Female Russian tortoise family needs home

[alcws0107]

We have had our family of female Russian tortoises for years now and it is breaking our hearts but...life's circumstances have changed for us and I am looking for a DEVOTED home for our family. With the passing of my Father, we are making room in our home to move others in and the tortoise room must become a bedroom. Our females range from 575 to 800 grams. All are good eaters and we very much want to keep the family together if at all possible.

 

[alcws0107]

We have had our family of female Russian tortoises for years now and it is breaking our hearts but...life's circumstances have changed for us and I am looking for a DEVOTED home for our family. With the passing of my Father, we are making room in our home to move others in and the tortoise room must become a bedroom. Our females range from 575 to 800 grams. All are good eaters and we very much want to keep the family together if at all possible.The family comes with thier 4x6 tortoise table and thier 8x8 outdoor fully enclosed pen if it is before the ground is fully frozen. We also have a full winter's butternut squash as I plant my garden around my animals. These girls have had fresh kale, romaine, radichio, etc all season.View attachment 222693 View attachment 222694 View attachment 222695 View attachment 222693 View attachment 222694 View attachment 222695

 

[Carol S]

I see from the picture that they have a very nice outside pen. Can't you keep them outside in the Summer and then in the Winter box them up and hibernate them in the garage or other suitable area? I hibernate my adults Russian tortoises. I can tell from the pictures that they are loved and well taken care of and I know you will be very sad to give them up. Even though you have to give up your tortoise room I think you could still keep them.

 

[alcws0107]

I have been told hibernating them is very difficult and you can risk losing them. Our garage has a heater in it so it is temperature controlled...I still would not be comfortable.
To be honest, I am a little neurotic and even bring them indoors overnight in the summer(much to my husband's dismay!)
My old vet had said she believed in reincarnation...she would come back as one of my animals.

 

[JoesMum]

Hibernation isn’t dangerous for a healthy tortoise. You can use a fridge which keeps the temperature stable (not the one you use for your food as you go into it too often).

Russians are particularly hardy due to the climate of their home range.

Anyway, I wish you luck with finding a new home

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Where do you live? I have two females now and am looking to add more. I actually have two females and two males. I have to keep them separate. They are well taken care of. Looking for more females to set up two family groups.
Will you ship?

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I live 7 to 9 hours from you

 

[alcws0107]

I live in Chillicothe IL. Boy, don't know what it takes to ship animals at this time of year and how safe it is for them. If I can get advice.
Am very much wanting to keep the family together. Are you willing to get all four?
Would you pay shipping?

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I live in Chillicothe IL. Boy, don't know what it takes to ship animals at this time of year and how safe it is for them. If I can get advice.
Am very much wanting to keep the family together. Are you willing to get all four?
Would you pay shipping?

Yes or possibly will just come and get them

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I will have to wait till the 1st or 3rd of Dec to do it.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

This would also give me time to set up another habitat for them. What are they currently in now? Are they all kept together? What are you feeding them? Sorry for the questions but I just want to be set up for them.

 

[alcws0107]

I WANT the questions as it shows you care what they are eating now and will keep them well fed and not change it drastically. You may take our habitat if you have an SUV. We just unscrew the top with the lights when we roll it out of the room. It is on caster wheels. They are on romaine, kale, radichio, butternut squash.
I feel better about driving down than shipping them. I work on Fridays but am off the 2nd and 3rd.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Sounds good to me. I do have an suv, so that works out great. We can try for the second. I will pm you my phone number and we can get the address that way. Thanks. I will be honored.

 

[alcws0107]

My daughter will be SO happy they are going to someone who already has some. She was so worried the family would be broken up.
This has been SO devistating for us but events in life change.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Yes, I can totally understand this. I am the same way. I tend to rescue animals and they stay with me. They will be well taken care of. I will have to enlarge my outdoor enclosure this spring but that is no problem. I have plenty room to do this. They are also set up so no other animals, dos etc can get to them and I don’t leave them out if it gets cool. At this time I have four Russians and one box turtle. I did lose my other box turtle this last month. Don’t know what happened, he just passed. I have had these Russians for about two years now and get all my info from the tortoise forum, they are the best. All have urges lights and che heat sources. I tend to keep them in a close enclosure inside so I can control the heat and humidity better. I can fix that on the enclosure you have too, not hard for me to build anything. I do feed them many different weeds, some collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and anything else I can find that is good for them.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

My enclosure outside is about 20 x 20 but I can double that or more if I need to. I like to dig in hides for them and I plant the enclosure with teustado seed mix which is all good stuff for them. This year I plan on adding more plants. The sides of the enclosure are buried at least a foot so they can not dig out. And I can section off different areas as needed.
Just wanted to ease your mind a bit. They will be taken care of.

 

[alcws0107]

Are we still making plans? I am having problems getting responses from the number you provided.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Yes, I just pm a message to you. For whatever reason, I did not get the text

 

[alcws0107]

Ok. I think the original message said 303 instead of 330 but I could have just copied it incorrectly too.
Thanks again.
Will resend the message on Friday. I am getting Thanksgiving dinner ready right now.
Right now I am very thankful my girls still have a new family to go to!
Happy Thanksgiving.