Introducing myself and Nugget

[H4yl3y]

Hi, my name is Hayley and In December I welcomed a beautiful horsefield into our family . Nugget is wonderful. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to pets and worry all the time if I’m doing the right thing, if they are happy and healthy etc. Any advice and help would be very much appreciated .

 

[Stuart S.]

Hello Hayley and welcome! Being a worrier isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means you'll do what you need to do to provide the best care for your little one.What kind of set up do you have? Congratulations!

 

[H4yl3y]

Hi, my name is Hayley and In December I welcomed a beautiful horsefield into our family . Nugget is wonderful. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to pets and worry all the time if I’m doing the right thing, if they are happy and healthy etc. Any advice and help would be very much appreciated .

Hello Hayley and welcome! Being a worrier isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means you'll do what you need to do to provide the best care for your little one.What kind of set up do you have? Congratulations!

hi, thank you for your message , I have a table top, around 3ft by 2 ft with heat and uv bulb. Soil substrate . 32 degrees under the basking lamp and 22 elsewhere 12 hours a day, in the evening it’s around 22 degrees . I see many horsefield tortoises with a very smooth shell, but nuggets isn’t so smooth. Do you know whether this is normal?

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[H4yl3y]

Welcome!

Thank you Yvonne

 

[Stuart S.]

hi, thank you for your message , I have a table top, around 3ft by 2 ft with heat and uv bulb. Soil substrate . 32 degrees under the basking lamp and 22 elsewhere 12 hours a day, in the evening it’s around 22 degrees . I see many horsefield tortoises with a very smooth shell, but nuggets isn’t so smooth. Do you know whether this is normal?

Where did you get your tortoise and do you happen to know about how old he is? How big is he? Do you happen to have a heat source for the night? Like ceramic heat emitter?

 

[Stuart S.]

22 at night is a decent temp, especially if you have a basking light for him to warm up the next day.

 

[H4yl3y]

Where did you get your tortoise and do you happen to know about how old he is? How big is he? Do you happen to have a heat source for the night? Like ceramic heat emitter?

I bought him from a garden centre , he’s 1 year old. I will measure him tomorrow ( do you just measure his shell?) he’s 162g in weight . We don’t have any additional heating at night it’s stays at around 22 degrees.

 

[Stuart S.]

Yes, I typically gently push mine against a wall and mark where the back of his shell is and measure him that way. 22 degrees is good for a horsefield

 

[Hayes Johnson]

My advice is to feed him a lot, and be near his (Is it a he or she?) food so that he can associate you with something good, instead of a scary giant. Imagine if you were that small! I also would handle he/she a lot! I love the name Nugget!
Thank You!

 

[H4yl3y]

My advice is to feed him a lot, and be near his (Is it a he or she?) food so that he can associate you with something good, instead of a scary giant. Imagine if you were that small! I also would handle he/she a lot! I love the name Nugget!
Thank You!

Nugget hand feeds often, he’s very tame and will ask for food . I don’t know whether he’s a make of r details I mas he’s only one and I don’t think you can tell until they are older. Thank you for your message

 

[H4yl3y]

Yes, I typically gently push mine against a wall and mark where the back of his shell is and measure him that way. 22 degrees is good for a horsefield

I will measure him today thank you.whats your advice on moisture? Do you moisten the substrate, I keep reading conflicting advice

 

[Stuart S.]

I will measure him today thank you.whats your advice on moisture? Do you moisten the substrate, I keep reading conflicting advice

I would try and have his enclosure at around 60% humidity. I would say Russians don’t require as much humidity as say a Sulcata or a leopard, but I would still use some coco coir substrate and moist it until you reach a consistent humidity level along with your temps staying correct. @Tom what would you suggest?

 

[Destben]

Welcome!!!

 

[H4yl3y]

I would try and have his enclosure at around 60% humidity. I would say Russians don’t require as much humidity as say a Sulcata or a leopard, but I would still use some coco coir substrate and moist it until you reach a consistent humidity level along with your temps staying correct. @Tom what would you suggest?

Thank you

 

[H4yl3y]

Welcome!!!

Thanks you Destben!

 

[Tom]

I would try and have his enclosure at around 60% humidity. I would say Russians don’t require as much humidity as say a Sulcata or a leopard, but I would still use some coco coir substrate and moist it until you reach a consistent humidity level along with your temps staying correct. @Tom what would you suggest?

I like to keep baby russian around 60-70% humidity. Older ones, I don't even check the humidity. I give them damp substrate, a humid hide, regular soaks, and I don't worry too much about the humidity number.

 

[H4yl3y]

I like to keep baby russian around 60-70% humidity. Older ones, I don't even check the humidity. I give them damp substrate, a humid hide, regular soaks, and I don't worry too much about the humidity number.

My tortoise is just over one, would you say he’s a baby? Thank you for your reply?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi Hayley

 

[H4yl3y]

Hi Hayley
View attachment 229198

Thank you Grandpa Turtle