In need of tips

[RoboticLettuce]

Hello y'all, Im planning on getting a baby Russian tortoise and I need a lil help. I was wondering about for the substrate what is recommended? Would Bark fir bedding on its own be fine? as from what I researched, its fine for babies. Or should I possibly use topsoil? or maybe a mixture of both? and how deep should it be? Also what type of diet is recommended? Thank you!

 

[Avuwyy]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

Coco coir and cypress mulch are good choices for substrate, as is top soil but you do need to check to ensure it is just the soil without any pesticides or nasty things (Also you will need to sift through the soil to make sure there aren’t any small rocks that your tortoise can accidentally ingest). I use a top soil coconut fibre mix which manages to maintain humidity fairly well. Been thinking about changing to coco coir myself thanks to all the good word it gets.

The substrate will need to be a few inches deep. It doesn’t have to be all the way to the opposite end of the earth deep, but enough to hold onto some moisture for humidity, and also for your tortoise to be able to dig a little bit of they feel like it.

Horsfields should eat a variety of weeds, and can eat some store bought greens if weeds are scarce (Attempt low water, high fibre, check if they are safe for consumption before feeding of course). Never, or very rarely should they eat fruit. They are not a species that should eat meat or mushrooms either. Check this link for safe plants to feed your tortoise: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

I’m unsure if over there they have such a thing as tortoise weeds for delivery, where small businesses grow and sell weeds for tortoise consumption. If you have limited access to weeds, or are unable to grow any for whatever reason, check around for any of these small businesses you can purchase from. Would be good to know they are there if you are struggling to find the appropriate food for your tortoise (Plus, sometimes it’s a pleasant surprise finding they gave you something new to try your tortoise out on).

Make sure to give the Horsfields side of the forums a look over. Everything will be listed there for you to refer to when you are purchasing things for your tortoise, or are getting ready to purchase your tortoise. You can find these here: https://tortoiseforum.org/forums/russian-tortoises.81/

I hope everything I said makes sense. And good luck with your tortoise <3 Horsfields seem like such a wonderful species to own.

 

[Tom]

Hello y'all, Im planning on getting a baby Russian tortoise and I need a lil help. I was wondering about for the substrate what is recommended? Would Bark fir bedding on its own be fine? as from what I researched, its fine for babies. Or should I possibly use topsoil? or maybe a mixture of both? and how deep should it be? Also what type of diet is recommended? Thank you!

FIr bark is my preference for older Russians. I find coco coir works best for babies. Use a thick layer, hand pack it firmly, and keep it damp. Soil should never be used as tortoise substrate. It is made from composted yard waste and there is no way to know what is in it.

The best diet is a variety of weeds, leaves, and flowers of the right types.

There is a lot of old, out-dated, wrong information circulating around out in the world. Here is all the correct care info for you:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome. We want to help your new baby thrive!

 

[RoboticLettuce]

Thank you so much for the information. Its greatly appreciated for the advice as a newcomer!