Can I keep the soil moist? Russian tort

[Damkri]

Hi I have a large enclosure for my 2 year old, built it with wood, has open top, and many interactive things to do.

The vet said "to get the shell smooth, around edges so they're not sharp, and to get rid of the dry skin around her neck, she needs to dig deeper with children sand mixed with top soil and spray the bottom of the soil with water, as if you squeeze the soil together it should stick"

I understand that this may be good, but I'm worries because most forum say don't have humidity or wetness unless the bath or water bowl.

Has anyone else done what the vet advised? How many cm deep should I have it, for a 2 year old?
Cleaning it once a month is ok?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Welcome to the forum! It’s great that you found us.
Your tortoise absolutely does need a moist substrate, and it seems that your vet is semi correct. You shouldn’t use sand in any amount, but the rest is true.
Give these links a read, and come back with questions
Russian Tortoise Care Sheet

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...hp?threads/Russian-Tortoise-Care-Sheet.80698/
Beginner Mistakes

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
This forum is the only place with 100% true info, and almost everything else online is false. I would forget everything you’ve learned about tortoises, and start new here.

 

[Damkri]

Hey, unfortunately when I open the sites, it takes me back to the beginning with no forum. Are you able to tell me how to keep the bottom moist, also what should I mix the top soil with?

 

[TechnoCheese]

Huh, have you tried pasting it into your browser?
Let me paste them again-
Russian Tortoise Care Sheet
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Russian-Tortoise-Care-Sheet.80698/
Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Beginner-Mistakes.45180/
If it still doesn’t work, try downloading our app and clicking on them. That usually works.
You don’t need just the bottom to be moist, you need all of the substrate to be. Replace your substrate with coco coir, peat moss, cypress mulch, or fine grade orchid bark, and wet them. You can also mix some of those together.

 

[Tom]

Hi I have a large enclosure for my 2 year old, built it with wood, has open top, and many interactive things to do.

The vet said "to get the shell smooth, around edges so they're not sharp, and to get rid of the dry skin around her neck, she needs to dig deeper with children sand mixed with top soil and spray the bottom of the soil with water, as if you squeeze the soil together it should stick"

I understand that this may be good, but I'm worries because most forum say don't have humidity or wetness unless the bath or water bowl.

Has anyone else done what the vet advised? How many cm deep should I have it, for a 2 year old?
Cleaning it once a month is ok?

Hello and welcome.

I wouldn't use bought in a bag soil or "topsoil" because there is no way to know what composted material it is made with. They sell it for planting plant, not for live animals to live on. Its also very messy when wet and dirty when dry.

I prefer to use damp coco coir when they are less than 4 inches and fine grade orchid bark when they are larger. Use at least 3-4 inches of substrate for a baby and 5-6 inches for an adult.

You should also use a humid hide for them.

If you soak your tortoise regularly, they will usually do all of their pooping in the soak water. If you remove leftover food and spot clean the substrate as needed daily, you don't ever have to replace your substrate.

 

[Eduardo Hernandez]

The other comments are great, but I would like to ask how big your tort is? Seems to me like he could be potentially older than you might think, judging from the picture it looks almost full grown.

 

[Damkri]

Here, you can see the size of my tort next to my hand. Thank you for all your messages I will buy coco coir now, mixed with... what can I mix it with that will sell it at petsworld.
Kind regards

 

[TechnoCheese]

Here, you can see the size of my tort next to my hand. Thank you for all your messages I will buy coco coir now, mixed with... what can I mix it with that will sell it at petsworld.
Kind regards

I would buy it at a hardware store. You don’t have to mix it with anything, but if you choose to, I would buy a giant bag of peat moss or fine grade cypress mulch, and if you can find it, fine grade orchid bark/fir bark. Make sure that anything you buy is organic and doesn’t have any additives.

 

[Damkri]

Thank you to technocheese, Eduardo and Tom, you were all very helpful and I ended up getting coco mixed with orchid bark, it looks nice and smells clean and I hope I get his neck skin and shell sorted. I give him a bath everyday. We bought a sheet of wood from b&q for 30 pounds and they cut it for free for you, then we drilled the panels together, we made a small house in the enclosure. I uploaded a picture.
Kind regards