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  1. FomTarro

    Tom's Brumation Thread

    Interesting. Multiple vets have advised me to do this to avoid dehydration, but perhaps they were thinking that I'd be keeping her closer to room temperature, where she'd still be engaging in regular bodily functions/burning energy at an almost-normal rate, and therefore using up water quickly...
  2. FomTarro

    Tom's Brumation Thread

    Hello again! After a week of gentle temperature gradation in the fridge, we have finally reached a temperature of 38F. Unfortunately, our Russian tortoise still does not seem to be sleeping as soundly as she was at room temperature, and we frequently hear scratches from the fridge. (It feels...
  3. FomTarro

    Tom's Brumation Thread

    Plastic storage shoebox with a mix of Coco coir a tiny amount of reptibark. The same as is in her paddock, and the same that she buried herself in for weeks unprompted leading up to this. Last year, we tried a double-insulated cardboard shoebox, with the outer box being filled with newspaper...
  4. FomTarro

    Tom's Brumation Thread

    Yes, I have read the thread. The colder we make it, the more agitated she gets. We increment the temperature at a gradient, as you advise. Unfortunately, she is most placid at room temperature, where she will actually sleep for long stretches of time (as mentioned, she was asleep at room...
  5. FomTarro

    Brumation Guidance Needed

    Noted, I shall.
  6. FomTarro

    Tom's Brumation Thread

    Hello! I was instructed to redirect my question here:
  7. FomTarro

    Brumation Guidance Needed

    Hey all! We have an adult Horsfield's tortoise that we're trying to hibernate for the third year in a row. The prior attempts have been short-lived, as she has both times woken up and broke her way out of the box and fridge that we attempted to keep her in after only a few weeks, even at very...
  8. FomTarro

    Only eating dandelions when outside

    Thank you all for the information! She eats ground elder no problem when freshly picked and placed on a food slate, but only under those conditions. Also, to be clear, we've had her for several years, but we haven't owned property for her to explore until this year, so watching her eat plants...
  9. FomTarro

    Only eating dandelions when outside

    I had read that dandelions were high in oxalates, which can cause internal issues in high quantities. The issue is that I don't really know what qualifies as "high". When she goes outside, she'll spend 40+ minutes doing nothing but eating dandelion flowers. (source...
  10. FomTarro

    Only eating dandelions when outside

    Hello! With Spring arriving, our little horsfield tortoise has begun demanding outside time. Unfortunately, when we do take her outside, essentially all she does is beeline for dandelions, completely ignoring the bounty of other leafy weeds we have available for her. We've read that dandelions...
  11. FomTarro

    Using a fridge for Hibernation

    Thank you both. I would never even consider letting her burrow outside for the winter. She's so small that any animal could easily eat her, plus I live in MA which is (supposed to be) quite cold. Good to know about the air exchange. Refrigerators aren't exactly designed for their contents to be...
  12. FomTarro

    Using a fridge for Hibernation

    Hello! I have a (4-6?) year old Russian tortoise who we are finally looking to hibernate this winter, after having had her for about a year and a half. We don't really know how old she is, but she's not a baby and she's still growing. Following some recommendations we've found here, we...
  13. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise yawning a lot

    I mean, that's what this site is for, right? Torts can communicate their needs and feelings even less than newborn human toddlers, so...
  14. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise yawning a lot

    Would nostrils be visibly plugged if that were the issue? As mentioned, I check her eyes and nose frequently, and have never observed any kind of blockage. In addition I am often able to feel breath from her nose when doing this, and the other typical symptoms of respiratory infection do not...
  15. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise yawning a lot

    Hello. Our Russian Tortoise yawns a lot. At first we thought it was cute, but now that we've noticed she does it sometimes 3 or more times after waking up, we're beginning to worry, as parents do. Today she yawned 6 times in short succession after leaving her hide, prompting me to post here...
  16. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise: black dots all over skin

    Thank you! That is what we suspected as well, but now that we've had her long enough for all the major worries to be quelled (is she eating enough??? is she eating too much?? is she sleeping too much??) it was time for the incredibly minor worries to set in.
  17. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise: black dots all over skin

    Hi all, We've had our Russian tortoise for a little over 6 months now. She's had these black spots all over her skin (both arms and legs) since we got her, but we are recently noticing that no other Russian tortoises seem to have them, by way of looking at tortoise Instagram. Are these normal...
  18. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise eating but not pooping

    Thank you everyone for your good advice. Early yesterday morning, during a 40+ minute soak with repeatedly reheated water, Coco pooped. A lot. I will look in to breaking her habitual diet and see if that helps prevent this from becoming a repeat problem. Thanks!
  19. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise eating but not pooping

    Good to know. I have to imagine she's well hydrated, as she urinates almost entirely clear sprays about once daily. I also didn't know cucumber was safe for them to eat! Thank you.
  20. FomTarro

    Russian Tortoise eating but not pooping

    I think by grass, I meant weeds. I don't know what the specific mix is, but its a groundcover of some sort, which my partner bought marketed as tortoise food. So it should be safe. It reminds me of clover leaves. Some of them are straight blades like grass, others are small and leafy. I...
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