Vanillukit
New Member
i have tried to feed her all sorts of other vegetables and sometimes fruits and she won’t eat anything except brocolli and iceberg lettuce which i don’t give her often because it has like no nutritional value. please help !!,
My russian tortoise only eats brocolli!!!
- Thread starter Vanillukit
- Start date
You have to be the care taker here. If you don't feed it he can't eat it.
Chop up better foods, no fruit! Then chop a little bit of the broccoli and iceberg to same size as the rest. Spritz with water. Do this every time until he eats it and then slowly take away the broccoli and iceberg.
It might take day, weeks, months, but you need to do it. He didn't get hooked on iceberg and broccoli by himself.
Chop up better foods, no fruit! Then chop a little bit of the broccoli and iceberg to same size as the rest. Spritz with water. Do this every time until he eats it and then slowly take away the broccoli and iceberg.
It might take day, weeks, months, but you need to do it. He didn't get hooked on iceberg and broccoli by himself.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Hello and welcome!
As wellington has said, you need to ween off the inappropriate foods and start introducing healthy foods, they can be stubborn but it’s necessary and remember variety is key! You want to aim for leafy greens and weeds with these guys, definitely no fruit.
Perhaps you’ll find this website below helpful to look through, you could buy seeds online, plant in your own organic soil(don’t let tortoise have access) and forage from them as they grow
Whilst you’re here, I don’t suppose we could get some information on how you’re keeping them? It’s so helpful to know with new members
What are your temps like? Ie basking temp?(directly under the bulb) overall day temps? Night temps?
What kind of lighting/heating are you using? Packaging photos are great!
If you use indoor uv, what kind?
Indoor or outdoor set up? What size?
How’s your humidity?
What are you using for substrate?
What age roughly?
If we could get a photo of your set up that would be great! Hope you stick around
As wellington has said, you need to ween off the inappropriate foods and start introducing healthy foods, they can be stubborn but it’s necessary and remember variety is key! You want to aim for leafy greens and weeds with these guys, definitely no fruit.
Perhaps you’ll find this website below helpful to look through, you could buy seeds online, plant in your own organic soil(don’t let tortoise have access) and forage from them as they grow
The Tortoise Table - Home
The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Whilst you’re here, I don’t suppose we could get some information on how you’re keeping them? It’s so helpful to know with new members
What are your temps like? Ie basking temp?(directly under the bulb) overall day temps? Night temps?
What kind of lighting/heating are you using? Packaging photos are great!
If you use indoor uv, what kind?
Indoor or outdoor set up? What size?
How’s your humidity?
What are you using for substrate?
What age roughly?
If we could get a photo of your set up that would be great! Hope you stick around
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
This article has some more tips on introducing new foods: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-diet/introducing-a-new-diet/
Thanks, pretty much all the tips I and others have suggested over the years.
Will have to keep the tucked away so I don't have to type them out all the time.
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
I found it really helpful with my own Russian, that's why I gladly share it.
Vanillukit
New Member
i can give some more info when i get home! she’s a russian tortoise and i think she’s around 5 years? i can’t remember off the top of my head. i have an indoor setup because it gets very cold in the winters here but we let her free roam the living/dining rooms regularly so she can run around and she loves to run !!! shes so speedy. i’m using repti chip for bedding but i’m unsure if i should continue using that cuz it can be dusty. the uv light i use isHello and welcome!
As wellington has said, you need to ween off the inappropriate foods and start introducing healthy foods, they can be stubborn but it’s necessary and remember variety is key! You want to aim for leafy greens and weeds with these guys, definitely no fruit.
Perhaps you’ll find this website below helpful to look through, you could buy seeds online, plant in your own organic soil(don’t let tortoise have access) and forage from them as they grow
The Tortoise Table - Home
The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise ownerswww.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Whilst you’re here, I don’t suppose we could get some information on how you’re keeping them? It’s so helpful to know with new members
What are your temps like? Ie basking temp?(directly under the bulb) overall day temps? Night temps?
What kind of lighting/heating are you using? Packaging photos are great!
If you use indoor uv, what kind?
Indoor or outdoor set up? What size?
How’s your humidity?
What are you using for substrate?
What age roughly?
If we could get a photo of your set up that would be great! Hope you stick around
Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp, Heavy Duty Clamp Light For Reptile Tanks and Terrariums, UL/CUL Approved, Great for Reptile Basking, 75-Watt
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply! I’m going to include some information below that you’ll hopefully find helpful
As adults they need a minimum of an 8x4 foot enclosure, roaming is vital to tortoise health, it aids digestion and strengthens their muscles.
