Russian Tort in Bad Shape

[Lilly_Two2]

How old is the one using this box in the photo you shared? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VRY6X58/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

About 1 year old I'm guessing it's coming up on a year that I've had her so probably a little more than a year.

 

[SinLA]

About 1 year old I'm guessing it's coming up on a year that I've had her so probably a little more than a year.

Ok, so there are better people on here than I to give advice as to how long the size you have will last for your species/age, but a Russian Tortoise at 7, really should have a much larger space (4'x8' min). That said right now, perfection is not the goal, goal is to get them out of the situation they are in and even the 2x3 tortoise box would be an improvement, so its Ok to start there...

 

[Lilly_Two2]

Ok, so there are better people on here than I to give advice as to how long the size you have will last for your species/age, but a Russian Tortoise at 7, really should have a much larger space (4'x8' min). That said right now, perfection is not the goal, goal is to get them out of the situation they are in and even the 2x3 tortoise box would be an improvement, so its Ok to start there...

Ok that's good then, I will figure out how to give the tort a new enclosure without seeming as if I'm pushing/prying at the teacher as I don't want to get on a bad side at the beginning of the year, ill check how big the table is on Monday though.

 

[Lyn W]

As you've already started a discussion with your teacher about the tort then why don't you print off the caresheet that Sarah linked for him i.e. -

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

- and tell him about your interest in torts and how the forum has really helped you give the right care to your tortoise because all the information is up to date so he may find it useful too. Maybe offer to help him if he hasn't got the time, and let him know you'd be willing to rehome it.

Is there another teacher you trust that could that you could speak to about your concerns? S/he may speak on your behalf.

 

[Lilly_Two2]

As you've already started a discussion with your teacher about the tort then why don't you print off the caresheet that Sarah linked for him i.e. -

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

- and tell him about your interest in torts and how the forum has really helped you give the right care to your tortoise because all the information is up to date so he may find it useful too. Maybe offer to help him if he hasn't got the time, and let him know you'd be willing to rehome it.

Is there another teacher you trust that could that you could speak to about your concerns? S/he may speak on your behalf.

There are a few teachers I do trust, but I think if I just pop in now and then I will be able to talk about it more freely to him without it seeming like I'm being rude or pushy, I know I'm not I just don't want it to come across that way. I did tell him about the forum and I may print off the care sheet or just email it to him which may work better for everyone.

 

[Lyn W]

Whatever you feel comfortable doing will work and at least the tort has you as his guardian angel watching over him.
If all fails tell the teacher if he doesn't get his act together to look after the tort properly then all the members of the forum will be paying him a visit to have a quite word with him

 

[Lyn W]

Just noticed you joined today so welcome.
If you haven't already found it there's a good caresheet for leopards too

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Really helped me put things right with the care of my leopard when he adopted me.

 

[Maggie3fan]

That sounds like a case of animal abuse.
I hate hearing stories like this one.
Maybe let the teacher know about the TFO.....
I understand your situation. But it needs to be reported.

I say print out TFO's care sheet for Russians...Then think about
about that tort and how hard it is to eat. Don't start rattling off a bunch
of facts. Just quietly say the RT is in bad shape...depending on how she takes it...offer to foster him, or you will set him up correctly for them...think about saving the tortoise Don't be scared

 

[Lilly_Two2]

Just noticed you joined today so welcome.
If you haven't already found it there's a good caresheet for leopards too

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Really helped me put things right with the care of my leopard when he adopted me.

I actually joined a while ago but it kept signing me out and I completely forgot my login so I just made a new account. The form is what helped me set my tort up originally too.

 

[Lilly_Two2]

I say print out TFO's care sheet for Russians...Then think about
about that tort and how hard it is to eat. Don't start rattling off a bunch
of facts. Just quietly say the RT is in bad shape...depending on how she takes it...offer to foster him, or you will set him up correctly for them...think about saving the tortoise Don't be scared

Ya I'm basically going to keep going in to talk tortoise talk with him after school often and bring in little presents for the tort while hinting at things in conversation along with more directly say things as I get more confident

 

[BernieL]

Lilly,
As you can see, there are lots of people who are good to animals and concerned about your teacher's tortoise. I'm sure every one of them is glad you've done what you did. We all commend you.

 

[Skunkworks]

I hope No news is Good news in this Case .

 

[Lilly_Two2]

I haven't gotten anywhere as I got pretty bad allergies and was out the first few days of school and was out of commission for the weekend when I would have been able to get the cuddle fish bone and any other things for him.

I hope No news is Good news in this Case .

