Help/Advice wanted!!!

[vadas]

Hi all! My names vada!

So I'm "rescuing" a tortoise (ellie but i call her eloise bc it kinda rhymes with tortoise lol)

her previous owners did their best but just can't give her the best now and are rehoming

now we're 95% sure she's a russian Tortoise (we've owned a male before a few years ago and she looks similar, but im attaching a photo of her that i have so if im wrong pls correct me!)

as it's been a few years, i wanted to do more research to make sure i give her the absolute best i can

to note before i start:

they are giving us everything \*they\* have for her

including a tank and some other stuff

when i have all of it(either photos or when it gets here) ill attach photos

we do own a large tank because we have owned manu reptiles over the years so if the tank i am given isn't suitable, we *can* replace it

i have owned one tortoise before and several lizards

onto my questions

what is the ideal diet for her? what things should i be buying at the grocery/pet store

or foraging from outside( NO pesticides used on my property EVER btw, our family is VERY against it as our garden is a monarch way station and VERY pollinator friendly)

i live in the american east coast(northish but wont be more specific for my safety)

is there enrichment i can give her?

should i hold her? give her toys?

like i said its been awhile and when my family owned our last tortoise, we were youngish

we don't remember everything

please, if you have ANY advice, id really appreciate it

i want to do right by ellie

i want to be her new home and give her everything i can

 

[zovick]

Hi all! My names vada!

So I'm "rescuing" a tortoise (ellie but i call her eloise bc it kinda rhymes with tortoise lol)

her previous owners did their best but just can't give her the best now and are rehoming

now we're 95% sure she's a russian Tortoise (we've owned a male before a few years ago and she looks similar, but im attaching a photo of her that i have so if im wrong pls correct me!)

as it's been a few years, i wanted to do more research to make sure i give her the absolute best i can

to note before i start:

they are giving us everything \*they\* have for her

including a tank and some other stuff

when i have all of it(either photos or when it gets here) ill attach photos

we do own a large tank because we have owned manu reptiles over the years so if the tank i am given isn't suitable, we *can* replace it

i have owned one tortoise before and several lizards

onto my questions

what is the ideal diet for her? what things should i be buying at the grocery/pet store

or foraging from outside( NO pesticides used on my property EVER btw, our family is VERY against it as our garden is a monarch way station and VERY pollinator friendly)

i live in the american east coast(northish but wont be more specific for my safety)

is there enrichment i can give her?

should i hold her? give her toys?

like i said its been awhile and when my family owned our last tortoise, we were youngish

we don't remember everything

please, if you have ANY advice, id really appreciate it

i want to do right by ellie

i want to be her new home and give her everything i can
View attachment 399887View attachment 399888

Yes, it is a Russian Tortoise. It needs a much larger enclosure than what is pictured.

 

[wellington]

It is a russian. No tank is big enough, she needs a minimum of a 4x8 foot enclosure bigger if possible. The water dish is a hazzard, she needs a clay saucer big enough she can get in it. Best if she can be outside in a large enclosure for summer days.
She needs a basking bulb and a separate uvb tube light for when she is indoors. Not a mercury bulb, not a halogen bulb and not a cfl (coil) bulb.

 

[Tom]

Hi all! My names vada!

So I'm "rescuing" a tortoise (ellie but i call her eloise bc it kinda rhymes with tortoise lol)

her previous owners did their best but just can't give her the best now and are rehoming

now we're 95% sure she's a russian Tortoise (we've owned a male before a few years ago and she looks similar, but im attaching a photo of her that i have so if im wrong pls correct me!)

as it's been a few years, i wanted to do more research to make sure i give her the absolute best i can

to note before i start:

they are giving us everything \*they\* have for her

including a tank and some other stuff

when i have all of it(either photos or when it gets here) ill attach photos

we do own a large tank because we have owned manu reptiles over the years so if the tank i am given isn't suitable, we *can* replace it

i have owned one tortoise before and several lizards

onto my questions

what is the ideal diet for her? what things should i be buying at the grocery/pet store

or foraging from outside( NO pesticides used on my property EVER btw, our family is VERY against it as our garden is a monarch way station and VERY pollinator friendly)

i live in the american east coast(northish but wont be more specific for my safety)

is there enrichment i can give her?

should i hold her? give her toys?

like i said its been awhile and when my family owned our last tortoise, we were youngish

we don't remember everything

please, if you have ANY advice, id really appreciate it

i want to do right by ellie

i want to be her new home and give her everything i can
View attachment 399887View attachment 399888

Hello and welcome. Almost everything you asked is right here. Start with this, and then ask all your questions:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[TammyJ]

Hi, welcome to you and Ellie

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello vada! I’m catching up on a bunch of threads and came across your post, it’s wonderful you’ve offer an older tortoise a new home

You definitely have a Russian tortoise there(we can sex her for you if you add a pic of her plastron and tail), her beak looks like it could use a little trim. They’re very hands off type pets, they don’t like excessive handling, only do when absolutely necessary like when placing back n forth for a soak, weighing, general checks etc.

She does definitely need much more space both indoors and out, tortoises are the kind of animals that need very big spaces to roam, even the little guys, the ultimate enrichment with much needed health benefitsI would check the current basking bulb type, for indoors, it’s best going with
a separate uvb and heat set up(still mounted close) having combined heat and uv, means when adjusting your height to create the desired basking temperature, you’re messing with your UVI zone, they are much more desiccating on the shell and their uv output often very unreliable.
There’s the added fact of uv timing, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. Whilst not necessarily dangerous, it’s potentially annoying to the tortoise to have 12hours on uv in the enclosure.
The right uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, a ceramic(if ever needed) will run 24/7 on a thermostat, hope that all makes sense
The most recommended up to date indoor uv option is t5 tube fluorescent bulbs, they disperse the uv light over a much wider area. Recommended brands are Arcadia proT5 kit 12% or zoo med reptisun t5 10.0(hood usually sold separate)

For your substrate I’d ditch any of that dried hay bedding, it’ll mould with any moisture, and these guys aren’t grass eaters anyway.

In terms of diet, focus on a fresh variety of leafy greens, weeds, flowers, cactus pads, never any fruits.
The tortoise table is a brilliant source for all new tortoise parents, it covers a huge variety of plants, all sectioned into different categories with feeding guidelines and ones to avoid, you can give constant access to cuttlefish as a source of calcium.

Feel free to give these links a read!

For the indoor side of things, This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, definitely double check bulb types, folks unfortunately sold the wrong ones often), correct levels, appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and the tortoise table link

Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes lots of inspiration for an adult set up both indoors and out! The indoor bit has some good ideas to tackle indoor space whilst still providing the needed roaming room! Check comments too, I’m always adding to it, I have a huge back log I need to add.

Enclosure inspiration

Howdy folks! Hope everyone is well! As you all know, I’m a big fan of making threads that cater more towards visual learners like myself, I’ve really been wanting to create a thread full of adult enclosure inspiration for a while now, I’ve managed to find some great references over time! I do...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

I hope they can help you with this exciting new journey! Another tip enrichment wise, breaking their line of sight with visual barriers definitely encourages them to explore! There’s lots of ideas in the inspiration link.

Welcome to the forum!