Concerned for my baby Russian

[DeltaVulpes]

I’ll be the first to admit I’m extremely new to tortoise keeping and I don’t feel like I know as much as I should. I got Avery (four month old, unsexed) Russian from a semi local reptile specialty shop about two weeks ago. And as of late I haven’t been seeing them eat at all save for a bite every other day. They never really ate much since I’ve brought them home, the most I’ve seen them eat in a day is three (chopped) pieces of kale, so not much at all. And it’s only decreased from there. They live in a 20 gallon tank with coco coir as the substrate, I keep it between 40-50% humidity and the basking spot is around 90 degrees. The ambient temp is 80, formerly in the high 70s. At night it gets to the low 60s, They have a hide but prefer to burrow, and have a shallow water dish. I got them to poop a day ago and it seemed normal but nothing has changed since. And I’ve tried offering all sorts of different foods, dandelion, grass, aloe, tomato, even those stupid pellets. I’m racking my brain, I just want this little thing to be okay.

 

[jsheffield]

It's hard to go wrong raising the humidity a bit, and soaking them daily in warm water.

My Russian is a sucker for hibiscus flowers, and that's how I got him started eating when he first came to live with me.

Jamie

 

[DeltaVulpes]

I’ve been doing the daily soaks, they will eat a little bit of greens on occasion (maybe every other day) but it’s hardly anything. I’ll give the hibiscus a shot if I can find any, difficult this time of year. As an update, I’m sitting beside them while they’re out of the tank for a little and they keep throwing their head around and scratching at the side of their head. They have also constantly been biting at the air.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Here in the States there aren't that many Russian tortoise breeders, and you said you got Avery, a 4 month old Russian tortoise, from a Reptile specialty shop. 99% of Russian tortoises bought in shops are wild caught. This means they are NOT 4 months old, but rather, almost full grown. If this is the case, a 20 gallon aquarium is way too small for a full grown Russian tortoise. Because Russians are a small species pet shop keepers assume the animal is a youngster. Can we see pictures of Avery please?

Also, you said you got Avery, and thereafter in your post you refer to they and them. Did you get more than one tortoise? A 20 gallon aquarium is WAY too small for more than one tortoise.

Once we know the size/age of the tortoise we're talking about, we'll be better able to give you good information on how to get this animal to eat.

 

[jsheffield]

Butternut squash (you can buy a bag of frozen bites of it at a supermarket) is another food my guy enjoys a lot and gets occasionally... It's a bit starchy for regular feeding but as a treat or to prime the pump it may be worth trying... I wish I could help more.

Jamie

 

[DeltaVulpes]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Here in the States there aren't that many Russian tortoise breeders, and you said you got Avery, a 4 month old Russian tortoise, from a Reptile specialty shop. 99% of Russian tortoises bought in shops are wild caught. This means they are NOT 4 months old, but rather, almost full grown. If this is the case, a 20 gallon aquarium is way too small for a full grown Russian tortoise. Because Russians are a small species pet shop keepers assume the animal is a youngster. Can we see pictures of Avery please?

Also, you said you got Avery, and thereafter in your post you refer to they and them. Did you get more than one tortoise? A 20 gallon aquarium is WAY too small for more than one tortoise.

Once we know the size/age of the tortoise we're talking about, we'll be better able to give you good information on how to get this animal to eat.

Thanks for all the info, but I know they aren’t full grown, They are only about two inches maybe two and a half. Even if they are wild caught I’m positive they are still very young, I only say they because I don’t know the gender haha, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Yvonne G]

It's perfectly fine to refer to Avery as "he, him". We all do it.

Please read this: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

Try to find out what the person who raised these babies was feeding the tortoises. Sometimes they don't recognize new food items as something to eat and you have to go back and feed them what they're used to eating.

If you can't do that, then I suggest you try offering Avery some butter lettuce or maybe some iceburg lettuce. Once you get him actually eating, you can try adding more of the good greens, but chop them up into tiny pieces and mix it all up real good so he can't pick and choose.