Hi, a big hello from the UK.

[melandamy]

I have got 2 little baby horsefields (Russians?) I only got them today but want to make sure they have everything they need. They are 10 months old but still small. I also think at least one is female.

Tips please and name sugesstions would be great too! I'm especially looking at what plants to put in their substrate?

Look forward to meeting you all and hearing about yours.

Bye for now
Mel

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Mel:

Welcome to the Forum!!

When baby tortoises are babies, having a pair is ok because having more than one in the same enclosure makes them eat better (competition for the food). But as they grow, you may discover that one becomes more aggressive and one more submissive. This behaviour is detrimental to the tortoises. Sometimes the more submissive tortoise will stop eating and stay hidden all the time. So be prepared to make a totally different habitat so you can separate them.

How about you post some pictures for us. I love looking at baby tortoises!

 

[JoesMum]

Hi Mel and welcome from a nother UK member.

Please can you post some photos of your setup so we can see what you have and give best advice.

In addition we need to know
- the size of the enclosure
- the four important temperatures (warm side, cool side, directly under the basking lamp and overnight minimum
- what lamps(s) you are using for basking heat and for UVB light

Your torts need a diet of leafy greens. They cannot digest sugars properly, so fruit, carrots and peppers should only be fed very occasionally.

Weeds are ideal if guaranteed pesticide free - check out the greens you can identify around you and those you can buy in the supermarket for suitability in the Tortoise Table Plant Database and the Tortoise Table Plant Identification Booklet

Be aware that a pair of Russians is cute, but they don't need or want company. As they get older they are likely to have to be separated and kept completely apart. Watch them carefully for any sign of withdrawal or loss of appetite as this is usually the warning that bullying has started. Males and females are as bad as each other.

Also Russians are master escape artists. They are very active and both dig and climb, so keep that enclosure secure!

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome.
There is a good caresheet in the Russians section under the Species Specific which will tell you all about diet, temps, humidity and substrate etc and the Beginners Mistakes thread (link below will help you avoid problems encountered by others. The Enclosures thread is also full of great ideas for making a safe and happy home.

One of the things you should have been told when you bought them is that pairs of torts rarely works. They are solitary creatures and don't like competition in their territory - one becomes dominant and very sneakily bullies the other which is very stressful for it.
This link will help explain why and there are other examples if you search.
www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/why-not-to-keep-2-tortoises-together-a-lesson-learned-the-hard-way.94114

So keep an eye out for things like following, pushing (not to be mistaken for snuggling which torts don't do) biting etc and separate asap. Groups of torts works better if the gender mix is right but the more you have the more space they need.

 

[melandamy]

Hi, thanks for the replies and link. Good job I've got enough space then and can split if I need too. I'll look in the enclosures too.
Thanks

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome !

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Mel

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Welcome from Southern Florida, USA