Hide

[LeeB60]

Hi everyone. I need help, advice on how to keep Dudes hide warm. Thanks.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Is this hide inside an enclosure or outside?

 

[wellington]

What type of tortoise and how big is the hide?

 

[LeeB60]

Is this hide inside an enclosure or outside?

It's inside. It's about 2 ×21/2ft.

 

[LeeB60]

What type of tortoise and how big is the hide?

He is a Russian and his hide is roughly 2 ft by 21/2 ft. It has a top that closes.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

He is a Russian and his hide is roughly 2 ft by 21/2 ft. It has a top that closes.

Do you intend on brumating him this year?

 

[wellington]

Are you talking about a hide box or the enclosure? Unless he is a hatchling the enclosure is way too small. An adult Russian needs a 4x8 foot enclosure. The hide should be big enough for him to turn around in
Hay should not be used as a substrate.
Please read the caresheet and make much needed improvements.

 

[LeeB60]

Are you talking about a hide box or the enclosure? Unless he is a hatchling the enclosure is way too small. An adult Russian needs a 4x8 foot enclosure. The hide should be big enough for him to turn around in
Hay should not be used as a substrate.
Please read the caresheet and make much needed improvements.

He can turn around in it easily. What care sheet?

 

[LeeB60]

Do you intend on brumating him this year?

I'm not sure what that means for sure. If it means hibernate then no.

 

[wellington]

He can turn around in it easily. What care sheet?

The picture is of an enclosure that is too small.
A hide is a box of some sort that is dark and mainly for sleeping.
The hide doesn't have to be big but the enclosure does.

 

[wellington]

Thread 'The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

 

[dd33]

Is that a sponge in the water bowl? He is going to try to eat that for sure.

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone. I need help, advice on how to keep Dudes hide warm. Thanks.

You can use a RHP on the ceiling set on a thermostat, but a Russian tortoise should not need night heat unless you live inside a refrigerator.

You have followed the wrong care advice for housing and caring for your tortoise. I hope you will let us help you make some corrections for the benefit of your tortoise.

 

[LeeB60]

You can use a RHP on the ceiling set on a thermostat, but a Russian tortoise should not need night heat unless you live inside a refrigerator.

You have followed the wrong care advice for housing and caring for your tortoise. I hope you will let us help you make some corrections for the benefit of your tortoise.

I just want him to be healthy and happy. I got this enclosure for him because he was just in a tote. He's not very big so I figured the enclosure would be fine for a while. I understand I'm using the wrong substrate, so I'm going tomorrow to get the right stuff. I'm just having trouble finding food for him because he don't like dandelion greens and he don't like grass. Thank you for your advice I'm open to any suggestions and advice there anybody has.

 

[Tom]

I just want him to be healthy and happy. I got this enclosure for him because he was just in a tote. He's not very big so I figured the enclosure would be fine for a while. I understand I'm using the wrong substrate, so I'm going tomorrow to get the right stuff. I'm just having trouble finding food for him because he don't like dandelion greens and he don't like grass. Thank you for your advice I'm open to any suggestions and advice there anybody has.

Russians are not grass eaters and will not usually eat grass, though it won't hurt them if they do.

Any new food must be introduced to them slowly over weeks and months. Start with a tiny tiny amount minced and mixed in with an old favorite. There should be hardly any of the new stuff at first. Over time, as the tortoise starts eating the mix, add more and more of the new item until the tortoise gets used to it and recognizes it as food.

Those "tortoise enclosures" are not suitable for any size or species of tortoise. They are too open for babies and much too small for adults. If you got four of those and connected them all together will holes in the walls to move from one to the other, it could work. Its probably easier, and certainly cheaper to just build your own.

 

[LeeB60]

Russians are not grass eaters and will not usually eat grass, though it won't hurt them if they do.

Any new food must be introduced to them slowly over weeks and months. Start with a tiny tiny amount minced and mixed in with an old favorite. There should be hardly any of the new stuff at first. Over time, as the tortoise starts eating the mix, add more and more of the new item until the tortoise gets used to it and recognizes it as food.

Those "tortoise enclosures" are not suitable for any size or species of tortoise. They are too open for babies and much too small for adults. If you got four of those and connected them all together will holes in the walls to move from one to the other, it could work. Its probably easier, and certainly cheaper to just build your own.

Thank you. I'm not sure how to build one, but I have Google.

 

[LeeB60]

Is that a sponge in the water bowl? He is going to try to eat that for sure.

I have removed it. Thank you.