want to invest in an MVB, a mercury vapor bulb, which provides UVB as well as heat and light.

 

[lynnedit]

Good advice.
Except, do you have the tube UV light (not a coil bulb). If so, that should actually be ok with your basking light creating heat.

Make sure you soak him 2-3x per week in shallow warm water, you can use a small plastic container or dish. They don't like it, but it is very good for them.
Sounds like you have done your research.

Definitely give him time to settle in and get used to his set up. Don't handle him a lot, except to soak or spot clean his enclosure.

 

[codyv34]

welcome, that sounds great. Russians are pretty active, but do bask and rest for a good part of the day. Some people feed once or twice a day, but on average, about the amount of food that would equal the same size of the tortoise. He should run over to you when you come with food once he gets to know you. The light you are using has been known to cause eye problems, serious ones. You might want to invest in an MVB, a mercury vapor bulb, which provides UVB as well as heat and light.

Thank you, do you have a specific brand or model you recommend. Should i not use that light at all until i get something else or do you just recommending replacing it soon?

 

[codyv34]

yes its the tube kind, So that kind is safe? also i have the coconut bark as substrate, but it seems that that many people use the coconut coir, to me it seems that the coir is more fine of a substrate then the coconut bark? would one be recommended4
over the other?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Cody:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know appx. where you are?

For the Russian tortoises, I prefer a stronger UV light than the tube type. I use an MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb) because it provides heat and UVB in the same bulb. They are expensive, and the UV strength diminishes after about 6 months, but the benefit your tortoise gains from the better light is worth it (in my opinion).

I also prefer a substrate that my Russian (Agrionemys horsfieldii) tortoises can dig into, like top soil mixed with orchid bark.

You mentioned that you understand the tortoise's diet requirements, so I just wanted to add to that...be sure to provide a nice variety. Don't key into one particular type of food and continuously feed that food. They benefit from a nice variety.

 

[pdrobber]

the tube is ok then. some say it might not give out enough UVB but it could work. I would recommend coco coir over a reptibark type of substrate

 

[codyv34]

Hi Cody:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know appx. where you are?

For the Russian tortoises, I prefer a stronger UV light than the tube type. I use an MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb) because it provides heat and UVB in the same bulb. They are expensive, and the UV strength diminishes after about 6 months, but the benefit your tortoise gains from the better light is worth it (in my opinion).

I also prefer a substrate that my Russian (Agrionemys horsfieldii) tortoises can dig into, like top soil mixed with orchid bark.

You mentioned that you understand the tortoise's diet requirements, so I just wanted to add to that...be sure to provide a nice variety. Don't key into one particular type of food and continuously feed that food. They benefit from a nice variety.

I live in Green Bay Wisconsin, so taking my tort outside isn't always an option here. I do think i will look into the Mvb bulbs. From looking at other threads it looks like the zoo meds power sun is a very good bulb. Is there other good options?

 

[codyv34]

I havent really seen him eat yet, im not sure if he as at all, he has been drinking though, should i be concerned or is this pretty normal until he settles in more.

 

[CheerAngel8]

Just a regular FLAT stone. This will file the s nails down. Make sure to feed him lots of veggies, hard and soft. Hard veggies will file his beak down!