# Russian Tortoise hiding and behavior



## John387 (Jun 21, 2015)

My Russian tortoise is hiding a lot and going underneath the reptile carpet, and I read something saying if their hiding a lot that not good. My question is that true and if so why and what should I do about it?


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## lismar79 (Jun 21, 2015)

How long have you had him and can you post pictures of his enclosure?


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## Carol S (Jun 21, 2015)

Welcome to the forum.

Get rid of the reptile carpet and get a substrate that can be moistened such as cypress mulch, orchid bark or coconut coir. Once my Russian tortoises are a year old I like to mix coconut coir and cypress mulch which I keep moist. Russian tortoises love to burrow into the substrate so it needs to be deep enough for them to do so. Do you have a hide for your tortoise? There are many different items to make a hide for your tortoise such as flower pot, plastic bin with a doorway cut out, etc. You can buy a ready made half log at the reptile store. They need a hide to go into to feel secure. What type of enclosure do you have tortoise in? 

There are many different ideas on the Forum regarding enclosures, hides, etc. There are also some fantastic care sheets also available. You have come to the right place to learn how to have a healthy, happy tortoise.


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## Tom (Jun 21, 2015)

Hello and welcome. Here are some care sheets for you. Unfortunately, pet stores and many on-line sources are fountains of bad care information. Glad you found us.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jun 21, 2015)

Hi, John ,and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and your Russian.
If it is a new tortoise, or a new enclosure or substrate, he will take a while to settle in and will try to hide until he knows he's safe here.
Read the care sheets Tom posted for lots of good information.


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## johnsonnboswell (Jun 22, 2015)

Show us the setup so we can make better suggestions. 

Temps? What are you using for a light? Those coil bulbs are dangerous. The reptile carpet needs to be replaced right away, as already mentioned.


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

Carol S said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> Get rid of the reptile carpet and get a substrate that can be moistened such as cypress mulch, orchid bark or coconut coir. Once my Russian tortoises are a year old I like to mix coconut coir and cypress mulch which I keep moist. Russian tortoises love to burrow into the substrate so it needs to be deep enough for them to do so. Do you have a hide for your tortoise? There are many different items to make a hide for your tortoise such as flower pot, plastic bin with a doorway cut out, etc. You can buy a ready made half log at the reptile store. They need a hide to go into to feel secure. What type of enclosure do you have tortoise in?
> 
> There are many different ideas on the Forum regarding enclosures, hides, etc. There are also some fantastic care sheets also available. You have come to the right place to learn how to have a healthy, happy tortoise.



Thanks for the info, my vet side the carpet would be better since it is easier to clean, I do have a half log in there for him. Is coconut fiber the same as coconut coir. Also I found if I moisten the substrate that the humidity got to high for him. I keep him in a 55 gallon tank during the winter and in the summer i try to keep him outside as long as possible which is a six foot by six foot enclosure.


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

johnsonnboswell said:


> Show us the setup so we can make better suggestions.
> 
> Temps? What are you using for a light? Those coil bulbs are dangerous. The reptile carpet needs to be replaced right away, as already mentioned.




The Temps are on the high end around 85 degrees and on the low end 70 degrees. For lighting I have one 75 watt lamp and a full spectrum UVB light.


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

lismar79 said:


> How long have you had him and can you post pictures of his enclosure?




I found him about 2 years now. And here our the pics of his inside enclosure


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

Tom said:


> Hello and welcome. Here are some care sheets for you. Unfortunately, pet stores and many on-line sources are fountains of bad care information. Glad you found us.
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/



Hello Tom, I have a question for you. In the care sheet that you post the link to I was reading and had a question what type of predator do you have to watch for since chicken wire doesn't stop them?


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## johnsonnboswell (Jun 22, 2015)

The vet is mistaken about reptile carpet. Get rid of it. Vets deal with things gone wrong, they don't know much about long term good care. 

You can fine tune the humidity. We all do it. It can be done with the right substrate.


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## Tom (Jun 22, 2015)

John387 said:


> Hello Tom, I have a question for you. In the care sheet that you post the link to I was reading and had a question what type of predator do you have to watch for since chicken wire doesn't stop them?



You have received all the wrong, old outdated care info. I say the following to help you give your tortoise a better life, not to be mean or un-kind in any way. Vets don't have a clue about what tortoises need unless, like all of us, they keep them and care for them as a hobby and passion outside of work. Sorry. You are paying that vet to go read a care sheet or vet website with info written 20 or 30 years ago and parroted incorrectly ever since then. Vets know medicine and surgery. They don't know husbandry unless they DO husbandry. There is no semester on captive tortoise care in vet school.
1. Carpet is not a good substrate. If you soak regularly, your tortoise will poop in the soak water and there will not be much to "clean" anyway. Regular soaks also have the added benefit of keeping your tortoise hydrated and healthy.
2. Russian need moderate humidity. They can _survive_ low humidity both in captivity and the wild, but that doesn't make it "good" for them. You need a substrate that can be kept damp. You will NEVER have too much humidity with an open top unless the whole inside of your house is like a steamy rainforest. Even people in South Florida need to add humidity to their indoor enclosures because the heating, AC, and heat lamps dry everything out.
3. Take that water bowl out ASAP. Those things are great for lizards and snakes, but they are literally death traps for tortoises. We have a member here who came home to find her russian upside down and drowned in that exact same water bowl in a set up very similar to yours. Use a terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate instead.
4. That enclosure is way too small. You need something around 4x8 indoors and even larger outside. Russians are a very active species and they need room to move. Locomotion helps with their digestion.
5. What type of UV bulb are you using? The coil types burn their eyes and my them hide under things an not want to come out. If you are using a coil type cfl UV bulb, I would shut it off right now. I bet that is the main culprit here if you are using one.
6. Your tortoise needs a proper humid hide. Something closed in. Half logs are fine as cage decoration, but they are not a substitute for a proper hide.

I hope these things help you and your tortoise live happily ever after...


Just about any determined predator can get through chicken wire. _YOU_ can rip it open with your bare hand. Dogs, raccoons, bobcats, opossums, coyote, ground squirrels, rats, etc...


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

Thanks Tom that is helpful. When I first found him the local pet store like petco and petsmart where not helpful at all, then I went to a local reptile specialty store and they were helpful but I kept having more and more question and didn't what to drive all the way out there each time. For the UV light it is a 75 watt basking light and it isn't coiled. For an outdoor enclosure is 6 x 6 okay for now or not.


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## Tom (Jun 22, 2015)

John387 said:


> Thanks Tom that is helpful. When I first found him the local pet store like petco and petsmart where not helpful at all, then I went to a local reptile specialty store and they were helpful but I kept having more and more question and didn't what to drive all the way out there each time. For the UV light it is a 75 watt basking light and it isn't coiled. For an outdoor enclosure is 6 x 6 okay for now or not.



They don't make a75 watt UV light. What you have there is just a regular incandescent basking bulb. That is fine. Gives your tortoise some heat and light when indoors. As long as your tortoise is getting a couple hours a week outside with access to sun, you don't need indoor UV bulbs.

6x6 is not the end of the world, but its too small. He's not going to just drop dead, but they need more room to move. If you were locked in a closet and someone fed and watered you, you would survive, but you'd do much better if you had a whole house to run around in, right?


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## John387 (Jun 22, 2015)

Thanks Tom and everybody again for all the help. Next on list of stuff to do is to increase the size of his outside enclosure.


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## Tom (Jun 22, 2015)

John387 said:


> Thanks Tom and everybody again for all the help. Next on list of stuff to do is to increase the size of his outside enclosure.


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