K & N's First Russian Tortoise

KnNTiny

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
36
Hello all. We just bought a Russian Tortoise on Sunday for the kids and they are super excited. We look forward to learning a lot here. We have the basic enclosure for her (Tiny is her name) since we are on a tight budget. The enclosure is glass, which I hear isn't the best because she can get stressed out seeing her reflection. I have found some things to help prevent that at this time. Hopefully we can make it work for now. At least until she out grows it. We are excited and ready to have a lifetime family member. Soooo glad we found this forum. Who knew!!!!
 

johnsonnboswell

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Aug 27, 2012
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2,238
Do not wait until she outgrows it. Give her as much room as you possibly can. Glass tanks may actually be the most expensive option. Instead, lay a book case on its side & water proof it; build your own; use a 50 gallon Rubbermaid tub or a stock tank.

Russians are delightful.

Don't skimp on the UVB light. You can forage for edible weeds & flowers until frost instead of buying food.
 

Kaitlynn

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Jul 8, 2014
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61
Location (City and/or State)
Minnesota, USA
Welcome! I started with a glass tank for my first Russian baby as well (guilty). In order to reduce stress I covered all but the front view of the tank with a standout color background paper so that my tortoise did not freak out/stress/hurt himself. That seems to work just fine for him until I finish making my own. He is an itty-bitty thing and it is a fairly large tank so it will suffice till I get mine finished.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi and welcome to the Forum!

I'm afraid you aren't going to be able to afford an aquarium that's large enough for a Russian tortoise. They need much more room than that. Go around to yard/garage sales and try to find a used book case. Take out the shelves, lay it on its back and line it with plastic. Almost instant habitat.

If you don't want to go that route, buy a couple of the largest plastic tubs you can find, cut out opposing ends and stick them together making one long habitat.

Russian tortoises are hard-wired to wander great distances. When cooped up in an aquarium, glass or otherwise, they get pretty stressed out, trying to climb the walls, trying to escape.

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KnNTiny

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
36
Yeah. After reading and watching videos I am figuring that we actually might have done a disservice to Tiny by getting the glass tank. Hopefully we can resolve the issue very soon. We just got her this past Sunday. She is active but seems to sleep a bit. She seems to get excited when we take her outside. Unfortunately we don't have the ability to provide her with an outside enclosure.


KnNTiny
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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Apr 3, 2013
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10,878
Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ . Have agreat tort day !


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum
 

mojo

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Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
Hastings, East Sussex
Welcome, I too have Horsefield called Timmy and yes they are very lively little characters, so full of life. I have 2 Hermann girls and see the differences between the two. Love both breeds but definately Horsefield more active, love to dig and climb. Mine was rescued from tiny vivarium and spent all day scratching to get out, he was my step daughters, she is trying to sell him. He lives with me now and will buy him off her as he now has permanent run in garden 6ft x 6ft approx, this still not big enough but he loves it and seems very content. He not going outside in previous home so is like hotel. Good luck they are beautiful little pets.
 

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