Is this normal

[tiley junior 1]

 

[juli11]

Hi,

Sometimes... Temperature etc would be interesting to to know..
But please CHANGE the substrate!!!

 

[Saleama]

Yes. Russians do burrow. S/he needs dirt to dig into. What you have him on is not very good for tortoises.

 

[wellington]

Ditto to all the above.

 

[tiley junior 1]

Thanks

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Would I have to steralize the soil first or not

 

[juli11]

The best solution is you put the hole substrate out of the terra and clean it..
After that you take normal substrate like earth.. You put some rocks and plants in the terra. What size have your terra?

 

[tiley junior 1]

It's 3 ft

 

[tiley junior 1]

Dirt problems

Is it okay if she eats the dirt while digging

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[hunterk997]

RE: Dirt problems

It looks like you have some sort of gravel in the substrate. If she eats too much of that there can be some issues. What is your substrate?

 

[tiley junior 1]

Dirt problems

It's a mixture of top soil sand and limestone grit

 

[T33's Torts]

Re: Dirt problems

Top soil from where? A gardening store? Because top soil can have perlite and other fertilizers in it which is fatal. I'm not familiar with the limestone, but if it is like a gravel then I would cut back on it. Rocks in the stomach cpuld turn to a form of cement. I use dry clean dirt dug up from 2 feet under ground mixed with coco coir and eco earth.

 

[T33's Torts]

3 feet by.....? Russians need lots of room to run and explore. My (5) live in a 70 square foot area, it sounds big but its the minimum for as many as I have. Also, is your habitat indoors? Does she get exposed to sunlight at all?

 

[tiley junior 1]

Dirt problems

The top soil is sanatized from a pet store

 

[tiley junior 1]

She is in doors and no for the sun

 

[Yvonne G]

I wouldn't use a substrate that has things in it to encourage a tortoise to eat it. If it were me and my tortoises I would not use the substrate with sandstone grit in it. Eating dirt of any kind and not being well-hydrated will cause impaction.

 

[Tom]

Click here for a russian care sheet that will answer your question and tell you a whole bunch more that you didnt even know to ask yet.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html