I went to petco and took advantage of there 50% off reptile sale and got me a russian tortoise! I've been watching this tort for some weeks now and he's been very active. The petco rep said he is a she idk how true it is. I believe he is a he. My question is what do I do when I get him home? He has already pooped on transit in the petco box. I'm thinking of soaking him to clean him ad hydrate him. Is that a sign of stress?
Help With My New Russian Tort!!
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It's always good to do a warm soak when you get a new tort. Once you soak him/her, I would leave him/her to adjust to their new surroundings in their enclosure.
Yes , a twenty minute soak in luke warm water would be a good start. Then put "him" in your enclosure and give him some alone time to adjust. While he's adjusting check the care sheets on the forum to make sure your set up is correct for your new Russian.
Your water should only be as deep as the middle of his shell.
Good luck.
Your water should only be as deep as the middle of his shell.
Good luck.
Pooping on the journey home is not unusual. It is stress related. Joe reliably poops every time that I have to take him in the car, so the vet always ahas a fresh sample for testing for worms!
Get your new buddy into a routine at home so that he learns that you and his enclosure are safe.
Start each day with the heat and lights coming on with a timer.
Before he's warmed up properly, soak him for a good 20 minutes in warm water in a bowl he can't see out of.
Feed him straight after and then leave him alone to explore and be brave. Don't watch over him, it's intimidating.
Why not post a few pictures of your enclosure so that we can help you get it set up as good as possible?
Your tort needs a diet of leafy greens. He cannot digest sugars properly so fruit, including bell pepper, tomato and carrot, should only be fed very occasionally.
Make a list of plants that you can get outside and green stuff that you can buy in the grocery store and look them up in the Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed. http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp Buy something different each time so he gets variety.
Tom's beginner mistakes thread is always worth a read for good advice http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html#axzz1sOUL5mKi
Once your tort is about 4-5 inches long we can tell gender from a good clear picture of the plastron including the tail. Up until then, they all look female.
Get your new buddy into a routine at home so that he learns that you and his enclosure are safe.
Start each day with the heat and lights coming on with a timer.
Before he's warmed up properly, soak him for a good 20 minutes in warm water in a bowl he can't see out of.
Feed him straight after and then leave him alone to explore and be brave. Don't watch over him, it's intimidating.
Why not post a few pictures of your enclosure so that we can help you get it set up as good as possible?
Your tort needs a diet of leafy greens. He cannot digest sugars properly so fruit, including bell pepper, tomato and carrot, should only be fed very occasionally.
Make a list of plants that you can get outside and green stuff that you can buy in the grocery store and look them up in the Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed. http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp Buy something different each time so he gets variety.
Tom's beginner mistakes thread is always worth a read for good advice http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45180.html#axzz1sOUL5mKi
Once your tort is about 4-5 inches long we can tell gender from a good clear picture of the plastron including the tail. Up until then, they all look female.
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Yeah and make sure his water is Luke warm and that he/she is left alone in his enclosure for the least 2-3 days until he can adapt. And if you really want to know if he's a boy or a girl, then check his shell, is it domed and flat? Or is it higher and more narrow? If its Domed and flat Then it's likely he's a she, but if its higher then its a guy 
and males have long tails that are normally tucked to the side when females have a short, tiny triangle tale. Here are some pictures of a male and female
http://www.russiantortoise.net/male_female.htm and the russian tortoise forum i highly recommend! Gratz on the new pet!
and males have long tails that are normally tucked to the side when females have a short, tiny triangle tale. Here are some pictures of a male and female http://www.russiantortoise.net/male_female.htm and the russian tortoise forum i highly recommend! Gratz on the new pet!
Re: RE: Help With My New Russian Tort!!
Hmm...
The water temperature does not need to be luke warm... it shouldn't be hot, but youo can experiment unitl you find the temperature that your tort likes to relax in. It can bask under a lamp at 105F and, while I am not suggesting the water should be that hot, it shows you have a fair amojnt of room for finding the right temperature.
As for the domed versus flat argument, I have bever found it reliable. Shell shape depends on diet, species and environment more than anything. Males in some species can develop a concave plastron as they mature, but again that doesn't become obvious until they get bigger.
