About Leo and open for advice

[emily396]

I recently got a tortoise about 6 months ago from someone who couldnt take care of them anymore. He came with a female they were housed together, and i could only buy them if i got both. They were kept in a clothes drawer with rabbit bedding and no light, so Leonardo, my Russian Tortoise, got quite an upgrade in my opinion, and so did the female which is in the care of a family friend! hes about 4.5 inches long, i was told he was 2.5 years old and captive bred by a person they got the tortoise from. Im doing the best i can raising him, and any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

I house him in a 2x3 ft wooden box (the largest i can go until i move out!) with damp coco coir substrate.

Lighting is a heat lamp on one side around 85 with the cool side about 70, with a large shallow bowl filled with water, changed daily and a 1x1 ft tile to eat on. Soaking 2-3 times a week for 15-20 mins. Bathe once weekly.

I feed him collard greens, turnip greens, kale, i gave him watermelon like a month ago i dont like to overdo it with the fruit but he went crazyyy for it! The pellet food i have for him is ZooMed grassland that hes super picky about so i mix it with a lot of romaine lettuce. Little bit of calcium once a week, and keep a cuttlebone.

 

[Tom]

Looks like you are doing pretty good.

Basking area needs to be a little warmer. Get it up to 95ish directly under the bulb.

The diet needs improvement. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole, but use lots of variety. When spring returns, look into the right weeds, leaves and flowers.

Give these a read through:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[wellington]

For more room for him, think about building a second level. Lots of people do this that have little room for enclosures.

 

[emily396]

Looks like you are doing pretty good.

Basking area needs to be a little warmer. Get it up to 95ish directly under the bulb.

The diet needs improvement. If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole, but use lots of variety. When spring returns, look into the right weeds, leaves and flowers.

Give these a read through:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Okay! Ill try and put the bulb a little more closer i put it the closest i could and the box is a bit tall but ill try a couple things to get it to that temperature i tried to give him dandelion and clovers during the spring, and he doesnt like them i dont know why, ive read its a favorite for them, hes just so picky and will starve before he eats something he doesnt like its a bit frustrating even when i mix the weeds with the grocery greens he likes he picks them out lol!

 

[emily396]

For more room for him, think about building a second level. Lots of people do this that have little room for enclosures.

Ive definitely thought about that for a long time now! I was just going to wait until i make that large box for him, but the box i have now definitely has the height for a second level, and hes so active i think hed love to climb to that second story, thank you for your input!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[Stuart S.]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

Introducing foods can take a long time; we promise you your tort won’t starve itself to death. They can go a loooooong time without eating. My tortoise took about five months to switch completely over to weeds; a month or two to switch to a better version of grocery store foods.

To introduce the new food, take a little bit of it and chop it very fine. Get his regular food a bit damp and mix in the new, so that he can’t eat without taking a little bit of a bite. Over time you can reduce the other foods.

No watermelon, ever. If you’d like to give him a treat, a hibiscus flower or unsprayed rose is good. Red is their favorite color, if you happen to have something in that shade.

 

[emily396]

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you!

 

[emily396]

Welcome!

Introducing foods can take a long time; we promise you your tort won’t starve itself to death. They can go a loooooong time without eating. My tortoise took about five months to switch completely over to weeds; a month or two to switch to a better version of grocery store foods.

To introduce the new food, take a little bit of it and chop it very fine. Get his regular food a bit damp and mix in the new, so that he can’t eat without taking a little bit of a bite. Over time you can reduce the other foods.

No watermelon, ever. If you’d like to give him a treat, a hibiscus flower or unsprayed rose is good. Red is their favorite color, if you happen to have something in that shade.

Oh okay, thank you i didnt know that couldnt have that :/ i wont feed him it again, but i have roses in my front yard! Ill see if he likes them when they bloom im slowly getting him to eat his tortoise pellets hes eating a tiny bit for now, but maybe in a couple months he could eat it regularly thank you so much for your input!

 

[emily396]

Hi
View attachment 229866

Thank you!