Spazz_Attack24
Member
How do you guys keep your tort happy and healthy when they cant go outside for the sun and to move around, do i need to tort proof a bedroom for winter time?
cold weather question
- Thread starter Spazz_Attack24
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What size tortoise do you have?
I have a insulated and heated tortoise shed and they each have a large area for winter. It's heated, has basking areas and brightly lighted.
If you can't do a shed and you have a fairly large tortoise, basically anything other than Mediterranean species, star, or pancakes, they will need a room size enclosure.
The smaller ones I listed can have smaller than a room size, but no smaller than an 4x8 larger would be better.
I have a insulated and heated tortoise shed and they each have a large area for winter. It's heated, has basking areas and brightly lighted.
If you can't do a shed and you have a fairly large tortoise, basically anything other than Mediterranean species, star, or pancakes, they will need a room size enclosure.
The smaller ones I listed can have smaller than a room size, but no smaller than an 4x8 larger would be better.
Spazz_Attack24
Member
I have 2 Russian tortoises that are about 5 inches big
A couple of 4x8 foot enclosures should suffice to get them through the less than ideal weather. With some hides, logs, big rocks and that sort of thing, they should be fine. If you brumate them, their indoor time will seem even shorter.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
You don’t house them in the same enclosure do you? tortoise of any species should NEVER be housed in pairs under any circumstances, they’re incredibly territorial, behaviours that look cute to us really aren’t, following one another and sleeping huddled up is all bullying the the tortoise world, you’ll eventually see more extreme signs of aggression. Anyone who tells you pairs are fine, have no idea what they’re talking about.
Small groups are ok when there’s lots of land and the correct male to female ratio.
As mentioned above, two 4x8 foot enclosures will suffice for winter time, I think you’ll hopefully find this thread useful to look through, it goes over correct equipment, appropriately maintaining humidity, correct level etc, there’s lots of visual examples and a good link for the diet side of things
Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...
tortoiseforum.org
This one is also handy to make sure you’re avoiding incorrect equipment(very easily done) and materials etc
Common keeping errors
Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...
tortoiseforum.org
Hope they help!
Spazz_Attack24
Member
There outside together in a huge yard with me watching them of course or my husband they get there snack time outside they only inside at night or when the weather is not good for themYou don’t house them in the same enclosure do you? tortoise of any species should NEVER be housed in pairs under any circumstances, they’re incredibly territorial, behaviours that look cute to us really aren’t, following one another and sleeping huddled up is all bullying the the tortoise world, you’ll eventually see more extreme signs of aggression. Anyone who tells you pairs are fine, have no idea what they’re talking about.
Small groups are ok when there’s lots of land and the correct male to female ratio.
As mentioned above, two 4x8 foot enclosures will suffice for winter time, I think you’ll hopefully find this thread useful to look through, it goes over correct equipment, appropriately maintaining humidity, correct level etc, there’s lots of visual examples and a good link for the diet side of things
Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...
This one is also handy to make sure you’re avoiding incorrect equipment(very easily done) and materials etc
Common keeping errors
Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...
Hope they help!
We have extremely experienced tortoise keepers who tell YOU how to care for their tortoises. 2 Russians are a very bad deal no matter how much room they have. Russians are terribly aggressive. You need to separate them now before one stops eating and dies...oh welcome
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
They still do need separating unfortunately, as mentioned above, two Russians are a really bad idea no matter how much room they have, even if you are on hand to break them up constantly, the presence of one another is incredibly stressful for them both, the stress alone has proven to eventually be fatal, we’ve seen it here many times. I don’t say this stuff lightly
Spazz_Attack24
Member
They don't do nythi.g together they walk to opposite side of the yard one likes to dig while the other one loves to eat the grass they have never been aggressive towards one of the other . They eat at different times and loves to be outside I can't put a fence up in my front yard cuz the city won't let me do that is why they go there separate ways and plus when one was at the vet for a few days the other one stoped eating while she was away crush had an infection so we had to separate them but it didn't go well cuz the other one stoped eating till she came home
Spazz_Attack24
Member
Crush at the vet stoped eating also for a few days till we got them back together they grew up together so if I do that I'll be putting both at risk and I'm not doing that again
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
They are both at constant risk by letting them cohabitate, the reason the other stopped eating without the other one present is because they hate any kind of change, even the ones that are positive for them. They would eventually regain their appetite, you don’t need a huge fence between them, they just both need their own separate secure enclosures.
Theres multiple reasons it’s not advised to house pairs together, Russians are the worst species to do that with too, I don’t want you to find out the hard way.
I don’t suppose you’d mind attaching a photo of them both?
@Tom and @wellington have been on the forum a lot long than I have, they’re both very experienced and will tell you the countless instances they’ve witnessed of pairs on here that don’t end well
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately everything can be fine, but bullying can start later on too, read here about one example: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/w...together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114/
Plus, tortoise stress isn't really visible or easy to understand for us humans.
Plus, tortoise stress isn't really visible or easy to understand for us humans.
You can learn the easy way by separating them or the hard way and continue what you are doing. The problem with your way, your tortoises pay for what you do
I guess if you have more experience than the experienced members on this forum, then continue on
Btw, being held in pairs is a constant stress.
I guess if you have more experience than the experienced members on this forum, then continue on
Btw, being held in pairs is a constant stress.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Could you look into other ways of separating them than building a permanent fence?
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Two raised garden bed enclosures would be good!
What was the infection from?
Are they loose in the front yard and not in an enclosure?
Tortoises don't get lonely and miss their friends? Other tortoises are not seen as friends. They are seen as competitors and intruders to be driven away.
We are trying to help you avoid common pitfalls.
Spazz_Attack24
Member
The easiest way to keep russians over winter is to allow them to brumate.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
I hope we’ve not put you off the forum by recommending you house them separately, I promise it’s come from the kindest of places and us wanting everyone to have a positive keeping experience, we’ve seen many, too many sad results of housing two together like this, it can sometimes take a long time to happen, they’re hardy, but it does happen
they’ll definitely be much happier in their own space, it’ll take them time to adjust but I promise you they will, things move slowly with tortoises
They’re both gorgeous btw!
You could brumate them over winter, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing that(plenty of people don’t) then adequately heated and lit indoor enclosures will be your best bet, hopefully this thread here will help you, it’ll be worth a read either way to double check all your indoor equipment and levels are correct
it can be so easy to have the wrong bulb types! Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...
tortoiseforum.org
I hope to see you stick around! You’ll soon see why so many tortoise owners love this community here! We all genuinely care for each others tortoises
Feel free to check out the brumation thread too if you’re interested!
Tom's Brumation Thread
Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...
tortoiseforum.org
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
The second link I added here is good to look through too!You don’t house them in the same enclosure do you? tortoise of any species should NEVER be housed in pairs under any circumstances, they’re incredibly territorial, behaviours that look cute to us really aren’t, following one another and sleeping huddled up is all bullying the the tortoise world, you’ll eventually see more extreme signs of aggression. Anyone who tells you pairs are fine, have no idea what they’re talking about.
Small groups are ok when there’s lots of land and the correct male to female ratio.
As mentioned above, two 4x8 foot enclosures will suffice for winter time, I think you’ll hopefully find this thread useful to look through, it goes over correct equipment, appropriately maintaining humidity, correct level etc, there’s lots of visual examples and a good link for the diet side of things
Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors
Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...
This one is also handy to make sure you’re avoiding incorrect equipment(very easily done) and materials etc
Common keeping errors
Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...
Hope they help!
