Eating
- Thread starter Tonisialenny
- Start date
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
That's... Strange. My Russian would only eat grass if I held it up to her nose and encouraged her ( I didn't know much about tortoise nutrition back then ). Russians aren't really grass eating tortoises. I don't think an all-grass diet is sufficient. What are you attempting to feed your Russian? Do you have a good bulb (for heat and UV) in his indoor enclosure? When my Russian was brand-new (to me, she was 6 months already) she didn't eat until the second day, when I had a UV/heat lamp set up. Also, if you're allowing your Russian to eat things from outside, you must verify that there have been no chemicals whatsoever put in the lawn for at least the last year.
Tonisialenny
New Member
Mines 2 months and he didn’t eat for a week after I got him he has all the right care stuff his uv his heat lamp he even has a heat emitter and a small heating pad I have a patch of gras in there that I got from Lowe’s and he will eat that when he’s in his enclosure but I also have an aloe vera plant in there that he hasn’t touched he literally only likes gras? I’ve offered ice berg ( I know it’s not nutritional) I’ve offered pellets, carrots, spinach, watermelon he won’t eat any of it
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
Carrots should be an occasional treat (once or twice per month). Spinach is not good for torties. No iceberg and no watermelon! Sorry, I know this is tough, but those foods aren't good for your tortoise. Do you have kale? Does dandelion grow in your yard? (The weed, the yellow weed flowers)? Clover, field madder, creeping nellie, diplodica were all tortoise friendly weeds I discovered were growing in my yard. If you don't have this for a day or two, feed a little bit of romaine lettuce (even that isn't too good for tortoises but it is better than iceberg). Where did you buy your tortoise, also? It may not be 2 months. This is another user's two month Russian. 
Finally, I've read that Russians can eat grass... But usually only when they're desperate.
Finally, I've read that Russians can eat grass... But usually only when they're desperate.
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
See, your tortoise's claws are much more grown than this little guy's!
Tonisialenny
New Member
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Tonisialenny
New Member
they told me he was 2 weeks old when I bought him and he was ab as big as that one thank you for letting me know about the food ? I didn’tjnow I am going to plant some dandelions in his enclosure and offer him some kale and see if he will eat that I think he’s healthy and happy tho he’s very active I got him from petsmart
Tonisialenny
New Member
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
Petsmart isn't allowed to sell babies 
Only adults (bigger than 4")
Although in that second picture your tortie did look pretty small.
A few more things: it's good that you're changing up the diet- there are more guides and different people have set up a few for Russians. I think the aloe plant is too high up for your little guy to eat! Also, his indoor enclosure looks too small. Here are some people with more/maybe better advice: @Tom @TechnoCheese
Only adults (bigger than 4")
Although in that second picture your tortie did look pretty small.
A few more things: it's good that you're changing up the diet- there are more guides and different people have set up a few for Russians. I think the aloe plant is too high up for your little guy to eat! Also, his indoor enclosure looks too small. Here are some people with more/maybe better advice: @Tom @TechnoCheese
Tonisialenny
New Member
O no I got the one they told me to get ? it’s a 50 gal petsmart sucks !! They even told me he was a red footed but I knew he wasn’t the moment I looked at him I wonder how old he is ? I thought he was just a baby
Tonisialenny
New Member
Ugh I’m such a bad tortie mom ??? thanks for the help !
Same thing with your water bowl/dish. Torts really won’t crawl up into them. its best to get a flat terra cotta plant saucer and sink it down into the substrate so tortie goes down into the bowl.
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
No, you're just working off the wrong information! There's a whole bunch of info on here! You'll be doing great in no time! What's your Russian's name?
And I've heard on here they are typically 4 or more years old.
herpivore
New Member
Yeah, PetSmart and other big chains probably still get them from their natural habitat - young adults & mostly male.
A 2 week old tortoise would still have a visible umbilical scar or even still be absorbing it.
The shell looks like several years old (and in somewhat rough shape - either kept poorly at some point, or too close to a heat lamp).
Feed a varied diet (more than one type of greens per feeding, and change it every feeding). Mix in some pellets, minerals, etc.
If your tortoise won't eat chopped greens in a dish, mix in chopped grass clippings. If that doesn't help, scatter bite-sized chopped greens on the ground while it's eating grass outside.
It could be your tortoise doesn't know to eat provided food if it was recently captured in the wild.
One would hope PetSmart or their importer did something for parasites, but it would definitely be a good idea to get a check-up.
A 2 week old tortoise would still have a visible umbilical scar or even still be absorbing it.
The shell looks like several years old (and in somewhat rough shape - either kept poorly at some point, or too close to a heat lamp).
Feed a varied diet (more than one type of greens per feeding, and change it every feeding). Mix in some pellets, minerals, etc.
If your tortoise won't eat chopped greens in a dish, mix in chopped grass clippings. If that doesn't help, scatter bite-sized chopped greens on the ground while it's eating grass outside.
It could be your tortoise doesn't know to eat provided food if it was recently captured in the wild.
One would hope PetSmart or their importer did something for parasites, but it would definitely be a good idea to get a check-up.
herpivore
New Member
If the store employee told you it was a redfoot tortoise, they were probably wrong about its age as well (maybe that's how long it had been in the store, and they were confused).
A word of caution about that water dish - if your tortoise tries to get a drink or have a soak, it may fall in. If it falls in upside down and can't right itself, it could be fatal.
Take-out container lids or terracotta saucers work well and are easy to clean. Really anything that holds water and is less than an inch high is a good water bowl for a small tortoise. I've even used small glass bowls from Dollar Tree (though the tortoises often have to learn about clear glass ?).
A word of caution about that water dish - if your tortoise tries to get a drink or have a soak, it may fall in. If it falls in upside down and can't right itself, it could be fatal.
Take-out container lids or terracotta saucers work well and are easy to clean. Really anything that holds water and is less than an inch high is a good water bowl for a small tortoise. I've even used small glass bowls from Dollar Tree (though the tortoises often have to learn about clear glass ?).
Tonisialenny
New Member
His name is lennyy wow I didn’t know they got them out of the wild thats horrible he probably had no idea what’s going on ? I’m sad for him ?
Tonisialenny
New Member
Ya I think I’m gonna get him checked out thanks guys... wow the lady at pets mart gave me that water bowl ??♀️ They bogus asf
herpivore
New Member
Yeah, really good chance any wild-caught animal has parasites like worms & stuff.
The veterinarian can give medicine or give to you to administer (sometimes they need several doses). Usually imported animals for big pet chains are dosed but Lenny might still have something bugging him.
I'm pretty sure the pet store employees mean well, but they don't always obsess about animals and learn everything they can.
Now you've got responsibility for your tortoise, so learn all about how to provide a great home for him, give him lots of good food, and he will have a long, happy life with you.
The veterinarian can give medicine or give to you to administer (sometimes they need several doses). Usually imported animals for big pet chains are dosed but Lenny might still have something bugging him.
I'm pretty sure the pet store employees mean well, but they don't always obsess about animals and learn everything they can.
Now you've got responsibility for your tortoise, so learn all about how to provide a great home for him, give him lots of good food, and he will have a long, happy life with you.
Ruszian Tortoise
Active Member
Is Lenny eating now? Also, if you show us his stomach/back (plastron I believe) we can probably tell the gender.
Crush da Baum
Well-Known Member
Your not. Pet co and petsmart just sucks.