Puckles[TURTLE] said:Yeah and make sure his water is Luke warm and that he/she is left alone in his enclosure for the least 2-3 days until he can adapt. And if you really want to know if he's a boy or a girl, then check his shell, is it domed and flat? Or is it higher and more narrow? If its Domed and flat Then it's likely he's a she, but if its higher then its a guy
http://www.russiantortoise.net/male_female.htm and the russian tortoise forum i highly recommend! Gratz on the new pet!
Hmm...
The water temperature does not need to be luke warm... it shouldn't be hot, but youo can experiment unitl you find the temperature that your tort likes to relax in. It can bask under a lamp at 105F and, while I am not suggesting the water should be that hot, it shows you have a fair amojnt of room for finding the right temperature.
As for the domed versus flat argument, I have bever found it reliable. Shell shape depends on diet, species and environment more than anything. Males in some species can develop a concave plastron as they mature, but again that doesn't become obvious until they get bigger.
I realize you're not advocating extreme temperatures, but there is a big difference between air that's 105*F, and water that's 105*F. Keep the water warm, not hot, to avoid scalding.
Best way to sex a tortoise is by the shape of the tail and vent. Males have long tails with a slit-like cloaca, while females have short tails with a star-shaped cloaca.
As for his enclosure, you can start with a 55-gallon Rubbermaid tub for about $20. For the substrate, I recommend moist (not damp) coconut coir. He's going to need daytime ambient temperatures in the 70s, with a basking hot spot of 95-100*F (use an incandescent lamp or a ceramic heat emitter). Russians also prefer a nighttime cool-down into the 60s, if at all possible. For light, use a bulb that emits both UVA and UVB to mimic natural sunlight, but don't get a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), because they are harmful to the eyes. You can keep all these gadgets on a timer, if that will make things easier. Later, you can get a bigger enclosure, like a tortoise table. If possible, an outdoor enclosure is best.
Weather permitting, let your your Russian tortoise walk around outside for some exercise, fresh air, and real sunshine. Assuming the plants in your area have not been sprayed, you can let him forage on his own, too. As for what to feed him, Russians need forbs (leafy greens and broad-leaved weeds). Offer a variety of foods, including Romaine lettuce, wild prickly lettuce, dandelions, chicory, endive, escarole, radicchio, arugula, collard, turnip greens, and mustard greens. You can also get quality commercial food like Mazuri Tortoise Diet or ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. Your Russian may nibble on some grass from time to time, but it's not a big part of their diet, as it is for larger tortoises. As a monthly treat, you can offer a fruit like cucumber, tomato, strawberry, raspberry, or grape. Sprinkle a calcium + vitamin D3 supplement powder onto the food a couple times per week. Leave a calcium block or cuttle bone in the enclosure so he can gnaw on it when he wants to.
There are lots of great threads here on TFO, so help yourself to the information. Here's another great resource on how to care for Russian tortoises:
http://russiantortoise.net/
Thanks for all the info! This is what I have to start off with...
40 gallon breeder
Water dish
Food dish
Basking spot
Second story
I will get a couple more hides. One for the top floor and one more for the bottom. Do I need more substrate?
I have a reptisun 10.0 tube buld and 2 60watt regular bulbs over the basking area. Should I take off the screen top? He went right into his hide when I first put him in. Sounds like he is trying to claw his way out of the terra cotta pot. What are good temps for the basking spot, cool side, and humidity?
40 gallon breeder
Water dish
Food dish
Basking spot
Second story
I will get a couple more hides. One for the top floor and one more for the bottom. Do I need more substrate?
I have a reptisun 10.0 tube buld and 2 60watt regular bulbs over the basking area. Should I take off the screen top? He went right into his hide when I first put him in. Sounds like he is trying to claw his way out of the terra cotta pot. What are good temps for the basking spot, cool side, and humidity?
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Those photos look good overall. The shallow terracotta dishes for food and water are good, although I would suggest going with a half-log instead of an overturned flowerpot for shelter. Looks like the substrate is coco coir, which is great, but it looks dry. I would keep it moist (not damp), and also make it a bit deeper: about 4-6".
