A few questions

[Jedimastercasey]

I just got a russian from a friends sister who wasn't taking care of it. I have two red eared slider turtles at home, but I've never had a pet tortoise. So a few questions.

1. I read that your not supposed to soak tortoises in distilled water, but not in tap water either. What am I supposed to use? Can I use reptisafe water conditioner in the water to get rid of chlorine and stuff?

2. The people at petsmart I asked said to feed them fruits 2-3 times a week, but what I've read online says that fruit cause diseases, and to only feed them rarely. Any ideas on a new diet? I know her previous owner fed her a salad mix (not the iceburg kind).

3. Back to soaking. I know she is really dehydrated. The little girl I got it from said she didn't know they needed to be soaked, and didn't have a water dish either. How many times per week should I soak the tortoise with that in mind? and how long?

4. I know your supposed to offer them cuttlebone. Is it a generic thing? I ask because I have a bunch stocked up for my RES turtles. Is there a kind specifically for russian tortoises?

Sorry to bombard you guys with all these questions. I'm really in the dark with this stuff. I've heard a lot of different information over the last few days.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Casey:

Its quite ok to soak your tortoise in regular tap water. If its ok for YOU to drink, its ok for the tortoise. And if you put him into a tub he can't climb out of, he gets lots of exercise trying to get out while soaking.

If you want to give him a bite of fruit OCCASIONALLY as a treat, that's quite ok, but not even so much as 2 or three times a week. Just a bite.

If this is an adult tortoise, once a week is fine. And I would have a water dish in the habitat all the time. If you see him drink on his own, you don't need to soak him. If you wet his food before feeding him, he'll get some water that way too.

No, cuttlebone is cuttlebone. Whether you buy it in the bird department, in the reptile department or online...it all comes from the cuttlefish and is the same bone.

 

[Tyrtle]

Welcome! I'm sure the fine, experienced helpers here will answer your questions.

I've never heard you aren't supposed to soak in tap water. We soak ours 3 times per week in warm tap water right in the bathtub.

 

[Jedimastercasey]

Thanks a bunch! There is so much wrong information floating around out there, it gets super confusing!

 

[Kerryann]

www.russiantortoise.org is what I use to find the greens I use in my Russian's diet. I try to give her a good variety. Mine loves dandelion. Mine also likes her soaking when the water is nice and warm. I just soak mine in a big serving dish. You only put the water about up to below their head so they don't drown and I pour a small amount of the water over her to simulate rain. Mine drinks a lot during her soaks and also a lot in her cage, but make sure the water dish is not too deep

 

[Jedimastercasey]

does she need a water bowl big enough to stand in? Or can she have something smaller?

 

[Tom]

The best tortoise water bowls are plain old $2 terra cotta plant saucers. They are shallow, low sided, offer good traction and are easy to clean. Sink it down into the substrate so the top is flush with the substrate. It should be big enough for the whole tortoise to get into and then a little more. Too big will hurt nothing. Too small will keep him out of it. Since your new baby was so dry for so long, I would soak every other day for a few weeks, just to make sure she is super well hydrated. This will also help the internal organs, the GI tract and hopefully prevent any further complications due to long term chronic dehydration.