Hello

[Laurie]

Saying Hello!

Hello all, I'm glad I've found these forums! I have a lot to learn : )
I purchased a russian tortoise as a christmas present for my son, who is 19 years old and actually works at the pet store. We did ended up buying a 40 gallon tank for her (im going to blockout the glass, it doesnt appear to bother her much for now) , which I now understand is not the best option. We will build her an enclosure outside when the temperatures warm up, (were in NY). We are all setup with the uvb lights, heating lamp and a night time lamp. I also like the way the top screen clips closed as we have four cats that we are keeping out : )
I know I purchased this for my son, but I absolutely love her!! I was thinking about getting more : ) We have been soaking her about every other day, she doesnt seem to like it though. I think maybe the water was too cold. After we had her for about a week, we brought her to a reptile vet (nothing wrong) to check her overall health and answer some questions we had. He said he would guess her age to be around 6-9 months, and she got an excellent bill of health : )
The vet also suggested along with D3 and calcium supplements, that we give her something with vit A in it as well for eye health. I have found supplements with beta caratene(sp), is this accpetable.
Sorry for the long intro, I just cant believe how much I love this little tort! I want to keep her healthy. The first night we had her, I couldnt even touch her ( ya, I was afraid of her), now she lets me rub her little neck : )

 

[Laurie]

Hello all! I purchased a russian tort for my 19 y/o son as a Christmas present. Her name is Joy. We have her set up in a 40 gallon tank, which I now understand isn't the best option. We will build her an enclosure outside when the weather is warmer. I just love her so much : ) I was afraid to touch her the first night..lol. Now I have a hard time keeping my hands off her!

 

[Laurie]

Sorry for double post, didn't realize they had to be "approved" , thought I didn't hit post thread

 

[dmarcus]

Hello Laurie and welcome to the forum...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Laurie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know where you are?

Please look at the Russian tortoise in these pictures:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Yesterday-s-rescued-box-tortoise#axzz1i2LfoX3p

The young gal who kept this tortoise also loved it very much. Of course, you're already one step ahead of her because you've joined the forum! But please remember that tortoises are wild animals (they haven't undergone years and years of human intervention to make them domesticated) and as such need to be outside in the sun. I understand that during cold weather they have to be housed indoors, but outside whenever possible is always best. You should think in terms of the outside habitat is the main habitat and the indoor habitat is secondary.

 

[Laurie]

Thanks for the welcomes : )

I totally understand that these are wild creatures and the best thing for them is to be in a natural habitat with natural sunlight, Yvonne. We will be building, when I say we I mean my husband , a safe enclosure for her when it gets warm enough outside. We are in upstate New York and it is a balmy 19F degrees out right now.

Can anyone recommend a brand of supplements for her, I found in the pet store flukkers d3 and calcium powder. I'm not sure how much to give, the label says 1 tbsp per pound of food. We are feeding different greens (romaine, collard, endive, and mustard) this week, I dont think anywhere near a pound! The vet recommended we just leave a dish full in the tank for a couple hours each day. He also recommended vit A supplements, but I didnt see any. I was a little rushed when I was in store, so I will def have to research this a little more. Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Laurie:

A small dish of calcium in the habitat is a good idea. They take it when they feel the need for it. If you decide to put it on the food, don't put too much...just a pinch.

Vitamin A is very easy for the tortoise to get from their food. Quite a few of the dark, leafy greens are high in vitamin A. There's no need to supplement that vitamin.

 

[Utah Lynn]

Welcome Laurie. These are such cute little guys. Good Luck.

 

[Floof]

Welcome to the forum!!

How big is your tort? My concern with your tank isn't the glass (I keep both my Russians and my Leopard tort in tanks; it's not a bad option unless your specific tort is stressed by the see-through factor), but the size. A 40 gallon is alright for a young tortoise, but, as it grows (or if your vet was mistaken on its age and we're actually talking about an adult Russian--4+ inches in shell length), the 40 gallon will be much too small.

Make sure you do some reading on UVB lighting. Not all bulbs are created equal. And, of course, nothing beats good ol' natural, unfiltered sunlight. Not an option during a New York winter, but, like Yvonne said, you'll want to plan an outdoor enclosure for the summer.

 

[pam]

Welcome Laurie I am the proud owner of 6 russian tortoises and I use TNT Total Nutrition for tortoises lightly sprinkle it over slightly dampened greens 2 to 3x per week. I got it at www.carolinapetsupply.com A healthy tortoise is a happy tortoise Good luck

 

[bubbles01]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

 

[pdrobber]

welcome

 

[Tony the tank]

Welcome

 

[Laurie]

Here is a pic of Joy, I hope this works, I'm doing it from the app on my phone

 

[Floof]

She's very nice looking! I don't think she's as young as 6-9 months, though--it can be hard to judge size from a pic, but, guessing size by the amount of growth, she definitely looks like an adult.

You will want to look into a larger enclosure--a 40 gallon is going to be too small for an adult. Tortoises like big space, so the more room you can give her, the better! For a size to start at, though, my personal opinion of the ideal enclosure size to start at for an average sized Russian is 6 feet long and at least 1.5 feet wide (preferably wider). You can get away with smaller, but they truly do love their space to roam.

Just my $.02.

 

[Laurie]

Floof, I was thinking the same thing, that we are going to need something larger. My husband and I are already sketching out some ideas I also think she is older, to give you an idea of size, she measures in at slightly over 4" and weighs in at a whopping 374grams

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We are also trying to come up with ideas for a safe summer enclosure outside. We have a family of some type of hawk that has been staying in our backyard for the last four summers. I'm not sure what kind of hawks they are, but they are large and we have seen them eating chipmunks . So I'm guessing something with a top!

 

[ShadowRancher]

Beautiful tort! They do just steal you heart don't they? Sounds like you have plans, if you think it might take you too long on the new indoor enclosure may I suggest a large cement mixing tub from Lowes or an artificial Christmas tree box (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YUUOH0/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20) don't buy the box on amazon they are about $25 at Walmart.

Neither of these are really big enough for an adult Russian from what I understand, but it's an easy (and reusable) fix if you are not sure how to start building your own.

Oh and keep in mind that they are escape artists...you'll want your outdoor one 100% secure from the hawks and from Joy

Good luck, and keep us updated!