# Russian tortoise get cold. Please advise



## ssha_miami (Feb 2, 2013)

I feel so sorry to my Russian tortoises. I have one couple. The male got cold the day before yesterday. Miami night temp. Fell around 60 degree. I kept them in the rabbit hutch outdoor. I read some article said Russian tort can be ok even in Las Vegas, therefore, I thought it will be ok, but not for mine.

Now, the male had a running nose, and sometimes make sound like 'jee' when open mouth. I bring both them indoor today. Separate them. Raise temp to 85 degree with a night heating bulb, but keep it on 24 hours.

I soak the male for 20 minutes in warm water tonight. But after that, he did not eat anything. I'm so worry about it. Hope him can recover, do not die..... Any suggestions? Thank you


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## kanalomele (Feb 2, 2013)

Russians are generally fine at 60 degrees, but if yours picked up a runny nose he may have been getting sick anyway. A quiet indoor enclosure with an 80-85 degree ambient temperature and a 100 degree basking temp will help him dry up his runny nose. The opposite side of the enclosure should be cooler, id say around 65 to 70 degrees. Dont worry if it doesn't eat right away, it may have some stress from moving inside. Get it outside in the sunshine during the day if it is warm. If it doesn't eat for more than 3 days and the runny nose doesn't dry up get it into the vets office. If he appears to be getting any worse, get it into the vets office. I hope everything works out well for your tortoise.


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## ssha_miami (Feb 2, 2013)

kanalomele said:


> Russians are generally fine at 60 degrees, but if yours picked up a runny nose he may have been getting sick anyway. A quiet indoor enclosure with an 80-85 degree ambient temperature and a 100 degree basking temp will help him dry up his runny nose. The opposite side of the enclosure should be cooler, id say around 65 to 70 degrees. Dont worry if it doesn't eat right away, it may have some stress from moving inside. Get it outside in the sunshine during the day if it is warm. If it doesn't eat for more than 3 days and the runny nose doesn't dry up get it into the vets office. If he appears to be getting any worse, get it into the vets office. I hope everything works out well for your tortoise.



Thank you for your suggestion. I will go to buy a basking bulb tomorrow. Btw, What do you mean by quiet? Let him cannot see I walk around?


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## ssha_miami (Feb 2, 2013)

Today, I moved them indoor for sleep. Built a small bedroom. Let them live indoor at night until night temp raise to 66 degree next week.


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## Candy (Feb 2, 2013)

I would not put him back outside until you're sure that his runny nose is all gone. I would keep him warm and soak him everyday. Warm is 85 to 90 degrees and a cool side where he can go to cool down if he needs it. Good luck and keep us updated. If he doesn't eat you can always soak him in baby food carrots.


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## ssha_miami (Feb 3, 2013)

Candy said:


> I would not put him back outside until you're sure that his runny nose is all gone. I would keep him warm and soak him everyday. Warm is 85 to 90 degrees and a cool side where he can go to cool down if he needs it. Good luck and keep us updated. If he doesn't eat you can always soak him in baby food carrots.



Thank you. I leave the patient indoor. And his wife is quite upset today. So I gave her some bonus. Lol.


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## ascott (Feb 3, 2013)

I believe that you will want to redo your outdoor living space for these tortoise.....or you will want to reconsider moving that wood enclosure indoors....the reason that I say this is because if you keep the torts outdoors then they must have access to a place that they can dig down into the earth to regulate their temps when it becomes too hot or too cold...and that enclosure does not appear to allow this....above ground without proper shelter you leave your tort exposed to the weather---which is not a natural situation...and the tort in the pic was clearly at one time a wild tort--so they have the skills if offered the appropriate access to a more varied space....just my thoughts.

Also, the tort may become stressed even more so in that small glass tank...I would move that wood enclosure that you have outside into the house and keep it warm ---this way that tort can feel a bit more secure due to a more familiar environment.....just what I would do...


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## ssha_miami (Feb 3, 2013)

ascott said:


> I believe that you will want to redo your outdoor living space for these tortoise.....or you will want to reconsider moving that wood enclosure indoors....the reason that I say this is because if you keep the torts outdoors then they must have access to a place that they can dig down into the earth to regulate their temps when it becomes too hot or too cold...and that enclosure does not appear to allow this....above ground without proper shelter you leave your tort exposed to the weather---which is not a natural situation...and the tort in the pic was clearly at one time a wild tort--so they have the skills if offered the appropriate access to a more varied space....just my thoughts.
> 
> Also, the tort may become stressed even more so in that small glass tank...I would move that wood enclosure that you have outside into the house and keep it warm ---this way that tort can feel a bit more secure due to a more familiar environment.....just what I would do...



Thank you, I appreciate your suggestion. I hope to redo the hutch put deeper soil for them to burrow and keep them outside, since I live in miami. the temp is good, for example this week is 65-79, and sunlight is sufficient. Just occasionally cold night around 55 degree, in which I will move them sleep indoor. Actually the hutch has a lid, I only open the lid when I stay at home, or feed water and food. Mostly, lid is closed and sunlight can cover half the cage. Coldest temp during day time is their bedroom, 70 degree. The sunspot is 82-83 degree. Btw, there is a layer of soft cushion on the very bottom to keep temp. then a layer of waterproof cloth to hold the sand and soil, at the top is a layer of sand and soil, now is 2 inch deep. Will put more, to make deeper.


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## ssha_miami (Feb 4, 2013)

I am struggling to make decision if I need to move it indoor. Sunlight is so sufficient everyday. If they live indoor, no sunlight at all, only on basking light, no wind, no rain....life kinda boring. I observe the temp, daytime overall 80 degree. Half cage under sunshine 85 degree, dark shadow bedroom 75 degree. Still hope to keep it outdoor.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 11, 2013)

Your steppe tortoises need a pen built onto the ground, and a large space. That hutch is nowhere near big enough for two steppe tortoises. I'm sure they would be ok to live outside all the time in Florida. They are pretty cold hardy. The only problem would be the rain. You would have to have a nice, dry house for them to retreat into when it rains. I would say that two steppe/russian tortoises require a space of at LEAST about 5' x 8'.


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## ssha_miami (Feb 14, 2013)

Thank you for you all suggestions. The male tort has been recovered since last weekend. But I sent it back to petsmart today ,catch the return deadline, after a hard decision. The enclosure is fixed size, I agree he might be bullied by his wife. Gave him a soak and a full dinner before he left. A little bit sad.


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