Getting a Russian tortoise on Friday- new to this

Saltwater60

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So I’m getting a Russian tortoise probably not under the best circumstances. It is 5 years old and not being taken care of. It’s in a prebuilt tortoise shelter that is likely too small for it. It’s a female. I live in nys and will likely place it in my basement. I will make a new enclosure for it in a few months. I plan on it being about 4’ by about 6 feet with sides about 2’ high. I will have a heat lamp and uvb bulb for it. I will add enough substrate probably loose organic soil and pest Moss for her to dig a burrow. I plan to keep it outside during warmer months. My basement gets to about 60 over winter, but from what I read that should be fine. Humidity in my basement is 50-60% in winter and a bit higher over the summer. Summer humidity on my basement gets to 75-80%. I do run a dehumidifier, but I forget to empty it sometimes. If that occasional rise in humidity is a problem I can have the dehumidifier dump into my sump pump to eliminate this concern. I will have a heat pad. I plan to add some plants that are safe for her to eat, some cedar mulch in a small
section, logs, flat river rocks, and a water dish for her to soak in. I will feed spring mix salad organic if possible and a few other veggies with some fruit mixed in periodically. Do you think I need a calcium and vitamin supplement or not since she’s 5.
Let me know any tips or if you think I’m missing something. I don’t have much time to plan for this, but apparently it’s a bit of an emergency situation with her lacking care. I have experience with water turtles and have always wanted a tortoise. I’m 38 so I think I can handle it. I’d like to have a nice set up for her already and have done more research up front, but I think getting her a good home at this point is more important. I feel bad for her and she’s cute. The tortoise’s name will be Pricilla Rose!! Any help or advice would be great.

Here’s she is and her enclosure.
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Saltwater60

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Thanks. I did read that. I was just concerned about the basement storage.

Also I read 4x8 is the minimum, but not sure I can do that. I just measured and can do 5x7 or a stick over. The current set up is way under sized for her.
Also what materials do you build the tank set ups out of? Cedar boards for the sides are my plan, but the base not sure treated plywood is best or probably bad for them. What do you all use?

Also how much and how often do you feed them?
 

LaLaP

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Hi and Welcome! You'll want to line the bottom of the enclosure with some heavy plastic to keep the wood from rotting. So you don't have to worry about the wood being treated in that case. I used a thick shower curtain in one of my enclosures and some landscaping plastic in the other. I know some people used pond liners.
In your post you mentioned cedar mulch... don't use that. The only mulch that is ok is Cyprus and Fir (orchid bark is a very clean fir mulch). Also don't feed her fruit. Russians aren't naturally fruit eaters and don't do well with the sugar.
Have you read this thread...
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
It's a good one.
Get a temperature gun from a hardware store ($12) to spot check your temperatures and check the temps listed in the caresheet Maro2bear linked to. Your 60 degree basement is a good night temp but you'll want a higher day temp. Reread that caresheet and ask questions if you need to. Check out the diet section too. Spring mix is ok as part of a varied diet but you don't want that to be the only thing you feed. Russians don't eat a lot of the veggies we eat so check here before you feed.
Have fun getting to know your new tort! Add pics of the new enclosure and ask questions:)
 

Saltwater60

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Thank you so much. This is what I was looking for. Good thing is over the spring summer and fall I have growing in my garden a lot of things that this tortoise will eat. I don’t treat my lawn or garden with anything other than organic chicken poop. Lawn I don’t care if there are weeds.

Thebplastic liner is a great idea and I won’t go with mulch then until I find cypress, but I’ve never seen it in my area.

Again thank you and glad the basement will work. That means I can give her lots more room than she has now. I will get the temp gun, a heat lamp, and a heating pad to transition the temps for her.
 

LaLaP

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Oh I forgot to mention the heating pad... I've read that there are a couple safe brands but a lot of them aren't and will burn your tortoise. Kane is a brand I remember being a good one. BUT I believe that most people choose not to use a heat pad for a small species like a Russian. They are used to their heat coming from above (like the sun). I'd suggest skipping the heat pad and possibly getting a che ( ceramic heat emmitter) or a rhp (radiant heat panel).
 

SweetGreekTorts

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Jun 12, 2018
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Tucson, AZ
Thanks. I did read that. I was just concerned about the basement storage.

Also I read 4x8 is the minimum, but not sure I can do that. I just measured and can do 5x7 or a stick over. The current set up is way under sized for her.
Also what materials do you build the tank set ups out of? Cedar boards for the sides are my plan, but the base not sure treated plywood is best or probably bad for them. What do you all use?

Also how much and how often do you feed them?
I would recommend plywood instead of cedar. Both cedar and pine woods are toxic to tortoises because of their oils and fumes.
 

Saltwater60

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Ok thanks guys. That’s good. I’ll use a cabinet grade plywood that’s maple or something then.
I fell bad I can’t build her a bigger cage this coming week so she will have to be in this small thing for 2 weeks.

I got her tonight, well just now. She looks good to me. Her nails are a bit long and she seems kind of fat to me. Likely they fed her fruit and her cage is way too small. I think once she gets roaming around she will lose some weight. I feel bad the people I got her from had her a week, the people before that had her 4 months, the people before that had her about a year. This poor thing has been passed around like crazy. She’s not bothered by talking and the kid that I got her from was petting her on the head and she didn’t seem to care one bit.

She’s already and moving around. I didn’t even have her 5 minutes and I told my son to get her some raspberry leaves from the garden. She immediately turned and must have smelled them. She made a b line for them and munched down 4-5 leaves right away. She’s cute and her name is Pricilla Rose.

Here are some pictures let me know what you think.
 

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