Don’t think they can get away with smaller if allowed to free roam, I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low too often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, so an appropriate sized enclosure is always the ultimate goal, hopefully we can help
As much as it’s encouraged to have your guy in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from a cooler climate myself how difficult it is to house outdoors, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy on summer days though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure, but until something is set up, closely supervise outdoor roams.
Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise.
I’m going to include some information below on an example of an appropriate indoor set up, it includes the correct levels and equipment etc including the appropriate indoor uv
Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.
Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.
You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.
Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. They are a non light emitting bulb. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. If in a cooler climate you’ll probably need these.
Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon, there’s lots of conflicting information telling people to keep their uv on for 12hours a day, it stems from the thought that as soon as the basking bulb, ie the ‘sun’ comes on, that uv must be on too, fact is UV rays don’t peak till around midday for a few hours, many member have used UV solar meters to confirm this. Tortoises in the wild don’t get blasted with 12hours of UV, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for(I personally recommend the Arcadia)and some examples of how to mount them.
With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.
For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The problem with top soil is unless you’ve composted it yourself, you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, it could be something toxic. Sand can irritate the eyes and be an impaction risk, moss is an impaction risk too.
You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then, you don’t want dusty substrate, that can cause respiratory problems. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed. I recommend having digital monitors that read both temperature and humidity.
I’d personally recommend you make your own base to go as big as you possibly can for the space you have, roaming room is vital for tortoise health. The closer you can get to an 8x4 size the better.
When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds, or take a large bookcase, take out the shelves and lie flat, or just make their own, for all these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough! They can be professional escape artists
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy to hang their lighting, use a temperature gun to determine how high the basking bulb needs to be, the uv I suggested needs to be mounted 18-20 inches from the substrate. I’d use chains so your lights aren’t just hanging by the wires. Never rely on just the clamp fittings some come with.
For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.
I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correctyou can use them to scan the whole parameter.
I’m sorry this looks such a lot to go over, but I promise it’s worth it once you can get your head round it
Some of the enclosure examples are too small but they’re there to give you an idea
Also you may find this link below useful for some food ideas! you can buy seeds online and plant in organic soil(free of chemicals) in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to, and forage from them as they grow
As adults they need a minimum of an 8x4 foot enclosure, roaming is vital to tortoise health, it aids digestion and strengthens their muscles.
Don’t think they can get away with smaller if allowed to free roam, I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low too often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
, flipping hazards, smooth services, the list goes on and is endless.They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, so an appropriate sized enclosure is always the ultimate goal, hopefully we can help
As much as it’s encouraged to have your guy in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from a cooler climate myself how difficult it is to house outdoors, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy on summer days though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure, but until something is set up, closely supervise outdoor roams.
Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise.
I’m going to include some information below on an example of an appropriate indoor set up, it includes the correct levels and equipment etc including the appropriate indoor uv
Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.
Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.
You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.
Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. They are a non light emitting bulb. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. If in a cooler climate you’ll probably need these.
Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon, there’s lots of conflicting information telling people to keep their uv on for 12hours a day, it stems from the thought that as soon as the basking bulb, ie the ‘sun’ comes on, that uv must be on too, fact is UV rays don’t peak till around midday for a few hours, many member have used UV solar meters to confirm this. Tortoises in the wild don’t get blasted with 12hours of UV, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for(I personally recommend the Arcadia)and some examples of how to mount them.
With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.
For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The problem with top soil is unless you’ve composted it yourself, you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, it could be something toxic. Sand can irritate the eyes and be an impaction risk, moss is an impaction risk too.
You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then, you don’t want dusty substrate, that can cause respiratory problems. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed. I recommend having digital monitors that read both temperature and humidity.
I’d personally recommend you make your own base to go as big as you possibly can for the space you have, roaming room is vital for tortoise health. The closer you can get to an 8x4 size the better.
When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds, or take a large bookcase, take out the shelves and lie flat, or just make their own, for all these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough! They can be professional escape artists
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy to hang their lighting, use a temperature gun to determine how high the basking bulb needs to be, the uv I suggested needs to be mounted 18-20 inches from the substrate. I’d use chains so your lights aren’t just hanging by the wires. Never rely on just the clamp fittings some come with.
For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.
I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correct
you can use them to scan the whole parameter.I’m sorry this looks such a lot to go over, but I promise it’s worth it once you can get your head round it
Some of the enclosure examples are too small but they’re there to give you an idea
Also you may find this link below useful for some food ideas! you can buy seeds online and plant in organic soil(free of chemicals) in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to, and forage from them as they grow
The Tortoise Table - Home
The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise owners
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Attachments
Vanillukit
New Member
thank you so much! i like i said i can give more specifics when i get home but i super appreciate this already, we always make sure the floor is clear of anything dangerous, we have carpet one room and wood the other, and our house is always warm because my mom runs cold. is there anything i can improve besides not letting her out? its something she really likes. the house is never under 75 degrees especially if my tortoise, carrot, is out! we have a temp gun and the lighting/heating is on a timer. there’s only one door in the area and we have a barrier to make sure she is not able to be by it and another to prevent her from entering the kitchen where there’s hazards and the steps to the basement.
