Hi Everyone, New to this forum, I have been researching Russian Tortoises

[toml12]

I am from Fridley, MN. I have cared for 2 Red Eared Sliders for about 7 yrs. They were raised from 1" 1/2 size together. I kept them in a 100 gallon aquarium. They were male and female. Had to give away the male when he got agressive to the female at breeding age. I just gave away the female to a loving home. I had a outdoor enclose for them. I use to be my raised garden with chicken wire around and on top. It was 8' x 8' with a pond. I would put them outdoors several hours a day in the spring & summer. Sometimes I would let them loose in the yard for more exercise. The yard was fenced in with all the exits sealed off.

I have been researching Russian Tortoises, especially liked the videos by Ernie Johnson. Will build a large indoor cage 3' x 6' and a portable outdoor cage. I will start building the indoor cage today. Will probably get a large rabbit enclosure for outdoors. I am starting to look for a Russian tortoise. I will check out local breeders and Twin Cities Reptiles.

 

[TortoiseRacket]

Hello! I too am new, but my tip is where ever you get your tortoise, make sure it is captive bred. It sounds to me like those sliders had a pretty good life. Did you say you got them when they were 1 inch long? Welcome to the forum!
-Mickey

 

[daniellenc]

Keep in mind for a hatchling you’ll need a closed top sealed enclosure. Actually in Minnesota this is probably even the best option for an adult so search on here for closed chambers.

 

[toml12]

Keep in mind for a hatchling you’ll need a closed top sealed enclosure. Actually in Minnesota this is probably even the best option for an adult so search on here for closed chambers.

Hi, Do I need a top for the indoor enclosure? I know for the outdoor one I would need one. I plan to build how it was described in his instructions. 3x6 with 1 foot sides (1" x 12" pine planks, plywood bottom with a 3 t0

Keep in mind for a hatchling you’ll need a closed top sealed enclosure. Actually in Minnesota this is probably even the best option for an adult so search on here for closed chambers.

Hi, Would I need a top for the indoor enclosure? I know for the outdoor one I was going to have one. The indoor enclosure would be made out of 1" x 12" pine on the sides, plywood for the bottom. It would have a 3 to 5mil plastic liner. A substrate of half clean sand and half plain no additive soil. I would have a small area of the corner with aspen chips, keep his food on a slate of rock. I would put in a half log mininum 6" in length for him to hide. 100 watt UVB/UVA lights and a heat light. I would make sure to keep the enclosure a min of 1 foot off of the floor. I would also have rocks and imitation plants for him. I have the aspen chips, I use them in my wood duck houses every year. I also have plenty of Timothy hay I give to my parakeets. I put it in a hanging ball for them to pull out to keep them busy. I also had two tiger salamanders I had for 15 years. They were caught in the wild so who no how long they lived.

Thanks

 

[daniellenc]

Yes before you start buying and building please read through the enclosure section namely closed chamber builds. You should not use sand, aspen, or hay at all as substrate. Instead use coco coir, cypress mulch, orchid bark, or this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0157O1CM8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20.

You'll need either two CHE's (ceramic heat emitters) 60 watts or higher connected to a thermostat or an RHP (radiant heat panel), and a low wattage basking bulb you can buy cheaply at Home Depot/Lowes set on a timer to go off at night. The enclosure threads can help you pick out which basking bulb will work best for you in your climate. You'll need UVB tube style lights like this:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F87K66Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20. Again choose lights that correspond to the species you're keeping and depending on the light will tell you how high up to mount them inside the cage. Then a good humidity temp gauge like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F87K66Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

If you're getting a hatchling check out the Christmas tree tote builds as they're cheap and easy, hold in heat and humidity, and will have ample room for at least the first year. That way as he grows and you're more comfortable with their cage and husbandry needs you can custom build something much bigger and be better able to anticipate what works and what doesn't.

 

[TortoiseRacket]

I use a mix of coconut fiber bedding, ground up spagnum moss, and bonsai soil. It holds in humidity really well. Yes, you will need a top to keep the humidity in. There is a section about closed chambers that will help you. Hope that helped!
-Mickey

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

No, the top is to assure birds can't get in there and carry the tortoise off. So unless you have an indoor cat, you won't need a cover for indoors

 

[toml12]

Yes before you start buying and building please read through the enclosure section namely closed chamber builds. You should not use sand, aspen, or hay at all as substrate. Instead use coco coir, cypress mulch, orchid bark, or this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0157O1CM8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20.

You'll need either two CHE's (ceramic heat emitters) 60 watts or higher connected to a thermostat or an RHP (radiant heat panel), and a low wattage basking bulb you can buy cheaply at Home Depot/Lowes set on a timer to go off at night. The enclosure threads can help you pick out which basking bulb will work best for you in your climate. You'll need UVB tube style lights like this:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F87K66Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20. Again choose lights that correspond to the species you're keeping and depending on the light will tell you how high up to mount them inside the cage. Then a good humidity temp gauge like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F87K66Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

If you're getting a hatchling check out the Christmas tree tote builds as they're cheap and easy, hold in heat and humidity, and will have ample room for at least the first year. That way as he grows and you're more comfortable with their cage and husbandry needs you can custom build something much bigger and be better able to anticipate what works and what doesn't.

Thanks for the tips & links. I will do my research before I start on anything. When I get the enclosure all setup I will make sure it is operating for several days before I begin my search. I had my red eared sliders since they were hatchlings and they grew fast. Luckily I already had several sizes of aquariums. Because I also have two fish tanks, 40 gallon & 30 gallon and to keep it manageable.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Welcome to the Forum! Hello from North Florida. It sounds like you have a lot of experience that will transfer well to tortoises.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

When you say you will use a rabbit cage for outdoors, do you mean a hutch? That’s not suitable for a Russian, or at least not optimal.

If you mean one of those “spring-up” wire enclosures, your Russian will dig under or knock through it relatively fast. You need something with true walls perhaps two foot high and something underneath the ground/substrate they can’t dig through. Probably not portable, in other words. You can make something without spending much money or building skills. Take a look at the enclosures forum when you get a chance.