 

[wellington]

I read most of the posts
The russian needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure. Giving him a too small wrong size enclosure is not much of an upgrade. This teacher needs to be told the truth of what this tortoise actually needs as far as proper enclosure size, diet, heat/lighting/uvb and maintenance such as a beak trim. Being by a window only adds light not uvb.
Your tortoise, the leopard needs a closed chamber enclosure with 80%humidity, 95-100 basking temp and 80 all over day and night. He also needs a bigger enclosure soon or he won't get the exercise needed to continue walking properly.
Glad you are helping the Russian but please get the correct info to him so the improvements can be correct and not just a bandaid.

 

[Skunkworks]

I read most of the posts
The russian needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure. Giving him a too small wrong size enclosure is not much of an upgrade. This teacher needs to be told the truth of what this tortoise actually needs as far as proper enclosure size, diet, heat/lighting/uvb and maintenance such as a beak trim. Being by a window only adds light not uvb.
Your tortoise, the leopard needs a closed chamber enclosure with 80%humidity, 95-100 basking temp and 80 all over day and night. He also needs a bigger enclosure soon or he won't get the exercise needed to continue walking properly.
Glad you are helping the Russian but please get the correct info to him so the improvements can be correct and not just a bandaid.

I Agree. Was just trying to Help is all.

 

[wellington]

I Agree. Was just trying to Help is all.

Oh totally agree you are trying to help, along with all the others. Moving a tort from one wrong/bad situation to another wrong situation just isn't all that helpful for the tortoise.
This teacher needs to take the responsible move and bring the tortoise home so he can give the proper care or rehome him.

 

[SinLA]

I do a lot of animal rescue for dogs and cats. New to the world of torts but still… The end goal is to try and help that tortoise and if the teacher were coming onto this thread we could tell him exactly what you’re saying.

But every situation is different and this is a power dynamic where you have a teenage student and a teacher and the student who must be in school with this teacher for the remainder of the year. Not to mention a student who has already mentioned that she is shy and interceding is a struggle for her already. (Lily you’re doing great!!).

The direct approach may not benefit anyone here much less the tort. I would love for anyone of us to walk into that teachers classroom and give them what for, but this is a different circumstance and will have to be handled more delicately for everyone involved if we can get that tort help. It may involve getting put in a terrible “tortoise house” as an *interim* step, but I don’t agree it’s just as bad. My tortoise lived int two of those string together for two months before I could get his enclosure built.

This is not an easy thing Lily is doing. She’s putting herself out in a way that is much much harder than simply telling someone on the internet everything they have been doing is wrong and if they don’t fix it they are a bad person.

 

[zolasmum]

I haven't gotten anywhere as I got pretty bad allergies and was out the first few days of school and was out of commission for the weekend when I would have been able to get the cuddle fish bone and any other things for him.

I'm so sorry you have been unwell, and I hope you've managed to get the allergies sorted out. I just wanted to say how much I admire your efforts to help this poor tortoise - and well done for noticing the poor thing needed help in the first place - obviously no-one else realised it - good for you !
Angie

 

[Lilly_Two2]

I'm so sorry you have been unwell, and I hope you've managed to get the allergies sorted out. I just wanted to say how much I admire your efforts to help this poor tortoise - and well done for noticing the poor thing needed help in the first place - obviously no-one else realised it - good for you !
Angie

I noticed it a few years back when an older siblings had this teacher but I wasn't even in the building then, and last year I hadn't had the class so I barely new the teacher, I feel bad for waiting this long but now I actually know the teacher and feel less weird just walking in and talking to him.

 

[Lilly_Two2]

I do a lot of animal rescue for dogs and cats. New to the world of torts but still… The end goal is to try and help that tortoise and if the teacher were coming onto this thread we could tell him exactly what you’re saying.

But every situation is different and this is a power dynamic where you have a teenage student and a teacher and the student who must be in school with this teacher for the remainder of the year. Not to mention a student who has already mentioned that she is shy and interceding is a struggle for her already. (Lily you’re doing great!!).

The direct approach may not benefit anyone here much less the tort. I would love for anyone of us to walk into that teachers classroom and give them what for, but this is a different circumstance and will have to be handled more delicately for everyone involved if we can get that tort help. It may involve getting put in a terrible “tortoise house” as an *interim* step, but I don’t agree it’s just as bad. My tortoise lived int two of those string together for two months before I could get his enclosure built.

This is not an easy thing Lily is doing. She’s putting herself out in a way that is much much harder than simply telling someone on the internet everything they have been doing is wrong and if they don’t fix it they are a bad person.

Thank you, I'll send him the care sheet later today or tomorrow and just hope he looks at it.