Last edited:
There is no safe way to do this. It can't be made safe. Your tortoise needs to be in its own enclosure and the enclosure needs to be large enough to meet its exercise needs.
Make a large outdoor enclosure to use during favorable weather.
Vanillukit
New Member
why? tortoises are roamers i feel as if an enclosure full time is unfair.
For their safety. Plain and simple.
Their enclosures, both indoors and out, should be large enough to meet their roaming needs. It would be "unfair", or better described as inhumane, to keep a tortoise in a small enclosure all the time. If the enclosure is suitably large, as it should be, there is nothing inhumane or unfair about it.
Fairness is a human construct. Animals have no sense of "unfair". That is in your mind, not your tortoises.
When your tortoise gets into something that kills it, or gets lost outside because you didn't heed this advice, how will you feel then? That is the inevitable eventuality that I am trying to prevent for you by typing these words. Having made the mistakes that I am cautioning you to not make, I can tell you that it feels absolutely awful. I don't want you and your tortoise to learn this lesson the hard way as I did.
Vanillukit
New Member
thank you so much! i like i said i can give more specifics when i get home but i super appreciate this already, we always make sure the floor is clear of anything dangerous, we have carpet one room and wood the other, and our house is always warm because my mom runs cold. is there anything i can improve besides not letting her out? its something she really likes. the house is never under 75 degrees especially if my tortoise, carrot, is out! we have a temp gun and the lighting/heating is on a timer. there’s only one door in the area and we have a barrier to make sure she is not able to be by it and another to prevent her from entering the kitchen where there’s hazards and the steps to the basement.
also do you have any recs for more affordable uvb lights?? i appreciate any advice but that one is super expensive for our budget right now.Thanks for the reply! I’m going to include some information below that you’ll hopefully find helpful
As adults they need a minimum of an 8x4 foot enclosure, roaming is vital to tortoise health, it aids digestion and strengthens their muscles.
Don’t think they can get away with smaller if allowed to free roam, I’d highly discourage indoor free roams, being away from their heat source means they’re being exposed to temperatures that are too low too often, smooth surfaces like laminate flooring will wreak absolute havoc on their hip joints over time.
There’s just numerous reasons it isn’t a good idea unfortunately, harmful floor cleaners, foreign objects being swallowed, getting stuck under things they shouldn’t like shelving or sofas, low temperatures, no uv, getting hit by doors, one member has mentioned they knew someone who’s tort got their head crushed in a door jam
They feel most comfortable and safe in a space that best mimics their natural environment, so an appropriate sized enclosure is always the ultimate goal, hopefully we can help
As much as it’s encouraged to have your guy in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from a cooler climate myself how difficult it is to house outdoors, an outdoor enclosure is great for them to enjoy on summer days though! I would generally discourage free roaming outside of a safe enclosure, but until something is set up, closely supervise outdoor roams.
Care advice for these guys is painfully behind, fb pages, YouTube, pet stores, they’re all repeating the same outdated advice, this forum is made of people who have spent years finding the best ways to care for them that actually result in healthy tortoise.
I’m going to include some information below on an example of an appropriate indoor set up, it includes the correct levels and equipment etc including the appropriate indoor uv
Basking light should be an incandescent floodlight(example attached) on a 12 hour timer.
Basking temperature directly under the floodlight should be 95-100f. The rest of the enclosure should be ranging 75-80 during the day.
You may also wish to add ambient lighting on the same timer, providing shady areas with hides and safe plants.
Then CHE/CHE’s(ceramic heat emitters) always on a thermostat, for night heat if your house drops below 60’s at night. They are a non light emitting bulb. Set the thermostat for a night temperature place the probe in their cooler end, plug the che into it and the thermostat into the mains, it’ll be plugged in 24/7 but will only turn on when the temperature drops. If in a cooler climate you’ll probably need these.
Indoor Uv should be a t5 fluorescent tube, avoid the compact and coil uv bulbs, they don’t give out enough uv and can hurt the tortoises eyes. The uv can be on a 4 hour timer from noon, there’s lots of conflicting information telling people to keep their uv on for 12hours a day, it stems from the thought that as soon as the basking bulb, ie the ‘sun’ comes on, that uv must be on too, fact is UV rays don’t peak till around midday for a few hours, many member have used UV solar meters to confirm this. Tortoises in the wild don’t get blasted with 12hours of UV, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. I’ve attached examples of the two brands to go for(I personally recommend the Arcadia)and some examples of how to mount them.
