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Speaking strictly for indoor enclosures: 1. The cheapest way is to build or have one built one yourself. You can control the quality and materials used so you make it as a nice looking as you wish for a fraction of what it would cost for a pre-made + shipped enclosure of the same size. 2. The...

I prefer having my florescent reptile uv(B) bulbs raised high above and facing downwards similar to the basking bulb because there's less of a chance for the bulb to shine directly right into the tortoise's eye. The soil I assume you're already going to get rid of so I'm not going to bother...

Take a picture of your entire enclosure and upload it to the site if you don't mind. That way members can help spot out unsafe items and things that may need replacing. Cut a hole where the lamp fixture(s) and cover the rest. Are you only using a single lamp? Does that mean you're using a...

I don't know what size your current table is but I personally think a hatchling should never be housed in anything smaller than a 4 ft x 2 ft enclosure unless it's being quarantined or is sick in which case housing that particular tortoise in a slightly smaller temporary enclosure such as a...

To make this simple there's really only two very good substrate choices (I do not count cypress mulch as a choice simply because the other two are overall better choices) for indoor captive tortoises. Coco coir and Orchid/Fir Bark. Small tortoises like Horsefield/Russians do well with either...

Found this: https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/habitat_assessment/media/TexasTortoise_brochure_english.pdf Call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or your local tortoise rehab/adoption center as soon as possible.

You're behind the times friend, just like Tortoise Trust. There are cheap and expensive options that can solve molding as well as waterproofing in closed chamber enclosures. Some can be used for your open tortoise table as well. In no particular order: 1. Animal Plastics or @Markw84 makes...

That enclosure looks small for an adult Russian tortoise. Tortoises actually need a lot of room for themselves. They need areas to explore, exercise, and thermo-regulate. Small enclosures like that wouldn't give them enough temperature zone options to move around to. I understand the tortoise...

So that meant you received it before hatching. I hope you followed every guideline posted to the letter from the breeder or else the tortoise may develop long term health complications.

I'm going to assume you meant tub in your initial post because there's zero mention of tube in this thread apart from your post. There should no issues with tortoises clinging unto the opening if: 1. The opening was as big and as wide as possible like I suggested and, 2. If the bottom layer of...

What specific breeder did you get your tortoise from?

I don't know what forest floor bedding is. I don't buy reptile branded substrate because they're often more expensive than the stuff you'll find at your local gardening/home improvement store. You don't need the substrate to stick. Just pile everything up in the corner along with the hide...

1. Smooth out the opening with sandpaper so it doesn't get caught on the tortoise when he or she rubs on it as they're coming and going. Make the opening as big and wide as possible. 2. I suggest cutting out the entire bottom part of the makeshift hide so that you don't have to constantly clean...

Don't use youtube as a guide. There are no 100% accurate videos out there regarding tortoise care. There are tutorial building threads in this forum but I don't remember where all the relevant material is located. I suggest using the search function in the forum and or creating a new thread to...

The link I provided above already has an affordable and sturdy outdoor enclosure you can easily replicate. There's also information about a night time heat/humid box to keep your tortoises in for when night time temperatures get far below 60F. You'll need to build physical barriers in the box to...

I am not the right person to ask about hibernation. I stopped trying years and years ago because the person that first taught me about tortoises was in reality just winging it from the get go. That experience kind of soured me from bothering to mess with it again. You should definitely...

No it's good to have an outdoor enclosure. Even better if you outdoor temperatures are high enough to keep them outside permanently. What are the dimensions of the outdoor enclosure? 8ft x 4ft is the minimal recommendation for a single adult Russian tortoise. Looks like you have plenty of...

Read the guide linked above. Don't listen to other websites that offer conflicting advice. 1. Change whatever is specified when it comes to equipment. 2. Make sure temperature levels are accurate. 3. Feed your tortoise a steady diet composed of broad leafy weeds, flowers, and succulents. No...

WIld-caught is the same thing as poaching. There is no real difference other than scaling. I'm not against or condoning the practice because there are far too many reasons why these types of operations exist and how easily it is to recruit and employ desperate enough people from less than ideal...

The tortoise's shell looks fine. That's just how a wild caught tortoise's carapace looks like after being poached and brought to the market. Poachers throw them in sacks along with other tortoises so during travel the tortoises shells bash along one another. The tortoises would also try their...