Another new owner.

[Mr Buster]

I got him two days ago. Won't eat regular lettuce or the rom. lettuce or snow peas I bought him. very active though, keeps circling the 45 gallon plastic home and trying to climb the walls. He will be strictly an indoor pet.

Got him on sale for about $85 from Pest Smart. Bought $135 for lamp stand, duel light holder, and heat and UV bulb. I don't think he has drank any water either. Not really concerned yet.

50 lbs of play sand mixed with redwood chips for flooring. A small plastic cave for shelter.

I am slightly concerned about the lights hurting his eyes. His name is Buster, after Buster Posey.

I read you should keep a stone in their to help their claws, any advice on texture of a rock ?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Your new tortoise is trying to escape so he can try to find his way back to his previous territory. Please read the care sheet and make some changes to how you have him set up and to his diet:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. I agree, changes need to be made. Also he needs to have an outdoor enclosure for the warm weather.
BTW. GO CHICAGO CUBS!
Sorry, just had to do it. You know the BP thing. Oh well, better luck to ya next year, NOT

 

[Mr Buster]

Yes, the sand was a mistake because I took the advice of someone on YTube.

When I got him I originally planned to place him in a large fish tank I was not using. He started walking into the glass and then I read they do not understand the concept of glass, so I went with some advice offered and went with the plastic bin. A lot of people seem to use them. I don't think I will go with a glass tank again but I am thinking about building a wooden hutch type enclosure and going with a metal screen so he can see out and also so I can see him without standing over him.

I really like this site, learning a lot.

 

[Mr Buster]

After I soaked him and put him back in his pen, he attacked the romaine lettuce. Hopefully he is recognizing this as his territory now. He keeps rubbing his left eye.

 

[wellington]

What kind of UVB bulb are you using?

 

[JoesMum]

He has a dual lamp holder according to the opening post which suggests a compact UVB.

These compact bulbs are frequently the cause of eye problems in torts.

I recommend that this bulb is removed immediately. Replace with a long tube type fitting or replace both bulbs with a single mercury Vapour bulb (MVB)

 

[Mr Buster]

He has a dual lamp holder according to the opening post which suggests a compact UVB.

These compact bulbs are frequently the cause of eye problems in torts.

I recommend that this bulb is removed immediately. Replace with a long tube type fitting or replace both bulbs with a single mercury Vapour bulb (MVB)

Yeah, I just replaced the uvb bulb with one of those "cheap" vapour bulbs (lol). I originally bought a the coil uvb bulb which I think drove him into his cave and a "basking" bulb that raised the temperature a whopping 5 degrees.

Talk about throwing money away... happens every time I buy a pet. Blood thirsty pet stores.

I did happen to read something online about cuttlebone. I used to use it when I had parakeets as a kid. This person wrote that they put it in the turtle habitat and that only when the turtle needed calcium it would disappear, like if a young Russian was having a growth spurt or if the tortoise was pregnant then they would increase their calcium intake by going after the cuttlebone.

 

[JoesMum]

Put cuttlebone in and leave it there. Some ignore it. Some love a good chew. It helps with beak maintenance as well as calcium.

 

[Mr Buster]

Thanks.

 

[saginawhxc]

I leave my Russian's cuttlebone next to his dish on a large piece of slate. I've seen signs he has nibbled at it a few times.

I have a sulcata baby that is about 5-6 inches, and he has ignored his cuttlebone for months. Yesterday out of nowhere he ate half the dang thing.

Anyways, welcome to the forum Mr Buster. This is a fantastic place to learn. From now on just ignore those yahoo's over on YouTube and just come here. All the information can seem a little overwhelming at first, but if you stick with it we will help you make sure you tort thrives.