With lighting always avoid anything labelled halogen or mercury vapour.
For substrates, either coco coir, dampened and packed down by hand as a base, with a layer of orchid(fir not pine) bark or forest floor on top, or just the orchid bark/forest floor. Never use anything with sand mixed in, no top soils and no kinds of moss. The problem with top soil is unless you’ve composted it yourself, you don’t know what kind of plants have gone into it, it could be something toxic. Sand can irritate the eyes and be an impaction risk, moss is an impaction risk too.
You want to aim to have the bottom layer of substrate damp, to do this pour lukewarm water into the corners, not loads but enough to dampen the entire bottom layer. To stop that top layer getting too dry/dusty, mix the substrate now n then, you don’t want dusty substrate, that can cause respiratory problems. Check your monitors and substrate to do the pours as and when needed. I recommend having digital monitors that read both temperature and humidity.
I’d personally recommend you make your own base to go as big as you possibly can for the space you have, roaming room is vital for tortoise health. The closer you can get to an 8x4 size the better.
When making your base, just make sure the material is safe, some use flower beds, or take a large bookcase, take out the shelves and lie flat, or just make their own, for all these options I’d line with cheap pond liner to protect the base, making sure the liner goes up the sides too and make sure those sides are deep enough! They can be professional escape artists
I’ve also included examples of stands people make/buy to hang their lighting, use a temperature gun to determine how high the basking bulb needs to be, the uv I suggested needs to be mounted 18-20 inches from the substrate. I’d use chains so your lights aren’t just hanging by the wires. Never rely on just the clamp fittings some come with.
For a water dish a shallow terracotta saucer is considered safest, they have grip in the event your tortoise flips themselves, most pet store options are a known hazard.
I’d also always recommend getting your hands on a temp gun, they’re SO handy when setting up a new environment or for checking your monitors are correct
I’m sorry this looks such a lot to go over, but I promise it’s worth it once you can get your head round it
Some of the enclosure examples are too small but they’re there to give you an idea
Also you may find this link below useful for some food ideas! you can buy seeds online and plant in organic soil(free of chemicals) in a planter the tortoise doesn’t have access to, and forage from them as they grow
The Tortoise Table - Home
The Tortoise Table plant database and resource site for Tortoise ownerswww.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
I can understand how you feel about the advice, because you’re right in that tortoises absolutely love to roam, which is why a large enough enclosure is so important.
Tortoises don’t have reasoning skills, therefore they can’t understand why the area they are wandering doesn’t feel comfortable, all they know is they want to explore, but trust me, the discomfort is there, our homes do not mimic a tortoises natural habitat and there’s too many factors to consider with indoor free roaming that make it inappropriate.
Hopefully that makes sense
Tortoises don’t have reasoning skills, therefore they can’t understand why the area they are wandering doesn’t feel comfortable, all they know is they want to explore, but trust me, the discomfort is there, our homes do not mimic a tortoises natural habitat and there’s too many factors to consider with indoor free roaming that make it inappropriate.
Hopefully that makes sense
Vanillukit
New Member
Im just being curious, i’d appreciate kind advice, im not saying you’re wrong just asking follow up questions. how would it be unsafe. she does not have access to the kitchen which is where the door is. and the floor is always clear of anything when she’s out. If that’s the best i will make adjustments but i just want to make sure i have all the answers i need!
Vanillukit
New Member
hi again! did you see my question about a more affordable uvb light? we dont have a lot of extra cash at the moment but i want to do what i can since she hasn’t been upgraded in a whileI can understand how you feel about the advice, because you’re right in that tortoises absolutely love to roam, which is why a large enough enclosure is so important.
Tortoises don’t have reasoning skills, therefore they can’t understand why the area they are wandering doesn’t feel comfortable, all they know is they want to explore, but trust me, the discomfort is there, our homes do not mimic a tortoises natural habitat and there’s too many factors to consider with indoor free roaming that make it inappropriate.
Hopefully that makes sense
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Check out this thread on the experiences other people have had about free roaming: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/s...o-roam-around-on-the-floor-of-my-room.162445/
Basically, free roaming is impossible to be made safe. One hair fallen on the floor can cause a lot of trouble when eaten by your tortoise. There might even be threads you haven't thought about.
Vanillukit
New Member
thank you so much. i will stop letting her out. i’m new to the forum how do i do the little thing that says what animals i have?
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Click your profile name at the top of the page and then click signature. There you can edit the text that will be at the bottom of all your posts.
Vanillukit
New Member
thanks!
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