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Angel Morla

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I have had my russian tortoise for about 1 1/2 weeks now. She is becoming comfortable in her home. Today I have found her to be incredibly observant. I noted her to be looking at the chord behind her tank. So I printed up a backdrop to hang there instead. She stood there and craned her neck and looked at that picture for a while. She fell asleep, then woke and looked at it some more. I have a picture of her looking at it. I read somewhere that I could put a little ball in with her. So I took on of my kids balls and put in in the tank. She walked straight over to it and again looked at it for a while. Then she pushed it with her head a bit. I also found her exploring her water area of the tank today. She was awake and alert for the longest I've seen her today. Yesterday she actually walked over to her empty food bowl, like she was asking to be fed.

What other behaviors do you notice with your tortoises?

How much do they tend to eat in a day? I find she tends to only eat once a day- and usually likes to eat in the early afternoon.

I think I know that her UV light needs to be on 12 hours a day. how long does the heat lamp need to be on? I assumed it was the same, but I"m not sure now... esp since the nights will be getting cooler (I know I"m in FL it's not that cold but still).

Thanks for your help!
My students are already in love with her and can't wait to start bringing in food for her. As soon as they come in the room they run to see her.
 

ascott

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If she is in a classroom you will want to know if the ac or heat is left on during the evenings so that you can be sure that the temps remain good all of the time....you may even need to provide night heat by use of a black heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter(if the classroom gets cold in the evening and considering winter will be approaching---especially since this is a tort that brumates in the wild--you will want to encourage her to remain awake, since I do not believe a brumating tort in a classroom with excited children would be a successful venture :)D)

Torts are a curious bunch...so observing her surroundings sounds normal to me...as well as her wanting desire leering at her empty food dish....normal (;))
 

kanalomele

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Nightly temperature drops are fine for Russians. If it gets cooler than 60 degrees then you may need some nighttime heat. Otherwise its fine to leave the lights and heat off. Glad you are so taken with your tort.
 

JenniandLeo

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I love all these observations you've had with her- I love watching mine, too- just trying to figure out what it is he's thinking.

Last week he kept climbing on top of his half-log hide out and then would fall (or jump?!) off the front- I kept telling him not to- but off he went!

I hadn't heard about the ball thing- I wonder if a lot of people have had experiences with it..? Is it like cat-toy-size or bigger? Fun.
 
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