Again, as for the enclosure, I would go with a bare minimum of a 55-gallon tub ($20 at Home Depot). A 40-gal breeder is too small. Also, some tortoises don't seem to realize that they can't walk through glass walls, and keep banging into them.
Reptisun 10.0 is great. That's what I use.
Two 60-W bulbs could be fine, as long as they can provide a hot spot of 95-100*F during the day. A screen should not be necessary if the walls are high enough and the lamp is securely fastened.
It's normal for tortoises to be frightened for the first few days to a couple weeks while they're getting used to their new home. They also like to dig, so don't worry about that, either.
Russians do well with moderately low humidity. About 20-60% ambient humidity is fine, as long as they have a moist substrate to burrow into. As for temperatures, see my above post.
Again, as for the enclosure, I would go with a bare minimum of a 55-gallon tub ($20 at Home Depot). A 40-gal breeder is too small. Also, some tortoises don't seem to realize that they can't walk through glass walls, and keep banging into them.
Reptisun 10.0 is great. That's what I use.
Two 60-W bulbs could be fine, as long as they can provide a hot spot of 95-100*F during the day. A screen should not be necessary if the walls are high enough and the lamp is securely fastened.
It's normal for tortoises to be frightened for the first few days to a couple weeks while they're getting used to their new home. They also like to dig, so don't worry about that, either.
Russians do well with moderately low humidity. About 20-60% ambient humidity is fine, as long as they have a moist substrate to burrow into. As for temperatures, see my above post.
The pictures look great and the tank would be fine right now, but your tort will rapidly outgrow it. Follow the advice above. Some living plants will provide some cover and something for your tort to nibble at.
Russians need lots of space as they like to roam.
Russians need lots of space as they like to roam.
GeoTerraTestudo said:Those photos look good overall. The shallow terracotta dishes for food and water are good, although I would suggest going with a half-log instead of an overturned flowerpot for shelter. Looks like the substrate is coco coir, which is great, but it looks dry. I would keep it moist (not damp), and also make it a bit deeper: about 4-6".
Again, as for the enclosure, I would go with a bare minimum of a 55-gallon tub ($20 at Home Depot). A 40-gal breeder is too small. Also, some tortoises don't seem to realize that they can't walk through glass walls, and keep banging into them.
Reptisun 10.0 is great. That's what I use.
Two 60-W bulbs could be fine, as long as they can provide a hot spot of 95-100*F during the day. A screen should not be necessary if the walls are high enough and the lamp is securely fastened.
It's normal for tortoises to be frightened for the first few days to a couple weeks while they're getting used to their new home. They also like to dig, so don't worry about that, either.
Russians do well with moderately low humidity. About 20-60% ambient humidity is fine, as long as they have a moist substrate to burrow into. As for temperatures, see my above post.
I will get half logs for the other hides! I used two bags of the already made Eco earth. Should I put water on it, will misting it help? I also have a 3 pack of Eco earth bricks I can use that to add to the substrate and it will be damp?!?
MsBeBe_E said:
Misting doesn't really work. Just go ahead and add the water to the Eco Earth (coco coir) bricks, and then once that's ready, mix that together with the dry coco coir in the enclosure. Give it a good mix, and it will be great. Then just pour some more water into it every few weeks as needed, and mix it all up again to keep it nice and moist.
GeoTerraTestudo said:MsBeBe_E said:
Misting doesn't really work. Just go ahead and add the water to the Eco Earth (coco coir) bricks, and then once that's ready, mix that together with the dry coco coir in the enclosure. Give it a good mix, and it will be great. Then just pour some more water into it every few weeks as needed, and mix it all up again to keep it nice and moist.
Ok thanks!!
Does he like the climb. Has he fallen off? Where did you get it or did you make it?
Mrturtle527 said:
Well he hasn't went up there yet lol I hope he likes it whenever he tries it out! I'm going to put a little white wicker fence up there next to the ramp so he won't fall off into the water dish. Hopefully he never falls off. I made it. I got the supplies from Michael's craft store and Joanne's.
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