hello all!

jobroyo

New Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
Hello everyone! I am a BIG newbie to tortoise care. I am going to be owning a Russian Tortoise very soon, and I want to provide the best care possible for her. I am doing lots of research and I have the basic facts down. I will be on here to learn about the community and my lil girl. Thank you!
 

teresaf

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2015
Messages
2,023
Location (City and/or State)
Port Charlotte, Florida
Welcome... This forum has the most knowledgeable breeders and owners out there. ALOT of new care info has been discovered due to folks on this forum. I hear Russians are great beginner torts. Very personable as torts go. One of the new discoveries is torts are solitary animals and don't need or want a buddy so don't 'accidentally' come home with two or you may find yourself building two enclosures in future. Also look around here at other enclosures to get an idea of minimum size requirements, types of lighting (no coil bulb), beddiing and food no-nos, ECT... Hopefully someone will be along to post a couple quick Links to beginner mistakes and others for Russian care. I don't know how. If buying from store I would suggest you not buy the ramped bowl(tipping/drowning hazard) the pet stores will try to foist off on you or really anything else. They don't know anything about torts.
 

jobroyo

New Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
Welcome... This forum has the most knowledgeable breeders and owners out there. ALOT of new care info has been discovered due to folks on this forum. I hear Russians are great beginner torts. Very personable as torts go. One of the new discoveries is torts are solitary animals and don't need or want a buddy so don't 'accidentally' come home with two or you may find yourself building two enclosures in future. Also look around here at other enclosures to get an idea of minimum size requirements, types of lighting (no coil bulb), beddiing and food no-nos, ECT... Hopefully someone will be along to post a couple quick Links to beginner mistakes and others for Russian care. I don't know how. If buying from store I would suggest you not buy the ramped bowl(tipping/drowning hazard) the pet stores will try to foist off on you or really anything else. They don't know anything about torts.
Thank you so much! I am planning on keeping her in a 45 gallon tub for TEMPORARY housing- only until I finish my final enclosure for her. (I am building it from the ground up.) My partner is INCREDIBLY reputable about reptiles in general, so he is really helping me figure all of this out. The owner I am getting her from does have a ramped bowl, so I will be replacing that. I visited the beginner mistakes thread- THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT. And you're right- pet stores can be utterly clueless. EDIT: My partner is training to become and exotic vet. I have a vet set up for my russian already and I will be getting her in about a month or sooner.
 

teresaf

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2015
Messages
2,023
Location (City and/or State)
Port Charlotte, Florida
I wish this site was required reading for exotic pet vets! Lol. ALOT of vets learned from outdated sources. This site has sooooooo many people joining to get help for a sick tortoise. We've heard pretty much all about injuries and illnesses known to man and tort on here and also what was done to fix them up.
 

jobroyo

New Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
I wish this site was required reading for exotic pet vets! Lol. ALOT of vets learned from outdated sources. This site has sooooooo many people joining to get help for a sick tortoise. We've heard pretty much all about injuries and illnesses known to man and tort on here and also what was done to fix them up.
You are completely right- outdated sources are absolutely horrible and almost always used. THANKFULLY my partner has his own collection (mostly snakes) and belongs to several forums for them. (If I wasn't with him, I probably would have never entered the community myself. I am so thankful I did)
 

jobroyo

New Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
26
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
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